20th century Alloa

1 20th century

1.1 wool
1.2 weaving , glass making
1.3 brewing
1.4 malt distilling
1.5 barrel cooperage
1.6 military history
1.7 police

20th century

after improvements made harbour during 18th century, alloa thrived river port through products of glasgow manufacture exported continental europe. @ time, , until 1950s, main industry north , east of town coal mining.

wool

wool locally plentiful , in part of 19th century, john paton set small yarn-spinning business in town, later establishing kilncraigs mill. firm merged j. & j. baldwin of halifax in 1924 become world-famous paton & baldwins ltd.

united glass works in alloa


weaving , glass making

the town continued known weaving , glassmaking industries 19th , 20th centuries.

brewing

alloa long associated brewing industry, @ least 9 major breweries producing ales @ height. industrial decline during late 20th century has led economy relying more on retail , leisure. first brewing firms in town younger in 1762 , meiklejohn in 1784. alloa ale sent london , george younger had extensive export trade west indies, egypt , far east. alloa home alloa brewery co, developing graham’s golden lager in 1927 renamed skol in 1950s. closures , mergers during mid-20th century reduced number of breweries 2 , 1999 after closure of maclay s thistle brewery, 1 remained, forth brewery became williams bros. in 2003.

malt distilling

in addition brewing of beer, alloa site of former carsebridge distillery. according alfred barnard, victorian historian of british distilling , brewing, distillery founded malt distillery john bald in 1799. in 1840s converted grain distillery , time of barnard s visit in mid 1880s distillery covered 10 acres, employed 150 people, , had annual output of 1.4 1.7 million gallons of pure grain whisky. distillery s owner john bald , co 1 of 5 companies combined form distillers company limited in 1877. in 1902, fire devastated distillery, after world war refitted , started producing yeast. yeast production lasted until 1938. in 1956 distillery modernised, expanded in 1966 , in 1970s new still house, cooperage , animal feedstuffs plant added. 1980 carsebridge distillery largest grain distillery in scotland, closed in 1983 , demolished in 1992. 1 of distillery s coffey stills in use @ cameronbridge distillery.

barrel cooperage

after whisky ceased produced @ carsebridge, cooperage remained 1 of 2 owned diageo in scotland. in 2008, 30 people worked there rebuilding or repairing 400 bourbon casks, imported us, each day. however, in 2009 company announced intended close carsebridge cooperage , move work nearby cambus. new cambus cooperage opened in december 2011 earl of wessex.

military history

alloa linked historic argyll , sutherland highlanders housed @ stirling castle. many of soldiers in ww2 fought under montgomery @ battle of el alamein , wadi akrit commanding officer lorne campbell won v.c. part of 7th argylls under 51st highland division.

police

as of 2014, temporary national headquarters of police scotland located in alloa.