Comely Bank is situated directly opposite Largo St David's Church on Main Street, Lower Largo. It is shown above from the beach (to the left of the church). It was under construction at the time of the 1881 census as it was recorded as '1B' (i.e. house being built) next door to Balfour Cottage (the lower height house to the right of the church in the top image above). The builder appears to have been Andrew Masterton who was involved in the construction of several properties around that time. 

By the time of the 1891 census, the head of the household at Comely Bank was John Watson. He had been made a widower earlier that same year when his wife Magdalene (nee Simpson) had died aged 40 of tuberculosis. John was living in the house with his nine children, ranging between the ages of 2 and 17. However, the family did not stay much longer and by 1895 Miss Ann Jeffrey Smythe was tenant at Comely Bank. The Watsons moved to Edinburgh.
​

In 1900 Comely Bank was advertised for sale (see 12 May Scotsman above) and it was purchased for £508 by Mr Jenkins of Stirling 'for clients'. The clients were the trustees of "The Stirling Children's Home" - a home founded by Annie Knight Croall (1854-1927) (pictured) in Stirling, which was looking to establish a branch home by the sea. The Children's Home was officially opened by Sir John Gilmour of Montrave on 17 May 1901. The institution was "intended to serve as a convalescent retreat and a place where boys trained in Whinwell - the Home in Stirling - can finish their education and be prepared for their life battle in the world." (18 May Dundee Evening Telegraph). The opening ceremony was held in the U.F. Church and had a large attendance including General Briggs of Strathairly, Colonel Anstruther Thomson of Charleton, Rev. Atkinson of the U.F. Church and Rev. Pulford of the Largo Baptist Church. Musical entertainment was provided by the children and a tour of the home was given.


By this time, Miss Croall had already had twenty five years experience of running the Stirling Children's Home. Her work with neglected or orphaned children began when she had found a baby on a back street, left by its mother who had gone into town for a drink and had been arrested while there. The children that stayed at Comely Bank attended Kirkton School in Upper Largo - some of them are shown listed in the admissions book excerpt below. Miss Croall's homes were dependent upon voluntary subscriptions for support. Covering costs was an ongoing challenge. When Miss Croall wrote her memoirs, these were entitled "Fifty Years on a Scottish Battlefield", referencing the struggle to get her home going, keep it going and secure adequate funding. 

The 'Branch Home' at Largo ran until around 1910. Comely Bank was 'unoccupied' in the 1911 census and by 1914 the advert below appeared in the Scotsman newspaper. The house was eventually bought by Margaret Davie who set up a shop and ran it from Comely Bank for many years.

Meanwhile, the main children's home in Stirling continued. In 1917 Annie wrote to the Stirling Observer newspaper (17 July) that, of the individuals that had come to her as babies over the decades, sixteen were "now young men fighting for their King and country; over 100 are married in good comfortable homes with babies of their own; over 100 are in good service, some of them in splendid positions". Annie died on 1 June 1927 at Whinwell House, aged 72 - she was described as 'Superintendent - Children's Home' at the time of her death. The Stirling Children's Home continued to be run by a board of trustees until 1980 when responsibilities were transferred to the Aberlour Childcare Trust.
​

First published 300 years ago tomorrow (25 April 1719), the story of 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel Defoe (first edition frontispiece pictured above) was a ground-breaking work. Written in a highly-descriptive narrative style, the account is presented as if an autobiography of the title character. The first instalment 'The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner' was so well received that by late summer 1719 the book had been reprinted three times and Defoe had published a sequel,  'The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'. A third volume, 'Serious Reflections During the Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe' completed the trilogy in 1720. Hundreds of editions, translations and spin-offs followed and the tale became one of the most widely published of all time. The isolation/survival premise of the story has been much imitated. There is even a literary genre named after the novel - ‘Robinsonade’ - defined as ‘a desert island story’ or ‘castaway narrative’.
​
Written in a house in Church Street, Stoke Newington, London, 'Robinson Crusoe' was Defoe's debut work of fiction. And it came late in his life - he was almost sixty when he penned it. Defoe was born 'Daniel Foe' in London circa 1660. Son of James Foe, a butcher and tallow chandler, Daniel's early life coincided with the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London, as well as the raid on the Medway by the Dutch Navy. By the time he was ten, his mother Annie had died.

