The fascinating painting above, entitled Home from the North Sea, is the work of Alexander Ballingall , the Largo-born painter and brother of engraver William Ballingall. This piece depicts the return home of the Largo fishing fleet in the 1890s. The registration of the boat with the most prominent sail is KY 478 - Annie Johnston. This fishing craft was built in 1880 in Anstruther but spent several years in Montrose before being bought by Largo's David Gillies in 1889. Annie Johnston was part of Largo's fleet for over a decade before being sold to Shetland in 1901. The colourful scene is a welcome contrast to the usual black and white images of fishing vessels from this era. The reddish-brown colour of the sails is the result of the white fabric being treated (or barked) with tar to make them more weather-proof. 

Multiple boats from Largo would tend to leave in groups for a lengthy trip. Some trips might head up further north, off Aberdeen or Shetland, or perhaps south to fishing grounds around Yarmouth depending upon the time of year. Children would often be allowed time out of school to see their fathers off. Ships' biscuits would be given out before the boats sailed away. Eventually, word would be sent home of their planned return, so that families could watch with anticipation for their safe arrival back home.

The kind of scene depicted in the painting, with a crowded pier, would have once been a frequent one, where wives and children greeted the fishermen with joy and relief. Note the man in the foreground presenting his daughter with the gift of a doll. Her mother, who is dressed in traditional fishwife clothes looks on with affection. Gifts brought back from far afield trips would be the main presents given in the year.

Other men, perhaps unmarried, busy themselves sorting and unloading their gear. Some of these nets and other gear may well have been taken over to the other side of the Keil to be dried and stored in and around the Net House. Back home, the washing of the men's clothes would take several days. Six boats feature in this painting. Given the date of late 1890s, other vessels may have included the Forget-Me-Not, Sultan, Ocean Bride, Osprey and Jane and Minnie. Alexander Ballingall painted many scenes around Largo pier, harbour and coast but also depicted other locations. Below is an 1881 painting by Alexander named Troubled Waters, Stonehaven which illustrates a winter herring trip, with stormy waves crashing around the harbour.

Alexander Ballingall was born in Largo in 1847, son of weaver William Ballingall and his wife Jean Wilson. One of several brothers and two sisters, like many of his siblings Alexander had a creative streak. While at the age of 14 he was working as a weaver like his father, he was destined to follow more in the footsteps of his elder brother, William the artist and engraver. By the time of the 1871 census, in his early twenties, Alexander was living in Edinburgh with his brother and his family and both brothers were working as engravers. They were based at Cockburn Street, just off the Royal Mile. Over the years, Alexander seems to have progressed more into painting than engraving and in 1879 he exhibited at Kirkcaldy Fine Art Exhibition with a painting entitled "Newhaven Harbour".

In 1881 he first exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy. In the census that year Alexander was described as a 'landscape painter', still based in Edinburgh but now in Newington. ​The 9 March Dundee Advertiser described his 1886 work at the RSA as "always forcible and thorough in his sketches of sea-faring life". By 1891, he was married to silversmith's daughter Marion Wilson and living at 99 Montgomery Street off Leith Walk, now described as 'Artist - marine and figure'. The same year his RSA exhibits were, according to the Midlothian Journal of 17 April, "three crisp, clever realistic sea-scapes". One of those is the work shown above entitled Now then lads! All together. The newspaper noted the "caller seaside breeziness" and "the anatomy of the pullers...carefully studied, and sea, and rocks, and sky are as usual well done."
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In contrast to the painting at the top of the post depicting the fishermen's return from sea, the artwork above is entitled Getting Underweigh. This shows the fishing fleet setting off on calm seas and dates to 1902. By this time Alexander's wife had died (in 1898 from tuberculosis). The 1901 census had noted him as 'Artist - marine and landscape'. His works did include overseas landscapes, including Venice, as well as many Scottish coastal scenes, including such locations as Buckhaven, Pittenweem, Dunbar and Greenock. By 1911, now aged 64, Alexander was still living off Leith Walk and was slightly differently described as 'Artist (marine and architectural)'. 

