VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
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Leven Road West

27/10/2017

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A previous post showed an old photograph of Leven Road looking West, but the c1930 image above is taken further west.

​For the first several years of the twentieth century, the housing on this side of the road stopped at the Montrave Hall (see 1912 map at foot of post). However, from the 1910s, development continued westwards.

The top postcard image shows, from right to left, the houses which were originally named: Tighmuire (later Ardoch), Carnbann, Roma, Lindores (later Briarbrae then Rowallan), Standing Stanes, Belston and Duddingston House. The first pair of semi-detached houses on the right were built before 1915. Standing Stanes joined them in the early part of the 1920s (built for the Sidey familiy). Belston and Duddingston House followed later in the 1920s.  Duddingston House was built for Edinburgh born William Moscrip (who was Managing Director of National Steel Foundry Leven Works and Chairman of East Fife Football Club). In the early 1930s another house, originally named 'Hollam' was added.
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The recent image above features what are now numbers 60 to 70 Leven Road.  The notable change is the additional house - of a modern, flat-fronted style - which has filled the gap betwen Rowallan and Standing Stanes.  This looks to be circa 1960s.  I wonder why this plot was not built upon for several decades. Was the feu bought but never developed? Did World War One play a role in the initial delay in building? If you know, please comment.  This gap site is highlighted below in more detail.

After 1935, there was a pause in development for a few decades.  Eventually, further houses were erected along Leven Road westwards on this side, until all the space was filled up to Pilmuir Road.
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Largo St David's Church Interior

25/10/2017

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​Many thanks to Alistair Bryden for sharing the interesting story of how Largo St David's Church came to have the fine oak panelling seen in the above image.  His father Ewan Bryden was for many years an Elder with the Church and also Clerk to the Managers.  This meant that he was responsible for the maintenance of the building. In his professional life, he was an executive of major engineering firm  'Henry Balfour and Company' of Leven. Around this time (1950s) the chairman of the firm was Mr W. Lindsay Burns who resided at 'Linburn' on Leven Road, Lundin Links. Ewan Bryden wrote the following in his memoirs... 
 
Mr Burns (the chairman) of Balfour's wanted a prestigious Board Room. It so happened that at that time we heard that a country house in the Black Isle was being demolished and a large quantity of oak panelling would be available. We at once sent a lorry up with a team from the joiners and pattern makers to get as much panelling as possible. There was sufficient to panel all the Board Room and the adjacent dining room. There was some panelling left over and I was able to obtain this to panel the vestibule of St David's Parish Church where I happened to be an Elder and Clerk to the Managers"

It would seem that the house in question was Rosehaugh on the Avoch estate. Its contents were auctioned off in 1954 ahead of its demolition in 1959 (see advert below from 14 Aug 1954 St Andrews Citizen). Rosehaugh House is also shown below.
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Ewan Bryden was also responsible for the  the construction and installation of the light above the pulpit and the replacement of the stone belfry on the south gable of the building with a metal 'belfry' on the north gable - both fabricated by Balfour's. A routine inspection had revealed that the stone belfry had deteriorated and was in danger of collapsing. Below are four further images of the interior of St David's Church, featuring the panelling, light and belfry.
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With many thanks to Alistair Bryden for the information and John Ross for the images of Largo St David's Church.
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Industry and Leisure

17/10/2017

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The circa 1950s view across Lundin Links beach towards Leven, Methil and Buckhaven shows the contrast between the people in the foreground enjoying themselves relaxing in the sun, buying ice-cream and paddling in the sea and the heavy industry taking place in the background. Below are some magnified views of the beach-goers at Massney Braes.
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The detail below shows the chimneys and industrial buildings to the west of Largo Bay - among them the Wellesley Colliery (see foot of post). The Wellesley operated from the mid-1880s until 1967. Methil Power Station became a prominent feature from the mid-1960s until 2011. Now wind turbines dot the horizon in this direction.
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Picturesque Mill

13/10/2017

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This charming scene, taken around the turn of the century, features the Keil burn alongside the mill at Largo Harbour. Around 1850 the mill was described as follows in the Ordnance Survey name book:

Spinning Mill (flax). A mill. A large and handsomely built spinning mill on the bank of the Keil Burn. A little above the village of Lower Largo. It was built for and is used as a spinning mill for flax. About 60 persons male and female are constantly employed in it. It is in good working repair and is worked partly by water and partly by steam power. It is the property of Mrs.D. Dundas of Largo and is rented by Mr Swan of Kirkcaldy and worked by him and adjoining it is offices and a dwelling house and garden, all in good repair and occupied by the manager Mr Crabbe.

Mr Crabbe was George Crabbe, who was a native of Montrose - born in 1819. He arrived in Largo around 1846. Five of his children were born in Largo between 1846 and 1853. He was noted as 'Mill Manager' in the 1851 census. However, the Largo spinning mill was advertised for sale early in 1854 and Mr Crabbe moved to Kirkcaldy to manage a flax spinning mill there. The mill he left at Largo would remain out of use for a number of years while the East of Fife railway extension was constructed through the area. It reopened around 1860 under the new guise of an oil and cake mill and continued as such for a few decades. It is clearly in operation at the time of the above photograph - note the man in the doorway and the barrels in front of him.
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