One hundred and forty five years ago this week, the 19 February 1875 East of Fife Record round-up of Lundin Mill news begins with a piece about lambs. After a harsh winter, many "early bleaters" had put in appearance. There's also an insight into the weaving trade at the time and then an interesting note on how foxes cache food for later retrieval - in this case on the links. This tiny snapshots of local nature in the past are just lovely and so eloquently written.

Back in 1907 the Leven Advertiser (18 Sept) felt it newsworthy that Jimmie Brown the market gardener at Hatton Law and owner of the Emsdorf Fruit Shop had harvested some strawberries late in the season.
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​Weather was a regular topic of the local news round-ups of old. This one from 26 July 1901 East of Fife Record notes: "Refreshing showers of rain fell on Sunday evening and on Monday forenoon. Pastures and all kinds of crops were suffering much owing to the protracted drought."
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The above snippet combines weather and fruit and enthuses of the "genial spring" and "splendid show of early stuff". This is from the St Andrews Citizen of 27 April 1895. 

On 31 May 1901 the East of Fife Record remarked upon the Spring birds around Dumbarnie Links. 

I'm curious as to how the newspapers received these observations on local nature. Perhaps the Largo Field Naturalists' Society and other like-minded individuals made it their business to ensure that the local press were made aware of such events? Anyway, their attention to detail is appreciated.

Ebenezer Coutts was born on February 1744 in Tillicoultry to Robert Coutts and Elizabeth Thomson. Coutts came to Largo in the 1760s and on 20 December 1769 he married Magdalene Lundin, who was the seventh child of James Lundin and Magdalene Condie. The Lundins were living in Drummochy before Ebenezer Coutts arrived there and owned the salt works and associated collieries. It may have been that Coutts initially came to Largo to work for James Lundin. However, several years after arriving in Largo, Coutts became factor to the Earl of Leven.

This was the era of the 6th Earl of Leven, David Melville, shown in the images above. Note that this was still a time when men wore coats, waistcoats, breeches, stockings and buckled shoes (and wigs for formal occasions). The 6th Earl was born in Leven in 1722 and died in 1802 in Edinburgh. Among Ebenezer's duties as his factor were to continue the overseeing the salt works at Drummochy (where he also lived), paying and overseeing other estate workers, showing lands to let, managing sales of the produce of the estate (including sea marle, flax, salt and coal) and arranging shipping out of the 'Port of Drummochy'. He would also have collected proceeds from estate sales and kept accounts . At some point Coutts also become Bailie in Drummochy (i.e. a civilian officer who administers the law at a local level). This is mentioned in the excerpt below about his wife from the 'History of the Clan Lundy, Lundie, Lundin'. The record of their marriage is also shown below.

​In 1771 Ebenezer and Magdalene's first child Robert was born in Drummochy and was baptised on 30 August 3 days after his birth. He was named after his maternal grandfather Robert Condie. His uncle Robert Lundin, a 'Sailor in Drumochy', was present at the baptism (see baptism record below). Daughter Magdalene was born in 1733 (died 1819) and then Elizabeth in 1775 (died 1794). 

Living at Drum Lodge from around 1799 and possibly closer to Drummochy Harbour prior to that, Ebenezer was perfectly positioned for his role as Overseer for the Drummochie salt works. The advert below from Caledonian Mercury of 21 March 1774 shows him as contact for any Master Salter of good character looking for employment. Records were kept on the character of salters due to the temptation to illicitly draw off salt during the manufacturing process in order to sell on this highly valued and taxed commodity on the black market.

The adverts below from the 19 July 1775, 3 April 1776 and 12 June 1779 Caledonian Mercury detail the trade in 'Shell-Marle' which was used as a fertiliser and was "handled with more ease and less risk then limeshells". Soil fertility was an issue at this time and shell marle was recommended for overused and depleted soil. However, its prolonged use, without stable dung also being applied, was later found to push exhausted soil beyond repair, leading to the phrase "marl makes rich fathers and poor sons".

