On 19 July 1837 The Scotsman newspaper ran the story above about a tremendous thunder-storm which caused multiple fatalities in Upper Largo. The incident was supposed to have occurred on the "links adjoining Mr Beveridge's farm" (Buckthorns farm). The description of how ten people were killed outright made shocking reading. Understandably, it was said that this "made a deep impression on the villagers".

​However, three days later the same paper conceded that the story was "without foundation" and actually a "pure hoax". The story had been written under a fictional name and left in the letterbox of the newspaper. It had been used in "good faith" due to the recent spate of thunderstorms and the occurrence of "similar, though less alarming accidents" elsewhere. The actions of the hoaxer were condemned for creating "serious alarm in the minds of those who had friends residing in the place to which the accident was assigned."

In spite of the retraction of the story, it continued to be printed in papers up and down the country including the piece below from the Birmingham Journal, right up until 5 August!

The 1878 oil painting above is by Robert McGregor (1847-1922) and is not only set in Largo but the painter used locals as models in this scene. The original hangs in the McManus Galleries in Dundee and is accompanied by the information below. It's interesting to see a Largo painting which is more focused on the people than the landscape. Featuring folk of all ages, the piece gives a great idea of how locals would have dressed at the time and shows the attraction of the visiting knife grinder. 

It's tricky to establish the precise location of the scene but the best clues are in the background. In the detail shown below, the spire of Largo Kirk is visible in the middle background and could that be Largo House to its left? If so, the location could be somewhere between the Main Street and South Feus, amongst the back gardens and outhouses. Alternative theories welcome!

Robert McGregor was born in 1847 in Bradford, Yorkshire, the son of a Scottish businessman who later relocated to Dunfermline and subsequently to Edinburgh. He frequently painted working men such as fishermen, shepherds, crofters, pedlars, and farm labourers. However he also painted Scottish, French and Dutch country and coastal scenery.  He first exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1873 and was elected a member there in 1889. He exhibited at the RSA until 1914 and died in Edinburgh in 1922.

Incidentally, the life of the knife grinder was not an easy one, as the newspaper clipping below illustrates (Fife Herald 6 August 1884).

An evening of live jazz or a dinner dance were a couple of options available to see in the New Year back at the end of 1975. The Largo Hotel is now known as Upper Largo Hotel.  The Seaway was the forerunner to the Admiral's Bell, which of course was originally the La Scala cinema (and then Yellow Caravel). It was quite a coup to have Chris Barber and his band in the village - read more about Chris here or perhaps have a listen to some of the band's music here on YouTube.

Whatever you are up to on Hogmanay 2018 - have a fantastic time! Very best wishes for the New Year when it comes.

More to come in 2019 on both the Seaway and La Scala.

Back in 1982, there was a great choice of local places to go for your Christmas meal or party. Here is a selection of adverts that featured in the East Fife Mail in the run-up to the festive season that year. Nice prices too! Did you partake in any of these? More seasonal adverts to follow....
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A view looking east along Upper Largo's Main Street, taken from alongside the Upper Largo Hotel (on the right). The hotel was known as 'The Largo Hotel' at this time - as can just be made out on the nice piece of vintage signage advertising McEwan's shown in detail below. The hotel has a long history and has had a few name changes over the decades. 

Opposite the hotel, on the far left above, is the garage which was once owned by David Ramage and then by Jimmy Purves. This image must have been captured not long before the house next to the garage (with 'no parking' daubed on the wall) was demolished and alterations were made to the garage. The building housing the garage was built around 1843 and was originally the Free Church. 

John Leslie, was born in Kirkton of Largo in 1766 to parents Robert Leslie (a St Andrews born joiner) and Anne Carstairs of Largo. When he was remembered a century after his death, the following account was given of his early years in the Edinburgh Evening News of 12 November 1932:

"Leslie appears to have been weak as a child, so much so that he was unable to continue attendance at Leven school, where he was sent after a beginning with his schooling at a small class conducted by a woman in Largo. An elder brother, tutoring him at home, however, discovered his amazing aptitude for mathematics; so his parents sent John to St Andrews University, where his brilliance carried all before it".

