Ireland the baker was established in Upper Largo in 1846 and was a feature of the village for more than a century, as the business passed through the family generations. David Ireland was the founder, when he moved to Kirkton of Largo from Leslie, with wife Catherine Collier and their children. David had been born in 1800, in Kinglassie, son of farmer James Ireland and his wife Sarah Martin. Both he and his brother James became bakers and operated in Leslie, where James remained while David moved to Kirkton (where previous baker David Lindsay had died late in 1840). In 1854 the advert below appeared in the Fife Herald, showing Ireland selling a a bake-house. This suggests that he moved to new premises within the village around that time.

As a follow-up to the previous post on Johnston's Mill, here is an account of a ten-day camp which took place at the site in the summer of 1913. The 25 July Linlithgow Gazette reported that "The boys of the Armadale Company of the Boys' Brigade left for ten days camp at Johnston's Mill, Upper Largo, on Friday morning, in high spirits." After arriving at four o'clock and having tea, the boys had time to "find their bearings" before an eventful first night of "the usual fun of letting downs tents about their comrades".

On Saturday morning the group "had their first view of a hydroplane coming along the water from Leven". A sail on Largo Bay and an evening concert on the beach followed. Sunday morning saw a parade to the United Free Church in Upper Largo, while Monday was filled with more sailing, bathing and watching the hydroplane. That evening the boys "were allowed to go out to Leven to witness the hydroplanes manoeuvring". Later in the week there were five-a-side football competitions and a march to Elie, from where they took a sail to North Berwick and round the Bass Rock. 

That the camp coincided with the visit of the Royal Flying Corps hydroplanes, which were undertaking exercises in the area throughout the summer months and had a temporary base at Leven, must have been thrilling. The images below show the hydroplane at Elie (upper image from 'The Harbours of Elie Bay - A History by Rennie) and at Leven (lower image from 'Bygone Leven' by Eunson). A 200-feet long tent was required on the links at Leven to house the machines and thirty six seamen as well as several petty officers and mechanics were stationed there. Despite attempts to make the base permanent, the three aircraft (a Short biplane, a Borrell monoplane and a Maurice Farman) and a  were moved to Port Laing at the end of August and the Leven station was dismantled.

The 1913 camp at Johnston's Mill was one of many camping expeditions to this popular spot for pitching tents. The newspaper archives record many other camps. Notably, the Auchtermuchty Boy Scouts in 1912 spent a stay at Johnston's Mill where "the greatest event of the week" was a "descent of a coal mine"! Taking the train from Largo to Thornton, the group marched to Dysart where they were conducted down the Lady Blanche pit and taken to the working coal face "going a considerable distance under the sea". I guess 'health and safety' didn't exist then.

Lying at the boundary of Largo Parish and Newburn Parish, where a burn drains into Largo Bay, the area once known as 'Johnston's Mill' has a long history. The name first appears on record in the 1560s as 'Johnnestounes Mylne'. The first reference to named Johnstons dates to 1597 when a dispute over the "watter maill" and duties at the mill arose between John Johnston, "miller of the mill of Johnstons Mill" and John Lundy of Strathairly. A Thomas Johnston gave evidence relating to damage done at the mill dam (source: Laing Charters). The book "The Place Names of Fife Volume Two" by Simon Taylor states that "the Johnston family must have been hereditary millers here from at least the 1560s".

Johnston's Mill is also mentioned by name several times within Lamont's Diary (1650s-1660s) (using various spellings). The map above dates to 1775 (Ainslie) and the mill is clearly shown in the lower right corner, just east of the salt pans at Viewforth. The advert below from 21 May 1796 (Caledonian Mercury) shows the mill for let, as well as the adjoining Broomhall Farm. At this time the mill was possessed by a George Mitchell. 

Moving forward to the 1820s, and the Greenwood map below from 1828 still prominently shows the mill and associated buildings. An advert from around this time shows that George Smith had possessed the land for a spell. Interestingly, Largo is described as a "sea-port town" in this advert - the harbour being heavily used during this pre-railway era. However, this time must have marked the last of the years of there being a working mill on the site. By the 1850s, the Ordnance Survey Name Book stated that 'Johnston's Mill' was the name of a house near to "where a corn-mill once stood", "which belonged to a man called Johnston".

The name persisted for a long time after the mill itself ceased operation and beyond the time when the imposing Carrick Villa was built upon the site (circa mid-1880s). Below is both an advert for Carrick Villa to let (from 22 April 1885 Scotsman) and an 1893 map that shows both names side by side. By the time the 1912 OS map was published, 'Johnston's Mill' had dropped off and only 'Carrick Villa' was labelled.

A later mention of the old name pops up in 1929 (2 March Scotsman) when "Merlindene" (as Carrick Villa was known for a spell) was for sale.  'Johnston's Mill' was still placed in brackets afterwards, presumably as this was the name that many folk still knew the place by. ​At the foot of the post is a recent photograph of the site, with Carrick Villa at centre with the remains of an old railway bridge in front. Interestingly, the ruins of the old millhouse were recently incorporated into a new building (studio/garage/workshop) within the grounds of the villa.

