Early picture postcards of the Largo area, such as the one above, featured what is known as an "undivided back". This was where the entire back of the postcard was dedicated to the recipient's address. In fact there was a clear printed instruction "the address only to be written on this side". Should the sender wish to add a note, this would have to be squeezed into whatever space might be available on the front. The picture dominated the front of the postcard but sometimes a border or dedicated area was left empty for a brief message to be added. 

The example above was posted in July 1901 and generously left half of the front available for a message. Note that the sender was staying at the Belmont Hotel. The example below was sent in October 1900 and was a postcard published for Malcolm's Stationery Salon, Leven. It was also generous with the space left for a message - unlike the one further below where only a lower margin was available and the sender chose not to include a message at all. In the case where no message was added it was presumably sufficient to show the recipient where the sender had visited and provide an idea of how the place looked.

When divided back postcards became the norm, the old stock of undivided back postcards could be modified. Such an alteration can be seen in the example below. The sender has carefully added a pen-drawn line down the reverse side, before writing a message on the left hand side. In this case, the space on the front below the image was also used. The images on picture postcards soon filled the entire space on the front side and messages became confined to reverse side. The only exception perhaps being the popular 'X' added to mark the spot where the sender was residing.
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On 22 July 1913, bank clerk Thomas Robertson Stewart married Andrewina Williamson at Coventry Cottage, Drummochy, the bride's family home. Andrewina's father was master slater and plasterer, Alexander Williamson. Thomas was son of long-serving head teacher of Lundin Mill Primary School, David Milne Stewart.

The couple set up home at Carnbaan on Leven Road, Lundin Links - the semi-detached villa second from right in the image below. Their daughter Isabella Welch Robertson Stewart was born on 28 April 1914 (3 months before the outbreak of World War One) at Carnbaan. Nine years later, on 17 February 1923, a second daughter was born in the same house - Rena Williamson Robertson Stewart, pictured above. Rena was named after her mother, who went by that name, rather than the formal Andrewina.
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Carnbaan would remain the family home for decades. With the nine-hole Lundin Ladies golf course over the back garden wall, the Montrave Hall next door and the tennis courts and bowling green just a stone's throw away, the house was ideally placed for the Stewart family, who were very active within their community. Thomas Stewart was organist and choirmaster at Largo Parish Church for many years. He, and his father David before him, served a combined 66 years in the role of Session Clerk at Largo Parish Church.

Thomas was also Treasurer and Secretary of Lundin Bowling Club for an extended period of time, having been both a founder member of the club and its first champion. A love of music, dance and Scots heritage was passed on to daughters Isobel and Rena. Local newspaper archives contain many references to musical performances by the family, such as an example where an 11-year-old Rena danced the Highland Fling, as well as other dances, at a school concert in the Montrave Hall, with musical accompaniment from her father. Isobel and Rena attended Lundin Mill Primary School, where the paternal grandfather they had never met had been headmaster for 37 years.

Singing, dancing and playing the piano featured throughout Rena's life. The piece below from 19 February 1941 Leven Mail describes how Thomas, Isobel, Rena and others put on a musical evening at the British Linen Bank House in Leven. Their mother had organised the event which successfully raised sufficient funding to purchase both a stirrup pump (for fire safety) and a first-aid box. Despite going on to live most of her life in England, Rena enthusiastically continued her Scottish Country Dancing - teaching it until the age of ninety!
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As well as having musical ability, Rena excelled academically. The above extract from 22 July 1939 Fife Free Press marks the successful attainment of her leaving certificate from Buckhaven High School. In fact, she also gained the Dux award at secondary school, as she had already done at primary school. Rena went on to study French and German at St Andrews University. The 30 June 1943 Leven Mail described how she was "capped" M.A. at the Younger Hall graduation.
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After graduation, which was of course during the Second World War, Rena, and her friend Agnes Gardner, decided to sign up for war service - joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). After undergoing training, Rena arrived at Bletchley Park, early in 1944, where she was put to work processing German messages. So began a period of Rena's life that has only been revealed in detail recently, due to security restrictions and Rena's modest nature. Her language skills later saw her be tasked with translating Hitler's will and eventually joining the BBC World Service (and going on to be its first senior female editor). For those intriguing aspects of Rena's life, far beyond her Lundin Links origins, it is necessary to read the newly-published and richly-illustrated book shown below "The Story of Rena Stewart - Bletchley Park Girl, Translator of Hitler's Will and BBC Pioneer", by Victoria Walsh, published by Pen and Sword.
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Although Rena had a full life down south, she often visited her parents and sister, Isobel Maclennan (nee Stewart) who had studied at Edinburgh University and had gone into teaching prior to marriage (in 1949) and motherhood. Thomas Stewart died in 1962 aged 79 years, and his wife in 1974, aged 88. Both were buried at Largo Cemetery alongside the parents of Thomas and other family members. The family headstone is shown below.
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Rena herself lived to be 100 years old and celebrated her very special birthday surrounded by family and friends. When Rena died on 11 November 2023 (Armistice Day), a truly remarkable life came to a close - a life with its foundations firmly established in Lundin Links and Largo, where both the Stewarts and the Williamsons left a lasting mark. She was laid to rest with her parents at Largo Cemetery.

NOTE:

Author of Rena Stewart's biography, Victoria Walsh, will be giving a talk at Lundin Golf Club on Thursday 10 July. Tickets are £3 from the club bar (cash only), which includes a glass of Prosecco. Doors open at 6.30, and the talk (followed by questions and answers) will start at 7pm, lasting around 45 minutes. Copies of the book will available afterwards.