Hugh Cameron was born in Edinburgh in 1835, eldest son of tailor John Cameron and his wife Isabella Armstrong. At the age of 14 he became an apprentice in architecture and surveying. However, his true passion was for painting and by 1852 he was studying under Robert Scott Lauder. Cameron exhibited for the first time at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1854 at the age of nineteen (and went on to be represented at every exhibition bar two up until the year of his death). Having given up architecture entirely in 1856, he became an Associate of the RSA in 1859. The 1861 census describes Hugh Cameron as an 'artist figure painter' and the census of 1871 records him as living in India Street in Edinburgh as an 'artist (painting)'.

In 1877 at the age of 42, Hugh married widow Jessie Allan (nee Anderson) in Helensburgh. Their first daughter Margaret Kerr Cameron was born the following year. Their second daughter Isabella Armstrong Cameron was born the year after. The family then moved to London - Hugh following in the footsteps of many of his fellow Scottish painters. While based in London, at West Cromwell Road in Kensington, the couple had their son Hugh and a third daughter, Jessie. The family returned to Scotland after only a few years "not finding London very congenial". Based in Edinburgh at the time of the 1891 census, Hugh had already by this time discovered Largo as a place of inspiration. 

The full catalogue of his works exhibited at the RSA shows Viewforth (beyond the Temple at Largo) named as his studio base from 1889. In 1889 he produced works such as Pleasures of the Sea and The Timid Bather. These were followed by pieces such as Summer Pleasures and Morning by the Sea. Viewforth (the ruins of which are pictured below) was right on the shore of beautiful Largo Bay, was fairly private and isolated and had a quality of light quality just perfect for capturing seascapes. The fresh breezy weather and opportunity for sea-bathing was beneficial to the wider family and Cameron's pieces from this time often feature women and children by and in the sea.
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In fact Hugh was already associated with Largo by 1888. The piece above from the 10 February 1888 Fifeshire Advertiser shows him present at the annual dinner of Largo Curling Club. He continued to split his time between Edinburgh and Largo beyond 1905, when his wife Jessie (who produced her own paintings of Largo) passed away aged 59. One of the most recognisable scenes of Largo is the one below (Summer Pleasures, 1890) looking west along the bay towards the Crusoe Hotel. Further below is a selection of other works depicting Largo.
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In the 1901 census, Hugh, wife Jessie and two children, Isabel and Hugh, were recorded as residing at Elphinstone on Crescent Road (pictured above). The census took place on 31 March, perhaps suggesting that while this time of year was not conducive to being at Viewforth, the family still opted to be based in the Largo area. Two local women were also part of the household, employed as a cook and housemaid (see below).
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The above portrait of Hugh Cameron, painted by John Brown Abercromby in 1898, is significant because it depicts Cameron painting a scene of Largo Bay. The word 'Largo' is also incorporated into this artwork in the centre at the foot (see detail below). Although known as an Edinburgh artist, there is no doubt that Largo was an important place for Cameron, a place which not only inspired him but one which was also for a long time his home. The 16 July 1918 Scotsman included the following words in his obituary:

"For some years he resided in Fifeshire whence originated some attractive pictures of child life being painted sympathetically at play on the shore, the compositions having a sense of light and movement which have characterised the best of the later work of Scottish artists." 
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Hugh Cameron died in Edinburgh, aged 82, at the residence of his daughter, Isabella Armstrong Archibald, on Spottiswoode Street. He is buried in Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh along with Jessie and two of their daughters (see image at foot of post).
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The above photograph shows Harbour Wynd, heading south towards Lower Largo. The building at the corner with the black and white half-timbering was once Largo's Gas Showroom. Also once known as Gasworks Wynd or Toll Road, the Harbour Wynd showroom opened in 1935. The facility was adjacent to the gas retort house and cylinder and was owned by the Kennoway and Largo Gas Company, who quickly set about ingratiating themselves with the locals and the visitors in Largo. The piece below from the 20 August 1935 Leven Advertiser tells of how the manager installed a seat outside the showroom, overlooking Largo Bay, upon which were the words "to use more gas and enjoy more leisure".
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​Note the small cartoon character at the foot of several of the gas adverts above. This was 'Mr Therm' - a jolly character designed in 1933 by graphic designer Eric Fraser, which was used in the gas industry's advertising for around four decades. Mr Therm explained how gas worked, highlighted the benefits of using modern products and reminded people of the savings they could make by switching to gas. The slogan "Mr Therm burns to serve you" was often used.
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Many small town and village gas showrooms was in inconspicuous, modest buildings such as Largo's and the example below from Biggar (which still exists as a museum). As well as being a place to view and order gas appliances (available for rent, hire-purchase or sale) the gas showroom was a place folks went to pay their gas bills or to have appliances repaired.
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In 1965, Largo Gas Showroom was converted into a house and it is now known as Friday Cottage. These days, it is hard to imagine that this once had a shop front, a range of innovative home appliances on show and a queue of people waiting to pay their bills. If you have memories of the gas showroom, please leave a comment.
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Pictured above is Rollo Villa, an imposing three-storey house on the Temple at Lower Largo. This house dates to the early 1880s and is not dissimilar looking to its neighbour to the west, Serpentine Villa. As well as a sea view, Rollo Villa once enjoyed a great view of the railway line to the rear, with steam trains passing just feet away from the back door and garden. The photographs below, kindly shared by Ian Downie, show just how close the railway was to the back porch.

Ultimately James Clark's son, John Clark, a railway surfaceman, became the proprietor of the new villa built upon the site of the cottages. He named the new property Rollo Villa after his mother's maiden name. He and his wife Elizabeth Elder rented out the flatted property to summer visitors for many years. John Clark died at Rollo Villa in 1913 and the house passed on to his widowed daughter Mary Rollo Todd who had lived with him for some time and who had been married in Rollo Villa in 1890. Mary died in 1935 and the property passed on to her children Alexander and Elizabeth.

​Rollo Villa remained in the ownership of the same family until very recently. In the painting above, by John Blair, the rear of Rollo Villa can be seen within a grey and stormy scene. Below are some photographs outside Rollo Villa from the mid-1960s when the Downie family resided in the upper flat and Rollo Villa was owned by David Rollo (whose mini can be seen in one of the photos). One shows Mr Downie working on the retaining wall of the front garden across the road. In the photo of the four male Downie siblings, the neighbouring properties can be seen before the extensive renovation work which makes their appearance today very different.

When Largo had large deep sea fishing boats, these boats were made in boat building yards outside of the Parish. For example, the Ocean Bride (KY 4), was built by John Alexander Millar at West Anstruther in September 1882 for the Gillies brothers and David Ballingall's Forget-Me-Not (KY 2011) was built at Fulton's boatyard in Pittenweem the same year. The Osprey (KY 977) was built in Dysart and the British Queen (KY 1419) at Buckhaven. However, over the years many of Largo's smaller boats were made in Largo by local joiners and craftsmen. Below is a list of vessels known to have been built in Largo Parish. 

A more detailed list of the above boats, showing type, length, builder and year of build (where known) can be accessed as a PDF by clicking here. Note that most are ML registrations, rather than KY registrations. In 1904, a new regulation came into force that all new boats (and existing boats that chose to) could register in Methil rather than Kirkcaldy. The very first boat to do so was the Lizzie Cameron of St Monans, who became ML 1. Below is the report of her launch from 24 June 1904 East of Fife Record. Second was Sceptre of Cellardyke (ML 2), then Buckhaven's Thistle (ML 3 and ex-KY 622)). The first Largo-based boat to register at Methil was David Melville's Unity which was registered as ML 21 in 1905. By 1910, two hundred boats had been registered at Methil, one hundred of which had previously been KY boats.

