Image credit: Ron Cosens    (www.cartedevisite.co.uk)

A previous post has covered in some detail the life of Reverend David Malloch, the long-serving minister of Largo St David's Church. The only photograph of this man that I had ever seen was the one of him as an older, white-haired, experienced clergyman. However, the above image of a younger Rev. Malloch has emerged from an unlikely source. Showing David as an eager-looking, new minister, this 'carte de visite' or CDV recently turned up from Canada. The image was captured by photographer John Patrick - the rear of the CDV bears his name and original Leven address of 71 High Street.

Below is a comparison of the young and the older David Malloch photographs. His facial features are unchanged and he clearly retained his thick wavy hair into older age. The St Andrews Citizen on 4 July 1896 commented that he was "conspicuous throughout the parish by his locks and shaven face, which seemed to savour more of art than the pulpit". 

​The Largo community would have seen this man evolve from the youthful, dark-haired incomer in 1860 into the mature and seasoned minister, over the 36 years that he "went out and in among them, speaking words in season to the weary, and comforting the afflicted". He would have officiated at many a wedding and funeral, delivered hundreds of sermons and given both sympathy and encouragement to people of all ages. The memorial to him within St David's Church, placed in 1900, reflects the esteem in which he was held by his congregation and beyond.

The previous post ended with the centenary of the Largo Baptist Church building in 1967, when Rev. Edgar Gledhill was minister. Rev. Gledhill left his position at Largo on 9 January 1972 to become careers master at Heriot Watt University. The following nine month vacancy was ended with the appointment of Rev. Joseph K. Campbell, who made the move to Largo from South Shields.

During Rev. Campbell's time at Largo, a new electric organ was given to the church by Miss Annie Guthrie (in 1974), replacing the long-used reed organ. Also in 1985 he was part of the joint celebrations, with Largo and Newburn Parish Church and Largo St David's Church, to mark 1100 years of Christian worship in Largo. The photograph below from the 1 May 1985 East Fife Mail shows the ministers of all three Largo churches at a service of thanksgiving and dedication at Largo Kirk.​

In 1987, with the retirement of Rev. Campbell and a dwindling membership, the 'History of the Largo Baptist Church: Centenary 1867-1967' by John Wishart notes that the remaining members "resolved to discontinue the services of the church". Services ceased and both the church and the manse were put up for sale. While the manse was eventually sold in 1988, a buyer was not forthcoming for the church building itself. There the story of Largo Baptist Church could have ended.

However, an unexpected new chapter was in fact about to begin. The thriving Baptist Church in Leven (itself originally established as an off-shoot of Largo Baptist Church in 1892) had a number of members living in the Largo area, some of whom were very interested in reviving the Largo Church. To test the water, the Leven congregation held a number of summer services at Largo in 1988. These were received positively and so further services were planned, a committee was set up and the 'Largo-Lundie Baptist Fellowship' was created. Monthly services were held between 1989 and 1992. However, these mostly had to be held in the Montrave Hall in Lundin Links due to issues with the heating system in the church building itself.

In 1991, after much consideration over the best venue for the now well-established fellowship, a refurbishment of the Largo Baptist Church building went ahead, including improvements to the heating and the installation of a new pulpit and communion table. A re-opening ceremony took place on Saturday 4th April 1992, which was attended by almost 100 people. The photograph below from the East Fife Mail shows the key individuals involved in the re-establishment of the church.
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In January 1994, a student pastor was offered to the church - David Vogan, a former Salvation Army Officer who was studying at the Scottish Baptist College. He qualified the following year, becoming Rev. David Vogan. Also in 1995, Largo Baptist Church was formally reconstituted and received back into the Baptist Union. David Vogan stayed until early in the year 2000, which is also where the booklet documenting the church history ends.

While the church continued for some years beyond that, the building has been largely unused in recent times. Issues such as a lack of disabled access, inadequate toilet facilities, limited parking and unsatisfactory fire safety provision have become significant constraints for its continuation as a modern church. With the future of the 150-year-old-building uncertain, we finish off this series with a selection of images of the interior of Largo Baptist Church - courtesy of the 'Places of Worship in Scotland' website.
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Following on from part one and part two of the abridged history of the Largo Baptist Church, we turn to the era just after the two local Baptist churches had reunited as one in 1927, after a sixty year separation. Now all together under one roof at the church located at the Orry, a stained glass window was put in to remember the 'Old Scotch Baptists' who were active for a century and a half in Largo (1778-1927).

