Travelling from left to right, the journey begins at Mrs Forte's Fish and Chip Shop (the only dot on the Drummochy side of the maps above and below). It can be seen in the first image below, in the left foreground, with the word 'Refreshments' painted on the back wall facing the harbour. Over the road bridge on the pier were two enterprises - an ice cream hut also run by the Forte family and a hairdresser within the Crusoe Hotel. The latter was run by Miss Dick, daughter of then hotel owner Robert Dick. Here marcel waves and electric perms were on offer.
The Railway Inn was there, as now, and another Forte ice cream outlet was between it and the main street on the site that would become the Rio Cafe. Moving along the Main Street the Post Office was on Defoe Place which is a lost street name. The buildings still exist but the name was done away with some years ago and the stretch of buildings was subsumed into the wider ‘Main Street’. Numbers 3-17 Main Street today were what was once Defoe Place.
In 1934, John Welsh the sub-postmaster at Lower Largo retired after 50 years service. He was presented with an inscribed gold-mounted ebony walking stick, on behalf of staff past and present, by Daniel Wishart, senior postman. The Fife Free Press of 7 July also reported that Laurence Welsh his son would succeed him in the role. Wishart himself retired in 1936 after 45 years service as local postman. The 14 March Fife Free Press stated:
"Joining the service in 1891, he has served under three generations of Largo sub-postmasters - Mr Alexander Welsh; his son Mr John Welsh; and his son Mr Lawrence Welsh, at present in charge. Many changes have taken place in postal matters during his service. Throughout his career he has travelled his rounds on foot, being 38 years on the outlying country rounds....from 14 to 16 miles per day was the average walk on the country rounds....despite the many snowstorms and bad weather, he always succeeded in completing his rounds."
Indeed Mr Wishart was described as a 'post runner' in his early career.
Maggie Lawrie's sweetie shop was a couple of doors along from the Post Office. We will look at the next section of the street in the next post.