Talk:Fort William, Scotland/Archive 1

Archive 1

Outdoor Capital of the UK

I have no problem with the use of the title Outdoor Capital of the UK for marketing purposes but how can Fort William be the official Outdoor Capital of the United Kingdom. Who gives out this title to make it official? A government department or international body? --jmb 08:45, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Fort William as the first town in Britain to be lit by electricity

I have seen the claim that Fort William was the first town in Britain to be lit by electricity (in 1896). But when I do a search on the web there are various towns around the UK all claiming to be the first town in Britain to be lit by electricity. Does anyone know the answer? --jmb 16:59, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

I have come across a reference to Chelmsford having electric street lighting in 1888. I wonder if the above claim should read that Fort William was the first town in Britain lit by HYDRO electricity? --jmb 17:21, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

scottishholidays.net states "One unique fact about Fort William is that it was the first town in Britain to be lit by electricity generated by its own water power scheme." if you look over at http://www.scottishholidays.net/visit/scotland-tour-highlands-fort%20William.html --Aven 01:39, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

That is probably the correct claim, as I wrote. It sometimes gets changed to first town lit by electricity which is not true. I think the power station was at the top of Bank Street where the old Hydro offices/showroom were. But it was knocked down like many other historic buildings in Fort William. --jmb 00:57, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

The source of the hydro-electric scheme was the River Kiachnich in Blarmacfoldach. Water was 'tapped' from the river and the remains of dam and water channel used to feed the generating equipment are still visible today, along with a metal bridge over the river which was used for access purposes.

Have you got a NGR for the position of the dam at Blarmachfoldach? --jmb 18:01, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

Approximately NN 089 701 - water channel is overgrown but on far side of river from Fort William, slightly upstream from old red metal footbridge (bridge in dangerous condition !).

Thanks, I will have a look one day but not in this weather! --jmb 22:47, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

• Now come across a reference in The Times, Friday, Dec 16, 1881 of Godalming in Surrey being lit by electricity "generated principally from water power" which was switched on the previous night, so it looks as if Fort William cannot even claim to be the first town to have street lighting from hydro-electricity. --jmb 10:26, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

Harry Potter Film

Would it be okay to include that scenes from the Harry Potter 5 film in here? sorry... I've been wikipedia-ring for nearl half a year but still don't know so much =$ [[1]] Bitbitz.xx 02:44, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

There is already a mention that Glen Nevis was used in Harry Potter, presumably other locations also have a mention. If nothing there already then perhaps general comment on the main films that used Fort William though all used the town itself as a base, I don't think any have actually filmed in Fort William itself apart from Local Hero which set up a studio in the distillery for use when the weather was bad. --jmb 09:55, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

The Telegraph article cited as a source for this just gives a vague passing reference to "Fort William and the nearby glens", which isn't really enough to justify a mention in this article. The town of Fort William itself is fairly ordinary and unphotogenic, and I very much doubt that any scenes for Harry Potter have been filmed there. Glen Coe, on the other hand, was definitely used as a location for the third film. --Blisco 22:12, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

I've not seen any of the Harry Potter films, being assidiously disinterested in them, but I am pretty sure that the viaduct at Glenfinnan features. It's quite near Fort William. Lianachan 23:34, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

The last(?) film used the area around Steall Waterfall in Glen Nevis. Two(?) of the others did a lot of filming in Glencoe, building a set on the side of one of the hills. As noted the Mallaig steam train was used along with Glenfinnan Viaduct, I think they must have filmed somewhere else at the time because I saw some piles of polystyrene "rock" at the side of the road awaiting collection. Perhaps one of the tunnels was enhanced a little! The IMDB is a good place to look for information on film locations, there are also a number of sites with information on Harry Potter locations though most seem to have the same stuff. --jmb 01:12, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Last week, I saw a list of (around 200) Scottish locations used in film making over the years. It was online. If I can find it again, I'll provide a link. Lianachan 02:20, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

There are several sites but they all tend to regurgitate the same information. IMDB has the advantage that you can update it with new information. Perhaps someone needs to collate all the information about film locations on Wikipedia? --jmb 07:56, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

No - this was a press release by some Scottish Parliament body connected with either tourism or the film industry, I forget which. IMDB, like here or anywhere else that people can update, is subject to opinion/spread of urban legend/unverified "facts" etc! Lianachan 11:57, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

The Rural Complex near Torlundy was used as a studio for some Harry Potter filming. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.176.93.75 (talk) 21:21, 7 December 2006 (UTC).

