The steel bridge in the foreground of the above image, dates from 1914, at which time it replaced a footbridge which passed directly in front of the house on the right of this view and its neighbours out of shot.  The Courier of 5 October 1914 spoke of how the new bridge would "link the people of Lundin Links and Largo more closely together, and the folks of the Links could meet on the bridge with the stalwart fishermen of Largo and strengthen the friendships that existed between them."

The formal opening on 3 October, saw flags, bunting and large crowds in place to greet councillors, architects and builders (who waited in three motor cars to cross the bridge). The ceremony itself was described as follows:

"Mr Walter Horne presented Mr Black [Chair of Largo Parish Council] with a pair of silver scissors with which to cut the red, white and blue ribbon, that stretched across the bridge, and referred to his manifold services to the community.  (applause) The way having been cleared, the motor cars passed to the other side, to the accompaniment of loud cheering."

A luncheon was then served in Miss Brown's boarding house where speeches and presentations were made.  The above postcard shows the bridge around a decade later.  The bridge is still in place today and is well used, including by the local bus service.  This view looks over towards Drummochy on the Lundin Links side.  More on Drummochy in a future post and more tomorrow about this bridge. 

In May of 1842 a worker from Sunnybraes Farm discovered a stone coffin containing one complete set of bones and an earthen jar.  The Fife Herald of 18 May reported that "on touching the bones they fell asunder; but the skull was removed to the farmhouse of Sunnybraes."  The discovery reignited debate about the origin of the Standing Stanes themselves.  The three theories mentioned in the article (as reflecting thinking at that time) were that they were either a Druidic temple, or of Roman origin or mementos of Danish Generals slain in battle.

By 27 June 1842, the Caledonian Mercury provided an update on the story, stating that the skull was now being moved from Sunnybraes to Edinburgh so that "antiquarians, phrenologists and anatomists of that city may have an opportunity of inspecting that remarkable relic and reporting upon it."  This article added that "several skeletons have within these last few years been dug up near to Sunny Braes".  It also elaborated on the original story of this latest discovery, explaining that a large stone had impeded the plough and so the farm worker had blown it up with gunpowder, exposing a cairn of stones, under which the coffin was found.

What conclusions the Edinburgh experts came to in 1842, I am not sure.  Something to look into another day, and certainly I will return to the subject of the Stanin' Stanes o' Lundie (as they are referred to in the above postcard) in future posts.

A copy of the original design drawings for the Montrave Hall are mounted on the wall in the hall today.  The description of the building is 'Proposed Temporary Iron and Wood Hall and Museum'.  The hall has proven to be more than 'temporary', having lasted over 100 years.  No longer just made from iron and wood, it has been reinforced and modernised over the years. The museum (which was located to the rear of the building), however, has been gone for several decades.  

When the Montrave Hall was opened in 1910, the museum contained 'the collection of birds, by Sir John Gilmour and Largo Field Naturalist Society' according to the Evening Telegraph.  Whether there was more to the museum's collection than that is unclear, as is it when it ceased to exist or what happened to its contents.  If you know more, please comment.

The newspaper archives over the years since the opening in 1910 report on a wide variety of events taking place within the hall.  Examples include concerts, jumble sales, weddings, socials, whist drives, lectures and talks, dressmaking and quilting exhibitions, amateur dramatic performances, debates and discussions, art exhibitions, anniversary celebrations, fund-raising events, meetings of clubs and societies, sales of work, sporting activities and dances. If you can add to this list, please comment.

In July 1910 the Montrave Hall (situated on Leven Road) was opened.  The Evening Telegraph of 25 July reported under the headline "New Hall at Lundin Links" that Sir John Gilmour had provided a 'spacious hall with museum annex' made of corrugated iron and capable of seating 400.  The opening came nine years after comments had been made, at the annual concert given by summer visitors, that the village was still capable of considerable expansion and that efforts should be made to obtain a large hall.

The hall was opened with a concert - the first of many.  Of course, over the subsequent century the building has hosted a vast array of events - some of which will be the subject of tomorrow's post.  In 1968, after much fund-raising activity, the Montrave Hall was re-opened having been completely redecorated and modernised internally.  In 1975, the exterior was revamped and made more permanent.  It continues to play an important role in local life. If you have memories of events held here - please comment.

The above picture from July 2013, shows the site of Mrs Nisbet's Garden (see yesterday's post).  The commemorative stone added in 2000 can be seen on the edge of the grass next to Links Road.  It is directly opposite the house called 'Beffens' on Links Road, which is where Mrs Barbara Frances Nisbet lived.  A search of newspaper archives shows that this lady was an active member of Lundin Links society (particularly during the 1920s and 1930s).

A member of the Lundin Links Amateur Dramatics Society, Mrs Nisbet not only gave many acting performances within the village but also travelled to a wide range of Fife towns and villages such as Tayport, St Andrews, Markinch, Collessie, Kirkcaldy and Cupar with her fellow actors.  For example the Courier of 26 September 1931 described how "a sketch party from Lundin Links - Mrs Nisbet, Miss Ness, Miss J. M. Paxton and Miss I. Paxton - gave an excellent performance of 'A Good Stroke of Business'" in the Victory Hall, Collessie.  