Ebenezer was also involved in 'flax raising' as can be seen from the list below of premiums charged to those involved in this industry across Scotland (12 Dec 1785 Caledonian Mercury). He is listed fourth from the top right along with three other Largo men. Also below is the list of those charged 'horse tax' in 1797, with Ebenezer Coutts appearing seventh on the list and as having one horse.

Ebenezer Coutts lived out the remainder of his life at Drum Lodge (pictured above). By the time of his death there on 17 December 1822, aged 78, he was a widower with no surviving children. His wife Magdalene had died in 1810. His son Robert had died before that in 1803 aged just 31. Robert became Reverend Robert Coutts, and was a minister in Brechin at the time of his death. Prior to becoming a minister, he had for a spell held the chair of Mathematics at St Andrews University. Latterly, Robert had suffered from consumption and came to Largo shortly before his death to visit his father and for a change of air but passed soon afterwards. A man of notable intellect, a book of his sermons was published posthumously and he was still being talked about 70 years later when the Brechin Advertiser (28 October and 18 November 1873) printed a two-part appreciation of his life (excerpt of which is shown below). 

A silhouette image of Robert appears in his book of sermons and is shown at the foot of this post. Silhouette or profile portraiture was the popular way to recreate an image of a person before the invention and widespread use of photography. Robert left behind a wife (Janet McCulloch, daughter of a Dairsie minister) and an infant son named Ebenezer. Six months after his death, his daughter Magdalene was born. Sadly his young son died in 1805, aged 3 years, at Dairsie Manse. His daughter survived into adulthood but died young, like her father, of consumption. A section from the sketch of Robert's life confirms that both root and branches of the Coutts family were now ended.

'Downfield' is the brick building in the centre of the image above. It stands between Largo St David's Church and Court House and is in fact on the site of the original church. Initially known as 'Largo Relief Church', the original building was erected in 1771. The congregation at that time was largely made up of folk that had previously attended church in Kirkton of Largo but had broken away in protest over the appointment of a new minister. As the 'Historical Sketch' of Largo St David's Church states:
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"Those who left Largo Kirk met for worship in the open air until Mr Durham himself granted them a site on which to erect a Church. This site is next to the present building in the area now occupied by "Downfield"."

This church was in use for a century before the present church building was erected alongside it in 1871-72. The original church was demolished and the plot lay empty for over a decade before the five-dwelling building now known as Downfield was built.  The annotated maps below show the changes to the site over the period from around 1850 to 1910.

The original proprietor of Downfield seems to have been David Gillies the net manufacturer, as it is his name that appears on the 1895 valuation roll as owning the building. Interestingly, the brick building has echoes of the Cardy Net House - particularly the chimney design. David Gillies is known to have designed and built Cardy House and Cardy Works himself with assistance from his joiner siblings. He is listed in the Dictionary of Scottish Architects. There seems to be a good chance that he was the architect of Downfield and recreated the brick work style of Cardy Works.

One of the early tenants was fisherman John Bisset. He was living in one of the dwellings at the time of the 1891 census with his wife Helen (nee Horne) and their daughters Grace and Georgina. In 1891 the building had not yet acquired the name Downfield. By the time of the 1900 valuation roll John Bisset had become the proprietor of Downfield and the name of the property had been established. Presumably he had purchased the building from David Gillies at some point after his career change from fisherman to mine manager at Teasses Colliery.

When Mr Bisset died in 1931, the St Andrews Citizen noted that he owned an extensive poultry farm at Buckthorns and was "a native of Largo" who "spent his early years as a fisherman before going to Teuchats Farm, where he also managed the Lime Works. He was for fourteen years in charge of the pumps at Durie Colliery. He left Teuchats and entered upon the tenancy of Buckthorns Farm in 1914. Mr Bisset took a keen interest in the development of Largo as a summer resort and was an active member of the committee for the improvement of the pier." 

