The previous post highlighted a painting which featured 'Doctor's Vennel'. This characterful corner of Lower Largo no longer exists in its original form but is remembered fondly by many. Found at 81a Main Street, tucked behind 'Court House', this former row of historic buildings was also known as 'Doctor's Wynd' and 'Court House Close' over the years. The 'Doctor' reference derives from the fact that the vennel was adjacent to (the still remaining) 'Goodsir' house, which was the home of Dr John Goodsir over two hundred years ago.

The above sketch of the vennel was created by Ken Lochead (1936-2006), the East Lothian-based watercolour artist, during the era when the Largo Pottery was located in these buildings. However, further back in time Doctor's Vennel accommodated four dwellings. The census extract below from 1901 shows the four households recorded then, between 'The Court' and 'Goodsir House'. At this time all four of the households were headed up by older, retired individuals - a former loom weaver, a former oil mill crusher, a former domestic servant and 74-year-old Isabella Lawrie (who lived with her net worker daughter).

​
​Isabella Lawrie lived at the end of Doctor's Vennel for decades. Her dwelling was right next to the natural spring - located through the opening at the far end of the vennel (see photograph below from the book 'Seatoun of Largo' by Ivy Jardine).
Water emerged from the spring within a carved hollow in the vertical bedrock into a stone trough (a feature which remains to this day - see colour image further below). Having direct access to a natural spring that never ran dry made Isabella Lawrie (maiden name Sime) the ideal person to wash clothes for those without such an amenity. Indeed the 1891 census extract below lists her occupation as 'washerwoman' (as it also was in the census of 1871 and 1881). She was married to merchant seaman James Lawrie. Isabella died in 1912 aged 87.

In the late eighteenth century, there were at least three washerwoman in Largo Parish - each living next to a water source. In addition to Isabella Lawrie, there was Grace Cornfoot in Kirkton of Largo, close to the water pump at Church Place and Margaret Wallace, who lived right next to Pump Green in Lundin Mill. They probably all also made use of the communal bleaching greens that were common at the time.

Among the other residents of Doctor's Vennel were Andrew Drysdale - a carter who lived there in 1911, and further back in time several hand loom weavers, labourers and fishermen. The series of photographs below are from the 'Canmore' website, which is part of Historic Environment Scotland. Taken when the buildings were in a run-down state, these images pre-date the establishment of Largo Pottery at the site. More to follow on the pottery in the next post.
​

The painting above (entitled 'Harvest in Largo') is a view from what is now Bourtree Terrace/Bourtree Brae, looking over the rooftops of Lower Largo to the south west. Painted around or before 1910 by John Blair, the artist was sitting in what was then a field between the old Durham School and the Main Street. The bellcote of Largo St David's Church dominates the skyline and there are many boats our in the bay. 

The annotated sketch of the same view highlights the following buildings: 
​
1. Rear of Durham House                2. Goodsir House             3. Balfour Cottage (obscuring Comely Bank to the rear)
4. Grocer and Co-op Shops             5. Court House                  6. Downfield
7. Largo St David's Church              8. Doctor's Vennel

Also in the distance to the far right are the long-gone Butter's Buildings.

The 1912 map below helps to clarify where the painting was taken from and the direction of the view. Bourtree Terrace is shown on the map below but is absent from the artwork, showing it was created before the creation of the map. John Blair was a landscape artist born in Berwickshire in 1850, who died in Edinburgh in 1934. At the time of his death the Berwick Advertiser (18 Oct) noted that "his watercolours, well-known to connoisseurs all over the country, depicting often the quaint picturesqueness of fishing villages, met wide appreciation". It's wonderful when an old painting, taken from an unusual position, gives an insight to life in the villages in days gone by.

A comparison of Crusoe Buildings (on the right, looking west) - with a circa 1900 view at the top and a contemporary view below. Not much changed? On closer inspection the Crusoe Buildings have undergone a fair amount of remodelling over the last 120 years, with significant changes to the window arrangement and an attic conversion. It was modernised and reconstructed in 1936 according to the newspaper archives. Recent years have seen further renovation. Happily, the statue is unchanged - although it did enjoy a holiday in Glasgow in the 1980s.