Most of the vessels on the Largo-built list were probably built for Largo folk. For example, Lily (ML 56), was built in 1920 by Walter Horne for Alexander Simpson. Lily was a 1.16 tons sail boat (16.8 x 6.4 x 2.4 feet). However, some are known to have been built for people from other places. For example, in 1898, Thistle was built by Walter Horne for Alexander Thomson of Buckhaven. Thistle originally had the registration KY 468 but later became ML 70. All of the boats on the list (with the exception of the racing yachts) are under 20 feet in length reflecting the limited space in which their builders had to work.  Notable local boat builders were joiners Walter Horne and David Tait. Some vessels were also made by the Gillies brothers. 

The names of these local boats are predominantly female forenames - likely named after mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. The Marne was owned by Andrew Gillies of Goodsir House and was named after the battlefield where Tom Johnston of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders, won the Military Medal during the First World War. The Osprey was most likely named after the deep sea fishing boat Osprey (KY 977) - both vessels of that name being owned within the Gillies family. The Quaver and Semiquaver are also boats owned by the Gillies family but associated with racing rather than with fishing. Interestingly, the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther have recently placed another Quaver from Largo on display. Pictured below is the yawl from their collection, apparently built for David Gillies, of Cardy House in the 1870s.

Do you have information about (or pictures of) any of the Largo-built boats listed above? Do you know of other boats made over the years in the Largo area? If so, please do get in touch and let's add to the list.
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Lower Largo has a few characterful cobbled paths and pavements, some of which date back to circa 1880. Their construction was often associated with house building development. Cardy House for example was built in 1871 on an elevated position, accessed from the west side, via a small slope (pictured above and below). Having a surface made of cobblestones enabled horses to get a better grip than they would on dirt. Cobbles set into sand also have the advantage of allowing water to drain and to shift slightly with subtle ground movements. This example at Cardy Crossing (also known as Braehead or East End Cottages) actually comprises whin setts (even blocks of dressed stones) in the middle and 'split whin horonising' to the side. The latter are irregular slivers of offcut material. 
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The 1885 photograph above shows the old muddy dirt roads of Main Street, which were subject to rutting and puddles. Although it wasn't practical to surface all roads, some small sections were cobbled by those that could afford it. For example, circa 1880 a broad area of the roadside was surfaced in front of the Crusoe Buildings (see below) and its neighbouring houses to the east. Not only was this to become a prestigious spot due to the Robinson Crusoe Statue being sited there but the cobblestones provided a practical space for outdoor work - such as the preparation of fishing nets. The material below is another example of split whin horonising.
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Some of the other examples around the village (see below) are true 'cobbles', i.e. naturally occurring more rounded stones. The word cobble derives from the word cob which means a rounded lump.

During the second half of the 19th century, cobbles were widely phased out in favour of less expensive concrete and tarmacadam. Often cobbles were covered over with these new materials. However, most Largo examples have stood the test of time, providing character to the streetscape and the occasional low-key artistic flourish, such as the one below. There are even a few modern takes on cobblestones around the village, including around the Temple Car Park. 

Have you noticed the plaque (pictured above and below) on the wall of a house on Lower Largo's Main Street?  Do you know what this was placed there for? Read on to find out the answer (or take some time to think about it first before reading on). The plaque sits between between two upper windows and has recently been painted gold and black. Previously it had a more grey-brown appearance (see image further below).

The house in question is shown in the Canmore collection photograph above, taken in the 1970s. The plaque can just be seen between the centre and left upper windows. This is 38 Main Street, known as Crampie, but once named Berwick View. Crampie is also the name of one of the named large boulders on Largo beach. Below are other examples of the same type of plaque - with the same sun symbol but varying number sequences. Do you know what these are yet?

To fully answer the question, let's go all the way back to 1666 and the Great Fire of London. This catastrophic event triggered the establishment of insurance offices. The first one was called the 'Fire Office' and started in 1680. At the beginning, it provided money for the restoration or reconstruction of buildings damaged by fire. However, insurance companies soon realised that it was cheaper to prevent and extinguish fires than simply to pay the cost of reconstruction. Insurance companies began to employ their own fire brigades.