The name 'Downfield' could possibly have come from the Downfield estate between Kettle and Montrave which also had collieries and lime works, which perhaps John Bisset once had a connection to. If anyone can confirm the origin of the name - please comment. Below is an advert for the sale of Downfield in 1946 (30 October Leven Mail) which describes the layout and facilities at that time.
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​Back circa 1910, when the shops at the west end of Emsdorf Street were still relatively new and deliveries were still made by horse and cart, someone decided to capture on film a fairly typical delivery to Brown's Fruiterer and Florist. Making the delivery are Robert James Dall and his son William Richard Dall. Robert had been gardener at Strathairly for several years by this time and probably regularly brought some of his produce to Brown's.

The reason for the photograph could well have been because the Dalls were about to emigrate to Canada. Father Robert travelled first in the November of 1910. He established himself in Vancouver. In 1911 16-year-old son William, along with brother Robert, set sail from Glasgow to join their father. William was described on the passenger list as a gardener. The following year Robert's wife Elinor and daughter Grace also emigrated to Canada. The family remained there for the rest of their lives.

Receiving the delivery, and standing in the doorway of the fruit shop is more than likely Alice Brown - niece of Jimmie Brown whose name is above the door and who ran a market garden at Hatton Law. Alice would have been aged around 21 at the time of this photograph. Next door to the left are the shops of the Young family (a stationers and newsagent shop to the left and an outfitter to the right). These shops were owned by Christina Young. The young male and female posing outside these shops are likely two of her children. She had two daughters, Janet and Annie and one son, John. The three would have been aged around 18, 15 and 16 respectively at this time. All of these shop keepers are pictured below in more detail. Note the collarless shirts in the outfitter's window and the notice advertising the Pierrots in the fruit shop window.

The Dalls must have taken this photograph with them as they embarked upon their new lives in Canada in order to remember their old life back in Largo. And fortunately for us today it provides a little insight into typical daily life back in 1910 Lundin Mill.

Vintage news reporting often includes stories that no one would bother documenting nowadays. These charming stories - of unusually large fish, swarming flies, flowers blooming, birds nesting and the like - show how people were very in tune with their natural surroundings and how life's tiny details were considered 'news'. Here are a few more examples of small-time tales from a bygone age...

A summer hail shower made the news in 1875 (3 July Fifeshire Advertiser).

Wood pigeons found themselves in the firing line in 1870 (22 September Fife Herald above).

A tree root was chosen as a hiding place for counterfeit coins in 1875 (30 December Fife Herald).

The Fife Free Press of 1 June 1935 above harked back to "old world" Largo.

Born on 19 November 1857 in Edinburgh to ironmonger James Douglas and his wife Catherine Watson, George Watson Douglas had the original butcher shop at the Leven Road row of shops in Lundin Links. The above photograph shows the shop a few years after it first opened (circa 1899) when George was in his forties and had already had a butcher shop at Forth Street in Leven for some time. The image shows a very traditional butcher's window display, typical of the days before refrigeration and pre-packaged food. Much of the produce would have been locally sourced - some perhaps arriving at this butcher shop from nearby farms via the slaughter house on Hillhead Lane.

Half carcasses would hang from large metal hooks suspended from the ceiling. The shop's internal walls were lined with tiles. Fresh sawdust would have been spread daily on the floor. Salt and spices would have been used to help preserve certain meats. The advert below reveals that the specialities of the business (and presumably what many locals and visitors were eating back then) were "salted and spiced rounds, pickled tongues, sausages and Douglas's far-famed corned beef". 

Many people would shop on a daily basis for meat. The advert further below mentions that "orders called for daily and promptly delivered by van". This shop was built with both a cellar and an outside store (across the rear courtyard) - both of which offered some cooler storage space. The 'back shop' just behind the shop space would be used for preparation and had a large sink on the back wall. The gate to the right of the shop (out of shot) would have been in constant use with incoming and outgoing produce. Although George Douglas died aged only 45 in 1903, the family business continued here in Lundin Links for some time and for even longer in Leven.