Soon after the completion of a new James Braid-designed course in 1909, Lundin Golf Club also extended their club house. The image above must have been captured soon after the 1912 addition to the building was finished. The slight variation in brick colour can be seen at the join between old and new (behind the bench).  A special competition was held to inaugurate the addition - details of which were advertised in the Scotsman of 22 July 1912 (see below).

The changes at the club proved popular, with the Dundee Telegraph of 8 July 1913 gushing...

"There is not a monotonous hole on the Lundin course. At the outset there is length for the mighty swiper, and along the heights there is danger for the man who is uncertain with wooden club. Cunningly situated is the green at the Dyke, and the short hole is admirably planted. A grand course in every detail is fit appreciation for Lundin Links."

The following year the interesting advert below appeared in the 'Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News' (10 Jan 1914).

Fife has a wealth of milestones and wayside markers that have survived for around one-and-a-half to two centuries. Careful preservation over many decades has resulted in a range of styles of these once vital aids to the traveller remaining resolutely in place. With the introduction of turnpike roads in the late 18th century in Fife, many routes were improved and tolls were collected for their use. In the years that followed, the erection of milestones and direction posts became a requirement. As the 'Milestones of Fife' book by Darwood and Martin (2005) states:

"The surviving milestones are all to be found along former turnpike roads, while wayside markers mark junctions between two turnpike roads, or between one turnpike and one statute-labour road."

The image below features the milestone that stands at the junction of the A915 and Harbour Wynd, opposite the Largo War Memorial. This type is the most common style of milestone - a maximum of 3ft high, whinstone with a cast-iron cap, with cursive script and often abbreviated names (eg L Pr for Largo Pier or Bt Id for Burntisland). These milestones must have been costly to produce - each one being unique and therefore requiring its own individual mould. The mark on the side of the base is a bench mark - used as a reference point in measuring altitude. 'Largo Pier' featured on many milestones, being the main steam ferry port for the East Neuk at one time. The 'Largo' location (as opposed to Largo Pier) apparently was measured at Lundin Mill Bridge.

Below is a Wayside Marker located close to Pitcruvie north of Lundin Links. This lists various villages and farms and indicates whether they are located left or right (without distances). Contrast this version with that shown at the top of this post (in the montage of images) which features long lists of places with distances and a pointing hand symbol showing which direction applies (this one is found in Upper Largo where the A915 splits with the A917). 

World War Two brought about an order for all direction markers throughout the country to be removed in case of enemy invasion (see notice below from the St Andrews Citizen from 3 June 1940).  In many places, this resulted in the information being physically scrubbed off the markers, thus defacing them forever. However, in Fife a more easily reversible approach was taken. Markers with the information etched into them were removed entirely while those with caps had the caps removed and the stones left in place. Items removed were carefully stored.

Eventually, some years after the end of war, all were returned back into their original position. As the letter further below shows (Dundee Evening Telegraph 12 April 1950) this took a little longer than some had hoped in some places. Over the years since then many milestones have been saved, restored and protected by various groups and individuals. There are some wonderful stories of broken caps being welded back together, stones being dug up after decades underground, a cap being rescued from a rubbish dump, another being retrieved from a private garden. Let's hope that these relics from a bygone age continue to be given care and attention for many decades to come.

The black and white house in the right foreground above is what is now know as Peacehaven, at the junction of Links Road and Victoria Road in Lundin Links. However, at the time that the image above was captured, this building was newly built and comprised a pair of symmetrical villas known as 'Roseneath' (closest to camera) and 'Linksfield'. Built in 1907 for Edinburgh furrier,  John George Gerrard, during their construction they were referred to as 'Mr Gerrard's Villas'. 

Both were unoccupied at the time of the 1911 census, which took place on 2 April that year. Gerrard seems to have built the villas as an investment and they were let out, mainly in the summer months, initially. The advert below dates from 3 July 1915 (Scotsman) and shows Roseneath and Linksfield at the top of a list of houses for summer let. Note that Somerville the grocer acted as agent along with Post Office (Miss Bremner). 

Further adverts below from 1912 and 1917 respectively (below) detail the number of rooms and the facilities available, while emphasising the good location of the houses - close to the station, beach and golf course.

John Gerrard died unexpectedly in 1916 while in Chester. Although his firm continued to manage the villas in the short term, they were soon sold to a Crieff businessman. By 1930, the building had changed guise to the 'Golf View Hotel' and by 1937 it was advertising an "extension" (see advert below from 10 April Scotsman).  

In 1955 the owners of 27 years advertised the let of the Golf View Hotel (see Courier advert from 25 March below) and within a few years the hotel became the residential home that we know now.

Born on 14 May 1811, William Lindsay was son of Thomas Lindsay, weaver of Lundinmill, and his wife Margaret Myles. He married the daughter of Lundinmill stone mason Alexander Tivendale in 1842 and by 1851 the pair were living at 13 The Citadel in Leith where William was described as a "Ship Master".

