Robert Gilchrist was born in Largo in 1840 - the youngest son of Elspeth Selkirk and James Gilchrist (a hand loom weaver at the Temple). His was one of several houses at the Temple at the time that included a 'weaver's shop' as part of the property. In 1859 Robert joined the 'Lundin Mill Total Abstinence Society'. This was a prelude to his long-term involvement in the Good Templar movement. Although he was away from home when the charter was signed for the institution of the Robinson Crusoe Lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars in 1872, he joined a few weeks later.

Over many years, Robert filled all of the offices at the local lodge as well as many at East Fife District Lodge level. In 1879 he was elected to lead the latter - a role he carried out by travelling around the district on his pony trap. Eventually, he served on several committees of the Grand Lodge, rising to its Assistant Grand Secretary. The "Good Templar Guide: North-East Fife District 1898-1904" stated that "the bicycle was neither fast nor fashionable in those days but with his pony, to and fro throughout the district he went, instituting new, resuscitating dormant, and encouraging existing lodges".

On 11 March 1861 Robert Gilchrist (then a post messenger) married Jane White (daughter of mason Robert White, who was partner with Archibald White in a well-known local building firm). The couple settled in Lundin Mill and Robert himself soon joined the building trade. By the 1871 census the pair had three children - Catherine, Elspeth and James. A decade later, in 1881, Robert was an established builder and his son was his apprentice. The family were living in Emsdorf House and, on the day of the census, had a 'Scottish Coast Missionary' staying with them as a visitor (no doubt in connection with the Good Templars). 

Above is a piece from the 24 November 1883 Fifeshire Advertiser describing the celebration following completion of building work on a new farm steading at Pratis led by Robert Gilchrist. In 1885, Gilchrist was convener of the committee responsible for the events associated with the Crusoe Statue unveiling.  The following year, he completed the building of the Good Templar Hall (later known as the Crusoe Hall). Over the next three decades Robert continued in the building trade, still residing at Emsdorf House, playing a significant role in the development of Lundin Links, along with fellow builders such as Archibald White and Walter Horne. He was the builder of the Simpson Institute in Upper Largo, opened in 1891. His daughter Elspeth married painter Robert Blair Forrester in 1893. In 1894, Robert Gilchrist and Son were the builders of the striking Colinsburgh Town Hall. 

In 1911, Robert and Jane Gilchrist celebrated their ​Golden Wedding. Two of their children and seven grandchildren were present. Their daughter Catherine had died in 1889 aged 27. The 15 March 1911 Leven Advertiser gives an account of the event below, along with further details of Robert's life. He was chair of the Parish Council, an elder of the Parish Church, President of Largo Curling Club and active in the bowling and tennis clubs. However, he was best known for his tireless work in connection with the temperance movement. Robert Gilchrist died, aged 85, at Emsdorf House in 1926. His wife Jane had predeceased him in 1913.
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Largo is going to feature in some detail in one of the 3 additional episodes of Scotland’s Scenic Railways coming to Channel 4 over the coming weeks. Filmed last autumn, these shows are a mix of stories featured in the original 2019 The World’s Most Beautiful Railway series and new content filmed between lockdowns in 2020. The new material includes an item about the East of Fife railway, prompted by the reopening of the line to Leven.
 
Featuring some archive material from this blog and from blog readers, vintage film footage, history of the old line and interviews with people who remember when the railway served Largo, anyone with an interest in Largo will not want to miss this. The East of Fife item is in the episode that transmits on Sunday April 4th @ 8pm on Channel 4. You will also see preparations taking place at Leven for the reinstatement of a five and a half mile section of the line to Leven (Levenmouth Rail Scheme). Spread the word!

The opening of the Good Templar Hall in Lundin Mill was the result of years of planning and fund raising by members and friends of the Robinson Crusoe Lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars. The above report from 28 May 1886 East of Fife Record tells us that it publicly opened on Saturday 22 May 1886. The builder of the hall was the Worthy Chief Templar Robert Gilchrist. Able to seat 200 people in the main space, there were also two ante-rooms and a stage. Heating was provided by a large stove in the basement, where coals were also stored. Gas lighting was installed both around the building and from a central gasalier (gas powered chandelier). The photograph below shows the interior of the hall a few years ago, prior to its conversion into a house.

The bazaar held in August 1886 cleared most of the outstanding costs of the hall. The Fife Herald (18 August 1886) above give some details of the stalls at the bazaar, which was opened by Dr Stuart Palm. The star items for sale were Robinson Crusoe related, recognising the name of the Lodge. After years of meeting in places such as the school room or a church, having a dedicated hall under the temperance banner was a great achievement for the Robinson Crusoe Lodge. Their "very substantial brick building" (see photograph below) was not only used by the Lodge but was made available for any other "good, moral and religious purpose". Some examples of the types of events that took place in the new hall are seen in the newspaper archives further below.

