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Lochee
Suburb of the city of Dundee, Scotland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lochee (/lɒˈxiː/) is an area in the west of Dundee, Scotland. Until the 19th century, it was a separate town, but was eventually surrounded by the expanding Dundee. It is notable for being home to Camperdown Works, which was the largest jute production site in the world.
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History
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Early history
The name Lochee is thought to come from Loch E’e or eye of the loch, referring to a small loch and burn which once ran through the area near Balgay. The site of the original settlement is believed to be close to present-day Myrekirk. Maps from the late 18th century show both Locheye and Lochee as place names.[1][2][3]
In the 15th century the loch was drained by the Duncan family, who offered crofting land along the burn. One tenant was James Cox, a Dutch immigrant whose family became known for linen production. By the early 1700s the Cox family were established as linen merchants.
18–19th century
By the mid-1700s weaving was the main trade in Lochee. Around 1760 the Cox business employed about 300 weavers, and the area was growing into a centre for textile work.
Lochee grew rapidly in the 1800s with the rise of the jute industry.
In 1864 the Cox Brothers built Camperdown Works, then said to be the largest factory in the world, with more than 5,000 workers.
The best-known part of the works that still stands today is Cox’s Stack, an 86-metre (282 ft) chimney designed by local architect James MacLaren.
At its height, Lochee had its own railway stations, police and fire services, schools, library, swimming pool, casino, washhouse and many churches.
Many immigrants were attracted to the area by the prospect of employment in the city's jute mills. By 1855, there were 14,000 Irish immigrants in Dundee,[4] most of whom stayed in Lochee, or 'Little Tipperary' as it would come to be known.[5] In 1904, the Lochee Harp football club was formed by Lochee Irishmen as a means of recreation for the poor immigrants; the club still plays to this day.[5]
Large numbers of Irish families moved to the area during this time, giving Lochee the nickname “Little Tipperary”. Lochee is still regarded as Dundee's Irish 'quarter'.[6]
In 1866 St Mary’s Catholic Church was opened to serve the growing Catholic community, many of whom were of Irish descent. In 1890 the Cox Brothers gave the community a 25-acre public space, now known as Lochee Park.
20th century
The decline of the jute trade in the early 1900s brought hard times to Lochee. Many mills closed, but the area kept a strong sense of community. After the Second World War, old housing was replaced with new estates and high flats, though some of these tower blocks were later pulled down.
St Mary’s Church remained a focal point for local life, reflecting the area’s Irish roots.
21st century
Lochee has seen major regeneration in recent years, including work on the High Street, new housing and community facilities.
One of the most notable changes has been the creation of the Stack Leisure Park, a retail and entertainment complex developed on the site of the former Camperdown Works.
Opening in stages from the late 1990s, it brought a cinema, bingo hall, restaurants and shops to the area, helping to replace lost industrial jobs with leisure and retail activity.
In August 2025, Lochee gained worldwide attention after a video of a teenage girl with weapons in the area’s St Ann Lane went viral online. The clip was shared by high-profile figures including Elon Musk and Tommy Robinson, but Police Scotland later confirmed misinformation was being spread about the incident.[7][8]
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Transport
Lochee is well connected to other parts of Dundee by public transport, with several bus services operating through the district. Services provided by Xplore Dundee include route 10, linking the area with Ninewells Hospital and Broughty Ferry, route 17 to Whitfield and Ninewells Hospital, and route 28 which runs between Myrekirk (ASDA) and the city centre.
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Education
Lochee is served by several primary schools, including Ancrum Road Primary School to the east of the district, and St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, which has long been a central institution for the local Catholic community.
For secondary education, pupils in the area generally attend the nearby St John’s R.C. High School, located on Harefield Road, while non-denominational pupils may attend schools in neighbouring districts depending on catchment arrangements.
Politics
Lochee forms part of Dundee City Council’s Lochee ward, which elects four councillors using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.
At the most recent local government election in 2022, the ward returned councillors from both the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Labour Party, reflecting the competitive political landscape of the area.
At the parliamentary level, Lochee lies within the Dundee West constituency for both the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament, seats which have traditionally been contested between Labour and the SNP, with the SNP currently holding both.
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Notable residents
Main page: Category:People from Lochee
Demographics
The 2022 Census recorded a population of 19,722 in the Lochee ward, a slight rise from 2011. Covering 10.6 square kilometres, this gives a population density of about 1,865 people per square kilometre.[9]
Lochee has one of the highest levels of deprivation in Dundee. In 2020, more than half of residents lived in areas ranked among the 5 per cent most deprived in Scotland, while over 80 per cent lived in the most deprived fifth. Child poverty rates were even higher.
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References
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