​He continued his studies at Edinburgh University where he made the acquaintance of Adam Smith, the greatest economist. Then, after a year as tutor in Virginia, a spell of useful work in London, and experience of travel on the continent, in 1805 he was nominated for the Professorship of Mathematics at Edinburgh University in succession to Professor Playfair.

The advert above for one of his published works, in Geometry, dates to soon after his appointment to that role (9 Nov 1809 Perthshire Courier). In September 1819, following the death of John Playfair on 20 July that year, John Leslie became Professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh. This appointment was seen as a promotion and was a position that Leslie held until his death. Remembered as both a mathematician and physicist, and especially noted for his studies of heat, the legacy of John Leslie extends through science to the present day. A century after his death, the Dundee Evening Telegraph went as far as to state that without this "forgotten Fifer" it would not be "possible for us to enjoy ice-cream today".

In his later years, Leslie returned to his Largo roots and purchased the mansion of Coates. Coates House (pictured) was built in the 1780s and is situated to the north east of Upper Largo.
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It was near the end of his life, on 27 June 1832, that John Leslie was knighted (see notice below from 20 June Morning Post). 

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The above report in the Calendonian Mercury of 5 Nov 1832 notes the serious ill health of Leslie. He died on 6 November, aged 66, following erysipelas in the leg. The next day's Inverness Courier remarked that...

"The fame of Professor Leslie has extended over all Europe; he was one of the most acute and brilliant of all the men of science who have rendered Great Britain illustrious in modern times, and formed one of that galaxy of great men - the Playfairs, Broughams, Jeffreys and Horners - who have conferred such lustre upon our Scottish metropolis."

Meanwhile, the Morning Advertiser of 13 Nov emphasised that his rise was not due to the "patronage of any powerful individual or party, or to any adventitious circumstances, but solely to his own talents and industry". John Leslie did not marry and had no children. However, his brother Alexander - an architect-builder in Largo - had a son named James who was a civil engineer of note, as was James's son Alexander Leslie (John Leslie's great nephew). More on them at a future date. 

Another significant local event which took place in 1970 was the 'Largo Festival of Drama and Flowers' featuring a pageant on Largo's story. Held in the manse garden in Upper Largo, a large cast of local actors, dressed in period costume, re-enacted some key episodes connected to the church's history. Characters featured included King James III, Sir Andrew Wood, Sir Patrick Spens, Sir Alexander Durham and Alexander Selcraig (and his parents John and Euphan).

The photograph below, from the 8 July 1970 East Fife Mail, features a few of the cast, from left to right: George Penrice (as Sir Andrew Wood), Andrew Gilmour (as King James III), Dorothy Brazenall (as the Queen) and Anne Stewart (as Queen's attendant). Largo Kirk can be seen in the background. Church members put many hours into organising the festival, rehearsing, making costumes, baking and setting up stalls. Their reward was hundreds of visitors over three days, 4th to 6th July. The pageant was written and produced by Lewis Cochrane. Many local groups contributed including the Lundie Drama Group, Cupar Operatic Society, the Buckhaven High School choir and orchestra, the Kinghorn Singers and players from New Gilston. A special visit from the Royal Scots Grey's Military and Pipes and Drums Bands on the Monday brought back memories for minister Rev. Douglas Lister, who was a former band member.

The 'Festival of Flowers' element of the occasion, held within the church, was directed by Mrs Mary Scott of Elie with input from Leven Floral Art Club and Lady Gilmour. Teas were provided in a large marquee on the front lawn and meals were served at "The Stables" (in use for the first time, having been newly converted from manse outbuildings, stables and barn). All in all £620 was raised by the series of events.

Very exciting news today!

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) have released a huge number of newly digitised photographs that were taken around rural Scotland in the 1970s. The images were originally gathered by The Scottish Countryside Commission, many during a survey of C-listed buildings. The full collection is available to view at canmore.org.uk. There are many of Lundin Links, Lower Largo and Upper Largo. Full details of the release here:

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/newly-digitised-images-tell-story-of-rural-scotland-in-1970s/

Permission has been granted for specially downloaded watermarked versions of the images to be displayed on blogs, so this will be a fantastic resource for this site to tap into. The images will no doubt pose questions and inspire new lines of research. Here is a small selection of the local scenes that particularly caught my attention (downloaded according to the guidelines and with watermarks displayed under each)...

