Given the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War has recently taken place, I wondered whether there was much evidence of the early impact of the war in the Lundin Links and Largo area.  So far I have unearthed only a few minor references to early signs that life was changing. The earliest comment on the locality that I found in the newspaper archives was the cancellation of a golf tournament (Evening Telegraph, 19 August 1914)....

"The announcement that the foursome championship has been indefinitely postponed will hardly create surprise among Scottish golfers....the duty of safeguarding the interests of Britain comes first, the playtime will come later.  Still there will be regret mingled with the patriotic feeling that the competition at Lundin Links will not likely be included among the golfing fixtures of 1914.  A number of linksmen had fixed their holidays to synchronise with the foursome carnival.  And many of these golfers have offered their services to the country in her hour of need.  The Lundin Club, it may be stated, has voted a contribution of 25 guineas to the Prince of Wales' National Relief Fund."

Fund-raising activity began as soon as war had been declared.  A 'National Relief Fund' was set up with Edward, Prince of Wales as treasurer, to help the families of men serving.  In a message in national newspapers, he said: " At such a moment we all stand by one another, and it is to the heart of the British people that I confidently make this earnest appeal." Within a week, donations to the fund had reached £1 million. The newspapers show that Lundin Links and Largo were included in lists of places which had contributed towards other causes such as 'Belgian Flag Day' and the Red Cross.  Belgian refugees were the subject of a very early flag day.  Charity work and volunteering would become a key feature of the war everywhere, and Lundin Links and Largo were no exception - more to come on that in future posts.

Another noticeable feature in the 1914 newspapers was the printing of lists of men who had been recruited to support the war.  The Courier of 7 September published one early list, which included a local man, preceded with the words:

"Lord Kitchener's appeal for recruits to his army is ringing throughout Britain.  The young manhood of this land have been aroused to a full sense of their responsibility.  The War Secretary's call touches the heart.  Scotsmen are rallying around Kitchener's banner....hurrying to drill at the depots.  The good wishes of all follow them.  But more are needed yet.  A further honour list is published below."

Among the many names then listed was: Frank Edwards, 10 Rossini Place, Lundin Links to Seaforths

No doubt everyone kept a close watch on the newspapers, some of which produced special 'war editions'.

The 1st Highland Cyclists Battalion had a company stationed at Lundin Links early on to perform coastal guard duty. They rented the Lundin Ladies Golf Clubhouse as a reading and recreation room.  The Ladies Club had, before the war, made plans to expand the course from 9 to 18 holes.  However, the additional land was now required for agriculture and, after war had ended, it was decided to remain a 9 hole course.  If you anything about life in the Largo area during the First World War, please get in touch - this is a topic that I will return to.

Since it is the season of Flower Shows (including the Largo and Newburn Horticultural Society's Show last weekend), here's a quick dip into such events held in days gone-by.  The Largo Horticultural Society's Annual Exhibition was clearly a highlight of the social calendar in the 19th century with large attendances and an abundance of entries into a wide range of classes.  The above advert is for the 1870 show at Keil's Den, as run in the Fife Herald of 4 August.  The 1895 event (this time held at Largo House) was written up in detail in the 16 August Courier - here's a small extract....

"The weather was beautiful and a large number visitors passed through the Eagle Gates.  During the afternoon the Mars Training Ship, under the leadership of Mr Yettes, discoursed a splendid programme of  music.  At 2 o'clock the show was opened by Sheriff Lees, Edinburgh, who is at present residing at Westhall.  The marquee was replete with a rare collection of fruit, flowers, vegetables, &c.  On the whole, the show was admittedly one of the best that the Society has ever held."

The event took place at a range of venues over the years.  Interestingly by 1906, the summer visitors were claiming their share of the credit for the success of the event.  As the Edinburgh Evening News reported on 25 August...

"Lundin Links was today the venue for the annual show of the Largo Horticultural Society.  Alongside the same event has grown up a series of sports, &c, largely through the agency of Edinburgh visitors.  The show was scarcely so extensive a few years ago, but the games draw out the patrons." 

