Old pictures of Livingston

LIVINGSTONE is a parish and small village with a station on the Edinburgh and Bathgate section of the North British railway; the parish, which extends for about 4 miles on the north side of the Breich water, is in the small debt court district of Bathgate. The village is 4 miles south-east from Bathgate and about 3 south from Linlithgow, on the road from Glasgow to Edinburgh. The parish church was rebuilt in 1732, and repaired in 1837. The soil varies from strong clay and loam to poor moor land. The shale oil works of the Pumpherston Oil Co. Limited are in this parish ; and there are likewise the ruins of an old Peel tower and a royal hunting lodge. Dechmont House, the residence of Mrs. Madden, adjoins the hamlet of Dechmont, 5 miles south of Linlithgow, on the Edinburgh road. The Earl of Rosebery E.G., K.T., P.C. Capt. Robert Steuart J.P. of Westwood, Sir James Pender bart. of 2 Mount street, London, W. John Young esq. of Addiewell, Meldrum's trustees and the Rev. Sir W. McDonald Honyman bart. M.A. of Coton, Salop, are the principal landowners. The area comprises 5,368 acres; rateable value £12, 347; population in 1891, 1,616, and in 1901, 2,764.

Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland, 1903