Capturing this view without cars featuring in it, is impossible today and no longer does the road feature physical evidence of horses. A new window has appeared in the gable end of neighbouring number 97. The church bellcote has gone and indeed the church building is no longer in use as a church. 

​Below some small details are picked out. Note the child at the door of the former 'Very Crafty' shop. The buildings once housed a Barber's Shop (see announcement from 13 June 1912 Leven Advertiser further below).
​

This circa 1905 postcard view looks along Emsdorf Street from the front door of David Lindsay's grocer shop at the junction of Hillhead Street. In the immediate foreground to the left is an old wall (long gone) and to the right, up high, a street lamp holder. Also to the right, on the ground, are a wooden barrel and box, typical of the era. Back in the 1970s local resident Esther Menzies recalling this shop said:

"Mr Lindsay sold everything nearly - bran, parings, oatmeal, dried big cod, doormats, salt herring from a barrel in front of the counter and of course the ordinary groceries not packaged as they are today."

She commented upon how this area was really the hub of the village with Cowie the chemist next door and Robert Forrester's painter and paperhanger shop opposite. There were other businesses both on Hillhead and Emsdorf Streets. 

Highclere Castle is a country house in Hampshire, best-known today as the set for the drama 'Downtown Abbey'. In 1838, the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon commissioned architect Charles Barry (who was also working on the Houses of Parliament at the time) to transform the Georgian House he had inherited at Highclere into a spectacular Italianate Castle. The work was carried out during the 1840s.

However, there is also a 'Highclere' in Lundin Links at 25 Hillhead Lane. The story of how this house got its distinctive name starts with Andrew Peebles, who was born in Lundin Mill in 1836 to James Peebles and Mary Grieve. Like most of their Emsdorf Street neighbours, the whole family were linen hand loom weavers. In the census of 1851, 14-year-old Andrew was described as a weaver, as were his two older sisters and his 12-year-old brother - just like their father.

However, hand loom weaving was on the decline and before long all the Peebles children had found alternative employment. Andrew - described as a "strapping youth" - found employment with the factor's office of the Largo Estate. This was in the days of Lady Dundas (Lillias Calderwood Durham, wife of Robert Dundas). By the 1861 census, Andrew was working as a forester on the Arniston estate in Midlothian which was also owned by Lady Dundas. The move to Arniston was one made by several Largo folk including gardener Colin McTaggart and William Tivendale who was also a forester, a former weaver and a cousin of Andrew Peebles. 

'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:
​
"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.
​

Continuing on from the previous post, let's compare the 1885 parade route (on the day of the unveiling of the Robinson Crusoe statue) with the present day equivalent views. Above shows the 'Labour Always Conquers' banner which was situated at Largo St David's Church (seen on the left edge of the images). The buildings on the right (Comely Bank and Balfour Cottage) are unchanged. However, on the left side, after the church, a new addition has appeared since 1885, in the form of 'Downfield'. This building contained five dwellings, three on the ground floor and two on the first floor, and was constructed c1890. Beyond that is Court House, then Doctor's Wynd, Goodsir House and Bonny Bay House and Bakery.
​

The next arch was sited just before arriving at the statue itself and bore the motto "Robinson Crusoe now we see good and great at last". The images above feature on the left 93-97 Main Street with the Crusoe Buildings beyond. On the extreme right is 'Seabeach' followed by 'Balguthrie'. The evergreen-covered platform can be seen on the centre left of the 1885 photograph. This is where the unveiling ceremony took place and where many speeches were given on 11 December that year.
​

Moving east beyond the statue, the next arch and banner were positioned just before Cardy House and the tight corner down to Cardy Works. Naturally this one stated "May Cardy Works Flourish". The gate pier of Craigiebank is on the far right with a weaver's cottage beyond. On the left side of the street are the buildings of the former Loomshop Studio and then 'East End Cottages' or 'Braehead' (now known as Cardy Crossing Cottage). The trees behind the wall of Cardy House today look like they could be the original ones seen on the old picture.

