Homecoming 2014: Great Scots
James Young > Social Studies > Third level
Key theme: James Young
Introduction
This series
v of learning experiences at third level offer a selection of activities to support
learners in developing an understanding of entrepreneurship. The suggested learning
experiences can provide a foundation for going on to explore contexts for learning in
entrepreneurship, how businesses and industries grow and expand.
James “Paraffin” Young was one of Victorian Scotland's great heroes and is the name most
people associate with the shale oil industry. In 1850 his Bathgate Chemical Works was
arguably the first in the world to refine mineral oil on a commercial scale. “Paraffin” Young
distilled a liquid which was seeping from a coal mine and could be used to light lamps or
lubricate machinery.
Young's success sparked a rash of short-lived coal oil works throughout the Scottish coalfields
and, more significantly, laid the foundations for a Scottish oil industry that operated for over a
century based on the oil shale of East Central Scotland.
His innovation in 1851, nine years before the Americans started drilling for oil, created a shale
oil boom around the Bathgate refinery in West Lothian. In contrast to many scientific pioneers,
Young reaped the rewards of his innovation and amassed fabulous wealth. He used his
fortune to indulge his passions such as yachting, travelling and scientific study.
Young also funded philanthropic projects, financing explorer and anti-slavery campaigner
David Livingstone's African journeys.
Since his death in 1883 his fame has declined, but in 2011 Professor David Phillips President
of the Royal Society of Chemistry said "Not only was James Young a great scientist, he was a
great human being and his legacy continues today” and that it was time to raise a statue in his
memory.
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Copyright reference:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_James_ch
emist.jpg?uselang=en-gb
Homecoming 2014: Great Scots
James Young > Social Studies > Third level
Prior learning
Social Studies experiences and
outcomes
Learners would benefit from:
When participating in an enterprise
activity, I can explore ethical issues
relating to business practice and gain
an understanding of how businesses
help to satisfy needs.
First Level – familiarity of the
different jobs involved in running a
business enterprise and
understanding the role each one
plays in its success.
Second Level – experiencing the
setting up and running of a business
and evaluating its success.
Capabilities
Science – the distillation of
paraffin, making candles
Successful Learners – apply their
understanding in unfamiliar contexts.
Use technology for learning. Make
reasoned evaluations.
Technologies – design and
develop a product
Social Studies – the
environment, the history of mining
in Scotland.
SOC 3-20a
I can understand the necessity for
budgeting and determine ways to
manage finance, considering possible
investment opportunities, savings,
risks or borrowing needs.
Confident Individuals – explain
their understanding of
entrepreneurship to others. Assess
risk and make informed decisions.
Responsible Citizens – understand
the contribution James Young had to
Scottish industry
SOC 3-21a
Effective Contributors – contribute
opinions and listen to the opinions of
others while participating in
discussions. Take initiative and lead.
Work in partnership and teams.
In a business environment, I explore
and use data handling software which
allows me to search, sort, calculate,
interpret, retrieve or display
information.
TCH 3-06a
When participating in a collaborative
enterprise activity, I can develop
administrative and entrepreneurial
skills which contribute to the success
of the activity.
TCH 3-07a
I can select and use a range of media
to present and communicate
business information.
TCH 3-07b
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Interdisciplinary opportunities
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Homecoming 2014: Great Scots
James Young > Social Studies > Third level
Learning experience A: Entrepreneurship
Introduction
Possible learning opportunities /tasks
Learners can be asked to consider how
James Young came about setting up his
own business, then comparing James
Young to a contemporary entrepreneur.
Look at the factors which can inspire a
person to set up their own business, the
characteristics of entrepreneurs, evaluate
whether they think James Young was
successful in his business venture and the
risks involved in setting up a business.
Give young people the opportunity to (in pairs or
groups): Research James Young to find out:
 Where he got the idea to set up his business
 How his business developed and grew
 The types of products he produced and sold
 The factors which contributed to the business going
into decline
 The legacy of his business - BP, the landscape of
West Lothian
Learners could also make comparisons between James
Young and a contemporary entrepreneurs with regards
to- business ideas, characteristics, risk taking.
Stimulus
Useful resources
The James Young story – from being a
Chemist to developing an idea and his
legacy contribution to the future of the
Scottish oil industry.
Key Learning
Learners can:
 Develop their understanding of
enterprise
 Develop their research skills
 Develop their ICT skills
Learners can:
SAY- Explain the findings of their research
WRITE Short brief history of James Young and his
business
MAKE- Create a presentation or create a poster detailing
the characteristics of an entrepreneur – spider
diagram/memory map/timeline detailing the history of
James Young
DO- Give presentation and peer review the
presentations/posters
Reflecting on learning
Undiscovered Scotland – James Young
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/y/ja
mesyoung.html
RSC honours forgotten Scottish scientific hero
http://www.rsc.org/AboutUs/News/PressReleases/2011/
JamesParaffinYoung.asp
2011 Archive – James ‘Paraffin’ Young’s family mark
bicentenary with Strathclyde
http://www.strath.ac.uk/press/newsreleases/2011/headli
ne_457687_en.html
A history of Scottish Shale oil industry
http://www.scottishshale.co.uk/HistoryPages/index.html
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Possible evidence
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Reflective questions for learners:
What enterprising characteristics do you have?
What skills did you use when researching?
What new information did you learn about James Young?
Taking it further
Learners could investigate how other types of
businesses/industries were developing and growing during
James Young’s time.
Homecoming 2014: Great Scots
James Young > Social Studies > Third level
Learning experience B: Growth of business
Introduction
Possible learning opportunities /tasks
Possible evidence
Learners could be given the
opportunity to develop a business idea
using the knowledge they have gained
from researching entrepreneurs.
Working in pairs/groups learners could:
Learners can:
SAY- give a presentation to obtain finance for their
business
WRITE – Create a market research survey, write
advertising
MAKE- Create an advert eg poster, video, podcast,
develop a new product
DO- work within a budget
Stimulus
The James Young story and their
research into other entrepreneurs.
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Key Learning
Learners can:
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Use ICT to record their financial
information
Use ICT to create a marketing
campaign
Develop their enterprising skills
Develop team working skills

be given a budget or asked to put in a bid for a
budget to set up their own small business.
be asked to develop a new product/service
market research their product creating a
market research survey to find out the demand
for the product
be asked to do market research on their
product and identify the market
keep a record of their incomings and outgoings
and monitor their spending – sticking to their
budget
create an advertising campaign for their
product eg posters, video, podcast
Reflecting on learning
What are the main causes of businesss failure?
What makes different types of advertising successful?
How can different businesses raise capital for further
investment?
Useful resources
Taking it further
WildHearts – Micro-Tyco
http://wildheartsinaction.org/microtyco/
Links could be made with local businesses to
enhance enterprise learning eg speakers, interviews,
work experience. Learners could also become
involved in Enterprise challenges such as Micro-tyco
Learners could investigate eg advertising and
marketing techniques used at the time of James
Young.
Tenner
http://www.tenner.org.uk/
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