A Son of the Rock

Yesterday, walking in Kirkcaldy town centre, the unmistakable smell of linseed hit my nostrils.

This reminded me of how, when I was young and whisky was being produced there, the air in Dumbarton at certain times was full of the smell of malt. It still takes me back whenever I get the merest hint of malting out on passing a distillery.

Kirkcaldy was once famous for its particular ‘queer like smell‘, but now, since the demise of the linoleum industry, I detect it only rarely – perhaps when the ground has just become damp after a drier spell, but I’m not really sure why. The land where the factories were sited is probably saturated with the stuff.

Nairn’s (as Forbo?) still, I believe, make Cushionflor (sic) in Kirkcaldy but that doesn’t require the quantities of linseed that linoleum did – and many fewer workers. Apparently it’s great stuff against MRSA and other hospital bugs, though. Fantastic.

Forbo also sell something called Marmoleum now, though, which seems to be a linoleum derivative. Nairn’s erstwhile main factories in the town have, however, been demolished. There was a hint that a new swimming pool might be built where they were sited but the council has opted for a location near the promenade.

The malt smell in Dumbarton has also vanished – forever it would seem, as the distillery which spewed it out is defunct and it too is for the most part demolished. Its landmark tower survives, if decrepitly, but what use will be found for that in these uncertain times is problematic.

Sadly, those now growing up in both towns won’t have that olfactory memory to bring everything back whenever they catch a stray whiff in adult life.