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​James Curr was born at Cupar in 1851 - the eldest son of Thomas Curr (cabinet maker and undertaker) and Christian Simpson.  Educated at Madras Academy, James began his career with Thomas Davidson (solicitor and Procurator Fiscal for the Burgh of Cupar). He went on to specialise in estate management (like his uncle before him) and from around 1870 he gained experience on estates around Scotland.

Late in 1882 the Fife Herald reported that  James had been appointed agent to Baroness Willoughby-de-Eresby and the Right Hon. Lord Aveland, covering their estates in Lincoln and Rutland. The newspaper noted that his "burly form and cheery voice will be missed in many a Parish around Scotland". On 23rd April 1885, James married Margaret Ligertwood (eldest daughter of another factor - Alexander Ligertwood) at Mount Hamilton, Ayr. Around that time, James relocated to Scotland with his wife - first to Kirkcudbrightshire, where his children Thomas and Margaret were born. Then, around 1890, he became factor on the St Fort estate in Forgan, Fife. His son Christopher was born there. Over these years, James Curr became an acknowledged authority on forestry, dairying and farm buildings. 

In 1902, James took up residence in Largo, acting as factor for the estates of Lathrisk, Largo and Monzie for Mr C.J.M. Makgill-Crichton. The following year, the Currs took up residence at 'Homelands' in Lundin LInks (pictured above) and remained there for around four years. Also a member of Fife County Council and a Justice of the Peace, Curr was much involved in local affairs. He was instrumental in the controversial division of Largo Parish into three wards - Kirkton, Lower Largo and Lundin Links in 1904. The newspaper clippings below show that there was considerable resistance to sub-dividing a parish that had been a single unit "for a thousand years".

The following year, the 'Fife News Illustrated Almanac for 1905' featured the photograph of James Curr shown above. Alongside this image was the description that James was "full of energy and enthusiasm, he hides beneath his handsome physical proportions a warm heart that prompts to many a kindly deed the world knows not of. His only relaxation is sailing or fishing in Largo Bay, where with a few friends on board his smart little yawl on a summer evening he may be seen at his best". 

However, in 1907 the health of James broke down. He removed to Glasgow - presumably to access suitable medical care.  James died from a kidney tumour at Bath Street in Glasgow on 28 December 1908. The 29 Dec 1908 Dundee Evening Telegraph, noted that "he has been cut down in the prime of life by an insidious illness that baffled all medical skill". 

The previous post covered Lundin Mill Farm, focusing on the former mill and grain store building. The postcard view above shows a different part of the farm, looking north east across some of its arable fields (the mill building being off to the right). Wheat, oats, barley and potatoes were some of the crops grown over the years, while pigs and cattle were also kept at various times. Part of the Largo Estate, the extent of Lundin Mill Farm is shown below in the blue-grey colour (extract from the estate map of 1866). 

Mr George Bell secured the tenancy of both Lundin Mill Farm and Largo Home Farm following John White's retirement late in 1896. He already farmed at Downfield, Kingskettle. When he died in 1925 at the age of 64, George Bell (pictured below) had farmed Lundin Mill for almost thirty years. He had also been a member of the Largo School Board and a keen member of Largo Curling Club. He was also involved in local golf and was in attendance at the opening of the Lundin Ladies Golf Course in 1910 - see here for images from that event (perhaps he was number 6 or 10 in the photograph of attendees?).

The tenancy next went to George Penrice (who was already farming at Pitcruvie) later in 1925. When he died in 1940, the article below featured in the 9 October Dundee Courier. The farm was continued for some time by his sons. The last tenant farmer at Lundin Mill was Robert (Bob) Ednie who retired from the farm in the early 1990s.

