After the death of James Bruce in 1794, William Symington became involved in the management of the coal mines at Kinnaird.  In his Memorial, he recalled that in 1800 he was making his way to inspect a coal field when Lord Dundas hailed him from his carriage and engaged him to build a steamboat to drag barges on the Forth and Clyde canal. On completing his steam boat experiments for Lord Dundas, William Symington again ventured into the field of coal mine management.  

In 1804 he took out a lease on the Callendar Colliery in partnership with James Miller, a distiller of Craigend, near Bannockburn. The proposal was a joint venture which William Symington had initiated. Miller was to provide capital and Symington would manage the colliery. The proprietor was William Forbes of Callendar.

Sir William Forbes was a prosperous coppersmith and landholder who made a considerable fortune from contracting to sheath the hulls of Navy ships with copper.  In 1783 he purchased the Callendar Estate in Falkirk. Callendar House was later rebuilt in the form of a grand French Chateau.

On learning that Forbes intended to lease out his coal mine near Pirley Hill, William Symington wrote to him on 8thJanuary 1804 with the intention of making an offer to lease the mine: [1]

Park house 8th Jany. 1804

Sir,

     Having heard that it is your intention to give a lease of your Coal in Rig head to the west of Pirleyhill, if such be the case, would be much disposed to make you an offer for it, and glad to enter into an agreement upon reasonable terms

I am,

Sir,

Your Obedt. St.,

William Symington

When he initiated this venture, William Symington was living at Parkhouse near Lock number seven of the Forth and Clyde canal. In 1806 he and his family moved to Westquarter which was close to the Callendar coal fields. The coal pits of Pirleyhill were situated due South of Callendar House, beside the Westquarter Burn. [2]

After meeting with Forbes, William Symington wrote to him several times in August and September 1804, wishing to expedite the proposed lease. [3] His business partner in the venture was to be James Miller of Craigend. Symington had supplied Miller with an engine for his distillery at Craigend in 1796. [4]

However, the coal mining venture went poorly. He had failed to anticipate the initial costs of fitting out the mine or the ongoing overheads of the venture and he struggled to meet his ongoing financial obligations.

By May 1805, William Symington had spent more on the venture than he anticipated and was insolvent. He wrote to Forbes expressing his pleasure that the coal mining project had exceeded his "most sanguine expectations" but he also requested an advance of £200: [5]

Park house 16th May 1805

Sir,

     I have pleasure in being able to inform you that our Coal operations have hitherto succeeded to our most sanguine expectations, and entertain no doubts of it’s turning out a very good concern--We have designedly laid out a great deal more money in the way of fitting than we had any reason to expect could arise from the Work in its present state, and before completed, a considerable sum more must, this season, be advanced – Mr. Miller is at no loss to furnish his part, but I am sorry to say, from late circumstances, it is otherwise with me— From what I have already experienced of your goodness, presume upon your friendship so far, as to take the liberty to say, were it consistent with your conveniency, it would be unspeakable relief rendered me, were you so very kind as accommodate me with the loan of £200. – for 6 months, to be laid out chiefly upon your own property, which sum I would endeavour punctually to repay at that time—The favour of your opinion on this subject would be esteemed a singular favour done me who am,

Sir,

Your Most Obedt. humble St

William Symington

Early in 1805 the output of the mine was described as "tollerable" (sic): the mine produced 1122 tons of coal in the fortnight from 17th to 31st January, valued at £260.5.10. [6]

Ongoing correspondence with Forbes thereafter indicates that William Symington was repeatedly dilatory in settling his rent.  He was in straitened circumstances. Some of his letters are servile, verging on obsequious. However, he was indeed Callendar's servant and fully dependent on Callendar's goodwill. On 22nd February 1806, while still living at Parkhouse, Falkirk, William Symington advised Forbes that, when he received Forbes' card on 6th February, he had been seized with a violent headache and that he was incapacitated for several days but he promised to furnish the rent by Martinmas at the latest. On providing his summary of the mine's output in January, he proceeded to offer profuse congratulations on the occasion of Forbes' marriage: 

"Please accept my most earnest solicitude that You & Mrs. Forbes may long continue, uninterruptedly, to enjoy all the happiness a married state can afford in the possession of your Princely Fortune" [7]

By August 1806 William Symington was writing from West Quarter. On 20 December 1806, late again in his payments, he expressed his confidence that a large coal field would be revealed at the site of the Hall Glen engine and again he sought the forbearance of the great man:

"I am providing for payment of the Rents, which, tho’ not made for a few weeks, will, I hope, be no great inconveniency to such indulgent and kind Master as You have been to me"

William Symington's ten-year-old son John died at West Quarter on 1st June 1807 and he invited Forbes to attend the funeral which was to proceed from West Quarter to the Church Yard at Polmont. [8]

In December 1807 he wrote to Forbes wanting to discuss the coal mining venture. [9] All correspondence with Forbes relating to the colliery venture ceased after January 1808.

Forbes of Callendar papers reveal that in 1811 William Forbes commenced action against William Symington, engineer at Parkhouse, and James Miller, distiller at Craigend, for payment of outstanding coal rent. [10] 

SYMINGTON AND MILLER

Symington and Miller had fallen out and their business arrangement ended badly.  Subsequently there were protracted Court actions of claim and counter-claim between Symington and Miller. The proceedings of these Court actions indicate that no resolution was ever reached to the satisfaction of either party.

