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Aithernie House

12/2/2014

5 Comments

 
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Following the deaths of the Misses Rigg and Miss Haymes, ownership of Aithernie House (now the Old Manor Hotel) came to George James Lumsden, a linen manufacturer originally from Falkland.  Like the previous owners of the house, he was actively involved in local life.  For example in August 1913 a garden fete was held in the grounds of Aithernie in aid of local causes.  He was also president of the East of Fife Agricultural Society.  Soon after purchasing the villa, Lumsden had added a substantial extension to Aithernie (to the right hand side of the original house, see image), designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. Original architect's drawings dated 1906 for the work still exist and the scale of the house is demonstrated by the labels attached to the various rooms - including Billiard Room, Butler's Bedroom and Covered Court as well as separate ancillary storage rooms named specifically as 'Coals', 'Lamps', 'Boots / Knives', 'Brushing', 'Milk' and 'Larder'.

In 1920, Aithernie had new residents, when David Russell (third son of the David Russell who ran the Largo Oil and Cake Mill) and his family moved in, initially on a six-month lease.  Early in 1921, the Russell family purchased the seven-bedroom home, with servants' quarters and a tennis lawn, for £7,000. During the 1920s David Russell was the driving force behind the expansion and evolution of the Markinch-based Tullis Russell paper manufacturer (in 1946 he would become Sir David Russell).  However the family left Aithernie in 1927, following the unfortunate suicide of the head gardener there (moving to Silverburn, where David's parents had lived).  Aithernie would be tenant-less for several years.

In 1937, a new chapter opened in the history of the building when Fife Children's Home was set up at Aithernie by Miss Margaret Paxton of Homelands.  The house was rented from David Russell who still owned it. The first of its kind in Scotland, the home provided accommodation for young children whose parents could not look after them.  The children who came to live there spent as much time as possible outdoors in the grounds, even often eating meals outside. Miss Paxton's sister Jessie had by this time been running a nursery in Methil for around eighteen months (still named the Paxton Nursery today). The Courier of 3 September 1937 reported that the sisters had "endeared themselves to many, owing to their untiring energy in the cause of children in distressed and overcrowded areas of Fife."

In the next post - Aithernie undergoes a name change and becomes a hotel.
5 Comments
Jacquie Wilson
9/5/2021 06:06:07 am

This site is such a find! My elder three half-siblings were placed at Aithernie House during WW2 after their mother died, while our father was a serving soldier. If it is possible to find out any more about their stay, please let me know. One of my half-sisters could remember Polish airmen, who were stationed at Largo House. They all remembered attending the local school. My mother's families, from Edinburgh and Fife, also have links to Largo and the mother of one of my cousins, married to my mother's brother, comes from Largo. I live in England now but keep in contact with my cousins.

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Helen Paterson
4/11/2022 05:18:07 pm

I have just been told about a cousin who may have been in Aithernie House at the same time as your half-sisters. His name was George Barclay. His mother died in 1941 when he was aged 6. I wonder if any of your sisters would remember him?

Reply
Jacquie Wilson
5/11/2022 02:58:08 pm

Hello Helen,
Thank you for replying.
Sadly all three of my half-siblings have died. I have forwarded your email to my niece, the eldest daughter of my eldest half-sister. She may contact you through this site as she is still researching the family tree and is interested in Aithernie House.

Jacquie Wilson
6/11/2022 02:28:37 am

Further to my reply yesterday, my niece contacted Fife council but it had no records for Aithernie House, so it was not possible to firm up the dates when my half-siblings stayed there. If anyone has records it would be good to see them. Maybe George Barclay overlapped my family. The surname was Turnbull.

Cecilia Russell
25/8/2021 06:53:17 am

I am the granddaughter of Sir David Russell. I would love to hear stories of the 1920s when they lived there

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