Spinning Mill (flax). A mill. A large and handsomely built spinning mill on the bank of the Keil Burn. A little above the village of Lower Largo. It was built for and is used as a spinning mill for flax. About 60 persons male and female are constantly employed in it. It is in good working repair and is worked partly by water and partly by steam power. It is the property of Mrs.D. Dundas of Largo and is rented by Mr Swan of Kirkcaldy and worked by him and adjoining it is offices and a dwelling house and garden, all in good repair and occupied by the manager Mr Crabbe.
Mr Crabbe was George Crabbe, who was a native of Montrose - born in 1819. He arrived in Largo around 1846. Five of his children were born in Largo between 1846 and 1853. He was noted as 'Mill Manager' in the 1851 census. However, the Largo spinning mill was advertised for sale early in 1854 and Mr Crabbe moved to Kirkcaldy to manage a flax spinning mill there. The mill he left at Largo would remain out of use for a number of years while the East of Fife railway extension was constructed through the area. It reopened around 1860 under the new guise of an oil and cake mill and continued as such for a few decades. It is clearly in operation at the time of the above photograph - note the man in the doorway and the barrels in front of him.