Pale house from 1895
Long before the NHS came into being, ‘Friendly Societies’ were how you took ‘Insurance’ for when you took ill.
The first Friendly Society in Armadale came into being in 1810 and one of the first things they bought was a Pale (hearse). They then needed to accommodate it somewhere, so built a ‘Pale House’ at The Cross. It originally had a thatch roof, but by 1910s had a slate roof.
To read more in Armadale Past and Present click here