Scotland news, UK and world news. The town absorbed its neighbouring settlements of Linktown, in the parish of Abbotshall; Invertiel in the parish of Kinghorn; and Pathhead, Sinclairtown and Gallatown in the parish of Dysart. Ivy Robina HEBB BAKER Peacefully at Strathview Care Home, Fife, Scotland, on Wednesday 10th of February 2021 aged 87. [224], Guy Berryman, bassist of the alternative rock band Coldplay, was born and brought up in the town until the age of thirteen. [175], Kirkcaldy has four secondary schools and eleven primary schools. footballer Lewis Stevenson was born in Kirkcaldy. 11th Feb 2021. Arnott's Biscuits – One Hundred Years (Syd, 1968); Maitland Mercury, 1851–65, 1883, especially 27 Aug 1857, 1, 8 September 1883; Newcastle Morning Herald, 1 Sep 1877, 18 Sep 1880, 24 Sep 1889, 12 Apr 1893, 16 Oct 1897, 15 Sep 1899, 23, 24, 25, 26 July 1901; family papers (privately held). Robert Ferguson of Raith was re-elected as Member of Parliament. September 1962. Since the 2017 UK General Election, Lesley Laird of the Labour Party has been Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. The area around Kirkcaldy has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. [65], According to the 2001 UK Census, the census locality of Kirkcaldy has a total resident population of 46,912 representing 13.4% of Fife's total population. [18] In the mid-19th century, whaling became important to the town for a short time. [188] The college was created in August 2013 from the merger of Adam Smith College, Fife and Carnegie College, Dunfermline. [2][10][14] Burgh of barony status was granted by Robert I between 1315 and 1328, under the control of the abbey. [169], To the east of the town are the ruins of Ravenscraig Castle on a rocky spit of land extending into the Firth of Forth. Beloved wife of the late Ben, much loved mother to Jackie and Shona, sister, aunt, and friend to many. [6], The Battle of Raith in AD 596 was once believed to have taken place to the west of the town's site but the theory no longer holds support. [95][96] In 2011, the building was closed to allow a £2.4 million renovation which was completed in June 2013. [27] Kirkcaldy has had a twin-town link with Ingolstadt in Germany since William McCance (1894-1970) - … country of origin, age, and profession. [1] The Old Statistical Account states a derivation from culdee, which has been repeated in later publications[2][3] but is also incorrect. [86] Local industrial activity has also increased with the reopening in 2011 of Kirkcaldy Harbour to cargo ships. [20][21] In 1847 a canvas manufacturer, Michael Nairn, took out a licence on Frederick Walton's patent for the production of floorcloth, and opened a factory in nearby Pathhead. [17] A census by Webster's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland in 1755, recorded an estimate of 2,296 in the parish. A petition organised by the campaign group Save The Car Park collected over 7,000 signatures in favour of keeping the car park open. [189] The University of Dundee also has a campus in the town which specialises as a School for Nursing and Midwifery. [172] Following the death of the King at the siege of Roxburgh Castle (1460), work continued on Ravenscraig, and it became a home for Mary of Gueldres until her death in 1463. [7][18][53] Kirkcaldy is also known as the birthplace of social philosopher and economist Adam Smith who wrote his magnum opus The Wealth of Nations in the town. [177] Other schools were established in the town, including girls schools, subscription schools, and apprentice schools. [6], Kirkcaldy harbour was at a sheltered cove round the East Burn, giving easy accessibility for boats. [17] A shipbuilding revival produced 38 vessels between 1778 and 1793. Until premises were found, pupils were taught in the minister's house. [67] It hosts 21,365 households. From the early 16th century, the establishment of a harbour at the East Burn confirmed the town's early role as an important trading port. [25][26] These formerly separate settlements had once been forbidden by the old guild rights to sell their goods in Kirkcaldy. [70] The total population in the wider Kirkcaldy area was estimated at 59,784 in 2016, with a projected increase of 18% by 2026. To the north of Kirkcaldy is Dunnikier House, built in the late 18th century as a seat for the Oswald family, replacing their previous residence at Path House. [8] Towards the end of the 11th century the Scottish king Malcolm II purchased the shire of Kirkaladunt from the crown lords of Fife, to be given to the monks of Dunfermline Abbey as a means of aiding the funding of their newly built church. A civil registration record of the death; A workhouse record of the death, and possibly also the burial; A possible parish or cemetery record of the burial; Civil registration records are not themselves publicly viewable, only the indexes to them.