I'm quite certain that locals were just as instrumental in the event's popularity as the visitors, if not more so.  Anyhow, over the years the array of activities within the show seemed to expand and soon alongside the many classes of fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers, were other sections like needlework and baking.  The 'sports' over the years included races, tug of war, treasure hunts, 'pillow fights', the 'slow cycle race' and the mind-boggling 'musical chairs on cycles'!  For children was the less exciting 'best penmanship' competition.

A "zoom-in" on the postcard image from the previous post shows a row of cottages on Emsdorf Street, which only partly remains today.  In the centre of the row, where the red arrow is pointing, there was an opening into a narrow vennel. A vennel is a public passageway between the gables of two buildings  and a description of this vennel was given in a previous post.  Presumably this passageway existed from the time the cottages were first built.  Such vennels were found in many towns and villages at the time.  In this particular case, there were other cottages located behind the street shown, and so access via the vennel would have been essential.  

The image below shows the location of the vennel in the present day.  The cottages originally to the right of it are no more but there are remnants of the old walkway attached to the left hand side cottage.  In the background an arrow highlights another row of cottages where there was a second vennel.  By using these two vennels, locals in days-gone-by could access the old school playground and beyond to Crescent Road from here on Emsdorf Street.  As society changed and better access into the rear buildings was necessary, some cottages were demolished and road access replaced the vennel.  If you have any information about the vennels or know when the cottages were taken down to make way for this road track - please comment.

Only the Pharmacy remains from this row of shops at the west end of Emsdorf Street.  Photographed in the late 1920s, this people-filled image shows a busy stretch of businesses.  The window of what is still the Lundin Links Pharmacy is on the right.  At this time the proprietor was the chemist Andrew Hogg.  Next door is the Fruiterer and Florist owned by Jimmie Brown.  He was a market gardener at Hatton Farm and, prior to having this shop, had sold his wares from a portable hut at The Plantin'. More about him to come in a future post.  Then was John Guthrie the Fishmonger and, beyond that, the Newsagent and Stationer owned by the Youngs.  Mrs Christina Young had moved her business from the Bridge House at the Wynd to this location and the business had passed to her children upon her death.  Her son John Young ran this shop in the not-so-distant past and he is still remembered by many local people.  If you recall these shops - either in the days of the shopkeepers mentioned or later - please post a comment or get in touch. I remember a shop selling bathroom fittings here, just before the shops were converted into homes in the early 1980s.

In the previous post, I highlighted the name of a local tradesman, set into the pavement close to the Temple Car Park.  I wanted to know the story of the man behind the name beneath our feet.  As the following post shows, he left his mark on the Largo area in many ways and lived a long and full life.

Alexander Williamson was born in Kennoway in 1848, the son of a plasterer.  He was one of the younger of many siblings and it appears from census data that at least five of the boys were plasterers, like their father. The family seem to have moved from Kennoway to Pittenweem in the 1850s - the males of the family continuing in the plastering trade.  On 7 June 1872 Alexander married local Pittenweem lass Isabella Welch and a few years later they moved to Largo. The 1881 census finds them at an unspecified address in Drummochie, with five children.  Alexander is described as "Slater and Plasterer Master Employing 6 Men".

Ten years later, the family has expanded to ten children and the census is more specific in stating that they are at Coventry Cottage.  In fact, they would remain at this address for decades, and the house still bears the same name today.  It is shown in the centre of the photograph below - the cream coloured house with two dormer windows.  

Newspaper archives record the name of Alexander Williamson in relation to work on many buildings.  A few examples are picked out here.....

