Balfron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Balfron
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 The church and war memorial in Balfron |
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 Balfron
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| Population | 2,140 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NS546890 |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G63 0xx |
| Dialling code | 01360 |
| Police | Central Scotland |
| Fire | Central Scotland |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Balfron (which means 'Both Fron' in Gaelic) is a village in Scotland. It is part of the Stirling area. The village is located near the Endrick Water river. It is about 18 miles (29 km) west of Stirling city. Balfron is also 16 miles (26 km) north of Glasgow. Many people who work in Glasgow live here.
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History of Balfron
The name Balfron might mean 'cottage of mourning' in Gaelic. This comes from an old story. The legend says wolves attacked the village long ago. They supposedly took children from their homes. The first time Balfron was written about was in 1303. It was called "Buthbren" back then.
Famous Visitors and Growth
Balfron has a very old oak tree called the Clachan Oak. People say that William Wallace, a Scottish hero, rested there. Later, Rob Roy, a famous Scottish outlaw, supposedly hid there too.
In 1789, a man named Robert Dunmore built the Ballindalloch Cotton Works. This factory made cotton. Because of the factory, Balfron grew very quickly. It changed from a tiny village of about 50 people. In just one year, it became a busy place with almost 1,000 people. This was a big part of the Industrial Revolution in the area.
From Industry to Holidays
When the cotton business slowed down, something new helped Balfron. The Forth and Clyde Junction Railway train line arrived. This made Balfron a popular place for holidays. There was even a big hotel called the Tontine Hotel. It was at the corner of Buchanan Street and Cotton Street.
After World War I, there were many old army vehicles. These vehicles started Balfron's connection with buses. This link to buses continues even today.
In 1967, a tall building in London was named after the village. It is called Balfron Tower. The famous architect Ernő Goldfinger designed it.
Things to Do in Balfron
Balfron has many useful places for its residents. You can find shops and a health centre here. There is also a village hall and a secondary school. This school is called Balfron High School. The village also has a fire station and a police station. You can find a primary school, a bowling green, and a golf course. There is even a branch of the Bank of Scotland.
Golf in Balfron
Playing golf has been a tradition in Balfron for a long time. There was a 9-hole golf course at the top of the village. This course was there for many years. But in 1939, the Balfron Golf Club closed. The land was then used for farming during World War II.
In 1991, a new group called Balfron Golf Society started. They wanted to build a golf course again. A 9-hole course opened in 1994. Later, in 2001, it was made bigger to have 18 holes.
Balfron Schools
The current Balfron High School opened in 2001. It replaced an older building from the 1960s. The new school was built through a special partnership. This was between the government and a company called Jarvis plc. It meant the company helped build and manage the school.
The high school and the local primary school are on the same campus. This area is called "Balfron Campus." The old school building, which was very old, is now two homes. The company that managed the school, Jarvis, stopped operating in 2010. Another company took over the management. The school's sports facilities are open to the public. This happens when school is not in session.
Churches and Community
Balfron has a church called Balfron Church. It shares a minister with the nearby Fintry area. The Catholic community goes to St Anthony's church. This church shares a priest with St Kessog's in Strathblane. Strathendrick Baptist Church is also in Balfron. They meet at McLintock Hall.
There are eight special old buildings in Balfron. These are called listed buildings. There are also fifteen more in the area around the village. Many youth groups meet in Balfron. These include the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, scouts, and guides.
Balfron Rovers Football Club is a local soccer team. As of 2014, they play in the Forth and Endrick Football League.
Getting Around Balfron
Balfron used to have its own train station. Balfron railway station opened in 1856. It was a meeting point for two different train lines. The station closed in 1951.
The main road in Balfron is the A875. Local bus services are provided by McGill's Scotland East.
Connecting with Balfron
The Balfron telephone exchange helps connect about 970 homes. It also connects 55 businesses. Internet services are available in Balfron. However, the main internet provider has not updated the exchange since 2006. This means that very fast internet services are not yet available from this exchange.
People from Balfron
Many interesting people have come from Balfron.
- Alexander 'Greek' Thomson (1817–1875) was born in Balfron. His father worked at a local mill. Alexander became a very famous architect in Glasgow. He was known for his unique designs. He also thought a lot about sustainable building, which means building in ways that are good for the environment.
- George Thomson (1819–1878) was Alexander's brother. He was also born in Balfron. After working as an architect, he became a baptist missionary. He worked in Limbe, Cameroon. While there, he loved studying plants. A type of orchid was even named after him!
- Harold and Frank Barnwell were known as the Barnwell Brothers. They grew up in Balfron. They loved gliders and planes. They even met the Wright Brothers in America. Later, they built their own new plane designs in Bridge of Allan.
- Sir William Bilsland (1847–1921) was born near Balfron. His family had been farmers for many years. William joined his brother's small bakery in Glasgow. He made the bakery very successful. He used many vans and horses to deliver bread all over Scotland. He later became the Lord Provost of Glasgow, which is like the mayor.
- Sir Robert Muir (1864–1959) was a Scottish doctor and scientist. He was born in Balfron. He did important work in how our bodies fight off sickness. He was a leading figure in medical research in Glasgow.
- Professor George Eason (1930–1999) was a Professor of Mathematics. He lived with his family in Balfron.
- Dr Brian Douglas Keighley was a family doctor in Balfron for 40 years. He was also the head of the Scottish Council of the British Medical Association. This is a big group for doctors in Britain.
- Douglas N. Muir was a Senior Curator of Philately. This means he was an expert on stamp collecting. He worked at The Postal Museum in London. Muir was born in Balfron.
- Brian McGinley was a top football referee. He was on lists for both FIFA and UEFA, which are big football organizations.
- Lauren Gray (born 1991) is a Scottish curler. Curling is a sport played on ice. She won a gold medal at the World Championships in 2013. She also won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics for Great Britain. In 2017, she won another gold medal at the European Championships.
- Logan Gray (born 1986) is Lauren Gray's brother. He is also a Scottish curler. He won two bronze medals at the World Junior curling championships.
See also
In Spanish: Balfron para niños
