The Reverend William Bruce was minister of Largo United Free Church for 46 years, from 1871 until his death in 1917. The sketch of him above appeared in a biographical piece in the Dundee Evening Telegraph of 24 July 1899, at which time he was just over halfway through his time in Upper Largo. William Bruce was born in Aberdeen in 1845 to  blacksmith and chain maker William Bruce and his wife Hannah Black. The family lived close to the Aberdeen Harbour, at Links Street.

By the age of 15, William was a clerk for a ship broker, supporting his widowed mother. Around this time, in 1859, a religious revival swept across Scotland, originating in Aberdeen. This period of intense religious fervour saw a young William turn his thoughts to religion. In 1863 he gained a bursary and went to University to study classics and moral philosophy. Afterwards, he spent four years at Divinity Hall in Aberdeen studying theology, leaving there in March 1871. From there he went to the Free Church at Peterhead to assist the Reverend James Yuill.

In the summer of 1871, candidates were being heard each Sunday at the Free Church in Largo, seeking to find a successor to the then minister the Reverend Robert Lundin Brown. William Bruce preached in July and the congregational meeting that followed resolved to stop the search for candidates and give the call to Bruce. He was ordained in Largo on 16 November 1871 (see 24 November 1871 East of Fife Record below). On 28 November, William married confectioner's daughter Mary Frances Glegg in Old Machar, Aberdeen. The newlyweds settled in Upper Largo, where William was colleague to Lundin Brown for six years. Bruce took sole charge upon the death of Brown in 1877. 

William and Mary's first child, William Francis Bruce was born in 1875. He was followed by Hannah Black Bruce in 1876. Robert Glegg Bruce and Alexander Stewart Bruce in 1879, Mary Dalyell Haymes Bruce in 1881, Arthur Cromar George Black Bruce in 1884 (who died aged 7 weeks from whooping cough), George Black Bruce in 1885 (who died aged 3 from pneumonia), Helen McConnach Bruce in 1890 (who died aged 5 months from bronchitis) and Neil Bruce in 1893. It is interesting to note that at least one of the children was named after a member of the congregation of the United Free Church of Largo. Mary Dalyell Haymes was the niece of the Misses Rigg of Aithernie House and was a generous and respected member of the community. Mary was extremely active in the church, and in particular in teaching Sabbath School. Her father was a rector in the Church of England. 

At the time of the 1881 census, the Bruce family resided at Kirkton Free Church Manse on St Andrews Road (now a private home named Lyndhurst), with four children, plus a cook and a nurse. Once well-established as a minister, Bruce apparently received multiple invitations to move to another church. However, he could not be lured away from Largo. William Bruce was very popular with "untiring energy" and "zeal" and over the years, his congregation grew and its average age lowered.

The biographical piece in the Dundee Evening Telegraph in 1899 also spoke of Bruce's travels overseas. The extract below tells of time in France, Switzerland and Belgium. Also mentioned in the Telegraph was the mission hall set up in New Gilston as an offshoot of the Free Church over a number of years, with an evening service there every Sunday evening. Robert Black was a member of the Free Church and was at the time a farmer in New Gilston. This outreach mission was initially in New Gilston schoolhouse. However, when its use was withdrawn, due to opposition, another member of the Free Church - miner, John Shepherd -  built a cottage to use as a mission hall. He also supplied coals and light.

In 1896, Reverend Bruce's semi-jubilee (25 years) was celebrated. Thomas Nicoll, an elder and headmaster of Kirkton School, presented on behalf of the congregation a "handsome pulpit robe and cassock", while Miss Haymes of Aithernie presented a silver salver and silver tea and coffee service to Mrs Bruce. There were three Sunday Schools associated with the Free Church during Bruce's time - a small congregational one, one at the New Gilston mission and another at Lundin Mill with 100 scholars. Early on in his time at Largo, William Bruce also realised that it would be beneficial to have evening services in Lundin Links. Distinguished theologian Dr Robert Rainy (a summer visitor) provided invaluable assistance in setting this up for its first season. The "feeble, the aged, the young and summer visitors" were key beneficiaries of this.

By 1901, a 55-year-old William Bruce was still residing at the U.F. Manse in Upper Largo, with his wife Mary and three of their children, Hannah, Mary and Neil, as well as a general domestic servant. However, in 1906, William was widowed, when Mary died aged 60 from pneumonia. The piece below appeared in the 1 March Leven Advertiser. 
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In 1910, William remarried, to Agnes Crombie, in Rhu. The 1911 census finds William, Agnes and William's daughter Hannah (an Art Teacher), along with a servant living at the manse. By 1916, Reverend Bruce had applied to the Presbytery for a grant for 'Aged and Infirm Ministers', which also requested a grant for a colleague and successor. While a retiring allowance was awarded, a successor to William Bruce was never found. A long vacancy followed the death of William Bruce aged 71 on 25 January 1917 (which took place not long after he had a fall on icy streets). A scarcity of ministers prevented a replacement ever being found. The Free Church congregation were brought under the care of Reverend James Ewing of Lathones, until 1923 when he moved to Glasgow. Early in 1924 the Upper Largo United Free Church was dissolved.