His adult life was equally event filled. As a risk-taking merchant he found himself bankrupt and as a political writer he was imprisoned. A prolific writer on topics as diverse as crime, politics, religion, marriage, psychology and the supernatural, he was also a pioneering journalist. After travelling around Europe, he adding the 'De' to his surname (perhaps to sound more exotic or aristocratic). He witnessed the Great Storm of 1703 and wrote a book about it the following year. After the success of his first work of fiction with 'Robinson Crusoe' in 1719, he followed up with others such as '​Moll Flanders' and 'Roxana'. His marriage to Mary Tuffley produced eight children. Defoe (pictured below) died on 24 April 1731.
​

Before and during Defoe's lifetime there had been multiple stories of real-life castaways - including of course Largo-born Alexander Selkirk. Defoe himself never confirmed nor denied that Selkirk was the prototype for Robinson Crusoe and as a result much speculation has ensued over the centuries as to where the inspiration came from. Many articles and books have been published exploring various theories. 

While it's possible that Selkirk and Defoe actually met one another, what seems probable is that Defoe would have been familiar with the 1712 publication of 'A Cruising Voyage Around the World' by Captain Woodes Rogers, who had rescued Selkirk in February 1709 from his four years and four months of solitude on the island of Mas A Tierra in the Juan Fernandez archipelago off the coast of Chile. His publication relayed Selkirk's experiences in some detail as it was his crew who discovered Selkirk “clothed in goat-skins” gesticulating wildly to them from the shore. Selkirk’s survival story spread widely due to Woodes Rogers’s work. A likely scenario is that Selkirk's adventures - interwoven with creations of Defoe's own imagination plus perhaps elements from other retold survival stories - formed the basis of Robinson Crusoe, which was completed seven years later.

There were of course several notable differences between Alexander and Robinson. For example, the former left his ship by choice while the latter was shipwrecked. Selkirk spent four years and four months on an uninhabited island, while Crusoe found himself stranded for 28 years. Selkirk had only goats and cats for company while Crusoe had 'Man Friday'. Crusoe's island was in the Atlantic while Selkirk's was a Pacific island.

Back in the Parish of Largo, as elsewhere, the connection between the fictional Crusoe and the famous local Alexander Selkirk became strong. Both men (the real and the fictitious) were celebrated. In 1792, the Reverend Mr Spence Oliphant wrote the Statistical Account for the Parish of Largo. The words recorded within this (recorded under the 'Eminent and Notable Men' section) cemented the connection. Oliphant's words, shown below, bear a strong resemblance to the account published by Woodes Rogers and following the publication of the 1792 Statistical Account his words were reprinted in many newspapers and journals. Selkirk family members continued to live in Largo and were able to share recollections of their famous relative. Some Selkirk artefacts remained in circulation. The statue of Crusoe was erected on the site of Selkirk's former home in 1885. Part of the main street in Lower Largo was named 'Defoe Place' for a time. A Selkirk museum was a feature in Largo in the late 1980s.
​

Three centuries after its origin, 'Robinson Crusoe' is still read and enjoyed in numerous formats and languages. The tale and its main character continue to be discussed and studied. The genre is still imitated and re-invented - a recent example being the novel (and movie) 'The Martian'.  But the classic image of the wild man dressed in goat skins is the one that remains most recognisable and most authentic. The true story of Alexander Selkirk and the image of him described by Woodes Rogers has influenced many an artistic book cover, as well as Largo's own statue. 
​

A short snippet below from the Largo St David's Parish Church Quarterly Magazine, June 1967, which describes a lovely gesture by the Largo Brownies on Easter Sunday that year.

Happy Easter!

The 'Pier Pavilion' on Largo Pier changed in appearance over the years, as the selection of images above shows. The temporary and portable nature of the structures plus exposure to the salty air would mean frequent repairs and a limited lifespan. The 'pavilion' with its stage was accompanied by a fenced off section containing seating. An early reference to the Pier Pavilion exists in the 9 January 1913 'The Stage' newspaper, which said:

"Wanted to Let; very reasonable terms to really First-Class Concert party or Attractive Entertainment - Largo Pier Pavilion. Tip-up stalls, stage and scenery. From Easter to end of June. Only tip-top show would be entertained."

