William Bald

Commemoration Plaque

On Saturday 30 August 2008, members and friends of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of Burntisland Heritage Trust gathered in the Burgh Chambers, Burntisland, for the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate William Bald, who was born in Burntisland around 1788. (Detailed information about William Bald can be found on the main Peoples Page     The initiative resulted from an approach by civil engineer Sinclair McLeod to Ian Archibald of Burntisland Heritage Trust. Sinclair's idea of a commemoration plaque in Burntisland, William Bald's home town, was enthusiastically endorsed by David Orr, the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The plaque was funded by donations from David Orr's President's Fund, Sinclair McLeod and Burntisland Heritage Trust; and the installation costs were met by Network Rail. David Orr performed the formal unveiling of the plaque in the Burgh Chambers. (It was later fixed in its permanent position, at the west end of Burntisland High Street

David Danskin Commemoration Plaque

Unveiled on 23 July 2007

The Arsenal Scotland Supporters' Club and Burntisland Heritage Trust commemorated David Danskin, the founder and first captain of Arsenal FC, at a ceremony on Monday 23 July 2007. A plaque (pictured left) was unveiled jointly by Bob Wilson, the television presenter and former Arsenal and Scotland goalkeeper, and Richard Wyatt, grandson of David Danskin. The plaque is located in the Kirkgate, Burntisland (at the corner with Somerville Street).

The Red Wheel was unveiled on 16th December 2020 by the National Transport Trust's Vice President, John Cameron CBE. John paid tribute to the success of the rail ferry in reducing the Edinburgh-Dundee freight movement from three days to four hours - carrying 29,000 wagons in the first six months of operation. The so-called Floating Railway had three elements: an inclined pier at the dockside; a flying bridge to the vessel; and a flat deck on board with rails. A moveable framework rolled up and down the pier to suit the state of the tide. This new and efficient way of moving freight traffic across the water would influence the introduction of rail and road ferries right up to the present day.

Above, from left to right:
Iain Sommerville, who has researched William Bald's family history;
Dr Margaret Storrie, whose 1968 paper is still the definitive work on William Bald;
David Orr, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers;
Sinclair McLeod, who proposed the erection of a plaque;
Ian Archibald, Convener of Burntisland Heritage Trust, who brought the idea of a plaque to fruition.

Unveiling Ceremony

It was a fine sunny Burntisland welcome for members of the Arsenal Scotland Supporters' Club, special guests Bob Wilson and Richard and Michelle Wyatt, and representatives of Arsenal FC, when they visited the town for the unveiling of the David Danskin plaque. Richard and Michelle had made a special trip from near Montreal, Canada, to pay tribute to Richard's grandfather, who had been born 144 years before in a tenement building close to the plaque location. The Deputy Provost of Fife, Trustees of Burntisland Heritage Trust, and representatives of local organisations were also present, as well as a fair number of interested Burntisland folk. After the unveiling, there was an informal reception in Burntisland Burgh Chambers. At the reception, Bob Wilson presented Richard and Michelle Wyatt with a special souvenir portfolio; and Martin O'Donnell, on behalf of the Arsenal Scotland Supporters' Club, gave Bob Wilson a sizeable donation to the Willow Foundation, a charity founded by Bob and his wife Megs. Mention must be made of Bob Wilson's personal charm and good humour - and tolerance when asked to autograph every conceivable type of object! He made the occasion a very special one for all who attended.

National Transport Trust's Red Wheel Plaque for Burntisland

16th December 2020

The Red Wheel Scheme was created by the National Transport Trust to recognise and commemorate the most significant sites of historical importance to transport heritage in the United Kingdom. The Trust decided that the old Burntisland station building merited a Red Wheel in recognition of its role as the northern terminal of the world's first roll-on/roll-off rail ferry which ran between Burntisland and Granton. The station building dates from 1847, and the ferry began operating in 1850.