The previous post covered the annual guide booklet for tourists to Largo, which was produced in the 1930s by the Largo Parish Community Council. After the Second World War a new style of tourist guide was published covering a wider geographical area. Entitled the 'Tourist Guide to the Vicinity of Largo Bay', this guide was put together by Leven man George Dingwall and encompassed the area from Wemyss Castle in the west to St Monan's Kirk in the east. Like the earlier guides, this one featured Alexander Selkirk's statue on the front cover, contained many photographic illustrations and delved into the history of the area, as well as praising the many amenities and natural features along the coast.

​The guide was re-advertised the following year, with a quote from a Daily Record journalist, stating that the guide was "packed as full as an egg with history, legend, romance and information" (2 July 1947 Leven Mail). Spurred on by the success of his tourist guide book, George Dingwall followed it up in 1951 with a new publication. This time it was a book about Largo's Alexander Selkirk, entitled "The Story of Alexander Selkirk: The True Robinson Crusoe". 

Of course, much had been written before then about Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721) and much more has been written since. It's unclear how successful Dingwall's publication was. This year is the 300th anniversary of the death of Selkirk, which follows closely on from the 300th anniversary two years ago of the publication of Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe'. In fact it was on 13 December 1721 that the eventful life of Alexander Selkirk came to an end. 

On 21 December 1720, the HMS Weymouth set off from Plymouth for the West Coast of Africa with Selkirk onboard. The purpose of the voyage was to seek out and destroy the pirates who preyed upon British ships there. At the end of May 1721 they arrived at what is now Ghana. Within weeks a tropical disease began to spread through the ship. As Rick Wilson put it in the book 'The Man Who Was Robinson Crusoe', "the sounds of distress emanating from the hammocks below grew lounder as the fever and jaundice took its toll. The doomed men vomited, shivered and bled from the eyes and mouth." By late October many men had been lost to what is now supposed to have been Yellow Fever. The ship's log of 13 December noted matter-of-factly that "at 8pm Mr Alexander Selkirk died". The ship lay off Ghana's Cape Coast at the time. He was buried at sea - one of 180 men to die on the voyage.
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​Previous posts have looked at the origins of the Largo Parish Community Council and their early work on foreshore improvements around Massney Braes. Another of their endeavours was the production of a handy guide to Lundin Links and Largo for visitors. A guide book was produced each year from 1932 for at least six years and an example of this is shown above. The man responsible for compiling the guide was James Peebles Greig, a member of the LPCC.
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​James Peebles Greig was born in Duke Street, Leith on 3 April 1881, the son of gas works blacksmith George Greig who was born in Lundin Mill in 1850. James became a clerk in the Leith Town Chamberlain's Office, later marrying Jean Donaldson in Milnathort in 1910. He went on to become Town Chamberlain of Montrose between 1922 and 1930, before moving to Lundin Links, to 'take up a business opportunity'. This opportunity was to run Mount Vernon Boarding House, which was owned by his sister Agnes Peebles Watters (nee Greig).

Agnes had been widowed in tragic circumstances in 1923 but had continued to run Mount Vernon. In 1930 she took on Victoria Boarding House as well and so James and family took the helm at Mount Vernon. They remained there up until the outbreak of the Second World War. After that James worked in the Costs Office at Leven Foundry as an accountant. He was very active in various aspects of local life in Largo, including Lundin Golf Club, Largo Silver Band and of course Largo Parish Community Council. Moving from Lundin Links to Upper Largo in 1947, James Greig died on 6 September 1953 at Dunedin, 38 Main Street, Upper Largo. He was survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

James was the natural choice for co-ordinator of the Largo Guide. With his clerical background and later interest in tourism and hospitality, he had the skills and connections to compile the content of adverts, information and a bit of flowery language to entice visitors to the 'Scottish Riviera'. The first guide went on sale in March 1932.  Printed by J. and G. Innes Ltd, Cupar, the booklet had a reproduction of Alexander Selkirk's statue on the cover and copies could be had free on application to the LPCC Secretary, Mr Charles Raeburn. The 22 March Leven Advertiser commented that "the explanatory material is both interesting and informative, while the illustrations are well produced."

