Largo Cricket Club has been active in two distinct phases. It first existed for a few years shortly after the Second World War. Reformed in 1983, the club's second phase continues to the present day. More than seven decades ago, the 12 January 1949 Leven Mail announced that in Largo a "band of enthusiasts" had started a cricket club and had "acquired a suitable field for play near the Church". On 2 February, the same paper told of the club's "first public appearance" when they hosted a whist drive. This event took place on 20 January 1949 in the Simpson Institute and was attended by 130 people. The Club's Honorary Secretary George N. Donaldson presided and Mrs Muriset of the Lundin Links Hotel presented the prizes. Club President, and minister of Largo Parish Church, Reverend C.W. Fraser thanked Mrs Muriset and all those who had helped to make the occasion a success. 
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The first season included a match against R.A.F. Leuchars in August 1949. The same month a fund-raising dance was held in the Simpson Institute (see notice below). On 12 October 1949, the Leven Mail reported on a "successful first season" which had consisted of six wins, eleven losses and eight draws. Leading averages for the season were listed (see below).
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The fixtures for the club's second season were listed in the 8 February 1950 Leven Mail (see below). A fund-raiser that year was a Grand Fete at Lundin Links Common followed by another dance at the Simpson Institute (the 19 July 1950 notice from the Leven Mail is further below). At that point, everything seems to have been going well for the fledgling club.

The third season, which began in April 1951, saw a new Honorary Secretary take over. This was Harry Williams of Jesmond House, Upper Largo. Below is a list of the fixtures lined up for that year. Social events that year included a November concert in Simpson Institute and Ne'er Day dance to see in 1952. The year that followed would bring change for the club. Perhaps those involved already had an inkling of what was to come, given that the roof had just been removed from Largo House and the contents of the mansion put up for auction.

The fourth season began positively.  On 16 April 1952 the Leven Mail reported on the club's A.G.M. where Reverend Fraser emphasised that "the club was now firmly established and had built up a good reputation, not merely in the district but also among the many clubs they had visited outside the area". Below are more details from that meeting where the officials for the year were elected. A highlight of the season was a friendly match in June 1952 against H.M.S. Largo Bay (an anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy). At this point the team were still playing at The Paddock.

However, by the end of the 1952 season Largo Cricket Club had (according to the 5 November 1952 Leven Mail) applied to Leven Town Council to use one of the cricket squares at King George V Playfield in Leven. This was granted and the club became Leven-based having lost their ground at The Paddock. Details surrounding the move are unclear, however, it seems likely to be connected to the demise of Largo House and local feeling around that. The move to Leven must have been inconvenient and disappointing for the club. The local press also noted concern around the lack of "stripping accommodation" and facilities to entertain visitors at King George V Park. 

So, Largo C.C. began their fifth season, sharing a ground in Leven with Henry Balfour Cricket Club. The season got underway and early matches were played, however, by June it was clear that the club were struggling with their new circumstances. The 1 July Leven Mail noted that "circumstances have compelled Largo C.C. to disband for what it hoped will be a temporary period". It was suggested that any unattached cricketers would be welcomed by Balfour's Club. The situation was confirmed two weeks later when the notice below appeared in the Mail. Sadly, the "temporary period" would last for thirty years but eventually Largo Cricket Club did rise again. More on that in the next post.
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Concluding this mini-series reviewing the 1988 tourist guide entitled "All About Lundin Links, Lower Largo, Upper Largo and Surrounding Villages", this is a review of the Lower Largo-related content. As expected, much mention was made of the village's claim to fame as the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk - the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe'.  The guide explained that the statue had been "temporarily moved to the Glasgow Garden Festival as a centre-piece for the East Neuk heritage trail display". Taken away in October 1987, the half-ton, bronze statue was given clean up and repair job before being painted green for the festival which ran from 26 April to 26 September 1988. ​

Many adverts for businesses based in the village appeared in the guide, including one for Martin Anderson's studio, which continues to this day from the same address. It is pictured in recent times below (photographed during Largo Arts Week when it was one of the open studios).

The Post office was still at its 91 Main Street location in 1988, with the long-serving Mrs Elizabeth Grassick as proprietor. It also sold sweets, souvenirs and other goods. Mrs Grassick would retire the following year. The Post Office later had a brief spell at 68 Main Street (latterly the Baptist Church Hall but now demolished). 
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Another familiar former local business was Very Crafty.  In 1988 it was at 58 Main Street, as this was prior to its move to the Post Office building at number 91 (shown in the photo further below). Among the goods on offer at Very Crafty in the late 1980s was Dust Jewellery. This was jewellery by artist and silversmith Norman Grant, made in a workshop on Mill Wynd in Lundin Links. Eventually Norman Grant left Scotland to work in London but many local people still own examples of his work.
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A. Stephen and Son fish merchant of Durham Terrace advertised their trade and retail produce in the tourist guide too.  Further adverts were the pair below. Christine Elphick offered beauty therapies from 54 Main Street. The Railway Inn, owned by Helen Wallace, highlighted its "friendly olde worlde atmosphere". Established in 1749, the Railway Inn has been a fixture of the harbour area for almost two centuries.
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And if you were wondering what was going on over the summer months in 1988 - here are details of a few of the events arranged that season......

