Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy Galleries has a large collection of genealogy and local history materials.

The ScotlandsPlaces website lets users search across national databases by geographical location. It includes, amongst other material,

• catalogue entries for maps and plans held by the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh; some maps and plans can be viewed
• photos and details of historical buildings and archaeological sites recorded by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh
• 17th and 18th century tax rolls
• Ordnance Survey [place] Name Books
• an opportunity to transcribe thousands of historic documents

The National Collection of Aerial Photography website has photographs of Kirkcaldy taken in the 1940s.

A very good description is to be found in the relevant chapter in History of the County of Fife: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time by John M Leighton, published 1840, online at Google Books.

Old Dysart and East Kirkcaldy and Old Kirkcaldy - Central, North & West (Stenlake Publishing) contain many photographs and full descriptions.

Wemyss ware pottery was made in Kirkcaldy from 1882 and continues to be made in Fife although now it is produced in Ceres [click on 'About us' then 'History'].

There are 3 cemeteries and a crematorium in Kirkcaldy parish. There are others in the town, in Abbotshall and Dysart parishes.

1. Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Churchyard, Kirk Wynd, Kirkcaldy (grid ref. NT 281917; GPS: 56.11245 -3.158828):

• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are listed in "Fifeshire Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) vol. 1 South east parishes" by John Fowler Mitchell & Sheila Mitchell, published by the Scottish Genealogy Society. ISBN 0901061948
• The lair registers for 1767-1972 are held by the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh (CH2/636/28,29 and 30). The entries for 1767-1854 have been transcribed and published by the Fife Family History Society. An index to the register of burials contained within the Kirk Session Records (CH2/636/28-29) for 1855 - 1972 has been published by the Fife Family History Society in their Publication 21. There is a complete listing of all burials from 1767-1854 on the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society.
• Transcripts of many of the older stones were made by Robert Monteith in An Theater of Mortality, 1713. They are included in Publication 37, Monumental Notes by Erskine Beveridge and Robert Monteith, published by the Fife Family History Society. Montieth's book is available at the Internet Archive texts.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

2. Bennochy Cemetery, BalsusneyRoad, Kirkcaldy (grid ref. NT 275919; GPS: 56.115336 -3.165034):

• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are listed in "Fifeshire Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) vol. 1 South east parishes" by John Fowler Mitchell & Sheila Mitchell, published by the Scottish Genealogy Society. ISBN 0901061948
• The current lair registers (dating from 1860) are administered by Fife Council, Bereavement Services Central, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Rosemount Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6HQ. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.
• There is a listing of grave locations in Fife of holders of the Victoria Cross.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

3. Hayfield Cemetery, Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy (grid ref. NT 277933; GPS: 56.126269 -3.164659):

• The current lair registers (dating from 1939) are administered by Fife Council, Bereavement Services Central, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Rosemount Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6HQ. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

4. Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Rosemount Avenue, Kirkcaldy (grid ref. NT 274939; GPS: 56.132972 -3.171000):

• Opened in 1959.
• The current registers (dating from 1959) are administered by Fife Council, Bereavement Services Central, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Rosemount Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6HQ. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.

Kirkcaldy Central Library has a large collection of transcripts, indexes and manuscript volumes of Kirkcaldy burials.

A selection of interesting inscriptions and photographs are included in the booklet Guide to Kirkcaldy Graveyards, published by Kirkcaldy Civic Society, 1996 (ISBN 1946294038).

War graves can be seen at the Scottish Wargraves Project and war memorials can be seen at the Scottish War Memorials Project.

The original 1841 census returns were lost in transit to Edinburgh.

Parish / district reference number for 1851 - 1901 censuses: 442 (see also Civil Registration). The ScotlandsPeople website has a street index to the 1911 census.

The 1851 return can be searched on the FreeCEN website.

The 1851 census has been indexed by the Tay Valley Family History Society.

Some census records on microfilm may be consulted in  LDS Family Search Centres around the world.

LDS Library Film Numbers:

	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891
Kirkcaldy	-	1042269	103830, index to streets on 104116	103993, index to streets on 104117	203526, 203527, index to streets on 203392	208760, 208761, 208762, index to streets on 208606

(Data provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Further information on the main Fife page.

Kirkcaldy - Church History - links and information

Kirkcaldy - Church Records - links and information

Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths began in Scotland on 1st January 1855. Full information on the main Fife page.