Almost 1,000 copies of this first edition were distributed and £48 was raised from the advertising within the guide. Seen as a successful venture, a revised edition was produced in 1933. That year 128 copies were sent out to people that had written to the LPCC, a further 725 were distributed through the L.N.E.R railway enquiry office, 56 copies through libraries and 72 copies were sold in local shops. The Guide became an annual publication, however, by the end of the 1936 season concerns began to be raised about the decrease in income from advertising. On balance is was decided to proceed with a 1937 edition and also to place adverts in two Civil Service journals to entice civil servants to spend their holidays in Largo.

However, this may have been the final year of publication, as there were no further references to the guide book. It was also noted that repetition of the same information each year, as well as reliance upon the same people to place adverts each time, was becoming problematic. Although a local guide in this format had run its course, guide booklets for visitors continued to be produced on and off over the years in a number of different styles.

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The 18 October 1932 Leven Advertiser ran the headline above when reporting on the first A.G.M of the Largo Parish Community Council. One of the first priorities of the newly-formed community council was to make "foreshore improvements" at Lundin Links. While this stretch of coast already "enjoyed a remarkable measure of popularity", it was thought that there was "nothing to be gained by standing still" and that they ought to "launch out with a progressive scheme to foster the popularity".

Significantly, estate owner Sir John Gilmour had "shown both generosity and foresight in entrusting the Community Council with the development of the beach". The area in question was between Lundin Links Golf House and Mr Walter Horne's feu, (old pan house) south of the railway line. The aim was "to improve its amenity and hold it as a public recreation and pleasure ground". This was not to be a money making exercise but rather the right to sell refreshments would enable the costs of cleaning and maintenance of any new facilities to be covered. 

The pre-1930s postcard view above was taken on the beach at Lundin Links in front of Massney Braes, looking towards Drummochy and beyond. The flat-roofed Crusoe Hotel can be seen to the right. In the centre (under the words Lundin Links) is the old salt pan house (later joiner's workshop). The sand dune and grassy brae on the left had yet to under go the improvements that the LPCC would carry out. The map below shows the approximate position from which the image was captured. Being a later date, the map shows the shelter built on the braes and the public toilets built at the top of the path going up to Drummochy Road past the pan house.

An early foreshore improvement was to make a proper path alongside the railway at the top of the area. The 17 October 1933 Leven Advertiser piece below tells us that this extended from the 'Creaky Gate' (also referred to as 'Squeaky Gate') at the point where the road crossed the railway at the top of Drummochy Road to the Iron Bridge. Work to stabilise the sand dunes by planting grass also took place. Above is the 27 June 1933 notice to contractors that appeared in the Leven Advertiser in relation to the work.

In addition to the path improvements, other early successes included renting out pitches to vendors selling refreshments such as ice-cream and lemonade and the erection of a shelter (built to a design by Charles Raeburn the LPCC's Secretary and Treasurer). Over time, a water supply and drinking fountain was also installed along with seats, litter baskets, a place for setting fires and noticeboards. The image below shows some of these facilities in place. The Largo Silver Band were allowed to continue to play at the site were they had long performed, being seen as an additional attraction. 

The days of shelters, toilets, play equipment and ice cream vans at Massney Braes may have now gone but this remains a place where people can enjoy walking, sitting, accessing the beach and enjoying the views. Now a bit less managed and a bit more wild, rabbits, wildflowers and butterflies are among the wildlife making use of the space.

Manderlea is a substantial building on Links Road, Lundin Links, overlooking the 18th green of Lundin Golf Course. The above postcard view shows Manderlea in the inter-war years. Note the many large windows facing towards the sea. Below is a photograph showing the building today (on the far left), next to its neighbours to the east. Like several other large dwellings in the village, it began life as a boarding house, before being restyled as a 'private hotel' and ultimately undergoing conversion into flats.
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Back in 1905, when Lundin Links was experiencing a spell of development, as a fashionable summer resort, a Mr Robb commissioned Walter Horne to build an eight-bedroomed house immediately to the west of Westhall (a villa built in 1894 which had stood alone for a decade). The small insert from 11 August 1905 East of Fife Record below pinpoints the date.

​The work on this house kept Mr Horne's men busy all through the following winter and an update appeared in the 15 February 1906 Leven Advertiser (below) as the work neared completion. This specified that the house was to be a boarding house to be run by Miss Robb. In fact, the establishment was run by sisters Janet Dall Robb and Mary Ann Robb. They were the daughters of ploughman James Robb (who was born in Kilconquhar but whose mother Janet Dall was from Largo).

