Moray’s industrial history … power to the people …

Picture of The History Series

The History Series

In this collection of carefully researched blog posts, our resident historian (and wonderful Office Manager) Kay Jackson delves into the stories that shaped our buildings, and the buildings and communities around them.

The early days of electricity supply to communities in Scotland date back to the late 1880s and it is reported that one of the first public supply systems was installed in the most unlikely location – the remote and very peaceful Abbey of Fort Augustus. A nearby water turbine provided power at 130 volts – and the service to the community didn’t come free! From the mid-1930s, they were charging 10d (4.2p) a unit for lighting.

Back in Moray, gas lighting was still very much the norm. However, Fochabers residents found themselves ahead of the game when the 7th Duke of Richmond and Gordon arranged the building of a power station right on the banks of the Spey. The work included building a canal to power the water turbine. By 1906, the town as enjoying electric power in homes and on the streets. The winters could literally throw a spanner in the works when large lumps of ice – known locally as ‘grues’ – piled up and choked the intake to the canal. If the supply was interrupted, it was the job of the local town bellringer to go round the town and let everyone know the problem – “there’ll be nae licht the nicht due to grue in the river”.

It was many years later before Elgin was finally able to benefit from an electricity supply. From the archives of ‘The Northern Scot’ dated July 1922, I found the following article announcing the establishment of the Elgin Electric Supply Company Ltd:

“There is no need to emphasise the boon this will be to the community, to the housewife, to the shopkeeper, to the tradesman and to the town itself in the possible launching of new industries and in the extension of present ones. In the best interests of Elgin it is the duty of every citizen who has money to spare to lend a hand and play his part in the grey old town’s development.”

The report suggested this was one of the most progressive undertakings Elgin had ever faced and it’s no doubt that businesses and residents were thrilled that they had caught up with this new technology!