Registration districts covering this parish:

Registration districts did not necessarily coincide exactly with parishes. In the 20th century especially, there were frequent changes in registration districts. Kirkcaldy registration district included part of Abbotshall parish until 1874, thereafter the whole of Abbotshall parish was included. Kirkcaldy registration district also included part of Kinghorn parish.

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• B/41
  Kirkcaldy Burgh Records
  Kirkcaldy burgh records, 1595-1927, including: Protocol book, 1679 (inc sasines, 1539-1607); Register of deeds, 1673-1871.

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy Burgh records
  Burgh court minute books, 1567-1913 (with gaps); Juvenile court and police court records, 1932-1970; Dean of Guild court minute book, 1878-1889 and registers, 1938-1964; Licensing court registers, 1765-1975 (with gaps).

Content headings for Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court are on the Court Records page.

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is an index to Kirkcaldy Burgh Register of Deeds (1716-1884).

Kirkcaldy Civic Society provide lots of information about the town.

Surrounding parishes: Abbotshall, Dysart, Auchterderran.

• Geograph
• Flickr

The parish entry in Pigot's National Commercial Directory for the whole of Scotland, 1837, is online at Google Books.

Westwood's Parochial Directory for the Counties of Fife and Kinross for 1862 and 1866 are online at Google Books. On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is a transcription of the 1862 edition.

Several old gazetteers are available. They all contain descriptions of the parish and many are also worth searching for entries of places within the parish.

• David Webster's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, published 1819, online at Google Books.
• Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, published 1846, online at British History Online.
• Barbieri's Descriptive and Historical Gazetteer of the Counties of Fife, Kinross and Clackmannan, published 1857, is at Google Books.
• Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4) and John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887), are on A Vision of Britain (click on "Historical places and writing").
• Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland(1892-6) on Electric Scotland

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Kirkcaldy to another place.

A page of information about some local ship-owning families is available on the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society.

On 15th May 1891, two detached parts of Abbotshall (both surrounded by Kirkcaldy parish) were transferred to Kirkcaldy parish. They comprised the following subjects: Smeaton, Smeaton Row and part of East Smeaton Farm.

In 1901, the parishes of Abbotshall, Dysart & Kirkcaldy, plus part of the parish of Kinghorn (Invertiel), were united to form the parish of Kirkcaldy & Dysart.

In 1930, the burgh of Dysart was combined with the burgh of Kirkcaldy.

A Vision of Britain provides historical descriptions, population & housing statistics, historic boundaries and maps.

Notices from the Local Records of Dysart,a compilation from various sources covering both parish and burgh matters from 1534 to 1697, published in 1853, is available online at the Internet Archive. It includes references to matters in this parish.

Details of historic buildings and archaeological sites in this parish held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh, are catalogued at ScotlandsPlaces. In the results, click RCAHMS. Unfortunately, not all entries have digital images.

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• VR50
  Valuation Rolls: Dysart Burgh
  1855-1957; the Roll from 1957 is included in the Valuation Roll for the County of Fife

• VR101
  Valuation Rolls: Fife
  1855-1975; covers the part of the parish outwith the Burgh

• B/41
  Kirkcaldy Burgh Records
  Protocol book, 1679 (inc sasines, 1539-1607); Register of sasines, 1650-1927; Register of sasines minutes, 1825-1927; Indexes to register of sasines, 1595-1927.

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy Burgh records
  Kirkcaldy Burgh valuation rolls, 1904-1958.

Historic maps:

• On-line maps:
  • National Library of Scotland map collection - main page
  • For 17th, 18th and early 19th century maps, see the National Library of Scotland map collection.
  • Using the geo-referenced maps at the National Library of Scotland allows historic maps to be viewed on top of a modern map or satellite view
  • Ordnance Survey 6-inch, 1st edition (1855) Fife shees 32, 37 at the National Library of Scotland (for the best images), or at old-maps.co.uk or British History online.
  • Ordnance Survey 6-inch editions of 1897 and 1920 at old-maps.co.uk.
  • Small images of Ordnance Survey 25-inch editions of 1896, 1914 and 1938 at old-maps.co.uk.
  • Town plans of Kirkcaldy dated 1809 (Moore), 1824 (Wood), 1832 (Great Reform Act plan & report), 1855 (Ordnance Survey) and 1894 (Ordnance Survey) at the National Library of Scotland.
  • A Vision of Britain has the Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 1st edition (1850s) and the Ordnance Survey 1-inch, Popular edition (1920s) - both showing parish boundaries; Land Utilisation mapping (1930s); and more.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 1st edition (1867) sheet 40; 2nd edition (1899) sheet 40; and 3rd edition (1906) sheet 40 at the National Library of Scotland.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, Popular edition (1928) sheet 68 at the National Library of Scotland.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 7th series (1950s-1960s) sheet 56 at the National Library of Scotland.
• Paper maps:
  • The National Library of Scotland sells paper and digital copies of their maps (select "Enquiries & copies").
  • The Caledonian Maps Victorian Ordnance Survey Map Series sheet 40 (reprint of the 1899 1-inch map).
  • Old-maps.co.uk sell paper copies of all their on-line maps.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 7th series (1950s-1960s) sheet 56
  • Caledonian Maps publish Wood's 1824 town plan of Kirkcaldy (which shows names of proprietors)
  • Alan Godfrey Maps produce reprints of the large scale 1894 Ordnance Survey town plans of Kirkcaldy & part of Dysart.
  • The best collection of large scale local and estate maps and plans is held by the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh. The RCAHMS also has some plans. They are catalogued on the ScotlandsPlaces website. N.B. Only a few maps and plans are available as digital images.

Present-day maps:

• On-line maps:
  • National Library of Scotland map collection - main page
  • Streetmap
  • Ordnance Survey maps
• Paper maps:
  • Ordnance Survey Landranger (scale 1:50000 -  about 1 inch to 1 mile) sheets 59 - St Andrews, 66 - Edinburgh
  • Ordnance Survey Explorer (larger scale 1:25000 -  about 2 and a half inches to 1 mile) sheet 367 - Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy & Glenrothes south

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NT268936 (Lat/Lon: 56.129343, -3.179535), Kirkcaldy which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

Hospital records (mostly of an administrative nature) are held by the Fife Council Archive Centre. The following hospitals are included: Kirkcaldy Cottage Hospital 1891-1948. Patient records are closed for 100 years.

The Register of the Fife Fallen in the Great War, vol 1: Kirkcaldy & Dysart Fallen, 1914-1919 has been published and is available from the Fife Family History Society and the Tay Valley Family History Society.

The Kirkcaldy [Boer] War Album with photographs of over 200 Fife men 1900-1902 is online at Ancestry.co.uk.

War graves can be seen at the Scottish Wargraves Project and war memorials can be seen at the Scottish War Memorials Project.

Andrew Campbell has produced Fife Deaths from Newspapers 1822-1854 - a compilation of deaths recorded in local newspapers. Copies of this index are held by the Fife libraries and the Family History Societies.

Fife Deaths Abroad 1855-1900 - a compilation of overseas deaths recorded in Fife newspapers - has been produced by Andrew Campbell of Fife Family History Society. The Society have re-published it in their Publications Series, 29.

A list of Kirkcaldy shoemakers, 1718 - 1854, extracted from the Kirkcaldy Shoemakers' Accounts Book , held by Kirkcaldy Museum, has been published by the Fife Family History Society in Publication 13 - Trade Incorporation Records.

A list of Kirkcaldy wrights, 1753 - 1845, extracted from a list of members of the Kirkcaldy Wright Incorporation Benefit Society , held by Kirkcaldy Central Library, has been published by the Fife Family History Society in Publication 14 - Trade Incorporation Records.

Records of Kirkcaldy Burgh Police Officers are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre.

Sailors on board ships registered at Kirkcaldy in 1851 are listed on CD: Scotland South-East Seamen Crew Lists, 1851 available from Family History Indexes.

The parish is included in Andrew Campbell's compilation of Fife Shopkeepers and Traders 1820-1870 taken from newspapers and directories. It is available in most Fife reference libraries, in the libraries of the family history societies, and at the Manuscript Department of the Special Collections Department of St Andrews University Library. It is also available as Fife Traders and Shopkeepers on CD from Fife Family History Society.

There is a series of articles about many Fife family businesses in Fife Family History Society's Journal, New Series 10.

At the FifeCouncil Archive Centre, Markinch:

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy Burgh records
  Craft Incorporations records, 1612-1792; Burgess roll, 1810-1965.

The relief of paupers after 1845 was carried out by the Parochial Board and later by the Parish Council. Their records are at the Fife Council Archive Centre. See Public Records below.

Peter Higginbotham's website has a lot of information about Kirkcaldy combination poorhouse.

There is a page with census statistics from 1755 to 1961 here.

See also A Vision of Britain and Histpop for population statistics.

Probate records are 'Confirmations' in Scotland.