​The sisters had previously worked in domestic service in Edinburgh but some change in fortune seems to have enabled them to establish their own enterprise. Manderlea was ideally situated, close to the station, the golf links as well as the beach. The Misses Robb remained at Manderlea throughout the First World War, although it was unclear how the boarding house was used during that period. Perhaps the premises were used as accommodation for soldiers, as was the case at nearby St Catherine's and Fir Park. However, soon after the war ended, the boarding house passed into new ownership.
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Interestingly, the electoral register of Fife for Spring 1920 shows both Mary and Janet Robb and future owners of the boarding house, John and Jane Balmer, living at Manderlea. After this brief handover spell, the Robb sisters moved on. John Balmer and his wife Jane (nee Short) became long-term proprietors of Manderlea. The advert below appeared in the 1925 Post Office Directory.

The Balmers had married in 1904 at Coates House in Newburn, where Jane had been born in 1880. Her Dorset-born father William Short had long been the gardener there. John Balmer was born in Westmorland Cumbria and it was there that the couple initially settled there after their marriage. Eldest daughter Nora Jane Fernie Balmer was born there in 1907, followed by second daughter Phyllis in 1909. At the time of the 1911 census, John was a 'confectioner' in Cumbria.
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Several years later, the family returned to Jane's Largo roots, where John and Jane ran Manderlea for the rest of their lives. Over the decades many visitors enjoyed their hospitality and the view from Manderlea. During the Second World War Polish soldiers were billeted at Manderlea, as they were at other large houses and boarding houses in the village, such as Lindisfarne. The Misses Balmer became regular attendees at the Scottish-Polish Association events, held from the 1940s onwards.

John Balmer died at Manderlea on 17 November 1954 aged 75, with Jane passing away just two months later, also at Manderlea, on 14 January 1955 aged 74. While daughter Nora went on to marry in 1956, to Robert Gemmell, younger daughter Phyllis remained at Manderlea and was still living there when the large house was converted into five flats and renamed 'Manderlea Court' around 1974. Phyllis died in a car crash on the Leven to St Andrews road on 5 August 1989, aged 79. Nora had died in 1984 aged 76. A few years ago two of the Manderlea Court flats were combined back together. Below are images of the building from the 1970s (in black and white) and as it is today, looking very fresh and modern for a building that is now well over a century old.

Last year, this blog ran a series of posts covering the history of Largo Baptist Church. At the time, the church was out of use and its future seemed uncertain. Since then, an exciting new chapter has begun for this 1867 building. So now, let's bring the story of Largo Baptist Church right up-to-date, and introduce those of you that don't already know about it to - The Aurrie!

First, a quick recap on the story of the church from its eighteenth century origins until its final days as a place of worship - click the links below to view the earlier posts:

lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/largo-baptist-church-beginnings
lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/largo-baptist-church-part-2
​https://lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/largo-baptist-church-part-3
lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/largo-baptist-church-part-4

In December 2020, it was formally announced that the Largo Baptist Church building had been secured as an arts venue and café. Carol and Andy Duff had purchased the building from the Baptist Union of Scotland in order for it to be used for the benefit of the community. The building was renamed "The Aurrie" which is the old Scots name for "area" and is regarded as the root of the many spellings of the slipway road adjacent which runs down to the beach. Over the years this space has been used for various purposes (including boat storage and car parking) and has been referred to as the Orry, Orra, Orrie and Awry, among other things. Given the range of spellings over time, it feels appropriate that this building references the original auld Scots word "Aurrie" from which all the variations of spelling stemmed. 

Located at 68 Main Street Lower Largo, a stone's throw away from the beach, the century and a half old building is flourishing in its new guise. Having undergone essential repairs and a facelift inside and out, the place looks fresh and inviting. The interior has been painted in shades of green, complimenting the beautiful stained-glass windows. Even the chairs echo the green, red, black and white of the window hues. Opened on 17 July 2021, just in time for Largo Arts Week, the venue couldn't have launched at a busier time in the village and was able to host live music within days of opening. 