The 'tip-up stalls' were later replaced with benches and (more pricey) deck chairs. While a charge would be made for a seated view of the performance, those trying to watch from outside the fencing would not escape the notice of the company - members of which would pass around the crowds with collection tins. The 22 June 1929 Fife Free Press snippet below gives a flavour of the popularity of the venue in the 1920s.

Owned by the Pier Committee by the 1920s, the pavilion could be rented for the season (see example adverts below from The Stage for the 1927, 1928 and 1934 seasons respectively).
​

​

While 'The Rigmaroles' enjoyed a twelve week run on the pier in 1927, one of the most regular performing companies was led by Tom O'Reilly. In 1925, 'O'Reilly's Vaudevillian Orchestra' were in residence at Largo. By 1929 they were still around but known as 'O'Reilly's Hammer and Tongs' (see piece below from 29 August 1929 The Stage). The company provided a ventriloquist act, comedy, songs, sketches, dancing and various musical items featuring a range of instruments. Further below, is a notice from The Stage on 11 September 1935 where the retitled  'O'Reilly's Serenaders' were performing for a sixth season.

By 1936 there was debate over the future of the pier pavilion and its alfresco shows. As the feature below from the 25 July Fife Free Press indicates, many would have wanted to preserve this traditional form of entertainment. But the unreliable weather, changing fashions and lack of profitability were beginning to work against it. The option to hold more events in La Scala was proving to be popular. The pavilion's days were numbered.

On 24 Dec 1937, the Dundee Courier ran the advert below when one of the structures was put up for sale along with a quantity of deck chairs. However, perhaps a sale was not secured as the pavilion was still mentioned in the 1938 season, including a performance by the local silver band. The era of the Pier Pavilion came to an end early during the Second World War when the Pier Committee was dissolved. 
​

Eighty three years ago today, the snippets above appeared in the Fife Free Press in the local news update for Largo. Both short stories relate to fresh beginnings - the first to the completion of new housing and the second to a the new impending holiday season.  While the replacement of buildings happens rarely, the annual preparation for the influx of holidaymakers was part of the rhythm of life at the time. 

The "old-fashioned corner" of the village referred to in the top news item was a small section of Lower Largo's Main Street known then as 'Butters Buildings'.  James Butters was a weaver/net maker/boatman who had died late in 1934. He (and his parents James Butters and Margaret Gilchrist before him) had owned a few dwellings and a loomshop for many decades, while living opposite at 'Cliff House'.  James senior was a fisherman. He and Margaret had ten children but only  James (1860-1934) survived into adulthood.  

The replacement buildings were built by Walter Horne, who was married to a cousin of James Butters (Agnes Guthrie).  Part of the new construction later ​housed the Cockleshell Cafe. interestingly, the "old red tiles on the roofs" were reused on the new building. Red roof tiles remain there to this day (see photograph below with the buildings in question to the right behind the tree).

​As a follow-up to the previous post - above is a 1969 view across Largo Harbour with the disused station in the background. This image has been converted from a slide and the magnified view below shows the station in more detail. The station master's house is visible above the viaduct arch to the left of the tree. The bridge over the railway line remains in place. The station buildings still appear to be in reasonable condition from this distance but the track area seems quite overgrown with vegetation.

Another point of interest in the detail below is the bright red World War Two sea mine positioned in front of the Crusoe Hotel, tucked in next to the 1888 harbour toilet facility. These mines were reconditioned into charity collection boxes to support the dependants of those lost at sea, as well as sick, disabled or retired fishermen and mariners. These were found in many a coastal town or village. Some displayed the message "I am a real sea mine. Instead of destroying seamen, I want to help them". Does anyone know when this one was removed from the harbour area?

The location of the remaining sea mines around the UK can be seen on the shipwrecked mariners' society website.  The closest one appears to be at St Monans. For another glimpse of the old Lower Largo one, see about 23 seconds into the following home movie clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MDMfqXcpus

Some may recall the poem above. It featured in a cine film made by Ernest Mackie in the 1960s about the closure of the railway line through Largo and Lundin Links. It's a beautifully-written, sentimental piece that must have had particular resonance during the period immediately following the withdrawal of service. As the images below show, the stations lay derelict and overrun with weeds for some time before final demolition.  The condition of the closed station at Largo at that time was a stark contrast to its appearance in years gone by, when the award-winning gardens were carefully tended and a shell-covered sun-dial, statue and model of the Flying Scotsman (created by James Young) graced the station. 