When Rev. William Pulford retired after 36 years as minister at the church in 1929, there was a brief vacancy before Rev. James Macavoy (pictured above, 29 May 1930 Courier) was appointed. He hailed from Aughtonpark near Southport and had worked in Liverpool and Forfar before coming to Largo. His wife had been a missionary in China for five years. The pair remained until 1933. The next minister was Rev. John Turnbull from Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, who was inducted in February 1934 . On 31 May the same year, he married Hilda Pearson McGill (the wedding photo below featured in the Fife News Almanac of the following year).

Turnbull left in 1939, with Rev. Somerled McMillian (moving from a church in Kirkcaldy) being inducted on 17 December that same year. He remained throughout the years of World War Two. Rev. John E. Thomas followed and then Rev. S Jeffries Bonney. By 1950 membership was low and many of those were elderly. A meeting was called to consider the future of the fellowship and the conclusion reached that the church should close. However, just days later, and with a petition signed by the majority of remaining members, the minute of that meeting was rescinded.

Largo Baptist Church was saved from closure and when Rev. Bonney left a couple of years later, the Rev. Henry Turner came out of retirement to become minister and stayed for the remainder of the 1950s. The new decade ushered in a new spell of stability. Rev. Edgar Gledhill began a twelve year appointment when he arrived in 1960. He had been a Religious Education teacher at Buckhaven High School.

During Rev. Gledhill's tenure the church building was redecorated and the heating system upgraded from solid fuel to electric. In 1967, the centenary of the building was marked with special services and socials. The image below is from the 31 May 1967 East Fife Mail. The celebrations were combined with the Fife Baptist Association's spring conference and brought visitors from across the county. To be continued....
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The previous post looked at the beginnings of Largo Baptist Church and its evolution up to circa 1880. At that point there were actually two Baptist Churches in Lower Largo. The traditionalists that met in the Baptist Meeting House (known as West Baptist Chapel at the time) close to the Crusoe Hotel (pictured above in September 1966) and the more modern group that met in the church at the Orry, which they had built in 1867. The two groups co-existed between 1867 and 1927. Below is the list of ministers of the modern church at the Orry. Alexander Brown served for thirteen years up until 1881 but thereafter followed a series of brief appointments. In 1892, church membership was healthy and those members that resided in Leven felt it appropriate to create a new church based there. Rev. Alexander Piggot, left to lead this new church (which became the present Leven Baptist Church). After a short vacancy, the Reverend William Pulford arrived in 1893 and stayed for 36 years.

William Pulford studied theology at Bristol University and spent four years at Ford Forge in Northumberland before coming to Largo in 1893.  That same year, a porch was added to the main Largo church building at the Orry (shown in the image below). Initially, Rev. Pulford and his wife Alice were tenants at a Burnbrae Terrace property owned by Euphemia Philp. However, following the birth of their daughter Beatrice in 1894 and their son William in 1896, they moved to 'Frithville' close to the Orry, staying there for a few years. Subsequently, they lived at Anchorage further east, next to Craigiebank, for over a decade. Sadly, their son died in 1904 aged 7. Another son, Wilfred, was born in 1906. 

Around the end of the First World War, with the church building reaching its half century and William Pulford having been in post for 25 years, it was decided that the church needed its own manse. The notices below date from the 10 February 1921 and 7 July 1921 Leven Advertiser and Wemyss Gazettes and show that fund raising had begun at this time for the 'Largo Baptist Manse Fund'.  ​

The fund raising effort lasted several years, extending beyond the actual building of the detached bungalow at Drummochy, adjacent to the Net House in 1924. The house is shown in the 1970s image below to the right of centre behind the Net House wall (by which time two dormer windows and upstairs rooms had been added). The manse is shown from Drummochy Road in more recent times further below and also from the beach. In August 1927, a sale of work was held to wipe out the remaining debt on the manse fund. Meanwhile, also in 1927, pastor of the other baptist church, the West Baptist Chapel, retired grocer John Marr of Upper Largo, died aged 83. This event ultimately led to the two baptist churches reuniting as one again (based in the 'new' church at the Orry). 