During his decades in Upper Largo Reverend William Bruce was involved in the community in many ways. He was a member of Largo School Board, helped with the management of the Simpson Institute, was a member of Lundin Golf Club, the Bowling Club and the Curling Club. He was also an amateur horticulturalist and operated a fully equipped printing press from the manse, which saw much use for the printing of mission literature. His widow, Agnes, lived until 1947.

Robert studied at St Andrews University and was licensed by the Presbytery of Haddington in 1816. He was presented by Lt. Gen. James Durham to Largo Kirk. On 22 April 1821, according to the Largo Kirk Session minutes, "intimation was made from the pulpit of Largo Kirk by Revered Dr Thomas Laurie, minister of Newburn, that by order of the Presbytery of St Andrews a committee of their members would meet in this place on the 3rd day of May next for the purpose of moderating a call in favour of Mr Robert Brown preacher of the Gospel to be Assistant Minister in this Parish and successor to the Rev. Spence Oliphant who by infirmity is incapable of discharging that duty."

Brown was ordained on 28 June 1821. The following year, on 8 March, Spence Oliphant, who had been minister at Largo since 1777, died. Robert married Elizabeth Lundin, daughter of Christopher Lundin 9th of Auchtermairnie, in Kennoway on 15 June 1827. The notice below appeared in the 20 June 1827 Scotsman. 
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The pair went on to have the following children:

James Lundin Brown (1828-1872)
Richard Lundin Brown (1829- 1905)
Helen Lundin Brown  (1832-1880)
Robert Christopher Lundin Brown (1834-1876)
Emma Elizabeth Lundin Brown (1836-1878)
William Clephane Lundin Brown (1838-1891)
Arthur Brown (1840-1868)

​In 1837, while still known as Robert Brown, he authored the New Statistical Account for the Parish of Largo. Six years later he formed the Free Church in Largo. A site for the new church was found at the west end of Upper Largo's Main Street and a wooden structure was constructed. Later a manse was built for Brown on St Andrews Road, which is now known as Lyndhurst. In 1855, Robert adopted the Lundin, when his wife, Elizabeth inherited the Auchtermairnie Estate, upon the death of sister Euphemia. The latter's obituary from the 14 April 1855 Illustrated London News can be seen below. From then onwards he was known as Robert Lundin Brown.
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Robert Lundin Brown died on 9 Apr 1877. His widow Marie went on to remarry in 1882, to Donald Fergusson, the recently retired minister of the Free Church in Leven. The following obituary was written by the Reverend Walter Wood of Elie and published in The Free Church Monthly, June 1, 1877, p.15​:

Another of our Disruption ministers has passed away from us. Mr. Brown was descended from a long line of clerical ancestors, the last of whom was minister of Newbattle, in Mid-Lothian. He was born in 1792, ordained minister of Largo in 1821, cast in his lot with the Free Church of Scotland in 1843, and died in his eighty-fifth year, on the ninth day of April 1877. He took the name of Lundin in 1855, on the succession of his wife to the estate of Auchtermairnie. The survivors of his family, two sons and two daughters, along with his wife by a second marriage, watched by his sick-bed during the few days through which he survived a stroke of paralysis, and were much cheered by his humble yet confident hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Some memorials of his last hours have been put into our hands, but the space at our disposal will not permit us to insert them. We make room for one saying, which may cheer and strengthen those who know that a similar trial awaits them. “I have not,” he said, “the bright and luminous views I would like to have; but I am trusting on my Saviour, and I sometimes feel even more than that — I sometimes feel overpowered.”

From the 1910s until the 1930s, the highlight of the summer season in Largo was the entertainment at the Pier Pavilion. The 1930s postcard image above shows that performances were scheduled for 3:15 and 8:15 at that particular time. The huge size of the sign advertising the show times suggests that promoters were keen that this information could be seen from up at Largo Station high above the pier, as well as from the passing buses. Perhaps the afternoon performance was more family-friendly in style, while the evening show was tailored for an older audience.
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The image below provides a glimpse of the bench seating that was available to the audience. In fact there were two categories of seating on offer, for at least some of the pavilion's history - individual deck chairs at the front for a higher price and benches behind for the everyone else. The enclosure could accommodate up to 300 persons. Of course folks could try to escape paying altogether by loitering outside the fenced area. These non-ticket holders were pursued at regular intervals by can rattling members of the company.  