Alexander died on 30 November 1913, at the age of 67 at Bangour Village Hospital in West Lothian. He was buried at Upper Largo cemetery with parents, William Ballingall (a keen amateur astronomer) and Jean Wilson. The gravestone, although now in poor repair, has many interesting features, including a globe (now displaced), a shining star, a moon, a coastal setting sun, a sand timer and a sun dial. This unusual and eye-catching memorial is fitting for such a creative family many of whom keenly observed the world around them, and beyond.
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Cellar Brae or Cellar Braes is the promontory to the west of Lower Largo Harbour. The map above, which is dated 1843, is one of the few to clearly name the area. Below is a comparison of that map with a recent aerial view of the site. The general layout and many of the buildings remain the same, although some buildings have been lost. The large building closest to the sea has survived and is one of Largo's oldest. Now known as The Net House, pictured further below, this building began life as a salt girnel (store-house) for the adjacent salt works at Drummochy. Dating back to the 1740s, the girnel was a secure building where salt was drained and stored - an essential component of any salt works. Salt was an extremely valuable commodity at this time and a good quality, robust building was needed for secure storage. So, it is thanks to the original function and importance of the building that it has been able to stand the test of time.

With the decline of the salt industry locally in the late 18th century, the building's function had to evolve. For a time, it was used as a granary (separate from the granary on the other side of the harbour, now part of the Crusoe Hotel). The 1932 Largo Village Book states that historically "grain was stored for shipping" at Cellar Braes. However, by the late 19th century, and for many decades, the building and surrounding ground was used to store fishing gear and to dry nets (hence the building's present name of The Net House). There are a few images below that feature nets hung out to dry all around the area.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, salmon stake nets ran out to sea in front of the Net House (see image below). Throughout that time, valuation rolls show that the Cellar building and Lundin Salmon Fishings were owned by Lundin Estate. These facilities were tenanted initially by Andrew Greig Anderson, Edinburgh fishmonger, in the late 19th century and then by  Joseph Johnston and Sons Limited of Montrose (a long-established salmon fishing business with interests the length of the east coast) in the early decades of the 20th century.
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By the mid-1930s, Cellar Braes began to change into more of a recreational space. The Largo Parish Community Council rented the area and organised for benches and a shelter to be put in place for the comfort of those enjoying the views across the harbour. The old path which used to run around the seaward side of the Net House was re-routed to the landward side of the building.  The old path route with its unguarded sea wall was not without its risks, as the ​9 April 1935 Leven Advertiser piece below demonstrates. The man who fell over the edge onto the rocks was staying at 'Westhaven' - a house opposite Cellar Brae (see map further below). In the early 1970s, the now semi-derelict net house building was restored and converted into a private dwelling. The sea wall was heightened for safety.
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As well as being the site of private homes, the Cellar Braes of today continues to offer benches, views and space to relax. The former shelter (seen on map and image above) is long gone but a patch of concrete indicates where this once was.  This multi-functional corner of the village has a rich history. Featured in artworks and offering a fine viewing space for events at the harbour, it continues to be a characterful part of the Largo landscape.

Pictured above (circa 1890) is the fishing boat Chance - registration KY 21, which was owned by Andrew Bisset. Andrew was born in 1854 to weaver John Bisset and his wife Paterson Reedie (a former flax spinner). In 1871, a teenage Andrew was working as a linen weaver, like his father and so many other people of all ages in the parish at the time. However, handloom weaving was on the wane, and, by the 1881 census, both Andrew and his younger brother John had become fishermen. [In later years, Andrew's brother, John Bisset, went on to own Downfield and manage the colliery at Teasses.]

One of the regular trips for Largo fishermen in the 1870s and 1880s was Stonehaven (see 30 July 1879 Courier example below). And this was where Andrew met his wife Eleanor (Helen) Taylor. The pair married on 30 December 1882 at St James Episcopal Church in Stonehaven. Andrew was aged 27 and Helen was 24. On the marriage registration form, Andrew was described as a 'white fisher' and Eleanor as a "fish cleaner". Both the bride and groom's fathers were also described as white fishers.

