Beath, Fife, Scotland Genealogy

Beath #410

History
The name of the parish was anciently spelt Baith, and sigifies, in Gaelic, birchwood---of which there is not a vestice now to justify the etymology. Its surface is rugged and hilly, but there are no mountains. The only lake in the parish is Loch Fitty. At presnet there are three collieries in operation in the parish. In 1821 the population was 729 and in 1831 it was 921. About 400 of the populatoin lives in the villages of Kelty and Oakfield. The number of families is 180. The increase of population is owing to the additional number of hands employed at the collieries, and to a system of euing lately introduced. The average number of births for the last seven years was 15, of marriages 5, and of deaths 13 (based on the parish records, but not all births and deaths are registered.) During the last three years there have been 4 illegitimate births in the parish.

There are 5276 acres under cultivation. All kinds of produce are grown including potatoes, turniops, cabbages, etc. Hay is also grown. Cattle is grazed. There are no markets town in the parish, nor a post office. The parish church is the only place of public worship. The new church was built about 1835. Of the population nearly 200 are Burgher Seceders. Their number has greatly diminished within the last twenty years. The parochial school is the only one in the parish. It is attended by an average of 100 scholars. There are one inn and four public-houses in the parish, and their effects are notoriously injurious to the morals of the people. The fuel used in the parish is coal, of which there is great abundance at a reasonable price.

The above extract is taken from the account written in April 1833 and revised in April 1836.

Source: The New Statistical Account of Scotland, for Fife. FHL book 941 B4sa, 2nd series, vol. 9; also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages via the parish reports.

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be in indexed the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are no entries April 1649–February 1676, May 1683–January 1686, and August 1714–February 1718. Marriages: Prior to 1649 entries are among births for the same time period. No entries May 1649–November 1673. Records are only entries of contracts; October 1678–May 1692; June 1714–January 1720; August 1794–January 1796; 1805 or 1815. After 1775, there are frequent entries of clandestine marriages, chiefly celebrated at Edinburgh. Deaths: Burials Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Accounts 1750–1821 Communion Rolls 1841–1848, 1850 Minutes 1691–1731, 1750–1974 Poor Accounts 1821–1871 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1059.

Nonconformist Church Records
Of the population, nearly 200 were Burgher Seceders in 1840. Their number was greatly diminished within the previous twenty years. They would probably have attended church in neighboring parishes.

Kelty Free Church
History— The minister of Cleish parish, and many of his parishioners, came out at the Disruption. A Free Church congregation was formed in the village of Kelty and a church was built. A new church was built in 1893–1894. Kelty became an important mining center, and the congregation grew with the increase of the population. Membership: 1848, 70; 1900, 286. So urce: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Cowdenbeath Branch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–Day Saints
History—  Unavailable.

Records—                                     FHL Film Number  Record of members early to 1883       0104150 item 5