On 24th October 1807, William Symington withdrew from the colliery business and sold his right to James Miller.  He placed a notice in the Edinburgh Gazette indicating that he had withdrawn from the Callendar Colliery venture and from the Pirley Hill farm and that he had sold his rights in those schemes to James Miller. [11] Miller allegedly agreed to buy out Symington for £750 but he subsequently retracted.

Symington raised an action against Miller in the Edinburgh Court of Session.  In a document dated 9th August 1808, Symington and Miller are described as "Joint tacksmen of the Callander colliery and of the farm at Pirley hill by virtue of two Tacks from Mr Forbes of Callendar dated 14 December 1804 and 9th and 12th May 1806."  In the Court of Sessions hearing held in December 1808 Lord Hermand found in favour of William Symington. [12]  

In a counter action, Miller presented a Petition dated 18 January 1810 alleging that Symington had plunged the colliery into a debt of £2000 and misappropriated horses, harness and furniture which belonged to the business. He alleged that Symington charged £17 7s 2d to the Colliery account for the purchase of whisky. Miller's statement of alleged debts dating from 29 October 1804 to 13 May 1809 included an amount of £20, being the "Price of riding a horse belonging to the Callander Colliery." Furthermore, Miller claimed Symington had indulged in "drinking and dissipation" and that he had neglected the business. [13]

Symington in turn countered with an action for damages and that action dragged on to 1810, with no apparent resolution. (See summary of National Records of Scotland Edinburgh Court of Session records below) [14] 

The legal costs must have been crippling for either party.

Miller's distillery business also failed and was placed into Administration. He was declared bankrupt in 1811. He and his brother owed over £3,500 to Excise. [15] His distillery and farm at Craigend were dispersed.

In spite of the Colliery fiasco, Symington must have remained on cordial terms with William Forbes: 1813 finds him supervising work on the South wall of the garden at Callendar House: [16]

Falkirk 5th June 1813

Sir,

     I have the pleasure to inform You that upon Monday morning first we expect to have the whole of the South wall of the garden corrected; as the apparatus & the men are now on the spot my opinion is, the whole of it needing repairs, should now be done, for which I only wait your convenience --

I have the honour to be Sir,

Your very Obedt. Sevt.,

William Symington

In 1815, he undertook further corrective work on a garden wall: [17]

Falkirk 20th Feby. 1815

Sir,

     As the Season now approaches most suitable for correcting the Bias in Your Garden wall (being now at home) to accomplish which, I would be ready to obay Your Commands --

I am,

Sir

Yours most respectfully

William Symington

[1] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/794

[2] OS Map Stirlingshire Sheet XXX 1864

[3] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/802 (letters 9, 13 and 22)

[4] SRO GD58/6/23 Invoice to James Miller 10 November 1796

[5] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/808 (letter number 27)

[6] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/839 (12 and 13)

[7] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/839 (letter 13)

[8] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/882 (1)

[9] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/884 (letter 29)

[10] Forbes of Callendar Papers, Falkirk Archives A727.4030 (4) 26 February 1811

[11] Edinburgh Gazette, Issue 1736 16 February 1810 page 46

[12]  SRO CS 231/S/11/2 Symington v Miller 

[13] SRO CS 229/M/9/57 James Miller v Symington (State of alleged debt WS to Miller)

[14] COURT OF SESSIONS EDINBURGH NATIONAL RECORDS OF SCOTLAND

SRO CS 229/M/9/57 James Miller v Symington 1808

Unextracted Processes Adams-Mackenzie Office First Arrangement 1808

(Includes statement of alleged debts dating from 29 October 1804)

SRO CS 229/M/9/71 James Miller v Symington 1809

Unextracted Processes Adams-Mackenzie Office Inventory 1809

SRO CS 229/S/11/2 William Symington v Miller 1808

Unextracted Processes Currie-Mackenzie Office First Arrangement 1808 

(Contains Petition of William Symington; Hermand)

SRO CS 229/S/12/79 William Symington v Miller Damages 1809

Unextracted Processes Adams-Mackenzie Office Damages 1809

SRO CS 229/M/9/83 Miller v Symington Reduction

Unextracted Processes Adams-Mackenzie First Arrangement Inventory 1810

[15] Weir, Ronald B., PhD Thesis Edinburgh 1974

[16] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Council Archives A727/1023 (32) 

[17] Forbes of Callendar Papers Falkirk Archives A727/1070 (4)

THE FARMS AT PIRLEYHILL

The farm buildings at Pirleyhill are described in the Ordnance Names Book for stirlingshire for 1858-1861. [1] 

Wester Pirleyhill: "A farmsteading, dwelling and out-office one storey, slated and in good repair."

Easter Pirleyhill: "A farmsteading, dwelling and out-offices one storey, partly thatched, partly slated and in bad repair."

The owner of both properties was Wm. Forbes  Esq. of Callendar House, Falkirk.

[1] Ordnance Survey Name Books Stirlingshire 1858-1861 OS 1/32/11/80