Finally, once the ceremony around the unveiling of the Robinson Crusoe statue was complete and the dignitaries were ready to set off back to Largo Station, a final message hung stating "Will you no come back again". This comparison photo is perhaps the view that reflects the most change over time. The boats hauled up on the left hand side are now replaced with cars. The viaduct no longer has railway traffic travelling over it. The mill building seen below the viaduct arch is gone, along with the footbridge seen in front of it in 1885 (crowded with people for the special occasion). The Railway Inn is ever present though and was in the hands of the Bunns in 1885. The whole affair must have been quite a spectacle and wonderful to witness, although strange that a cold and short December day was chosen for such a red letter day for the community.

Above was how the 16 December 1885 Fife Herald described the day of the unveiling of the statue of Robinson Crusoe on Lower Largo's Main Street.  The piece continued:

"On the other arches were displayed such mottoes as "Weel may the Boatie Row" - a song which has special application to Largo; "Labour always conquers"; "Robinson Crusoe now we see, good and great at last"; and "May Cardy Works Flourish". A temporary platform, covered with evergreens, was erected in front of "Crusoe's Cottage" and there the ceremony of the day took place".

Such a special occasion demanded the presence of a high class photographer and John Terras of Markinch provided this service. Many images of the day have been preserved but this post and the next focus on a series of images of the parade route and its arches and mottoes. What has changed along the route since 1885?

There are a few differences at the very start of the processional route. Notably, the boats once frequently hauled up onto the street have long since been replaced by cars. The house through the archway has undergone significant remodelling. The convenience shop sits where the garden of Alexandra House once was. In spite of these changes, however, it's still a recognisable view - mainly thanks to the Crusoe Hotel on the right hand side and the slipway down to the beach.

The next 'then and now' location shows the old manse at 23 Main Street on the left while the two-storey building on the right (framed by the arch) is 'Berwick View'. Here was the business of Alexander Simpson, who was a shoemaker in 1881 but a grocer by 1891. His shop sign is visible in the 1885 photograph. Inch View Cottage lies beyond that on the right. In the old image, Butters Buildings can be seen through the arch on the left (lighter coloured building). The people standing watching the photographer include men, apron-ed women, children and babies in arms.

​A little further east from the first location, another banner was positioned. This time at the bend in the street where White Cottage sits on the right. On the left is the gable end of 57 Main Street (then known as No 1 Seaview). On the 1885 photo, in the centre behind the arch is a quaint old house that was known as 'The Castle'. Little did the occupants of this little house know then that this building's days were numbered. Several years later this property was swept away in a violent storm. 

A severe north-easterly gale intensified on 18 October 1898. The Scotsman that day described how the sea rose to a "tremendous height" and how huge waves had breached the sea wall at Kirkcaldy. The next day's Courier spoke of havoc on Kirkcaldy High Street which was "strewn with large blocks of stone, wood and other debris". Several vessels had been driven ashore along the east coast and it was even said that trains on the Forth Bridge were in danger of being blown from the rails. The St Andrews Citizen of 22 October had the headline "The Terrible Gale: Great Destruction of Property on the Fife Coast" and noted that "a few of the houses close to the sea have washed away all together". The shops at 52-56 Main Street were not built until 1887 and so do not feature in the parade photograph.

​To be continued.....

By way of a follow-up to the previous post about Somerville the Grocer, it's worth highlighting a little piece of architectural detail that is very familiar, as we walk over it all the time. The Leven Road shop still has its original panel of prismatic lights on the pavement in front of the shop window. These were designed to allow sunlight into the cellar below before the days of affordable electric lights. The prism shape on the underside (see examples below) allows light to be reflected sideways under the main building rather than just straight down.  It may also have been that goods could be delivered through the panels flaps (see image further below). 

The Lundin Links panels were manufactured by T. Hyatt & Co of Farringdon Road London. Over time some prisms have become cracked and others damaged through wear and tear - being replaced with tiles and cement as the natural light is no longer relied upon to illuminate the space below. The prismatic light concept featured in many architectural products of the time - some examples of which are illustrated in the advert below.
​

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).