Although the present Largo Baptist Church building was not constructed until 1867, the origins of the Largo Baptists go back to at least the late eighteenth century and the days of Dr John Goodsir (depicted above in an engraving by WIlliam Coutts). As detailed in a previous post, Dr Goodsir was in medical practice in Largo for almost half a century. For over twenty years, he also fulfilled the role of Pastor at Largo's Baptist Church. The history of the Church was documented in 1967 by John Wishart (then the church secretary) in his 'History of the Largo Baptist Church: Centenary 1867-1967' which was subsequently edited and updated in 2000 by Arthur Gibbs. 

A group of Baptists started meeting in Largo from around 1778 but it was not until 1790 that Dr Goodsir, along with Thomas Paterson became joint pastors of a more formalised church. Both men were already lay preachers. Goodsir had been part of various churches in his earlier life but in 1789 he became a Baptist. It would appear that he gave his services free and largely unassisted for around 25 years until his death in 1816.

In 1809, Goodsir acquired the building that became known as 'The Old Baptist Meeting House' close to the Crusoe Hotel on Main Street (now Castaway Cottage). This building is shown as it was in 1986 (just prior to it being sold off by the church) in the photograph below. The mid-1970s image further below is from the Canmore archives. Prior to the use of this venue, the group had been meeting in a long-gone old dilapidated structure.
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Meanwhile, the more modern, and largely younger, breakaway group instigated the building of the 'new church' (i.e. the present Largo Baptist Church) on the site at the Orry. Its first long term minister - Alexander Brown from Rutherglen - led from 1868 until 1881. The story will pick up from there in the next blog post....

Above is a 1970s photograph of Goodsir House on Lower Largo's Main Street (facing the Orry), which is held in the Canmore archives. This house was built for Dr John Goodsir (1746-1816) in the late eighteenth century. Dr Goodsir was in medical practice at Largo (and surrounding area) for 46 years. There were already Goodsirs in Largo before the doctor was born. His own father - also John Goodsir (1719-1780) - was born, married and died in Largo. John senior and Janet Walker were married at Largo Parish Church by Robert Ferrier on 19 December 1745. His work as a tenant farmer took him away from Largo for a few years. He was based in Wemyss Parish at the time of his marriage and the newlyweds settled there initially. Their two eldest children - John (the future Largo Doctor) and James - were born where they lived at Muiredge (see John's 1746 birth record below). 
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So, Dr John Goodsir lived in Largo from around the age of seven and attended local school. He went on to study medicine at Edinburgh University, returning to Largo around 1770. In 1773, John married Agnes Johnston of Markinch (see marriage record below). Their first child was born within a couple of years and they went on to have eleven children, all of whom were born in Largo (although not all survived into adulthood). 

Of Goodsir's children, three became surgeons and, of those, one had a son that became Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University. This grandson supplied recollections of Largo's Dr John Goodsir - see newspaper pieces below from the 31 December 1868 Falkirk Herald and 7 December 1905 Leven and Wemyss Gazette. These give us interesting insights to the man ("tall, gaunt, wiry") and his lifestyle ("Dr Goodsir would start off from Largo on Monday...and not return home till Friday"). He travelled on horseback over a wide area, a lamp at his knee to light his way in the hours of darkness. Moreover, in spite of his demanding vocation, he found time to to "occupy the pulpit" at Largo Baptist Church for twenty years (more of that another time).

Medical practitioners of the time would, of course, have charged fees for their services. Medical men drew up tables of fees based upon a number of factors, including the financial situation of the patient and the distance that had to be travelled to reach them. Perhaps the fact that Dr Goodsir was on the move during the week helped to keep fees down. Perhaps he planned his weekly route to minimise unnecessary extra travel. Charges also varied between day calls and night visits and the nature of the treatment required. A 'grand operation' such as an amputation carried the heaviest fee. Lesser procedures (perhaps stabilising a fracture) would entail a mid-range charge, while something such as dressing a wound would be at the low end of the scale. An apprentice doctor would charge less than an experienced one.

