Ballochmyle Creamery

Date 8 July 2015

Event ID 1002564

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1002564

Background

The former Ballochmyle Creamery sits on a slope on the North bank of the River Ayr some 2.1 km south-south-east of the town of Mauchline in East Ayrshire council area. The now disused early 20th century rebuild is on the site of an earlier creamery dating from the late 19th century which in turn sat on the site of a lint mill of the 18th century, (1) which was fed from a lade which drew water from a dam at NS 5047 2530. This lade is still visible at the former creamery site, and can be traced on the map from its original source, but is unknown to what extent it was utilised in the work of the creamery. There is evidence that there was an artesian well on the site which provided water for the manufacturing process. By the late 19th century, the creamery was manufacturing 'Seafoam' margarine (claiming to be the first margarine made using vegetable, rather than animal, fats) and after c.1927, 'Blueband' margarine. (2) Margarine is emulsion made from refined or hydrogenated plant oils and water with other additions such as skimmed milk and salt to resemble butter. Margarine was first manufactured in the late 19th century as a butter substitute. (3)

The Creamery (see site plan DC62031-33)

The current incarnation of the creamery is a complex site. The creamery was partially rebuilt with a central European profile in around 1911 (see Ground Plan DC62032 C (lower floor), A and B and Basement Floor Plan DC 62031 A) which partially utilised earlier buildings dating from the late 1890s. These are situated on the west part of the site (see Ground Plan DC62032 A and B and Basement plan DC 62031 A) marked as 'c.1890 range'.

The north and middle ranges show evidence of sandstone masonry and probably thus incorporate pre-20th century buildings (DP187024, DP187022) as well as the sandstone detail on the lade archway (west end of site). The north range has later upper floor extension in brick (DC62032 A, DP187022) presumably built around the same time (the gable ventilation similar) as the most northerly range (?garage), albeit with smaller windows (DP187018).

The now obscured south elevation had two, one-storey ranges running along its south perimeter and either side of the three-storied centre block in an inverted 'T' arrangement (see Ground Plan DC62032 C, D and E). These elevations have round arched windows and doorways. The original openings can still be seen at the east end and on the south elevation (within a later south addition, see DP187004). This is qualified by an image which appears in a publication produced by the owners of the creamery in the late 1920s. (4) These two blocks had upper extensions added sometime after 1911 (see SC679505, 1966), presumably when taken over by Jurgens (makers of Blue Band margarine) and Unilever in 1930 (when Margarine Unie and Lever Brothers merged). All the later building additions have tried to chime with the 1911 range with white harling and sandstone window surrounds on the lower floors.

Ballochmyle Creamery Company was possibly sold to Jurgens in the 1920s (both Jurgens and Van den Bergh first establish UK factories in 1917) presumably around the time they created 'Margarine Unie' in 1927 by merging with Van den Bergh, Centra and Schicht. One of their brands was 'Blue Band'. Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie went onto to create Unilever in 1930. (5) The Ballochmyle Creamery site was used as a spectacle making factory until around 1987.

Information from and visited by RCAHMS (MMD), 2015.

Footnotes

(1) A lint mill is where the fibres of flax were prepared for spinning. Lint is a Scottish term; depicted as 'Ruins' on the Ordnance Survey first edition 6-inch map (Ayrshire, published 1860, sheet XXVIII)

(2) http://www.mauchlinevillage.co.uk/oldphotos_page4.htm

(3) Margarine was of interest since the 1870s (made from beef fat and milk) for the companies that ultimately became part of Unilever (Jurgens and Van den Bergh in the Netherlands began making margarine in 1872). The fatty acid which makes it up is margaric acid (one of the three fatty acids that make up animal fats along with oleic and stearic), was discovered in France in 1811. Palm Oil is commonly used in the making of margarine today. Other types of fats and oils have been used. The fatty phase is made of a mixture of vegetable oil or animal fats or oils and the aqueous phase of skimmed milk or water or a mixture with salt, flavours and emulsifiers added to make table, industrial and pastry margarines. The companies which formed the company Unilever in 1930 were all involved in making products from oils and fats such as soap and margarine.

(4) See http://www.ayrshirehistory.com/images/dtpage8b.jpg and 'Ballochmyle Creamery, The Progress of Forty Years' at http://www.ayrshirehistory.com/images/dtpage4b.jpg. There is also a copy in the National Library Scotland.

(5) http://www.unilever.co.uk/aboutus/ourhistory/1930s/