Blackburn, West Lothian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackburn |
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 The approach to Blackburn from the south |
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 Blackburn
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| Population | 5,730 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NS985655 |
| Civil parish | |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BATHGATE |
| Postcode district | EH47 |
| Dialling code | 01506 |
| Police | Lothian and Borders |
| Fire | Lothian and Borders |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Blackburn is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is located near Bathgate and Livingston, which are two larger towns in the area. Blackburn is about 20 miles (32 km) west of Edinburgh and 25 miles (40 km) east of Glasgow. It sits on the old A8 road.
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What is the History of Blackburn?
The name Blackburn means "the black stream." It comes from old words like blæc (black) and burna (stream). This name was first written down as Blachebrine in 1152.
Blackburn started as a small town that made cotton. Later, in the mid-1800s, it became important for coal mining.
The town's population grew a lot between 1961 and 1965. It went from about 4,300 people to around 9,000. This happened because there were many jobs in nearby Bathgate. Also, people moved here as part of a plan to help with overcrowding in Glasgow.
In 1986, a big factory in the area closed down. This caused some difficulties for the town. Many homes built in the 1960s were also taken down. Today, the train station in Bathgate makes it easy for people living in Blackburn to travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh for work or fun.
What is Blackburn House?
Blackburn House is a very old and important building. It is a category A-listed building, which means it has special historical value. This house was built during the Georgian era, a time when King George ruled Britain. It is located just east of the town.
What Churches are in Blackburn?
Blackburn has several churches. The Blackburn and Seafield Parish Church belongs to the Church of Scotland. This church celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008.
The Blackburn Gospel Hall is where the Christian Brethren meet. Their church building was originally the village school in the late 1700s.
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic church in Blackburn. It also serves people in nearby communities. This church works with a group called the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which helps people in need.
What Schools are in Blackburn?
Blackburn has several schools for young people.
Secondary Schools
- St. Kentigern's Academy is a Roman Catholic secondary school. It serves students from Blackburn and other areas of West Lothian.
- Blackburn is also in the area for Bathgate Academy, which is a non-religious secondary school about 2 miles (3 km) away.
Primary and Special Schools
The town also has three primary schools:
- Murrayfield Primary
- Our Lady of Lourdes Primary
- Blackburn Primary
There is also Pinewood School. This school helps students with additional learning needs and includes both primary and secondary age groups.
Blackburn used to have its own non-religious secondary school called Blackburn Academy. However, it closed in 1992 after new high schools opened in nearby Livingston.
What is the Climate Like in Blackburn?
| Climate data for Blackburn (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) |
7.2 (45.0) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
14.2 (57.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.6 (65.5) |
16.1 (61.0) |
12.5 (54.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.5 (43.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) |
0.7 (33.3) |
2.0 (35.6) |
2.9 (37.2) |
5.9 (42.6) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
10.0 (50.0) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
2.8 (37.0) |
0.2 (32.4) |
4.8 (40.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 105.8 (4.17) |
88.1 (3.47) |
74.9 (2.95) |
57.9 (2.28) |
61.9 (2.44) |
69.6 (2.74) |
83.7 (3.30) |
87.0 (3.43) |
69.6 (2.74) |
102.3 (4.03) |
97.7 (3.85) |
104.0 (4.09) |
1,002.4 (39.46) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 15.3 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 12.5 | 12.1 | 15.0 | 14.9 | 15.4 | 157.6 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 51.4 | 77.5 | 108.2 | 143.2 | 194.0 | 163.9 | 151.5 | 143.4 | 115.8 | 92.2 | 58.1 | 36.7 | 1,335.8 |
| Source: Met Office | |||||||||||||
What Sports are Popular in Blackburn?
Football
Blackburn is home to a Scottish football club called Blackburn United. They play at the Purdie Worldwide Community Stadium, also known as New Murrayfield Park, which is near the town centre. This club is a key part of the Blackburn United Community Sports Club.
Taekwondo
Blackburn used to be a big centre for Scotia TaeKwonDo. National competitions were often held at the Blackburn Community Centre. This centre was next to New Murrayfield Park before it was taken down.
Who are Some Famous People from Blackburn?
- Susan Boyle is a famous singer. She became well-known after appearing on Britain's Got Talent. Her first album, I Dreamed a Dream (2009), sold very quickly in the UK.
- John Brown is a footballer. He went to Blackburn Academy and later played for Rangers. His team won nine Scottish League titles in a row.
- Angela Constance is a politician from the Scottish National Party (SNP). She used to be a government minister in Scotland.
- Steven Craig is a footballer who played for several teams, including Falkirk, Motherwell, Aberdeen, and Dundee.
- Jim Devine is a Labour politician.
- Michael Gallagher is an Australian paralympic cyclist who won gold medals.
- Alexander Young (engineer) was an engineer born in the 1800s. He later became a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
See also
In Spanish: Blackburn (West Lothian) para niños