The Chance is mentioned in the above 6 December 1889 East of Fife Record, having returned from Yarmouth with fellow Largo vessels Ocean Bride and Jane and Minnie. At the time of the 1901 census, Andrew Bisset was still a fisherman but these were the last days for many of the Largo deep-sea fishing vessels. By the 1911 census, Andrew's occupation had changed to labourer and the family were living at the Temple (in one of the now-demolished Burnside cottages). The two sons living at home were a labourer and a house painter. By 1915, the Bissets had moved to Burnbrae Terrace, pictured below, where Andrew and Helen would remain for rest of their lives.
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Andrew and Helen's son Andrew, who had been an apprentice house painter with John Adam of Lundin Links, had emigrated down under in 1912. During the First World War, he had joined the Australian Infantry. As part of the 56th Infantry Battalion, he was sent to Europe. In August 1917, he visited his parents in Largo for a few days. However, just weeks later, he was killed in action. He died on 17 October aged 27 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate war memorial in Ypres as well as on the Largo War Memorial.

Eleanor (Helen) Bisset died nine days after her son, on 26 October 1917, aged 59, at Burnside Terrace. It seems that she would not have been aware of her son's death, as news of this did not appear in local press until 15 November (see Leven Advertiser below).  Andrew Bisset senior survived his wife by over 15 years. He died at Burnbrae Terrace on 26 January 1933, aged 79. On the registration of his death, he was described as a 'retired roadman' but in fact he had a range of occupations in his lifetime. Arguably, it was his time as a fishermen that had the biggest impact on his life and of course that of his wife. 
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The image above shows four boats entering the harbour at Aberdeen. Second from the left is the Osprey of Largo, registration KY 977. Two other boats with a KY (Kirkcaldy) registration are on either side of the Osprey. This image features in the book 'Scotland's East Coast Fishing Industry' by Mark I'Anson. Constructed in 1872, at John Watt's boatyard in Dysart, the Osprey belonged to twin brothers William and Robert Gillies, who were still in their 20s at the time. The two newspaper reports below from 25 May that year (Fife Free Press and Fifeshire Advertiser) tell of her launch. The Osprey was a carvel built decked fishing boat of around 45 feet long. Many spectators were present to witness her head-first launch from Sailor's Walk.
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​Below are some images of Dysart Harbour and the Sailor's Walk. Sailor's Walk (also known as High Brae Head) was an elevated walkway above the harbour. Steps were built up to it in 1907. The spot certainly offered a great vantage point for boat launches and other harbour activity.
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The Gillies brothers later also owned the Ocean Bride, which was built for them in 1882, a decade after the Osprey. Both boats are mentioned in the brief newspaper clip below from the 11 July 1889 Fifeshire Journal. On this occasion, the two vessels had to return home after losing many nets to dog fish (an abundant species of shark found in Scottish waters). 

In the clip below from the 13 July 1893 Fifeshire Journal, the Osprey, along with many other local boats were up at Peterhead for the summer fishing. It seems likely that William and Robert would have skippered one each of their boats the Osprey and the Ocean Bride. Other vessels making the same trip included the Annie Johnston, the Forget-Me-Not and Fortunatus.
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The 30 August 1895 East of Fife Record above tells of a "highly satisfactory" trip to Aberdeen, when Skipper William Gillies fared "the best of the local men". It notes that two of his boats were on the trip - one that he was skippering and another which was "out on deal". These would like have been the Osprey and the Ocean Bride. Another Largo fisherman, Thomas Lawrie, owner of the Sultan, also gets a mention in the article. An update in the next week's paper reports on most of the Largo vessels returning home. This piece clarifies that it was the Osprey (the older vessel) which had been "lent out on a deal to a St Monans crew" and explains how individuals with multiple boats might ensure all their vessels are kept busy when they can't secure local crews. In turn a couple of Largo men helped crew a St Monans boat as 'halfdealsmen' (providing the extra hands but no equipment or share in the boat). 