• "The opening sequence for Warner Bros. upcomming 2007 film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was shot in Fort William." (sic)
  • I don't think any filming was done "in" Fort William. As far as I remember they filmed near Fort William, nearest location being Glen Nevis. --jmb 12:20, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

Brahan Seer

The last listed prophecy relates to the pulp and paper mill outside Fort William. - Kittybrewster 23:27, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

Retail hotspot?

"It is the new retail hotspot in Scotland."

You would not think that from the number of empty shops in the High Street. Isn't the M&S just one of their small town-centre shops, not a proper M&S store that is if it ever appears. A handful of retail chains is hardly a "hotspot". --jmb (talk) 22:15, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

I've taken it out. Even if true, it shouldn't be in the article. Fribbler (talk) 01:16, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

The list of possible shops was irrelevant and of doubtful accuracy but the waterfront development is a major topic in the town and will make a big difference to part of the town if it does go ahead as well affecting other developments. The paper mill was one of the biggest employers and the saw mill development is going ahead now the site has been cleared. --jmb (talk) 07:13, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

Town Name

Inverlochy was the first name according to The Gazetteer for Scotland [2]--JBellis 20:44, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

I live in the town and have been brought up getting told that Maryburgh was the first town name Drkneo (talk) 11:06, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

Largest town in highlands?

This edit was done today

Fort William is the second largest town in the highlands of Scotland, now that Inverness has achieved City status.

What is the largest town then? --jmb (talk) 12:37, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

Thurso? Lianachan (talk) 16:13, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

Looks like Fort William actuallly is the largest. Lianachan (talk) 16:24, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

That's why I asked, someone changed it with no explanation and I could not see any larger ones especially now that Inverness is a city (if the legalities were ever sorted out :=]). --jmb (talk) 18:18, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

West Highland Way

Is it right to call this a long distance "route"? The A82 is a route, the Caledonian Canal is a route etc. I would have thought it should be identified as a footpath though obviously people can use it for some other modes of transport (as can the A82 and Caledonian Canal). --jmb (talk) 11:52, 14 May 2009 (UTC)

Location

"Originally based around the still-extant village of Inverlochy"

Is that correct? If you look on the first edition Ordnance Survey map there is nothing around the location of the present village of Inverlochy because it was created by the British Aluminium company to house workers at the smelter. Earlier maps tend to show Inverlochy near the castle. --jmb (talk) 09:05, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

I've just had a look at a map drawn up from a survey of the area in 1710. The "Inverlochy" that's on it is indeed clustered around the castle, which isn't the location of the modern settlement that bears that name. Who gets to decide if the modern Inverlochy, which has drifted slightly from the old location, counts as the same place - especially since the placenames are the same, and the locations are hardly substantially different? Lianachan (talk) 12:44, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

But the statement I quoted above is not correct. There were several settlements around the area, one of which was called Inverlochy. None seem to have been more than a few crofts. The town of Fort William was clustered around the fort not the castle and the "still-extant village of Inverlochy" did not appear until the BA built it. There were a few buildings around Bridge of Nevis then some around the distillery but they did not coincide with the present village which is probably why the BA built it there. They chose a convenient name rather the settlement "drifting". --jmb (talk) 14:59, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

I'll have to check some things that I can't check here (from work), to see where the earliest settlement in the area was. However, you're right that the modern Inverlochy is not "still-existant" but was created (in the 1920's, from memory) as a requirment of the growth of local industry. I suppose it depends on whether we're talking about the history of settlement of a town associated with the fort, ie Fort William itself, or whether we're talking about the history of settlement of the area underneath the current limits of the town. The settlement around the town has definately expanded to incorporate far older settlements, but what exactly is it we're talking about... Lianachan (talk) 15:39, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

The statement about originally based around the village of Inverlochy still needs tidying up and corrected. I would suggest something along the lines of the town growing around the Fort incorporating some small outlying settlements predating the Fort. --jmb (talk) 10:19, 3 September 2009 (UTC)

Governors of Fort William

I have found a reference to Richard Onslow, who died 16 March 1760, as being Governor of Fort William. Is there a list of Governors anywhere? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shipsview (talk • contribs) 18:19, 27 September 2010 (UTC)

I have started collecting[names]. Any contributions would be welcomed. Shipsview (talk) 00:05, 22 March 2011 (UTC)