Above are some of the Leven Road shops in Lundin Links while below are:

• 'Beechwood' the 1895 villa that faces these shops;
  
• the old Lundin Mill School on Crescent Road photographed soon after the move to the new school;
• the Old Manor Hotel in its Beach Hotel days;
• Cardy Net Factory;
• Lower Largo Post Office (more recently home to Very Crafty);
• and Wilson's shop in Upper Largo.

Loads more to see on-line - enjoy!

The above 1940s image of Upper Largo's Main Street features George Mackie's chemist to the right of centre. And to the right of that, is the Post Office. The partially shown sign above the Post office door is 'M. Saunders'. This was Mrs Mary Saunders, to whom the license for a grocer's shop in the village was first granted in 1939. Soon afterwards, Mary and Harry Saunders took over the Post Office and ran it on the site shown above until their son, Peter, moved it a few doors east to number 20 in the 1960s.

Upper Largo had been the first village in the Parish to have a Post Office, being the most convenient place for mail coaches to stop in the days before the railway. Once the transport of mail shifted from road to rail, calls were made to establish a Post Office closer to Largo Station. By the end of the 19th century all three villages had such a facility. Sadly, there are no longer any Post Offices in the area.  Lower Largo closed in 2008, Upper Largo in 2014 and Lundin Links this year.

​Below are two more recent photographs of the Upper Largo Post Office in its latter location at No. 20 Main Street. 

Born in Kilconquhar in 1853 to shoemaker William Nicoll and his wife Mary Young, Thomas Nicoll was the predecessor to David Pye as Head Master of Kirkton of Largo School. By the age of 17 in 1871 Thomas was Pupil Teacher at Kilconquhar. Two years later he was appointed assistant at Pathhead Subscription School. At the time, the Fife Free Press (6 December 1873) described him as "an accomplished young teacher....bred in Kilconquhar Parish School....spoken favourably of by several other members of the Board".

In September 1875, there was a special meeting of the Largo School Board - the purpose of which was to elect a master for Kirkton Public School. Each Board member handed in a list of three candidates - 13 men being named in total. The 16 September Fife Herald noted that "it was agreed that each member should select his best man and thereby reduce the leet to 5" however "there was considerable difficulty in agreeing the manner of election, as each member proposed his own man as the best one, and consequently there were no seconders".  A scoring system was then agreed and a Mr Forbes of Dundee was elected. However, it transpired that this candidate had already accepted another post. So, Mr Nicoll, being second, was elected instead. And thus began Thomas Nicoll's long spell at Kirkton.

Thomas married Anne Fotheringham Morgan in 1879 and the first of their five children was born the following year. At the time of his marriage he was presented by his pupils with a "handsome marble timepiece with the latest improvements and got up in the neatest style", according to the 13 November Fife Herald. Attached to the front was a silver plate bearing the following inscription:

"Presented to Mr T. Nicoll, Teacher, Largo, Fife, by his affectionate scholars and a few friends, on the advent of his marriage. October 1879."

The Nicoll family became actively involved in local life, with Thomas being an elder in the Upper Largo Church and Secretary and Treasurer of the Lundin Golf Club (he was instrumental in the 1909 course alterations).  When wife Anne died in 1902, Thomas - who was also local Registrar - recorded her death as he did all the others in the Parish. 

After 35 years service at Kirkton School, and suffering from heart trouble, Thomas Nicoll resigned as Head Master. He died only a fortnight later.  Part of his role as Registrar was to complete the summaries of the 1911 census. The census was taken on 2 April and Thomas Nicoll worked on the resulting data with his daughter.  Apparently, after completing the census work, he had indicated to his daughter that his life's work was done. He died on 16 April at the Schoolhouse.

At a meeting soon after his death, locals "paid a high tribute to his worth and character" noting that "some of us who call recall Mr Nicoll's first years in the parish, remember him as a quiet, unobtrusive young man; but a man who, when he put his hand to the plough would not turn back". The account in the St Andrews Citizen (13 May) continued "the innumerable services rendered by him to the community during his long residence in Largo constitute a great record..."well done good and faithful servant"".