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Birkmyre Bowl

27/6/2025

The Birkmyre Bowl is the trophy played for annually at the Lundin Open - an individual open golf tournament held at Lundin Golf Club. The tournament was inaugurated in 1950, so this year marks its 75th anniversary. The trophy was presented by Ian Tyson Birkmyre in honour of his late father, William George Birkmyre, who had been an enthusiastic member of the club. The piece below from the 21 June 1950 Leven Mail reported that the winner of the first annual Open Tournament, from an entry of 130, was local golfer Robert Oswald.

William Birkmyre was born on 12 December 1877 in Kells, Kirkcudbrightshire. He was the son of John Birkmyre (who was a miller at the time) and his wife Margaret McGill. The family soon moved to Tongland where John became a fisherman and William and his siblings went to school. Later the family moved to Glasgow, where William found work as an upholsterer, while his father worked as an undertaker's clerk. William married Jane Gunn Taylor in 1911 and by the time of the census later that year, William and Jane were living in the Hillhead area of Glasgow, with William recorded as an upholsterer for a house furnisher.

By 1921, the couple had moved to Great George Street and had two children, daughter Georgie Murray Taylor Birkmyre and son Ian Tyson Birkmyre. William was now an Upholstery Works Manager for Wylie and Lochhead Limited, a successful furniture manufacturer. Founded in 1829 by Robert Wylie and William Lochhead, the company grew from an upholstering and cabinetmaking business into a leader in interior design, yacht-fitting, and fine furniture. At the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition, the company's Glasgow Style pieces were showcased (such as the example shown below). A distinctive take on the Art Nouveau movement, the popularity of these pieces endures to this day when they come up for sale at auctions and antique dealers.

Like many Glasgow (or Edinburgh) businessmen, William took a holiday home by the sea. For much of the 1930s he rented part of Rollo Villa at the Temple, Lower Largo. It also appears that his son, Ian Tyson Birkmyre, had settled in Lundin Links. Both William and Ian joined Lundin Golf Club. In 1936, William became a non-resident member of the club's council (see 28 July 1936 extract from the Leven Mail below) while still being primarily Glasgow-based.

William George Birkmyre died on 12 June 1946, aged 68, while staying at Westcliffe on Crescent Road, Lundin Links. His main residence was Westbourne House, Glasgow (pictured above). The 19 June 1946 Leven Mail noted the death of this "well known residenter" who was "held in much esteem". His son, Ian Birkmyre continued to be active at Lundin Golf Club, presenting the Birkmyre Bowl in his father's memory in 1950, and becoming Club Captain 1955-57.

The annual tournament in memory of William Birkmyre grew in popularity over the years. In 1968 the bowl was lifted by local coal merchant and Lundin member Jack Thomson, when he outplayed a field of 180, which included entries from as far afield as Canada and Kenya. The following year Ian Ness of Earlsferry Thistle took the bowl. In the photo above, Ian Birkmyre is pictured on the far left (11 June 1969 Leven Mail). For many years, Ian Birkmyre was on hand to make the presentation of the bowl, appearing in many photographs in the local newspaper. In 1971 the youngest ever winner was 17-year-old David Smith, pictured below from the 9 June Leven Mail. The George Watson's pupil and son of Dr A.N.W. Smith of Lundin Links won the title with a "best of a lifetime" around of 70.

In 1972, Alan Campbell of Glenrothes was victorious and he is seen in the image above receiving the bowl from Ian Birkmyre (7 June Leven Mail). Ian Tyson Birkmyre died in 1988 at the age of 75. All four of the Birkmyre family - William, Jane, Ian and Georgie - are buried at Largo Cemetery. On the headstone, pictured below, are the words "All laid to rest in this place. Sleep well."