Many will remember the derelict building pictured above which sat on the north side of the Keil Burn at the west side of Largo Road, down in the dip and opposite the former Keilside Bakery. This was demolished in 1995 ahead of the Bett Homes development at Penrice Park. A further development of flats followed a few years later by Thomas Mitchell builders (the later development being more closely aligned to the footprint of the old farm steading).  At the time of the demolition (February 1995) archaeological survey work was carried out (just ahead of the digging of drainage and sewage trenches to serve the new housing). Historic Environment Scotland records state that:

"Archaeological watching brief in the course of the demolition programme at the farm steading and mill complex of Lundin Mill Farm, Lundin Links, Fife by GUARD, revealed that the mill with its associated kiln had been the original building on site, followed in the early 19th century by the farm outbuildings. There was no evidence to suggest the existence of earlier buildings at the location, although cartographic evidence indicates that the site was being utilised for milling of grain from at least 1775."

It would seem likely that the building dates to mid-eighteenth century but was renovated in the early nineteenth century around the time that Earnest Cottage was built. Earnest Cottage would appear to have been the farm house before the construction of the newer Lundin Mill Farm House circa 1870s. 

John Band has produced a series of drawings to provide an insight to what went on within the building when it was a working mill. To set the scene, please click here to see location maps and some background on 'thirlage' and on water rights. Also, see below for the overall building layout as surveyed in 1995 (source: Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division).

The annotated drawing below, shows the upper ground floor plan of the mill end of the building (immediately above the lower ground floor layout given above). To view that as a PDF please click here.

​Details are also given below of the dam, weir and lade that served the mill. See inset for larger version of the drawing of the dam across the Keil Burn and the lade that ran alongside.

Above are two images from the Canmore collection, showing the building's north elevation (upper photograph) and south elevation (lower photograph). The former having the appearance of a single storey structure while the latter shows two stories. 

What follows below are section drawings, showing the upper and lower ground floors together and featuring elements such as the waterwheel, hoppers, kiln and hoist. A PDF of this drawing is available here. 
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Finally, below are details about millstones and how they were dressed. Also included are a ranged of phrases still used today that derive from the milling process and the days when this was far more central to everyone's daily life. A PDF-version is available here. At the foot of the post is another Canmore photograph - this time showing the west elevation (with the four storey 'Millburnlea' on Largo Road visible on the far right in the distance).

Back in the mid-nineteenth century, when golf was growing in popularity and new clubs were being established in the area, one man's name seemed to crop up in the context of several local clubs. He was Nicol Baird Malcolm - a farmer from Dubbieside (Innerleven). Even many years after his death, he gets a special mention as the "ever-famous Nicol Malcolm" in the 22 July 1899 St Andrews Citizen (see below), in the context of the role he played helping in the setting up of Lundin Golf Club, back in 1868. His life story is an interesting one and is interwoven with other local characters.

Nicol's parents, John Malcolm and Janet Glass were married on 2 February 1793 in Edinburgh. John was a gardener at Broughton Loan (an area north east of Edinburgh city centre which was then filled with plant nurseries). Janet was the daughter of a shoemaker and lived in nearby Canonmills. Their daughters Christina and Isabella were born circa 1793 and 1799 respectively. By the time their son Nicol was born, on 24 May 1801, the family were living in the Parish of Scoonie.  John Malcolm continued to work as a gardener around the Leven area into the 1840s.

In 1819 Nicol’s elder sister Christina married Alexander Patrick, a linen weaver of Scoonie Parish. They had a son – John Patrick. John eventually became a cabinet maker in Leven and married Agnes Murdoch Patrick c1840. They had at least eight children. On 9 November 1866, John Patrick (who was Nicol Malcolm's nephew) died in a cholera outbreak (see Dundee Advertiser of 10 Nov 1866 below) but before that he had diversified into golf club making.  John’s business (and the family home) was at 3-4 Branch Street at Leven’s Shorehead. It was the low building shown on the left in the sepia image below. The building still exists today as a take-away pizza outlet.