The fishing yawl to the left of the above image is the Annie Johnson. Her registration - KY 478 - can just be made out on the left side. This vessel was launched on 30 March 1880 in Anstruther from the yard of John Alexander Millar. Described by the Fife News on 3 April as "one of the largest and finest fishing craft ever built on the Fife coast". However, this fifty feet long, thirty ton boat was destined to begin life outside of Fife. It has been built for John Pert of Ferryden, Montrose and was given the registration ME 535. The newspaper continued:

"Designed for the cod and ling fishing of the North Sea, she is fitted up with all the latest improvements, so much so that a finer craft of her class does not swim today on the briny wave."
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In 1882, Annie Johnston ran into difficultly when a storm hit Yarmouth. The two-part update in the 28 October Weekly Scotsman (below) reported initially that, of the numerous Scottish boats damaged while fishing there, Annie Johnston was one of two to fail to find shelter. This early report (from the Wednesday afternoon) stated that she was "now lying totally wrecked on Yarmouth beach" and had been laden with herring. But updated news from the following afternoon informs readers that the Annie Johnston had been ashore on the beach and was now "being got off", with the cargo saved.  Subsequently, she must have been repaired and was able to return to service.

On 22 February 1884 there was a change of owner for the Annie Johnston, when James Coull took her over. Five years later on 4 April 1889, James West became her owner but only for a couple of months. On 5 June that same year the Annie Johnston was sold to Largo's David Gillies. Presumably this was 'Fisher Davie' (1836-1923), owner of various vessels over the years, including a smaller boat named Violet. Perhaps the vessel was purchased in time for the Shetland trip mentioned below in the 20 June 1889 Fifeshire Journal. Note that a 'cran' was a measure of fresh herrings, equivalent to 37 and a half imperial gallons (or 170.5 litres). This could vary from around 700 to 2500 fish but on average was about 1200 herring. A cran was roughly four baskets (known as quarter crans) or one barrel.

For several years, Annie Johnston would have been one of the large deep-sea fishing boats operating out of Largo. The piece below from the 10 August 1900 East of Fife Record is one of the last references to her Largo days. It describes how a fishing trip was but short by a severe gale. The next year the vessel would be sold to a buyer in Shetland.
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The fishing boat pictured above is the Fortunatus of Largo. This 39-feet vessel belonged to William Davidson Hutton. The image dates to before the fisherman's bothy was built on the pier in 1888. A man can be seen on board in the centre of the boat and there is a huddle of several men on the pier behind the boat. Note also the planks of wood propped up against the wall and what look like wooden crates stacked up to the right. This could well be a scene of the preparations for a fishing trip.
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In 1880 the Fortunatus experienced a tragic event when crew member William Kidd was lost overboard while bound for the herring fishing in Aberdeen. Kidd had been hauling in a rope when the handle he was holding came loose causing him to be thrown into the water. The 1 July Fifeshire Journal report below tells of how attempts to save him proved unsuccessful. William had been married for 3 years to Agnes Smith and they had a two-year-old son Alexander and a younger child, of only three weeks old, named William.
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While the above newspaper report notes the registration of the Fortunatus as KY 1513, other records have it registered as KY 1848. Either the newspaper report is incorrect or there were in fact two boats with the same name both owned by William Hutton, with one perhaps replacing the other. The Fortunatus was one of the fleet of larger Largo fishing boats that made the long trips up north and down south to Yarmouth each year. The 13 July 1893 Fifeshire Journal below reports on its herring fishing trip to Peterhead and Aberdeen, along with the Osprey, Ocean Bride, Sultan, Annie Johnston, Largo Bay, British Queen and Forget-Me-Not. William Hutton was also joint owner, with James Kidd, of the Jane and Minnie, which was built in 1886. James Kidd was the elder brother of the William Kidd mentioned above, who died in 1880 after falling from the Fortunatus.