In the photograph below the seating  has been removed and there's a sense that the season may be over. The structure was dismantled at the end of summer and stored over the winter months. At least three different versions of this 'alfresco entertainments stance' were used over the decades. Ahead of each season, adverts were placed in publications such as The Stage for entertainers to let the stance, which came with dressing room facilities. Everything from song and dance to ventriloquism and stand-up comedy graced the stage, along with all manner of musical instruments. 
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As the volume of motor traffic grew over time, concerns about the safety of the crowds near the road were aired. The 
25 June 1935 Leven Advertiser item below highlighted the dangers associated with the crowds leaving the pavilion at night onto the narrow harbour bridge and surrounding streets. The suggestion of widening the road never came to pass and the pier pavilion itself became a casualty of changing times and tastes.
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As a footnote, spot the detail in the image below, including the bus stop sign hanging from the lamp post on the left hand side and the other bus stop sign at the start of the road bridge. On the Crusoe Hotel wall there is both a noticeboard and a taller board incorporating a clock, as well as the classic image of Robinson Crusoe on the hotel sign. Finally there is an old street lamp holder to the right of the hotel wall.
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The pair of images of Largo Kirk and Church Place above show that, while the appearance of the area is little changed in over a century, the way that this space is used has altered quite significantly. The green in front of the church was once a hub of village life, with its communal water pump and drying green. Theses features stand out in the foreground of the 1890s photograph, captured by Lady Henrietta Gilmour of Montrave, one of Scotland's earliest women photographers. Her photographic collection is now held by St Andrews University and the image is courtesy of University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums.

One of the enterprises featured in the 1890s photograph was Andrew Baird's butcher (and carriages for hire). Andrew was born around 1848, as he is noted as aged 3 in the 1851 census. He was the illegitimate son of John Baird (a Methil based flax dresser) and Elspeth Keddie, who was likely employed in the same flax works. By the time of the 1861 census, Andrew was working in the mill, alongside his mother and brother. In 1871 he had changed both occupation and residence, and was an agricultural labourer, based at Balgrummo Farm near Scoonie.

As an agricultural labourer, Andrew would have moved from farm to farm. Eventually he met Margaret Lawson, with whom he had a child in 1873 in Leuchars. The pair went on the marry in 1876 (and eventually had a further thirteen children). By 1881, Andrew and Margaret had settled in Kirkton of Largo, where Andrew was working as a carter. The family, with four children at the time, lived on Main Street close to McGregor the butcher.

A few years later, in the mid-1880s the opportunity to move into the butcher trade arose, when another Kirkton butcher, David Simpson, moved to Lundin Mill's Hillhead Street. Andrew Baird took over Simpson's vacated premises at Church Place and was recorded there at the 1891 census along with his wife and nine children. Perhaps Andrew had learned some relevant skills from his time working on farms. However, his time as a butcher (or flesher) was not always smooth running. The piece below from 22 December 1888 Fife News tells us that Baird was prosecuted for the foul state of his pig styes.

The following year he was charged with possession of a dog without a license (see 24 May 1889 East of Fife Record below). Further below the 20 August 1890 Commercial Gazette recorded that Andrew Baird was in front of the debt recovery court. 
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In 1894, the butcher premises in Church Place, consisting of a shop, house, stable, byre, etc., was put up for sale (see 1 September 1894 St Andrews Citizen below). This was the same year that Andrew and Margaret Baird's twin infant daughters Elsie and Oona died, aged nine months, from croup, within days of one another. The Baird family relocated to Lundin Mill, at a time when the village was on the cusp of expansion. The 1901 census finds the family living at 3 Rossini Place, just off Emsdorf Street, very close to the newly completed Lundin Links Hotel and the Lundin Links shops. Andrew was working as a carting contractor, assisted by his 13 year old son Andrew. Margaret and three of their younger children completed the household. Andrew rented a stable on Hillhead Street from the widow of butcher David Simpson (whose premises he had taken on a decade beforehand).
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After a lengthy period of illness, Andrew died at Rossini Place on 12 March 1907. His widow, Margaret continued to live at Rossini Place. In the 1911 census she lived there with three of her sons, Andrew (who was a coal miner), John (a colliery pony-driver below ground) and Thomas (shop assistant at a licensed grocer), as well as a 9 year old grandson, also named Andrew. Below is the family headstone, which Andrew shares with his wife Margaret Lawson (who died in 1923) and their two daughters who died in infancy - twins Elsie and Oona.
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