On 10 August 1857, William sailed as part of a crew of 21 on the ship "Wallace" of Leith from the Clyde headed for Quebec laden with coal. On 14 November "Wallace" set sail from Quebec planning to return to Greenock with a cargo of timber.  However, by early December (as the Newcastle Journal of 2 January 1858 reported) "a gale of wind came on, and continued with little intermission,until the 7th instant, when the ship was about 800 miles from Cape Clear" (Ireland). "...while the hands were at work at the pumps, a tremendous sea struck the ship and capsized her, the crew having to crawl up the lanyards to escape being drowned. After great exertions, they cut away the lanyards, when the main and mizen masts fell. The ship shortly after righted, when another sea struck the bowsprit, carried it away, and also the foremast, at the same time sweeping the deck of all that was left, and also washing overboard Mr Lindsay, the chief officer, and the steward."

The report continues...

"The remainder of the crew held on by the wreck all the afternoon, night and part of the next day, when the gale abated. On the 8th they were able to ascertain that the hatches and deck had been forced up, the poop cabin cleared of its contents, and that not a morsel of provisions was to be obtained. The weather having further moderated, the crew cut away the wreck from the ship's side and made further search for food. Ultimately, a couple of casks of water were discovered, in the fore-hold, and half a bucket of biscuit, but on the 9th a sea stove in the water cask, and thus they lost what the men were craving."

"On the 10th, the poor fellows had become greatly exhausted, from hunger, thirst, cold and wet - their sufferings can be more readily imagined than described. No vessel had hove in sight and their hunger became of that character they could "eat anything", when it was determined to kill and divide the dog, which was done, a small portion being consumed by each, uncooked, for they could obtain no fire. On the 11th, and succeeding days, showers of rain fell, and the poor fellows managed to catch a small quantity, but not sufficient to allay their parching thirst, while small bits of their once favourite dog were the only food they had from the 7th to the 17th December, on which day the joyful cry of "a sail" was given."

The surviving crew members were picked up by the "Colina", upon which Captain Robins and his men provided kindness and care, while dealing with their "ravenous" appetites. Sadly, one of the crew of the "Wallace", an apprentice, who had been "insensible" when taken of the wreck, died shortly afterwards. The "Colina" arrived in the Mersey on the night of 23 December. Six of the wreck survivors were conveyed to the Sailor's Home in Liverpool, while others including the Captain by name of Cormie were too ill to leave the "Colina" immediately, due to "swollen feet &tc". 

The death of William Lindsay, the Chief Officer on the fateful journey, was registered in April by the Captain of the Wallace, James Cormie. Captain Cormie also registered the deaths of the other casualties, including steward James Casey. In between the incident and the reporting of it, William Lindsay's wife Euphemia had given birth to her seventh child on 20 December 1857 in Lundin Mill.  Below is the newspaper notice of William's death (7 Jan Fife Herald) and also the entry from the case book of midwife Margaret Bethune recording the birth of Wilhemina Lindsay, the youngest of William's children. View Bay Cottage, home of the Lindsays, stood at the top end of Hillhead Lane where it had a commanding view of the sea (and still does, though now renamed).

Following on from Part 1 and Part 2 about shops in Lower Largo in the 1930s, here is the third and final piece in the series. This one focuses on the east end from the Orry to the Temple and features four businesses.  Right next to the Orry on the sea side of the main street was the Marina Cafe (cream coloured building on right below). Across the road, at the foot of Donaldson's Wynd (now Durham Wynd) was Bonny Bay Bakery (red sandstone building on the left below). Several doors down from that was a greengrocer/general store with a back room chip shop. And finally way along at the Temple was a small sweetie shop.

The Marina Cafe was another enterprise by the Forte family. Below is a sketch of the west elevation, which can be compared with the photograph above. Beneath that are sketches of the ground floor plan before and after a 1960s expansion of the cafe. The house adjacent to the cafe to the east is 'Bower House', a crow-stepped early 18th century dwelling. If you have memories of this cafe, please comment.

Thomas Fernie's father (of the same name) was also a baker and Thomas Jr took on his father's business interests when he retired. The house connected to the bakehouse, known as Bonny Bay House, is illustrated below. The bakehouse was to the north east of the house, the shop to the south west, with a packing room to its rear. Thomas Fernie died in 1941 at the age of just 41 and was survived by his wife and daughter.

The next shop was situated just beyond the Crusoe Buildings at 109 Main Street. In the 1930s, this shop reportedly had a mix of green grocery, buckets and spades, postcards, confectionery and more. Interestingly, it seemed to transform into a fish and chip shop of an evening. It was run by Mary Kidd before she moved along the street to what would become the Post Office (now Very Crafty).

Finally, way along at The Temple - now no. 37 - was a small sweetie shop run by Miss Sharp. Adjacent to the three-storey Rollo Villa, it's hard to imagine the small cottage in the centre of the image below being at one time busy with children spending their pocket money.