Lime Quarrying
Lime Quarrying
Another less well-known but important industry in the area was limestone quarrying and the associated cement industry.
Limestone was quarried and turned into lime which was then used in the manufacture of lime mortar and cement and also used as an agricultural fertilizer. Adding lime to soil could vastly improve it and yield better groups and so was in great demand by local farmers.
Lime quarries were dotted all over this area. A lime pit existed near the present day Florence Drive. It was known as Orchard Lime Mine, as this was on the site of Orchard Farm. The limestone, which was known as Orchard Roman Cement, was obtained from open workings and also from mines. After being burnt in kilns on the site of the present Orchardhill Church, the limestone was carted to the city and ground in mills in the East End. The shale, which was brought to the surface with the cement, was rich in fossils and eagerly sought by collectors.
There were other lime quarries at Davieland (J J Hart & Co) and at Thornliebank (William McLintoch) (1)
References
(1) Welsh, Thomas C., Eastwood District History and Heritage, Eastwood District Libraries, 1989