The image above is a 1902 photograph featured in the wonderful 'Largo: An Illustrated History' book by Eric Eunson and John Band. It features Andrew Thomson's baker's shop at the foot of Durham Wynd. Thomson also had a bakery in Lundin Links and had a very long career in the trade. Andrew Thomson was born in Dysart on 12 March 1826, the second child of parents Peter Thomson and Euphemia Imrie. His father Peter was a master baker in Fife - initially in Dysart and later in Kirkcaldy. Peter died in New York in 1858.
Andrew married Elizabeth Taylor in 1848 and, after Andrew had a spell working in Glasgow, they settled in Kirkland, where they had a house, stables and bakehouse. In the 1851 census they had two daughters - Janet and Euphemia - and Andrew employed two apprentice bakers. By 1861, the Thomsons had moved to Leven and had four daughters (the younger two being Elizabeth and Catherine). Westwood's directory of 1862 lists the baker's as being located at 30 High Street, Leven.
Circa 1865, Andrew Thomson moved his bakery business to Lundin Mill and his Leven premises was taken over by Robert Robertson. The Lundin Mill premises were at the centre of the north side of Emsdorf Street. In 1868, Andrew was involved in the founding of Lundin Golf Club. 1871 census records the family at Emsdorf Street and a son, Andrew, had been added to the family. Andrew senior was noted as "master baker employing 2 boys". In 1873, daughter Janet married George Nicolaus in Geneva. The following year, Andrew's brother-in-law, William Bunn, took over the Railway Inn at Lower Largo.
The entry below from the 1877 Worrall's directory lists the bakers within Largo Parish. Note at that time there was no Lower Largo based baker. However, by 1881, Andrew Thomson had expanded his business into Lower Largo. It would seem likely that he was the first occupier of the building shown above. William Bunn died in 1879 aged 49 from asthma but in the 1885 valuation roll his widow (and Elizabeth Thomson's sister) Catherine Bunn was listed as proprietor of both the Railway Inn and the Lower Largo bakehouse and shop occupied by Andrew Thomson.
Catherine Bunn and her Thomson relatives were very close - Euphemia Thomson residing with Catherine at the Railway Inn in 1881, and Catherine Bunn passing away in 1895 at Imrie Cottage, adjacent to Andrew's Lundin Mill bakery. The 1891 census found Andrew and Elizabeth Thomson living at Bonny Bay House (ie at the Lower Largo Bakery) with daughter Catherine and two Nicolaus grandsons, who were probably visiting for the Easter holidays.
Andrew married Elizabeth Taylor in 1848 and, after Andrew had a spell working in Glasgow, they settled in Kirkland, where they had a house, stables and bakehouse. In the 1851 census they had two daughters - Janet and Euphemia - and Andrew employed two apprentice bakers. By 1861, the Thomsons had moved to Leven and had four daughters (the younger two being Elizabeth and Catherine). Westwood's directory of 1862 lists the baker's as being located at 30 High Street, Leven.
Circa 1865, Andrew Thomson moved his bakery business to Lundin Mill and his Leven premises was taken over by Robert Robertson. The Lundin Mill premises were at the centre of the north side of Emsdorf Street. In 1868, Andrew was involved in the founding of Lundin Golf Club. 1871 census records the family at Emsdorf Street and a son, Andrew, had been added to the family. Andrew senior was noted as "master baker employing 2 boys". In 1873, daughter Janet married George Nicolaus in Geneva. The following year, Andrew's brother-in-law, William Bunn, took over the Railway Inn at Lower Largo.
The entry below from the 1877 Worrall's directory lists the bakers within Largo Parish. Note at that time there was no Lower Largo based baker. However, by 1881, Andrew Thomson had expanded his business into Lower Largo. It would seem likely that he was the first occupier of the building shown above. William Bunn died in 1879 aged 49 from asthma but in the 1885 valuation roll his widow (and Elizabeth Thomson's sister) Catherine Bunn was listed as proprietor of both the Railway Inn and the Lower Largo bakehouse and shop occupied by Andrew Thomson.
Catherine Bunn and her Thomson relatives were very close - Euphemia Thomson residing with Catherine at the Railway Inn in 1881, and Catherine Bunn passing away in 1895 at Imrie Cottage, adjacent to Andrew's Lundin Mill bakery. The 1891 census found Andrew and Elizabeth Thomson living at Bonny Bay House (ie at the Lower Largo Bakery) with daughter Catherine and two Nicolaus grandsons, who were probably visiting for the Easter holidays.