The insurers created ‘fire mark’ plates, such as the one in Lower Largo, in order to identify which houses were insured by each company. These were installed prominently on an exterior wall facing the street. This identification was particularly important before the introduction of street numbering but they also served to advertise the insurance company's services. Sometimes, insurance companies had reciprocal arrangements with each other, so that if a fire brigade put out a fire at a house insured by another company then the brigade’s company would be reimbursed.

​The fire plaque or plate provided instant visual proof that the household was insured against fire-risk, and guaranteed attendance by the insurance company's fire-fighters should the need arise. The illustration below depicts fire fighters from the Sun Fire Brigade circa 1800 with their rudimentary equipment. The newspaper clipping from the Fife Herald of 21 Oct 1824 gives an example of their brigade putting out a fire in Edinburgh.
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The church building that preceded the Largo St David's Church in Lower Largo was built in 1771 as the Largo Relief Church. As far as I am aware there is no photograph or painting depicting this original church, which was demolished and replaced a century after its completion. The old church was however sketched multiple times by the children of James Gillies in the 1850s. These sketches still exist in the St Andrews University Library Special Collection. Although these are the drawings of children, and there is quite a bit of variation between them, the do provide a sense of the basic features of the church.

All depict some form of tower or steeple, topped with a weathercock (a weather vane in the form of a cockerel). Each shows that there was an upper level to the building. There also seem to have been quoins (external corner stones) which would have added strength to the walls, which were made of inferior rubble, as well as providing some simple aesthetic detail. This all tallies with the written records of the building which suggest it was a simple rectangular structure with entrance porch and internal balcony or 'gallery'. This gallery was originally supported by wooden pillars, until those were replaced with iron pillars in 1852.

We know that the construction of the 1771 church was a community affair, from the account given in an 1884 letter written to the editor of the Dundee Courier, signed "A United Presbyterian Member", and published on 15th November:

"men, women and children were alike zealous, and when the masons towards the end of their day's labours left off their work for the want of material, they were often surprised next morning to find an abundant supply - the men with barrows, the women with their aprons, and children with creels, having procured it for them overnight from the beach which skirts the village."

The weather cock (as well as being ornamental) would have been valuable in showing the wind direction. Wind changes made a big difference to the activities of local farmers and fishermen. The tail would catch the wind and the beak would point towards the direction from which the wind was blowing. Such weather vanes had been placed on churches for centuries. I wonder who made this feature and what happened to it when the church was taken down. 

It was a vacancy at Largo Kirk in 1768 and subsequent controversial appointment of Reverend David Burn, that led to the establishment of Largo Relief Church. The portion of the congregation that were strongly opposed to this choice protested by leaving the church. These folk initially met in the open air to worship as an independent group but in 1770 they applied for (and were granted) pulpit supply from the Relief Church of Edinburgh. Soon afterwards, the newly formed congregation were given land from Mr Durham of Largo House upon which to erect a Church. The site was immediately to the east of the later Largo St David's Church.
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We also know that at least one person was buried within the old church building - that being it longstanding minister Reverend James Gardiner. It is probable that there was some form of memorial tablet within the church to remember him. Over the century that it existed, there would have been many baptisms, marriages and funerals held within the church. An example baptism is shown below. This is for William Rodger, one of the Rodger family of Lundin Mill. See the words "in the presence of the Relief Congregation at Nether Largo".

The Largo Relief Church would have been uncomplicated but it would likely have reflected the church architectural style of the time. Perhaps it wouldn't have been dissimilar to other nearby churches of the era. A comparable example is shown in the images below, just across the Forth in North Berwick. This was the St Andrew's Kirk Ports Church, the tower of which was also completed in 1771. Note the irregular rubble walls, the simple memorial plaque on the interior and the stone internal staircase which would have provided access to a gallery.
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In August 1984 a Largo Heritage Week was held, involving a range of events and exhibitions. The above photograph was taken at a Scots Night held on the lawn at Cardy House. Around 140 people took part in this particular event which featured highland dancing displays organised by local dance teacher Ida Ballingall. Ida can be seen in the centre of the photograph with her accordion, a portable source of backing music for the dancers. Other musical contributions to the night included harp-accompanied singing by Christine St Clair, who was there with her mother and well-known sister Isla St Clair.