The name 'Fortunatus' is the Latin for happy, lucky, rich, blessed - an appropriate choice of name for the unpredictable life of the fisherman. William Davidson Hutton was born in 1851 and was one of the more fortunate fishermen, leading a long life. He married Margaret Guthrie in 1874. They had eleven children and celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1924 (see 30 September Leven Advertiser piece below). William died five years later in 1929, at 5 Defoe Place, aged 78. William was a member of Largo Parish Council and the School Board, as well as President of the Largo Harbour Committee.
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The detail of the Erskine Beveridge image above shows the fishing boat Jane and Minnie, registration KY 400, berthed at Largo Harbour in the 1880s while a travelling fair sets up on the pier. She was built at Millar's yard in St Monans for James Kidd and William Hutton of Largo. At 55 feet in length, she would have exceeded the previous largest boat at Largo - the Ocean Bride - by three and a half feet. Pictured soon after her 1886 completion and before the work to install toilet facilities on the pier in 1888, this image dates to that short window of time between the two events. The East of Fife Record of 19 March 1886 below reports on the launch of the Jane and Minnie.

The boat was named after the youngest daughters (at the time) of each owner. James Kidd had a daughter called Jane (born 1883) and William Hutton had a daughter called Wilhelmina (born 1885). James would go on to have another daughter in 1889, also named Wilhelmina - a name generally shortened to Minnie. Naming boats after family members was fairly common practice and, where ownership was joint, a name from each owner's family could be combined.

James Kidd was born in Largo around 1848 and married Lucy Duncan in 1870. William Davidson Hutton was born in Largo in 1851. He married Margaret Guthrie on 18 September 1874. They had eleven children. Sadly, Minnie (born just before the boat's completion) died aged four and a half in 1890 during an outbreak of measles in the village. William had other boats, such as Fortunatus and Welcome (more on them to come in future posts).

Just a couple of weeks after the launch of the Jane and Minnie, she was the last boat to see fellow Largo fishing boat The Brothers shortly before the latter was lost with all hands about 50 miles east of May Isle. The following year, one of the boat's crew "had a narrow escape from drowning" having fallen overboard while up North for the summer herring fishing. The 15 July 1887 East of Fife Record below reported the incident.

Like other large Largo-based fishing boats of the time, the Jane and Minnie followed the seasonal fishing trips of the Lammas drave up north and the Winter herrin' trip south. The 1890 13 November Fifeshire Journal provided an update on the trip south to Yarmouth, where the Jane and Minnie and the Ocean Bride were caught in a storm. The former lost eighteen nets, while the latter came close to losing two men. The two boats had left Largo on 28 September, so this had happened around six weeks into their expedition.

In 1897, the 2 September Dundee Courier (below) noted the return of Largo's fishing fleet home, after a disappointing summer drave. Six boats from a fleet of seven had returned at this point from Aberdeen, including David Ballingall's Forget-Me-Not and Thomas Lawrie's Sultan. This period was really the final few years of Largo having a fleet of large fishing vessels. By 1901, the Ocean Bride was the only one still operating. The death of James Kidd in April 1901 aged 53 years likely hastened the end for the Jane and Minnie. James was survived by his widow, four daughters and two sons. William Hutton passed away in 1929 at the age of 78. He was a member of the Largo Parish Council and the School Board and was actively involved in the Harbour Committee up until his death. He was survived by his widow and grown up family.

In the image above you can see the central hatch is open. Crew members would stand on boards in the hold to haul the fish-laden nets through the hatches. In challenging sea conditions this could be a risky procedure. When similar boat, the Brothers of Largo, was lost in 1886, it was concluded that she had been swamped by a heavy sea while her hatches were off and the crew were hauling their lines. The wider image below shows the full height of the Ocean Bride, dominating the mid-1880s Erskine Beveridge photograph.