The line had been in decline for some time before Dr Richard Beeching (referred to in the poem) made his recommendations for the restructuring of the railways around the country. The photograph of him at the end of this post was taken in 1962 at Edinburgh Waverley on his study trip which ultimately led to this line being cut, along with many others.
​

​The previous post looked at flax cultivation and the preparation of the harvested flax for spinning within the mill that once operated in Lower Largo (shown in the photograph above in a later guise as an oil and cake mill). Following on from 'part 1', the drawing below shows the mill first floor plan and describes the "wet" spinning process, as well as providing other contextual information. To view this in a new window as a zoom-able PDF, please click here.

Once the flax was spun, 'reeling' or 'winding' took place. This was a labour-intensive process and described below. In the census of 1851 there were several folks described as 'yarn winders' in Largo, including 81-year-old George Kidd Senior and 13-year-old Isabel Bell. There were also a few recorded as 'pirn winders', which included 10-year-old George White and 12-year-old Caroline Lindsay. After winding, the spun yarn was dried. Full details of this and more are given in the drawing below - click here for a PDF version.
​

Finally, to round off this two-parter, the drawing below shows the three levels of the main mill building in relation to the water wheel and the boiler and engine. The annotations indicate that the preparation of the flax took place on the ground floor, the spinning on the first floor and the reeling in the level above that. To view this as a PDF - click here. It was quite an operation and one that brought significant employment to the villages. In a future post it might be interesting to look more closely at some of the people that worked in the mill and what happened to them when it closed.
​

Below are a couple of photographs taken inside a flax spinning mill in Arbroath. To see a film of a more modern (1940s) version of the flax spinning process, click the link below....

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspGz6xYzvg

Below is a detailed description by John Band of flax cultivation and processing, and the history of this particular site. To open this document as a PDF please click here. Note that 'retting' (the soaking of the flax in water) was a key part of the process. An example of a 'retting pond' (a small natural or artificial body of water used for the prolonged soaking of flax straw, in order to soften the woody tissue and enable the fibres to be separated) can still be seen at Silverburn Park.

Next, the drawing below shows scale plans of the 'heckle house' building, showing the probable use of the space within it at the time of the flax spinning operation and describing the initial steps in the process. To open this drawing as a PDF, click here. 
​

​Finally, for this post (a part two is to follow), the drawing below features a ground floor plan for the main mill building and outlines the next stages in the process. A PDF of this can be opened by clicking here. In the next post, the actual 'spinning' part of the process will be detailed, along with the subsequent winding and drying, as well as much more information about the buildings at that time and the industry in general.
​

The above photograph shows the Slee family of Edinburgh on holiday in August 1933, with part of the Temple visible in the background. The family came to Lower Largo annually from the early 1930s until the Second World War. Their visits began when the children had whooping cough and the doctor suggested some sea air. A book named "Two Generations of Edinburgh Folk" by Dorothy Slee (1993), describes the holidays as follows:

"Granny rented a cottage at Largo for us for a month and it was such a success that we returned there annually for six or seven years. The little rented cottages were at the far end of the village of Lower Largo, just across a narrow road from the beach. Happy and carefree, we spent more of our time on this beach - building sand castles, paddling, looking for crabs in the rocks, or floating in a large rubber inner tube".

The book was part of the 'Flashbacks' book series designed to reveal the daily lives of individuals in the context of their own time and place. Dorothy worked at the National Museums of Scotland who co-produced the series. The concept of the series was that everyone can contribute to the "total sum of knowledge of human history" and that "local and personal history" should be set alongside political and other kinds of history.
 

The second photograph above shows some members of the family sitting outside their rented cottage. It has since been demolished and replaced by the modern home that is now 5 The Temple. You can recognise the neighbouring house (number 7) which looks the same today.  Later in the Dorothy Slee's book there is a description of the entertainment on offer in Largo at the time:

"At the other end of the village by the Crusoe Hotel there would be pierrots and a Punch and Judy show to visit, where we would stand enraptured by the strains of "Oh, oh, Antonio" or "Why am I always the bridesmaid never the blushing bride?"....We would sometimes climb up Largo Law and always have a picnic at Shell Bay which meant a trek along the beach laden with picnic gear and, most importantly, Grandpa hugging the large yellow melon."

Below is the spot where the above photo was captured - the group sat by the low wall in the left hand foreground.