​In 1887, a concert was held in the hall in aid of Largo Reading Room (30 July Fife News). Also known as Lower Largo Library, the reading room came into existence around 1884, pre-dating the reading room at the Simpson Institute. Being the height of the summer season, concert performers were mainly visitors from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cupar. There was a trend over many decades for summer visitors to put on performances - making their own entertainment before the days of cinema.
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In 1898 (25 June Fife Free Press below) young members of Kirkcaldy's Pioneer Lodge of the Good Templars used the hall as part of their outing to Lundin Links. The following year, the annual picnic of the Kirkcaldy Town Mission Workers, made use of the hall for tea (19 August 1899 Fife Free Press).
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The Independent Order of Good Templars (I.O.G.T.) originated in Utica, New York State in 1851 and was introduced to Scotland by Thomas Roberts of Philadelphia in 1869. Deriving their name from the Knights Templars (because they were also 'fighting a great crusade' and legend is that the Knights drank 'sour milk'), the Good Templars adopted a similar organisational structure and regalia to the Freemasons. The principles behind the movement were "total abstinence enforced by a life-long pledge, and the absolute prohibition of the manufacture, importation and sale of intoxicating drinks as beverages".

The I.O.G.T. motto (adopted in 1852) was Faith, Hope and Charity. Organised into 'lodges' at local, district and national levels, each lodge was given the flexibility to "act according locality, time and circumstances". Unusually for the time, both sexes were admitted and were "on a perfect equality as to eligibility for office".  Juvenile lodges could be formed for young persons aged from 5 to 18 years of age. The juvenile motto was Truth, Love and Purity. A fringed sash was worn by members (see illustrative photograph above of an unknown I.O.G.T. group) decorated to varying degrees with badges and initials to indicate office held. These sashes seem to have come in different colours including a purplish-blue and a red (see coloured examples below).

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In addition to the Saturday evening meetings, the lodge held picnics, open air meetings and cycle trips (the I.O.G.T. had its own 'Cycling Corps'). In 1906, the Order changed its name to the International Order of Good Templars. And in later years the elaborate ceremonies and distinctive regalia were phased out. The movement lost ground as society faced each of the World Wars. After the Second World War, the I.O.G.T. repositioned itself around peace-related work. Although internationally it did recover, in Largo it would not be able to rebuild.

You can read more about the history of the I.O.G.T. worldwide here.

The above photograph has appeared in a previous blog post, entitled After the Line Closure. However, new information has just come to light about this particular journey which is well worth sharing. Intrigued by the 'headboard' on the front of the engine, which reads LCGB North West, Brian Malaws investigated the story behind this. He asked Peter Crossman, Hon General Secretary of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain, if he could provide any information. He duly responded with the following...

The club's monthly magazine, The Bulletin, records that on Tuesday, July 5th 1966, members of the North West Branch of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain travelled on the 09:05 Thornton Yard to Crail working. Apparently, great interest was shown in the headboard by the train crew and yard staff. The train consisted of class B1 4-6-0 no. 61133 hauling one wagon of coal and a brake van, in which the club members were accommodated. After arriving safely at Crail, the train returned to Anstruther, where the locomotive was turned on the still-operational turntable during a lunch stop on the return journey to Thornton.

The line had closed to passenger traffic in September 1965 so this was a rare opportunity to travel the line, which then closed to even goods traffic two weeks afterwards. Demolition of the station followed a few years later.

With thanks to Brian Malaws for sharing this snippet of information.

As a follow-up to the recent post about the history of Largo Curling Club, I am grateful to a reader who has shared the above artefact. It is the programme for the Centenary Dinner of the club. Note that, although the actual centenary would have occurred in 1940, the Second World War disrupted life so greatly that it was not until a full seven years later that this event was finally able to take place. 

It certainly appears that, although delayed, the occasion was marked in style and with all the appropriate traditions. Below are the 'Bill of Fare' and the 'Programme and Toast List' - both rich in detail and with many interesting turns of phrase. Let's have a look at these in more detail....
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The layout and content of these pages closely mirrors the style used at key dinners from Curling history such as the Jubilee Dinner held for the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, in Edinburgh's Waterloo Hotel, on 28 Nov 1888. It was similarly "garnished with sundry curling phrases to help the digestion". Verses from the curling poets, such as Henry Shanks of Bathgate and Rev. J. Muir of Leith are also typically included. Even the food chosen for the menu is traditional. 'Beef and greens' in particular has been the traditional fare of the curling dinner for centuries.

Here are definitions for some of the curling phrases that pepper the menu:

"Soop, lads, soop" refers to sweeping (the ice) in the path of a curling-stone in order to assist its progress;
"Kiggle-Kaggle" means to cause the stone to make a succession of zig-zag movements or inwicks up a port or space between curling stones, to reach a certain object;
"Clap on a gaird" relates to playing a stone to lie in front of or “guard” the tee or another stone lying near it;
"On the pat lid" suggests a curling stone lying right on the tee.

Note also the reference to the temperance movement - "ginger brew for Templars sae true" - within the poem at the top. This was a significant movement nationally and locally in the late 19th century and early 20th century (more on this to come in future posts).

Below, the toast list includes all the customary toasts, including one to the Royal Caledonian Club (the sport's governing body), one to neighbouring clubs and others to new curlers, to skips and to presidents. Several songs are also included in the programme, which no doubt would have been sung with gusto!

More about the traditions surrounding curling can be found here - ​electricscotland.com/history/curling/.