William and Robert Gillies were the owners of the Ocean Bride. Born about 1845, they were twins and the brothers of both Samuel Gillies (skipper of the ill-fated Brothers) and of David Gillies (owner of the Violet). Their parents were fisherman John Gillies and his wife Grace Sharp. They are not to be confused with another pair of brothers also named William and Robert Gillies, who built the Semiquaver yacht. The namesakes were in fact cousins. Their respective fathers were brothers John and James Gillies, two of the sons of David Gillies (1782-1846) and Catherine Selkirk or Selcraig (1779-1862). Catherine was the great-grand-niece of Alexander Selkirk of Robinson Crusoe fame and was, until her death, keeper of many of his artefacts.

Ocean Bride owners William and Robert were life-long fishermen. In 1869, William married Margaret Methven, daughter of Lundin Mill stone mason Andrew Methven. They were married by Reverend David Malloch and went on to have twelve children. Robert married Mary Scott, who had been a housemaid at Lahill House, in 1877. The twin brothers were aged around 37 years old when they had Ocean Bride built. Four years later the incident described below took place at St Monans (2 April 1886 East of Fife Record). 

The vessel was regularly mentioned in the local press over the years, as it took part in the regular annual fishing events such as the Lammas Drave (which took place through late July, August and early September) and the Winter Herrin'. While offering the hope of rich reward, these trips could be risky and variable in terms of success. In 1889 for example, the Ocean Bride and the Osprey had to return to Largo from Shetland when their herring fishing was scuppered by waters "swarming with dog fish which cut the nets to pieces". The two boats were refitted before heading up to Aberdeen to join other Largo crews. Later the same year, the Ocean Bride made a trip to Yarmouth where a very successful fishing was had.

​In 1890 the trip to Yarmouth yielded some very heavy catches but some proved so large that Ocean Bride had to cut away several of her nets.  Worse came later in the same trip when two of her crew were washed overboard. They were recovered "with much difficulty" (see 13 November Fifeshire Journal below). Folks back home in Largo would eagerly await news from such trips, which came via letter or telegraph. The fish would not be brought back to Largo of course. Catches were sold at markets close to the fishing grounds and the money brought back home to the fishermen's' families.
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In 1897, the worst kind of news came. Robert Gillies had lost his life on 17 August, drowned in the North Sea, 38 miles off Aberdeen, when he was accidentally knocked overboard by the tiller. The article from 26 August Leven Advertiser details the circumstances of the accident, which happened when "a nasty sea was running". The impact of his loss back in Largo can only be imagined. His wife Mary was left with five children. And twin brother William was devastated to lose his twin, having been "inseparable from infancy" and "seldom seen the one without the other". 

The short piece below from 28 August 1897 Fife Free Press notes the arrival of the Ocean Bride back into Largo with the remainder of the crew. This was a gloomy occasion which raised questions about the safety of the tiller on such a boat.
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However, the Ocean Bride would continue to operate under surviving brother William Gillies. In fact, within a few years, it was only only large deep sea fishing boat left in Largo. From upwards of twenty large boats in 1875, the Ocean Bride was the last one remaining 25 years later. The 12 September 1901 Leven Advertiser describes how she fared at the Lammas drave. By this time, other local fishermen were sailing with St Monans boats. This had become the new pattern - Largo fishermen, who no longer had a share in a boat, were carried by other East Fife fishing-boats as "half-dealsmen". This was the term used for men from another town who had no share in a boat and were paid a weekly wage to be part of the crew. 

In 1902, Ocean Bride was described as "the sole survivor of Largo's fleet" and the only locally owned craft due to take part in the Lammas drave. The 19 June Leven Advertiser noted that "Skipper Gillies is busy fitting her out and by the first of next month the Ocean Bride will be heading for Aberdeen". The piece continued "Largo is gradually losing touch with the great fishings of the year....Even the yawl crews are fewer this summer than heretofore, only three or four small boats plying the lines". Ocean Bride features in the postcard image below, in the foreground. The sail partially down, she appears to be in the process of either being loaded or unloaded. 

