Borrowstouness (GB)
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Borrowstounness (commonly known as Bo'ness is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Historically part of the county of West Lothian, it is a place within the Falkirk council area, 17 miles northwest of Edinburgh and 6 3⁄4 miles east of Falkirk. At the 2011 United Kingdom census, the population of the Bo'ness locality was 15,100.
Until the 20th century, Bo'ness was the site of various industrial activities, including coal mining, saltmaking and pottery production. With its location beside the Forth, the town and its harbour grew in importance in the industrial revolution and later continued to grow into the Victorian era. Since the late 20th century, deindustrialisation has changed the nature of the town, with the coal mine closing in 1982 and the waterfront area now being primarily used for leisure purposes.
However, some industry remains in the town including an ironworks and a timberyard/sawmill beside the Forth. The centre of the town contains several listed buildings and is part of a conservation area. The town is the home of the Museum of Scottish Railways and also a regional motor museum.
The Boness 52 is known used from 1844 to 1856, the latest actual date is note recorded. It was withdrawn mid 1856 and it was not until 1882 that the town was issued another numbered cancel this time No.355. In the mid 1850's many smaller Scottish towns had their numbered cancellers withdrawn, presumably due to low volume of mail, there mail was to be cancelled at the head office.
Many of the numbers were reallocated. In the 1880's some of these towns were once more given a numbered obliterator not always the same number and once again cancelled their mail. During the period when the canceller was withdrawn local covers can be found with the stamp obliterated by the datestamp or with a pen cancel. Covers are known where the stamp has been cancelled by strikes of the UPP "1".
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