The 1st Largo Brownies also played a part in the evening, under the leadership of Brown Owl, Joy Spence (standing second from far right in the photo). The Brownies served tea and some of their recent handiwork was also on display at the event. Organiser of the event, Ivy Jardine, can be seen to the left of the highland dancers, wearing a white blouse and long tartan skirt. Her eldest son Allan is on the extreme right of the picture, holding bagpipes. He played the pipes daily during the heritage week, and rounded off the Scots Night, piping from the roof of Cardy House next to the flagpole, which was flying the saltire. Below is another image from the evening, as printed in the East Fife Mail, showing the dancers in action and Ida in the right foreground, playing the accordion. 

A heritage photographic exhibition took place in the Durham Hall, attracting many visitors, with the ladies of the Largo St David's Women's Guild providing refreshments. This exhibition included entries for the joint East Fife Mail and Largo Heritage competition. The newspaper photograph above from the East Fife Mail shows the competition prize winners. 
The winner of the first prize was Margaret Smart of Durham Crescent, for her image of a friend examining an old milestone (see below). Second prize went to Craig Roberts for his close-up photograph of freshly caught fish, while the under-12 category winner was Catherine Kidd who had snapped fishing nets. With the 200th anniversary of the Crusoe Hotel building coming up next year, then the 350th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Selkirk in 2026, could another heritage week be a possibility? 

The above photograph was captured by John Patrick the Buckhaven-born photographer. The image dates to around 1870, by which time Patrick had moved his photography business from Leven to Kirkcaldy. The photograph may have been commissioned in connection with the sale of the Lundin Estate at the time, as a visual indication of the boundary between the Lundin estate and the Largo estate. Drummochy to the left (west) of the Keil Burn fell within the Lundin estate. Note that at this time a couple of houses still featured thatched roofs.
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In the 'then and now' pair of images above, the half-thatched building to the right of Drummochy House (the tallest house with bay windows in the newer image) has been replaced with garages. For a time, the space where the old house once stood was a gap site. The photograph below shows that in that space there was a distinctive statue - the bust of a man on a plinth. 

Among the changes were the replacement of two ruinous cottages on feu number 40 with the detached villa 'Fernbank'. The photograph below shows the contrast between the remaining older houses at the lower level and the new villas of Woodlands Road at the top, and 'Fernbank' in the centre.
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Other lost buildings are the dark coloured ones to the left of centre in the background of the George Washington Wilson photograph below. Remains of the old walls of these structures can still be seen at the site on Cellar Brae by the benches. The tall building looks virtually identical Drummochy House being the same height, design and orientation. The modern day aerial image at the foot of this post shows the continued evolution of this area on both sides of the burn, with many old buildings replaced and gap sites filled, including some across the former path of the railway line, the old gas works and the former mill site.

Above is a 1960s view taken from Largo Pier, across the Keil towards Drummochy. Some of the detail is shown below on what was clearly a warm summer day. Note the old shelter at Cellar Braes, the people sitting on the bench next to it and the towels left on the lower part of the sea wall. Two beautiful boats are central to the image. The boat to the rear is W. Ewan Bryden's 'Greenmantle'. This photogenic vessel was a Largo fixture for a couple of decades. If you know the name of the second boat, please comment.
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The second image below was taken on the same day but orientated towards the viaduct and road bridge. In this photograph the caravan park can be glimpsed through the arch of the viaduct along with the gasworks. The three houses standing prominently behind the Fish Restaurant are, from left to right, Bellvue, Gullane View and Drummochy House (see map further below). 

Interestingly, the Scottish colourist, George Leslie Hunter, produced an artwork featuring Bellvue and Coventry Cottage (see below). Captured from an interesting vantage point down at water level in the harbour, this 1920s watercolour looks up at the houses while fishing nets dry on poles to the right. The tall yellow object to the left could well be a hayrick.
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