Often performances were given at events organised to raise funds for various causes, including repairs to the village Curling Pond, the Red Cross, the Largo Parish Community Council and the Lifeboat Fund. Often Mrs Nisbet was responsible for the programme of entertainment at such fund-raising events and at other community occasions.  She gave solo performances as well as performing as part of a group and not only acted but sang and gave readings.

On 11 August 1936, the Courier reported on a tennis tournament held at Beffens where Mrs Nisbet "put her tennis court at the disposal of the players and threw open her garden, where spectators and players were able to enjoy a round of Delta golf between matches. " This event raised funds for equipment for local playing fields and recreation grounds.

The newspaper image is from 15 December 1932 Courier.  It shows Mrs Nisbet performing in "The Lucky Dip", a comedy in three acts at Lundin Links with Mr W. McIntosh.  This production subsequently went to other coastal towns.

Clearly a lady with great talent and energy, Mrs Nisbet died in 1959 at the age of 78.  Reading between the lines, it appears that she left grounds to be used as public gardens under the 'B. F. Nisbet Trust'. These gardens have been enjoyed for many years and the commemorative stone ensures that she will not be forgotten.  Do you remember Mrs Nisbet? Do you have particular memories of the gardens? If so, please comment.

In 2000, to mark the millennium, a commemorative stone was added to the garden area between Links Road and the football pitch at 'the common'.  The inscription on the stone reads 'The Site of Mrs Nisbet's Garden' and is dated 2000.  At the time, I wasn't living in the area and I didn't read or hear anything about why this stone had appeared or who Mrs Nisbet was.  Only this year have I managed to find out more about this lady.  What I have learned I will put in tomorrow's post.  For today, the image above shows the stone earlier this year with roses in bloom and Victoria Road in background. The image below show the garden several decades ago, more densely planted than it is today, and someone enjoying a rest on a bench with Elmwood boarding house in the background right.

In the mid-1930s a proposal had been made to create a bathing pool near Masseney Braes. A 'Largo Bay Bathing Pool Association' had been created and early estimates suggested the work could be done at a reasonable cost.  However, as more detailed assessments were made, it became clear that the cost of a pool capable of withstanding the storms to which it could be exposed would be prohibitive. On 18 February 1936 the Evening Telegraph reported that the scheme had definitely been abandoned.

Zooming in on part of the postcard image posted yesterday, there was a bakery for a long time in these buildings next to the Keil burn.  David Watson ran the business, sometimes referred to as the 'Keilside Bakery', during the early 20th century. When his death was reported in the Courier on 11 July 1935, it stated that "for almost 30 years he had carried on most successfully the business of "Watson the baker" at The Brig, Lundin Links.  His vans served an extensive area."  It also noted that Mr Watson had won many prizes and competitions for his baking and confectionery art.

Going back to 1836 and the same premises are listed for sale in the Fife Herald of 3 March.  This detailed advert gives an idea of the extent of the property and the elements of which it comprised.  It was at that time used for brewing as well as baking.

Over the decades, the bakery premises changed hands several times.  Eventually the buildings were converted into houses.

The postcard view above has the junction of Largo Road and Mill Wynd in the foreground and is described as 'Lundin Links from Wynd Well'.  The well or water pump is visible against the wall at the start of Mill Wynd in the lower right (and enlarged in the cropped image).  I wonder when this was removed. I guess it might be a bit dangerous to draw your water from this location nowadays given the heavy traffic on this road and the blind steep corner!

I'm curious about how many other wells there were in the village and where they were located.  A research task for another day.  If you know more about local wells and water pumps, please comment.

The water pump shown at the corner of Mill Wynd looks as though it was an example of a typical Victorian iron water pump decorated with a lion's head (see example).  These could be found up and down the country and a few still exist today and are being carefully conserved. 

During the 1970s and 1980s, Lundin Links was home to a jewellery workshop - situated on Mill Wynd, next to the Crusoe Hall.  In the above shot, taken in 1990, the faded sign on the wall reads "Jewellery Workshop, Norman Grant DA, Dust Ltd". Born in 1943, Norman Grant was an artist and silversmith who set up Dust Jewellery in the 1970s.  He specialised in enamelled silver pieces, including brooches, earrings, pendants and cufflinks.  For a period, an annual summer school ran at the workshop, where students from around the world would come to learn from Norman.  Eventually Norman Grant left Scotland to work in London.  I recall the workshop subsequently being used for the production of painted dragon ornaments.  Do you know more about this or other uses of the site?

To the left is an example of the type of jewellery produced by Norman Grant in the above workshop.  It is a silver and enamel brooch in a Celtic style with a pair of swans incorporated.  The same design would be produced in different colours of enamel work.  Many jewellery designs were produced in such a way that they could be used as more than one thing eg either a brooch or a pendant.  If you own a piece of jewellery produced in Lundin Links, please comment.