May of 1899 saw Andrew Thomson celebrate 50 years in the baking business. The Dundee Courier ran the headline 'Jubilee of a Fife Baker' and provided coverage of the dinner and presentation:
"to few is it given to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their starting in business and Mr Andrew Thomson, Largo, who on 15 May saw this anniversary, was in honour of the occasion, entertained to dinner in the Caledonian Hotel, Leven"
Mr Robert Robertson - the Leven baker mentioned above - presided over the event and remarked upon Mr Thomson's "unique position" of celebrating a second jubilee, having had his Golden Wedding anniversary the previous July. Further comments included that he...
"was not one of the old school of bakers but always ready to forward the interests of employer or employees, and was one of the first to set the sponge on Saturday night to do away with Sunday labour."
Mr Thomson was presented with a "gold watch and albert" (an albert being a type of chain with a t-bar to tuck into a button hole). Mr Robertson said that he had known "the guest of the evening" longer than anyone else around the table and that in those early days "Mr Thomson's large bulk and strength had astonished him and to be hoisted on his shoulders was a bewildering joy". In reply Mr Thomson shared his reminiscences including of his old baking days in Glasgow "where he had worked his eighteen and twenty hours a day...for six months". Mrs Thomson was presented with a silver tea and coffee service. Further speeches and toasts were made and songs sung.
Elizabeth Thomson died in September of that year, at Bonny Bay House and in the 1901 census Andrew was recorded there as a widower and still at baker at the age of 75, living with his three youngest daughters. Soon after this, (c1905) James Bruce took over the Lower Largo bakery and Andrew Thomson retired. In 1909 he was able to reciprocate to Leven baker Robert Robertson by presenting him with a gold watch at the celebration of his Golden Wedding in the Caledonian Hotel. By the 1911 census Andrew was at Durham House (behind Bonny Bay House) with his three youngest daughters. Andrew died in 1920 at the grand age of 94 at Imrie Cottage in Lundin Links. His daughters continued to live in Imrie Cottage after his death.
Finally, it is worth noting that Andrew Thomson's grandson George Nicolaus maintained that he was related to Alexander Selkirk on his mother's side. Further evidence of this is the Railway Inn link - this was owned by a (later) Alexander Selkirk before coming into the ownership of the Bunns.
"to few is it given to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their starting in business and Mr Andrew Thomson, Largo, who on 15 May saw this anniversary, was in honour of the occasion, entertained to dinner in the Caledonian Hotel, Leven"
Mr Robert Robertson - the Leven baker mentioned above - presided over the event and remarked upon Mr Thomson's "unique position" of celebrating a second jubilee, having had his Golden Wedding anniversary the previous July. Further comments included that he...
"was not one of the old school of bakers but always ready to forward the interests of employer or employees, and was one of the first to set the sponge on Saturday night to do away with Sunday labour."
Mr Thomson was presented with a "gold watch and albert" (an albert being a type of chain with a t-bar to tuck into a button hole). Mr Robertson said that he had known "the guest of the evening" longer than anyone else around the table and that in those early days "Mr Thomson's large bulk and strength had astonished him and to be hoisted on his shoulders was a bewildering joy". In reply Mr Thomson shared his reminiscences including of his old baking days in Glasgow "where he had worked his eighteen and twenty hours a day...for six months". Mrs Thomson was presented with a silver tea and coffee service. Further speeches and toasts were made and songs sung.
Elizabeth Thomson died in September of that year, at Bonny Bay House and in the 1901 census Andrew was recorded there as a widower and still at baker at the age of 75, living with his three youngest daughters. Soon after this, (c1905) James Bruce took over the Lower Largo bakery and Andrew Thomson retired. In 1909 he was able to reciprocate to Leven baker Robert Robertson by presenting him with a gold watch at the celebration of his Golden Wedding in the Caledonian Hotel. By the 1911 census Andrew was at Durham House (behind Bonny Bay House) with his three youngest daughters. Andrew died in 1920 at the grand age of 94 at Imrie Cottage in Lundin Links. His daughters continued to live in Imrie Cottage after his death.
Finally, it is worth noting that Andrew Thomson's grandson George Nicolaus maintained that he was related to Alexander Selkirk on his mother's side. Further evidence of this is the Railway Inn link - this was owned by a (later) Alexander Selkirk before coming into the ownership of the Bunns.
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