While Andy and Carol are still involved in projects, the day to day running is now down to Helen Ross and David Peacock. They are keen to grow their range of quality and Scottish/Irish inspired fare started at Lily’s Larder. Helen and David are both committed to the community aspects through supporting local artists and hosting events at The Aurrie. “We see this as just the start of what can be an amazing asset for locals and grow Lower Largo as a destination for visitors” said David.

It's such a transformation from the days of pews packed with churchgoers, of sermons from the pulpit and hymn-singing. Yet, the re-invented space will still host groups of people, talks, music, social occasions and much more - providing the community with a service of a different kind. Gone may be the days such as the one below from circa 1980 when the Fife Baptist Woman's Auxiliary met in the church, during the tenure of the Reverend Joseph K. Campbell (Photo courtesy of Barbara Yardley).
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The second 'Largo Arts Week' recently concluded and was once again blessed with warm and sunny weather. The successful inaugural event took place in 2019 but the follow-up Arts Week planned for 2020 had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Happily it was able to take place 17-25 July 2021 with some modifications. Once again the organisers and artists delivered a memorable event, showcasing a wealth of creative talent. It was great to see events and studios spread across the three villages. Well done to everyone involved!

The re-opening of the Crusoe and the launch of The Aurrie all added to the air of excitement. It was brilliant to see so much going on and folks out and about enjoying themselves. The addition of The Largo Obelisk, by Alan Faulds, atop the phone box at The Orry is a fantastic talking point. Look carefully at the detail and you will see Shuffle Katie, James Hope Young and Reverend David Malloch featured, among many other local characters and events. Read more about the detail of The Largo Obelisk here.

Forty five years ago this summer, an ambitious 10-day event took place in Largo to mark the tercentenary of the birth of Alexander Selkirk (the Largo-born inspiration for the character Robinson Crusoe). The 11 August 1976 East Fife Mail anticipated the event with headlines such as "Days of Fun and Frolic in East Fife" and "Crusoemania Hits the Coast", while informing readers that Crusoe would be seen in Largo once again. The curtain would rise on Friday 13th August with Crusoe stepping ashore at the Pier with "attendant savages". And by 2 a.m. the next morning "the festival will have been well and truly launched at a barbecue followed by a dance" in the Crusoe Hotel.

The programme - which must have been a long time in the planning - can be seen below. After opening with a bang on the Friday evening, the Saturday saw a funfair and vintage car parade and the Sunday a Jazz Band performance and water sports event, among other things. Every day of the week there were activities of all types going on, from a magic lantern show to a Radio Forth Disco, and from a car treasure hunt to Gala Ball. Seaside favourites such as a sand castle contest and Punch and Judy shows were also included. An exhibition of Selkirk artefacts and information was on throughout in the Loomshop Gallery. The grand finale on the closing day was the memorable event of 'Flying off the Pier".
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As well as events in Lower Largo, neighbouring villages Lundin Links and Upper Largo joined in the fun with goings-on there too. Tennis, squash, bowls, dramatic performances at the Montrave Hall and an 'It's a Knock Out' on the Common were highlights in Lundin Links. Meanwhile, Upper Largo put on events in the Kirk, the Simpson Institute and the Stables, as well as the traditional Law Race and a Gymkhana. Chairman of the organising committee was Don Beaton who praised the committee members and organisers from all the villages and said that the aim was to offer something for everyone.

​The following week's local newspaper (18 August) reported on how events had gone so far with a front page splash and further detail on the inner pages, including the pictures below. The opening event grabbed most of the column inches. Around 2,000 onlookers watched the spectacle of a ragged "Robinson Crusoe" (a role played by John Aberdein) swimming ashore into the harbour, while a fearsome welcoming party in seaweed-covered canoes tried to impede him. The hero also scaled the wall of the Crusoe Hotel, while saving his faithful companion "Man Friday" up a rope from a "host of head-hunting Largo savages" to the delighted cheers of the huge crowd. This was the opening event of the "frenzied ten days of Crusoe carousing".