Prior to 1824, wills, testaments & inventories of residents of Kirkcaldy may be found in either the St Andrews Commissariot (CC20) or the Edinburgh Commissariot (CC8) records. From 1824 to 1960, commissary business was conducted by the Sheriff Court of Fife at Cupar (SC20). From 1960, it has been conducted at Kirkcaldy (SC23) Sheriff Court.

Indexes and finding aids are given on the main Fife page.

Local sources worth searching for deeds include St Andrews Commissary Court, Cupar Sheriff Court and Kirkcaldy Burgh Register of Deeds.

Parochial Boards and their successors, Parish Councils, administered many local functions including poor relief.

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy Parochial Board / Parish Council
  Minutes, 1843-1901

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy and Dysart Parish Council
  Minutes, 1901-1930

School Board records and / or school logbooks are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. Some schools were in Dysart parish. Kirkcaldy records:

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• Dunnikier Primary School
  Log books, 1873-1947.

• Dunnikier Infants School
  Log books, 1900-1956.

• Kirkcaldy East School
  Log books, 1873-1926.

• Fair Isle Primary School
  Log books, 1989-2000.

• Kirkcaldy High School
  Log books, 1906-1936.

• Kirkcaldy High School Elementary Departments
  Log books, 1904-1946.

• Kirkcaldy High School Primary Department
  Log books, 1946-1947.

• Kirkcaldy North Primary School
  Log books, 1907-1972; Admissions Registers, 1934-2001.

• Viewforth Continuation School
  Log books, 1908-1938.

• Kirkcaldy West Primary School
  Log books, 1873-1908.

• Kirkcaldy West Infants School
  Log books, 1877-1930.

• Kirkcaldy Burgh School Board
  Minutes, 1873-1919.

• Kirkcaldy and Dysart School Board
  Minutes, 1910-1919.

Entries less than 50 years old may contain sensitive personal information and are not on open access. If you are a former pupil you are entitled to see your own entry. Please contact the Archivist for further details.

Education statistics for Fife schools in 1891-2 list the following board schools in the parish:

"Statistical accounts" giving fascinating insights into the local topography and history, social and economic conditions, and even the daily lives of people, were written by the parish ministers in the 1790s and the 1840s. For more information see the main Fife pages

• The 'Old' Statistical Account is at The Statistical Accounts of Scotland and Google Books.
• The 'New' Statistical Account is also at The Statistical Accounts of Scotland and Google Books.

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• E326
  Assessed Taxes Schedules, 1748-1802
  Kirkcaldy Royal Burgh:
  • Window tax, May 1753-Apr 1798
  • Commutation tax, 1784-1798
  • Inhabited house tax, 1778-1798
  • Shop tax, 1787-1788
  • Female servant tax, 1785-1792

The hearth tax, clock & watch tax, male servants tax, female servants tax, and farm horse tax are all on ScotlandsPlaces.

See also the Early Taxation Records page.

Towns were usually referred to as Burghs in Scotland.

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• B/41
  Kirkcaldy Burgh Records
  Kirkcaldy burgh records, 1595-1927, including: Protocol book, 1679 (inc sasines, 1539-1607); Register of sasines, 1650-1927; Register of sasines minutes, 1825-1927; Presentment books, 1866-1927; Indexes to register of sasines, 1595-1927; Register of deeds, 1673-1871.

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• B/Kdy
  Kirkcaldy Burgh records
  Town council minutes, 1663-1793, 1843-1975; Burgh court minute books, 1567-1913 (with gaps); Juvenile court and police court records, 1932-1970; Burgh Trustees minutes and accounts, 1811-1872; Police Commissioners minutes, 1873-1899; Harbour Commission minutes, 1829-1904; Kirkcaldy and Dysart Water Commission minutes, 1867-1930; Local Authority minutes and letter books, 1865-1876; Abbotshall Parochial Board minutes and letter books, 1846-1901; Kirkcaldy Parochial Board / Parish Council minutes, 1843-1901; Kirkcaldy and Dysart Parish Council minutes, 1901-1930; Dean of Guild court minute book, 1878-1889 and registers, 1938-1964; Licensing court registers, 1765-1975 (with gaps); Craft Incorporations records, 1612-1792; Burgess roll, 1810-1965; accounts, 1698-1974 (with gaps); Kirkcaldy Burgh valuation rolls, 1904-1958.

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is an index to Kirkcaldy Burgh Register of Deeds (1673-1871).