The above scene from the late 1980s was chosen to represent Upper Largo within the guide entitled "All About Lundin Links, Lower Largo, Upper Largo and Surrounding Villages". Included in the description of the village was some information about the Kirk, some facts about Sir Andrew Wood and the fact that the village "nestles at the foot of Largo Law, an extinct volcano up which there is an annual race held in August. The race is quite popular and attracts competitors from all over Scotland." In 1988 (the year that the guide was published) the Largo Law Hill Race took place on 6th August at 3pm.

The adverts below are for Upper Largo businesses of the time: Waverley Antiques, The Salon and Wilson the grocer and newsagent. The antique shop, which was at 13 Main Street, had originally been a grocer's shop and for a spell was home to the Post Office. No doubt paintings, furniture and other antiques from the shop still grace local homes. Shown in the photograph further below (when it was known as J&A White), the building that housed Waverley Antiques was first planned in 1898 by Robert Nicoll, grocer and postmaster. The short piece from the Leven Advertiser of 7 July 1898 below, announces his decision to build new premises on the north side of the street. Robert Gilchrist (who had built the Simpson Institute several years before) was the builder. More about Robert Nicoll to follow at a future date...

R. Wilson at 25 Main Street, pictured below in the 1970s was in a building that had been used for a range of purposes in the preceding years. In the late nineteenth century, Robert Melville's business as a tinsmith and plumber was here. It was later a chemist, with Charles Thomson, and then Peter Cowie, running it. When Peter Cowie died in 1917, James Bowie took over the chemist and later relocated it to the opposite side of Main Street (which George Mackie took over in 1935). Robert Melville's daughter Catherine owned the buildings until the early 1930s when it was purchased by Robert Wilson. 

The Salon is pictured below in the mid-1970s. This building at 12 Main Street has been George Swan Rodger's draper shop and George Mackie's chemist earlier in its history. Like so many former shops in the village, it has long since been converted into a residential dwelling.
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Other adverts that appeared for Upper Largo businesses were those below for Central Garage and J. Purves Service Station. Central Garage was started around 1921 by James Harris (see photo below). It was situated on the south side of Main Street opposite Wilson's and was run by Jim Harley at the time of advertising in the tourist guide. The other car-related advert was for J. Purves, a garage on the north side and west end of Main Street, on the site of the former United Free Church. Jimmy Purves took over the garage around 1960. David Ramage had converted the former church into a bus garage back in 1933-34. 

Finally, there was an advert for the 'Largo Hotel', now known as the Upper Largo Hotel. A hotel with a long history that has been known as the Commercial Hotel, Duff's Inn and Lee's Inn during its long history. The next post will conclude the review of the 1988 tourist guide - with the spotlight falling on Lower Largo.
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Recent blog posts looked at guide books on Largo dating to the 1930s and the 1940s. This post looks at the more modern 1980s take on the tourist information booklet and contrasts this with its forerunners. Above is the front cover of the 1988 guide entitled "All About Lundin Links, Lower Largo, Upper Largo and Surrounding Villages". Like earlier guides it features the Robinson Crusoe statue prominently on the cover, although this time the statue shares the cover with other images.

This guide, which was also a black and white publication as side from the cover, is richly illustrated with photos and adverts. A short series of three blogs will cover its contents - beginning with the content on Lundin Links. The photograph below of Leven Road shows the Royal Bank of Scotland on the right at the beginning of the stretch of shops - most of which had adverts within the guide.
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Below are the featured advertisements for the Post Office, Lundie Salon and the Paperbox. At the time, the Post Office was also a General Store selling bakery goods, fruit and veg and other groceries. The Post Office closed several years ago and the premises is now occupied by gift shop Penny and Black. A mobile Post Office now serves the villages. The Lundie Salon remains to this day at 5 Leven Road. The Paperbox newsagent at 17 Leven Road is now branded Premier Convenience Store. Back in the eighties, the shop offered video hire along with the usual morning rolls and paper deliveries.
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Other local businesses featured were Bob's Butchers at 7 Leven Road, run by Bob Kirkcaldy, and Hogan's Bar on Emsdorf Street. The building that was Hogan's had previously been a shop and snack bar. Now the building is a private dwelling. The butcher's shop is now a branch of Stuart's Bakers and Butchers.
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Also among the Lundin Links based adverts was one for Elisabeth's ladies' and babies' clothing shop and one for the golf professional, David Webster. At the time, Elisabeth's was located in the small premises on Crescent Road, that had previously been the bank manager's garage and a temporary bank and went on to be The Finishing Touch curtains and blinds supplier. Eventually, Elisabeth's did move to larger premises round the corner on Leven Road.

Mercury Motors also featured in the brochure, highlighting its specialism for MGBs at the time. The business is still running today. Of course the two hotels in the village - the Old Manor Hotel and the Lundin Links Hotel -  had placed adverts, and in addition there was one for A. Kirk, Joiner.

The photo below also appeared in the guide, showing the play park next to the Common. The play equipment here has been upgraded and altered a couple of times since then and an inclusive playpark with accessible play equipment now exists on the opposite side of the road down to the Sports Club. This was opened in June 2019.

So, the 1980s tourist guide book was much more visual that those from half a century before which were more formal and text heavy.  There were some paragraphs included in the modern brochure about the history of the area but these were brief and the focus was firmly on promoting events taking place over the summer months and on local businesses offering services to visitors. In the next post - Upper Largo information from the booklet.