John’s eldest son Alex Patrick had joined him in the club making business, before the fatal cholera outbreak, and he went on to continue making golf clubs for the rest of his working life. Alex had shops in Leven and at Lundin Golf Club. Alex’s younger brother Nicol (named after his great-uncle) had become an apprentice golf club maker by the age of 17 in 1871. Youngest brother David Murdoch Patrick also eventually became a golf club maker. He was based in Lundin Links (after a spell as greenkeeper at Royal Wimbledon Golf Club) and a had a house and workshop built on Golf Road around 1896.

So, while Nicol Malcolm appears to have had no family of his own, he had many great nieces and nephews – three of whom were golf club makers. He also seems to have been connected to another John Patrick - the pioneering local photographer - who had a studio in Leven, before he moved to Kirkcaldy and then Edinburgh. Nicol Malcolm married later in life, aged 43. He married widow Ann Christian Gray (nee Wetherspoon) on 2 August 1844. ​Ann was recorded at Nicol’s Dubbieside residence in the 1841 census – three years before their marriage. Her first husband – John Gray the Cupar ironmonger – had died aged 39 in 1837.

Nicol was a farmer at Dubbieside and had a dairy there. At the time of the 1851 census Nicol’s widowed sister Christina had joined Nicol and Ann (acting as house keeper). In 1861 the three – Nicol (still a farmer), Ann and Christina were still residing together at an address described as ‘Innerleven Cottage’. And in 1871, the household comprised: Nicol ('farmer employing 1 man and 1 boy'), Ann, Ann’s son from her first marriage (William Gray ironmonger) and a servant (Anne Dryburgh). By 1881, Nicol has passed away but Ann continued to reside at ‘Dubbyside Street’ – now with a niece and nephew (Anne and Edward Gray) and servant Mary Brown. Ann was described as an ‘annuitant’.

The valuation rolls also provide an insight into Nicol’s interests. In the 1855 valuation roll he is named against 4 subjects: he is proprietor occupier of a house and garden in Dubbieside and proprietor of another house and garden. In addition he is tenant occupier of both a land holding and the ‘Links of Methil’ – the land owner being James Hay Erskine Wemyss. ​By 1865, the situation was much the same with Nicol owning two houses with gardens plus a stable and byre – as well as being tenant of ‘Innerleven Acres and Links of Methil’. Golf had been played on these links for a long time. As tenant of the links, and an enthusiast of the game, it is not surprising that one of the nine holes of the golf course at Dubbieside was named ‘Nicol Malcolm’. He was also a member of Leven Curling Club and he hosted other sporting events on Methil links such as 'gymnastic games' in 1874.

In the 1875 census, Nicol Malcolm was still proprietor of the two houses but no longer the tenant of the acres and links – these were now rented to John Lawrie, farmer from Kirkland. Now aged 74, it seems that Nicol had retired. The newspaper archives are full of references to Nicol Malcolm – mainly in the context of golf. He was a member of  at least three local clubs – all founded during his adult lifetime: Innerleven (Dubbieside) (1820), Leven Golfing Club (1846) and Wemyss Castle (1857) plus he had a hand in the setting up of Lundin Golf Club in 1868. As well as mentions in connection with agriculture and cattle markets, Nicol was noted in the press for his gardening skills (clearly taking after his father).

Nicol died on 1st March 1881 aged 79 years, having had a full and active life. His wife Ann passed in 1886 in Edinburgh aged 76. However, the legend of Nicol Malcolm lived on after his death - for example in the clip from the 16 Sep 1899 St Andrews Citizen below - which recalls the time that he challenged a man to a round of golf playing with a bottle rather than a club! If you know more about Nicol, please comment. There is also reportedly at least one photograph of him in existence - if you know of its whereabouts, please do get in touch.