1820 - 1829
1820 (-1826) 'A grand rush of increased business occurs in the all departments of the linen trade'. 1820 The schooner 'Ossian' built in Arbroath. Owned by Brown & Co, it will sail to Riga. In 1845 is sold to A.Mann. 1821 The population (census) is 8,906. 1821 The Academy is built in Hill Place, replacing the old Burgh school. 1821 United Original Seceders Church opens. 1821 Erskine Church is being built in Horner's Wynd (later Commerce Street). 1822 Three Letham estates are re-united by former provost John Hay, to form Letham Grange. 1822 John Maule donates the Arbroath Regality Registers to the town. 1822 A sailcloth store is built by Old Shorehead. 1822 David Corsar moves premises to Orchard Mill on Orchard Street (John Street West). 1822 Newgate House is under the name of James Butchart whose family have owned the estate since the 1700s. 1822 John Wood produces a wonderfully informative Arbroath street plan ( See sub-page ' Arbroath in 1822' ). 1823 James Keith opens a tinsmith business in High St. The firm will become a leading manufacturer of heating & ventilating equipment and hydraulic equipment. 1823 The Parish Church (Kirk Wynd) is 'enlarged or repaired'. 1823 'Stamping' of osnaburg & brown linen stops when the flax industries board of trustees is abolished. 1824 (Oct 21) John Ritchie Findlay is born in Arbroath. He will become a philanthropist & the proprietor of 'The Scotsman' newspaper. (d.1898). 1824 The population is 9,233. 1825 (approx) The Abbey's main entrance porch on it's north wall, holding the portcullis which will come to form the armorial bearings of the town (see the Seal of Arbroath left) is considered insecure and is demolished. 1825 Alexander Stephen builds a schooner of 216 tons. 1825 Munro & Co.'s foundry is on Dickfield Street from this year. Dickfield St. had been 'Sichars' in 1822. 1825 Alexander Shanks goes into business as a small spinning & flax machinery manufacturer. 1825 At 69-71 High Street, Bank notes are being printed in the town by the Arbroath Banking Company. 1826 (Feb 13) The gas works start to supply gas to the town. 1826 St Paul's United Prebyterian Church opens in Park Street. 1826 Only three Auchmithie fishing boats have so far taken up the town's invitation to re-locate to Arbroath. The council is extending it's incentives to Shetland & Bervie. 1826 Mr Hay of Letham Grange uncovers two urns & the remains of an old road. 1826 Arbroath boasts 33 shoemakers, situated around High Street. 1826 A slump in the linen trade causes Francis Webster to lock up his warehouse and wait for better times. He refuses to part with his goods unless paid for in cash. 1826 (approx) Golf is first played in Arbroath, the original course 'of about 9 holes' starting at Tuttie's Neuk. 1826 David Carnegie, author of 'Lays & Lyrics from the Factory', is born in East Mill Wynd. Click here: 1827 (Jan) Seven people are saved from the Clyde Packet as she is wrecked at the harbour entrance. Coastguard Lieut Christopher Jobson RN is awarded a gold medal. A second similar award in the form of a lifeboat, is made for rescuing the master of the vessel 'Alice', driven ashore near the town on the 8th of March. 1827 (Oct 17) James Johnstone Barnet is born in Almerlieclose, Arbroath. He becoming a Clerk of Works in London before emigrating to Australia on Dec 10th 1854. There he is employed by Edmund Blacket as Clerk of Works on the Great Hall, Univ. of Sydney. In 1865 he is appointed Colonial Architect & will become responsible for more than 12,000 projects including defence works, 20 lighthouses, courthouses, jails, post offices & police stations throughout N.S. Wales. His best buildings include The Australian Museum (1866), The General Post Office (1866-85), Goulburn Courthouse (1875-7), The Lands Dept. (1876-92), Bathurst Courthouse (1878), The Chief Secretary's Dept. (1878), The Garden Palace for Sydney's International Exhibition (1879) and Callan Park Psychiatric Hospital (1880-3). He dies in Sydney on the 16th December 1904. 1827 An expanding population necessitates the building at St Vigeans Kirk of a 2nd north aisle. Repairs are also made to the roof. 1827 The Patent Slipway (an 1818 invention by Scot Thomas Morton) is laid down at the harbour. 1827-1831 Shipbuilder William Blair operates between the Sig. Tower & harbour. 1828 The reaping machine is invented by the Rev. Patrick Bell, a former resident of Carmyllie. (b. 1801, d. 1869). 1828 (Oct 19) Inverbrothock Church opens. 1828 Creditors take over Wm. Stephen's shipyard. 1829 The Countess of Northesk has the Auchmithie chapel of ease built. 1829 Charles Milne is born in the town. He will be Judy Garland's great grandfather. 1829 The last two ships on Wm. Stephen's books are completed. He dies 8th December. 1829 George Gordon is born in Arbroath. As an engineer he works for 6 years in Holland (4 with the Amsterdam Water Co.) & 10 years with the Madras Irrigation & Canal Co. in India. He arrives in Melbourne, Australia in 1872 & is Chief Engineer of the Water Supply Dept from 1875-78 & is on the Board which decide what form North Victoria's irrigation system will take. He dies in 1907.
Erskine Church is built on Horner's Wynd (later Commerce Street)
The 1822 map by John Wood
From the 1822 map : 7) is the Parish Church, which will be renovated in 1823. 8) is the new Academy built in 1821
a one pound note produced in Arbroath