In 1888 "the proprietor of Largo Harbour [was] erecting a very substantial W.C. for the benefit of sailors and fishers...at the south corner of the pier.  Mr Alexander Williamson is the contractor" stated the Fife Herald of 26 September. In 1891 the Simpson Institute opened in Upper Largo and the Courier of 9 May listed the various contractors involved in its creation...."Mr Williamson, plasterer, Largo" was listed.  When restoration and alterations were carried out in 1895 on Largo Parish Church, the job book shows that Mr Williamson was involved as a slater and a plasterer. In 1901 a mansion was built in Leven for a Mr G.W. Bruce, described in the Courier of 1 May as "the most important addition to the architecture of Fife since Montrave was built".  The plasterer was Alexander Williamson and the house was Linwood House (now Orchard House).

On 8 June 1922, the Courier reported on the Golden Wedding of the Williamsons, who still resided in Coventry Cottage.  The report included the following:

"Mr Williamson, on removing from Pittenweem around 45 years ago, started a business in Largo, which he conducted successfully, retiring some 17 years ago.  Mr Williamson, who does not look his years, is a keen bowler, and only the other year won the championship of Lundin Links Club. Mrs Williamson also enjoys good health, and both were the recipients of congratulations on attaining such an interesting landmark in their lives."

Isabella Williamson passed away in 1928, age 76, while Alexander Williamson died in 1934 at the age of 86, at Coventry Cottage.

I wonder how many people have noticed this sign, embedded into the pavement next to the beach at Lower Largo.  It lies close to the bend in the road shown below, between Temple Car Park and the entrance to Cardy Net House.  The inlaid lettering set into the pavement, bears the name of a Largo plasterer by the name of Williamson.  Walking over this sign recently, I wanted to know more about this person, when he lived and worked in Largo, and what other evidence of his work might exist.  In the next post, an overview of what I have found out about A. Williamson.

I was sorry to read this week that the annual Largo Children's Gala couldn't go ahead this year.  I have my own memories of parading, racing, dressing up and having fun at this event decades ago.  I'm not sure when the event first began, however, this image dates back to 1959.  On that particular year "records were smashed" according to the Leven Mail of 12 August as a large crowd attended "in the sultry heat of a beautiful summer's day".  The fancy dress competition had been entered by 70 children and 450 kids in total were "guests" of the "Largo Playingfield Association".  Here's more description of the day...


"...the colourful parade wound its way through Largo's streets led by the 1st Leven B.B. Pipe Band and local organisations. The highstepping Leven Majorettes and Wellesley Silver Band followed and the fancy dressed children brought up the rear. Highlights of the afternoon's entertainment were selections from both bands, marching and dancing displays by the Majorettes and a display by the Largo Life Boy team."

If you have memories or photos of past Galas, please comment or click the Contact link.  Do you know when the Gala was first established? Was it always held on the playing field next to the Durham Hall? 

Forty years ago, a lady named Esther Menzies wrote down her recollections of old Lundin Mill.  This was done to coincide with the building of the new Lundin Mill school and her writing were published in the East Fife Mail in May 1974.  She described street by street what life was like before the village's expansion to the west from the late 1890s.  Over the past series of posts I have retold her memories and tried to replicate her 'tour' of old Lundie, using the names and phrases used back in the late 19th century.  The map below shows the extent of the village then and is labelled using locally-used names, rather than official names.

The map will hopefully help bring together the descriptions given over the past ten posts and should give a more visual impression of the village's structure back then.  Although Lundin Mill originally grew around the mill, the development of Emsdorf stretched development south.  The arrival of the railway in 1857 and the subsequent building of the school and houses of Crescent Road led to the layout shown above with the Pump Green at the heart of the village.  

Features not mentioned in the previous posts are the vennels that ran between 'The Street' and 'The Cottages'. The vennels were the old entrance to the school.  Here's how they were described in the memoirs:

"The first vennel was next to Mrs Docherty's house.  It was a narrow passage between that house and the next.  The rafters of the garret between the houses were clearly visible.  Past gardens on both sides of it, the path led to the second vennel, like the first but much higher.  There were two cottages on each side of the vennel.  You were now in the school playground.  Why the right of way to the school was closed I'll never know.  During the school holidays a stout barricade was put across the mouth of the second vennel."