Goodsir's successful medical practice and huge work ethic enabled him to acquire various properties in Largo over the years. As well as Goodsir House (built circa 1780s for his growing family), and Doctor's Vennel (where he is said to have had his Largo surgery), Goodsir also had neighbouring 'Court House' built to house medical students that he taught (according to the book 'Largo 21' by Largo Field Studies Society). Below is an extract from the sasine register of 1799, showing that Dr Goodsir also owned property on the south side of Main Street. After his death his children and grandchildren continued to own property in Largo for many decades.

​During Dr Goodsir's long career he must have touched the lives of so many individuals, both in Largo and beyond. A man dedicated to both his profession and his faith, he would have been remembered long after his death in November 1816. Below is the record of his burial at Largo Kirk and further below is an engraving of the man himself (by William Coutts). It seems fitting that his name lives on in the village to this day.
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​Following last year's centenary of Armistice, we continue to pause on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day to remember the fallen, including those from Largo Parish.  Below are a couple of newspaper clippings from 1946. The first, from the Leven Mail of 13 November details the Poppy Day collections carried out in the area. The second is a notice for the Remembrance Day service at Largo Parish Church from the previous week's paper in 1946.

This year marks 100 years since the first two-minute silence was observed on Armistice Day - 11th November 1919.

In 1971 Largo St David's Church marked 200 years since its first church building was completed. A Bicentenary Social was held on 26th February followed by special services on Sunday 28th (see programme above). In addition to the minister at the time - Rev. Angus H. Haddow - three former minsters of the church were also involved in these events: Rev. J. Stewart Rough (minister 1925-32); Rev. J. Graham (minister 1948-56) and Rev. G Watt (minister 1956-63). The four men are shown in the photograph below (from the following week's East Fife Mail). Incidentally each former minister had paid tribute at the events to the 1933-47 minister the late Rev. D. Auchinvole Dick.

It was noted that the church's last 200 years had "proved less turbulent than its dramatic origins", which saw a lengthy disagreement over a proposed new minister at Largo Kirk (Upper Largo) result in several members 'lifting their Bibles and quitting the Establishment' to form a new congregation. Initially the new church was known as 'Largo Relief Church', then it became 'Largo United Presbyterian Church' but an interesting scenario occurred in 1900. The United Presbyterian Church united with the United Free Church and so left two churches in Largo Parish potentially having the same name of 'Largo United Free Church' (i.e. Lower Largo's Church and the Church on Upper Largo's Main Street where a garage now stands). A vote was taken at the AGM of the Lower Largo congregation to select between the names 'Largo, St David's' and 'Largo South United Free Church'. The former winning out and likely chosen as a mark of respect to the long-serving late minister, Rev. David Malloch. The centenary of the Church in 1871 had coincided with the building of the existing church. 

The photograph above shows the Kirk Session at the time of the Bicentenary. The oak communion table featured was donated by Mrs Daysh in memory of her mother in 1938. The distinctive purple wall design with the crosses was added as part of a redecoration of the Church in February 1960. Below is a list of the ministers of the Church and the dates of their service. Those listed below were followed by Rev. T.J Dyer (1972-79), Rev. James A.R. MacKenzie (1979-1987), Rev. Rosemary Frew (1988-2005) and Rev. John Murdoch (2006-2016). 
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There will be many a kent face in this wonderful mid-1960s photograph featuring of some of the Largo St David's Church congregation, including the choir and the Life Boys. The occasion was a fund-raising concert in the Durham Hall for the works required to relocate the Church Bell. The original tall bell-cote at the top of the church frontage had to be removed for safety reasons. On 3rd January 1965 the Church Bell (which had been presented to the congregation in 1871 by Mrs Alice Hogg of Glasgow) was re-sited at the north gable of the Church. At the same time, the bell was made electrically operated - the cost of the conversion being met by the congregation and a bequest made by the late Margaret Nicoll, Church Treasurer, in whose memory it was dedicated.

A special song was written and performed at the concert - the words of which are shown below. The minister at the time was Rev. Angus H. Haddow (fifth from the left in the back row) who had arrived in 1963. In 1965 a special service was held to rededicate the Church Bell, as well as new external wall railings and gates (the previous railings having been removed during World War Two). The images further below show the church building before and after these alterations.
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