The Leven Advertiser of 30 August 1906 reported a successful drave for Skipper Gillies and the half dealsmen on St Monans and Cellardyke boats, who were also doing well and would "have a handsome share to lift at the final parting".  However, the following year the same newspaper on 11 September 1907 described the Ocean Bride's return to Largo, after seven weeks work at Aberdeen at the summer drave, as having only modest returns. 

It is always exciting to find a photograph featuring a Largo-based boat with a clear name or registration number. It provides an opportunity for further research both of the boat and of the owner. The boat seen front and centre of the image above shows KY 289 tied up at Largo pier circa 1900. This half-ton, 23 feet long vessel belonged to David Gillies and was named Violet. For a time boats under 15 tons burden were marked with their registration numbers first, followed by the letter code of their port of registry, hence the marking 289 KY. KY of course denotes Kirkcaldy.
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The postcard image above shows Violet hauled up onto the sands at the Temple, her name clearly legible on the right. There are three men and a boy inside the boat and an older man standing proudly in front of it. It would seem likely that the man standing is boat owner David Gillies and the others are members of his family. This David Gillies was not the net manufacturer of the same name but the fisherman known as "Fisher Davie". He lived between 1836 and 1923 and resided in the Crusoe Buildings.  The same boat is in the same place in the photograph below, with a wider view of the Temple in the background. 

David Gillies was son of fisherman John Gillies and his wife Grace Sharp. David married Mary Simpson (daughter of shoemaker Alexander Simpson) in 1858. They had six children (five sons and a daughter). David was the brother of Samuel Gillies, who lost his life, along with six other Largo men when the Brothers fishing boat was caught in a squall about 50 miles east of the May Isle in 1886. It was David who registered the death of Samuel, as well as the deaths of Samuel's sons John and Alexander. ​
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The Violet was still on the list of boats based at Largo in 1914, when David Gillies would have been aged around 78 years. The full list of Largo's registered boats in 1914 is below, the Violet being the smallest vessel among those listed. Violet is pictured further below in the harbour at Lower Largo with the tide back. David Gillies died in 1923 aged 87 years.
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The Forget-Me-Not was a 48.5 feet fishing boat owned by David Ballingall with the registration KY 2011. In the above photograph, it is shown returning into Largo Harbour in the days when wooden fenders were in place as a protective measure against collisions against the main pier structure. The highest fending on the pier are what were known as “branders”. These were put in place to protect the paddle steamers from damage by the stonework of the Pier.

By their very nature, the most important and vulnerable parts of a paddle steamer are the two sets of paddle wheels. When lying alongside, the whole weight of a paddle steamer is being taken along the paddle box, the only part of the vessel actually touching the harbour wall. As such, the branders ensured that the paddle wheels were always well away from the stonework of the Pier which, in the case of Largo Pier, was very uneven. The branders were of such a height that the paddles were still protected when lying alongside at high water, spring tides.

Seven years later, on 9 February 1889 there was a close call when the Forget-Me-Not got into difficulty at the entrance to the new harbour at Dunbar. The Dundee Courier of 11 February below describes how the vessel hit the rocks and began to sink before being blown into the harbour mouth. Fortunately, the crew were rescued and the stricken boat moved to safety. 
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The story continues in the 22 February Fifeshire Advertiser (below). The boat was refloated and towed by a Leith tug to Pittenweem. Back at Fulton's boat yard, where she had been built seven years previously, the Forget-Me-Not was extensively repaired. This came at considerable cost to David Ballingall, as the boat was not insured at the time of the incident.
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After repairs were completed, the Forget-Me-Not was back in business and able to once again join other Largo vessels at the herring fishing. The piece below from the 13 July 1893 Fifeshire Journal reports that she joined Thomas Lawrie's 'Sultan' and other local boats on a trip up to Peterhead and Aberdeen.
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The Forget-Me-Not has been captured on camera more than once and even featured prominently on a Largo postcard (below). In the this image, a large crowd, including several women and children, has gathered on the pier end. Could this have been family gathering to see off the crew as they departed on one of their longer and further flung fishing engagements?