 The numbered red dots on the map highlight a few more notable features:

1. Mill
2. Temperance Hall
3. Lundin Links Hotel (Inn)
4. Emsdorf House
5. School

I feel incredibly grateful to Esther Menzies for recording her memories, which were so evocative and detailed.  Mrs Menzies was born in Lundin Links and attended the Crescent Road school, before going on to Leven Higher Grade School, Waid Academy and St Andrews University.  She later was an English teacher at Leven School before marrying and moving to Montrose.  After her husband's death she returned to Fife and once again taught at Leven School until her retirement.  At the time of the publication of her recollections of old Lundin Mill she was living in Woodlands Road.

Concluding our tour of late 19th century Lundin Mill, courtesy of memoirs by Esther Menzies, written in 1974, we end up on 'The Wynd'.  I don't know whether anyone still uses this name for the section of Largo Road that runs from the Lundin Links Hotel down the dip and over the bridge to the junction with the Cupar Road, but for a very long time it was known as The Wynd or Well Wynd.  Starting at the hotel, Mrs Menzies spoke of "The Wynd with its bastion of fir trees on the left. The Fir Park is a landmark far and wide.  Indeed it looks more impressive from a distance,"  On the right, behind the hotel, she speaks of a garage which had been converted from old house.  Then of course was the well - originally a proper well and later on a water pump.

Her account continues...  "The road was joined by another leading from the foot of the Hillhead. On the north side of this the buildings were old, even then. Some bits have been demolished, others altered...Back to the main road again where the houses are below the road level on both sides.  On the right was Adam's busy painting business and on the left with a level entry from the road was John Young's mother's shop. She sold toys along with other things. Indeed at that early stage, I don't remember any other place from which we could buy toys."  


The shop to which the writer refers was a Newsagent and Stationery shop run by Mrs Christina Young.  She lived at 2 Bridge House and was a widow with three young children.  Mrs Menzies said of this shop-keeper "her patience was inexhaustible."  These valuable recollections, covered over the past several posts, finish with the following words:

"Down to the left was that block of houses near the burn.  I have been told that the reason the houses are below road level was that there was a ford across the burn and that the road was raised for the bridge over the burn....The baker's shop with the bakehouse down the steps was there and up on the hill was Lundin Mill farmhouse looking solid and substantial as it does now.  The cottage was behind it and the bothy at the end of the outbuildings.  The road went on past Jimmie Brown's garden and house and on to Cupar, where they say all roads in Fife lead."

There are some interesting old names for the various little areas close to the mill, on the east side of Mill Wynd.  At the first bend in this road is 'Dunkirk' (later known as Dunkirk Place then Dunkirk Cottages).  Facing this building if you turned right back in the late 19th century you would have come to 'Paradise' (a row of cottages).  Or if you had continued left further along Mill Wynd you would have landed at 'Picardy'.  In Mrs Menzies memoirs, she recalls the mill itself as follows:

"Even then it must have been past its heyday though the mighty wheel still turned.  It was wonderful to see it in action.  I remember getting a wooden box filled with newly ground oatmeal.  The lade, the weir and the deep water near the mill constituted forbidden territory but by the way of compensation there were three big pig sties complete with occupants on our way to the bridge over the burn and up the Back Steps.  These steps were irregular but efficient and once we were on them we were at the eastern extremity of the village."

The 'Back Steps' or 'Jacob's Ladder' are the narrow steps leading from the low-lying mill by the Keil Burn up to Largo Road.  This old path way still exists but is no longer at the edge of the village, as much development has taken place over the years to the east of the steps.  There is still a row of 19th century cottages immediately to the west of the steps on the south side today.

In the next post, we will complete the 'tour' of late 19th century Lundin Mill with a look at The Wynd.  Then will be an overview of the whole village at that time, complete with a map to help fit all the pieces together.