Other events at the adventurous end of the scale were the 'water jump' (trying to jump as far off the pier as possible), pillow fights on a log over the water and climbing along a rope over the harbour before trying to drop through hula hoops in the water. One of the more sedate events took place at Largo and Newburn Parish Church, where a united service themed around Alexander Selkirk was held. Extracts were read from the Kirk Session records featuring Selkirk's misdemeanours. All the local ministers (Reverends Lister, Dyer and Campbell) all took part. The final day - Sunday 22 August - saw the popular 'Flying Off the Pier' challenge bring the Crusoe 300 celebrations to a close. Roger Linton of the East of Fife Round Table can be seen in the photograph below executing his entry in the man powered flight contest. His was deemed the best attempt, winning him the Votz Zellat trophy.
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Once the Crusoe 300 extravaganza had drawn to a close, the 25 August East Fife Mail concluded their three weeks of coverage with the verdict that the "marathon of fun and games" had been a "great success". There was talk of a yearly Crusoe Festival week, although it was recognised that the tercentenary had been on a scale that would be unlikely to be replicated. Two important aspects of the event were also noted - the money raised that would form a common fund for the three villages for the improvement and provision of amenities, plus the contact made with Chilean nationals on an island many thousands of miles distant. The committee chair commented: "I think Alexander Selkirk would have approved".
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The above artwork depicting the Old Manor Hotel appeared as part of an advert for hotel receptionist placed in the East Fife Mail of 24 April 1996 (below). This and the following other local references were found recently in newspapers used to wrap up a set of crockery. When unpacking a box untouched for a couple of decades, it was an unexpected pleasure to be able to leaf through some old pages of the local paper.
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​April brought the opening matches of the local bowling clubs and below is the photo taken of the Lundin Links club's first game. Do you recognise anyone in the photograph?

Another Springtime event was the Fife Point to Point at Balcormo. The advert below let readers know that it was coming up the following weekend. Traditionally held annually at Balcormo Mains (since 1910), the event has origins dating back to 1892, originally taking place at Bruntshiels Farm near Ceres. Lately there has been another chance of venue, which you can read more about here: https://balcormoraces.org/

​Finally, an other advert - this time for the Crusoe Hotel. Part of a full page feature on the 'High Tea Trail' around the East of Fife, the advert highlights high teas and bar meals - with "flambe and seafood a speciality"!
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Hopefully many of you managed to watch 'Scotland's Scenic Railways' on Channel 4 the other evening, featuring Largo and Lundin Links stations, vintage railway footage and present day local scenes. For anyone that missed it, the programme is currently on All 4 catch-up here.  One of the content contributors, who appeared on the programme, was Robert Drysdale. Robert has kindly written up detailed memories of his many childhood holidays to Lower Largo and Lundin Links and has included several photographs in the attached PDF document. Among the images are pictures of both Largo and Lundin Links stations after the railway line closed and the tracks had been lifted, plus a view from the former road bridge over the line at the top of Drummochy Road.  

To access this evocative description of holidaying in Largo in the 1950s and 1960s, please click here and enjoy! Above is a picture of Robert (right) with his baby sister and mother in the garden of 'Kincraig' (number 15 the Temple). Below is a view of the closed Largo station with the tracks recently lifted, taken from the footbridge over the line. These and many more images appear in the document.

The image above of 'Victoria House', as it was then styled, dates to around 1907. Described as a "boarding establishment" of the "most modern" kind in the Fifeshire Guide advertisement below. Occupying the "best site in Lundin Links", the features to note were the "Public, Dining and Smoke Rooms. Lounge, Billiard Room and South Verandah". The latter can be seen to the right of the building above on both the first and second floors.

The gardens appear to be fairly newly laid out in fine symmetrical form and neatly lined with young trees on either edge. The building stands quite alone with none of the nearby Victoria Road houses yet in place, nor the south side of Crescent Road. The nearest houses behind Victoria House at the time of this photograph were the 1850s 'cottages' on the north side of Crescent Road. Elphinstone is visible to the left and on the right are the school house and Oldfield (then called Bayview Cottage). The map further below shows the direction from which the image was taken and the absence of neighbouring buildings.

​The location of Victoria House was ideal for a boarding house - close to the station, the golf course and the beach, plus right next to the iron bridge over the railway line. Walter Horne feued this plot and built Victoria House. He continued to own it until selling to Johnston Wright Swan around 1923. Initially, however, the boarding house was let and run by Miss Agnes Brown. Victoria House went through a number of subtle name changes over the decades from Victoria House to Victoria Boarding House to Victoria Private Hotel, before becoming Victoria Court flats in the early 1970s.