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John Pearson Douglas Ferrier (1884-1917)

20/6/2025

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John Pearson Douglas Ferrier was born on 25 July 1884 at James Street, in the Pilrig are of Edinburgh, to James Douglas Ferrier, a commercial traveller and grocer's son, and Janet Ferrier (nee Middlemass). Janet, who had two older daughters, had been widowed when her first husband died of tuberculosis. By 1891, the family had moved to from James Street to nearby Montgomery Street. James had become a Grocer's Assistant and the family appear to have been living above the shop. John Ferrier attended Leith Walk Public School (pictured below). The map further below shows the proximity of those locations:

1. James Street
2. Biscuit Factory (for which James may have acted as a commercial traveller)
3. Montgomery Street
4. Leith Walk Public School

Interestingly, just a few doors down from the Ferriers (who were at 111 Montgomery Street) lived Largo-born artist Alexander Ballingall at number 99. By the time of 1901 census James had his own Grocer's shop and the family had moved to live at the opposite side of the street, still very close to Ballingall, who surely must have frequented their shop. In the household there were James, Janet and John, plus Janet's daughter from her first marriage and her three children, who were visiting. A 16-year-old John Ferrier was working as an Apprentice Clerk. However, at this point the family were on the brink of relocation to Largo - a place to which they had no obvious connection. Could it have been Alexander Ballingall that put Largo on their radar?

James Ferrier set up as a grocer and provision merchant in Upper Largo next to Robert Melville the plumber, Peter Cowie's chemist and Thomas Black's shoe and boot warehouse in the part of Main Street shown above. John acted as his assistant. The 1911 census finds James, Janet and John (now aged 26) living at Crichton Place. The building that housed their shop can be seen in the far left of the old postcard image above. Demolished long ago, only the old ridge line of the roof remains today.

James Ferrier's business must have been successful, as the advert above appeared in the 6 June 1912 Leven Advertiser. James "removed to new and commodious premises at the west end Upper Largo". The notice stated that he had been in business in the village for eleven years at this point. The photograph below shows the two different shop premises - the new one in the foreground, next door to the United Free Church and his original shop close to the junction with St Andrews Road. The newer shop building, west of the entrance to North Feus, was also demolished long ago.

Two years later, in 1914, the First World War broke out. John Ferrier was attested under the Derby scheme. and called up in October 1916. He became a Private (No. 267309) with 1/6th (Territorial) Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from June 1917. Sadly, John was killed in action near Ypres on 16 September 1917, while preparing for the British offensive on the 20th of the month. He was 33 years old. The piece below was published in the 27 September Leven Advertiser. The notice of death further below was published in the 29 September St Andrews Citizen.

John was buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery near Ypres. At the time of his death, Major C.H. Maxwell wrote to his parents "I have heard how uncomplainingly your son stuck out the hardships of the trenches, and also how bravely you have done your part...He was an honour to the regiment and has died in the tartan." A comrade also wrote saying that the whole company looked on him as the one who would help in any trouble, and added that whenever any difficulty or trouble arose it was always "Let's tell Ferrier".

John Pearson Douglas Ferrier is one of the 51 men who fell in the First World War named on Largo War Memorial. His name can be seen fourth from top in the photograph above and is noted as D. Ferrier (suggesting that he was actually known by his middle name Douglas). His mother, Janet Ferrier, died the following year aged 74, on 11 December 1918, at home on Upper Largo's Main Street. James Ferrier lived until 16 September 1923. When he died aged 77 at North Feus, the official informant of his death was his friend the joiner Agnew Broomfield.

The Victory Medal belonging to Private J.P.D. Ferrier is pictured below. The medal shows the winged figure of victory on one side and the words THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914-1919 surrounded by a laurel wreath on the other. The medal is bronze, circular and 36 millimetres (1.4 in) in diameter. The recipient's name, rank, service number and unit were impressed on the edge of the medal. This particular medal was issued in 1921, so would have been sent to James Ferrier, John's father and next to kin, his mother having already passed away. Where it has been during the century since James's death is a mystery but its resurfacing now has allowed the story of one of Largo's lost to be retold.

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Undivided Back Postcards

13/6/2025

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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.

In the UK, the undivided back was the standard for postcards until around 1902, when the "divided back" era took off. This format allowed for a message to be written alongside the address on the rear - the back being divided into two sections, the left section being used for the message and the right side for the address. The piece below from the 24 November 1902 Evening Despatch explained the change at the time under the headline "More room to write".

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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Rena Williamson Robertson Stewart (1923-2023)

6/6/2025

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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.

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, as well as Session Clerk and Treasurer. He, and his father David before him, served a combined 66 years in the role of Session Clerk at Largo Parish Church. The plaque below can be seen on the wall inside the 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Birkmyre Bowl

John Pearson Douglas Ferrier (1884-1917)

Undivided Back Postcards

Rena Williamson Robertson Stewart (1923-2023)

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