VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
  • Blog

Garage, Upper Largo

2/9/2016

5 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
The above images show the main street in Upper Largo, perhaps c1940, with the motor garage prominent on the left hand side. Built around 1843 as Upper Largo Free Church, the building was converted into a bus garage in 1933 by David Ramage. The bus garage evolved into a car garage and the advert below from 1955 shows it still going strong 20 years later. 
Picture
Around 1960, the garage was taken over by Jimmy Purves and in 1965 a series of alterations were made. The work included demolition of the neighbouring dwelling house that adjoined the main road (shown to the right of the garage in the top images); a new tarmac area and boundary wall, new fascias, removal of existing shop front; alterations to various windows and doors; the re-siting of the petrol pumps away from the road-side; and new tanks, pipes and access for tankers. The images below are from plans drawn up at that time.
Picture
Picture
5 Comments
Elspeth Cook
25/10/2017 10:16:42 am

These look like drawings prepared by James Cook, Scott & Cook architects. He had just started up in private practice in the mid 60s and the commission from Jimmy Purves would have been one of his first jobs. He also designed the new post office for Peter Saunders at about the same time. The Cooks lived at 37 Main Street Upper Largo, having purchased the house from the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1958/59. At that time the ground floor was still laid out as a bank and bank managers house. It had originally been the National Bank of Scotland.

Reply
Simon Dedman
3/8/2022 04:27:31 am

Hi Elspeth.
I wonder if the J. Cook you refer to is the same Mr J. Cook that i am trying to trace. The reason is that I have recently purchased a 500cc racing car which i am informed was sold to a Mr Smith by Mr J.Cook of Upper Largo in November 1988. Mr Smith recalls that Mr J. Cook owned the car for a long time and i am trying to establish the cars history prior to his ownership. Mr Smith also recalls that the race car was parked next to a beautiful Alfa Romeo in Mr J. Cook’s garage.
Any help that you could offer in tracing the history of this little piece of motor racing history would be very much appreciated.
Kindest regards
Simon Dedman.

Reply
Elspeth Cook
4/8/2022 09:38:14 am

Yes, Jim Cook, now passed away, sold a single seater racing car with a motor bike engine, a Keeft. Not sure if that's how you spell it. I don't have any records of where the car came from I'm afraid. I'm not even sure when it was bought. But I remember when I was a child having to push start it with a giant pram handle. My mum, sister and me would run down the side of the house (with my dad sitting in it) and hope it started before the drive joined the road. Otherwise we were pushing it back up and doing it all again. My sister might remember more so will ask her and get back to you.

Simon Dedman
4/8/2022 02:06:01 pm

Hi Elspeth.
Great news that I am on the right track, thanks so much for taking the time to respond. Hopefully. Your sister will have some other memories of the car that she would be happy to share, even the smallest detail will help, not even sure what colour it was when your father had it and I currently rebuilding it with the intention of racing it next year. At the moment I race a Cooper with the 500 association.
Hopefully the very helpful Dora will share my email with you which will make communicating a little easier.
Kindest regards
Simon

Reply
Simon Dedman
25/8/2022 02:47:59 am

Hi again Elspeth.
I hope all is good with you.
I wonder whether you have had an opportunity to speak with your sister? Any additional information about the car really would be most useful.
Kind regards
Simon

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About

    This blog is about the history of the villages of Lundin Links, Lower Largo and Upper Largo in Fife, Scotland. Comments and contributions from readers are very welcome!

    Search

    There is no in-built search facility on this site. To search for content, go to Google and type your search words followed by "lundin weebly".

    Contact

    Categories

    All
    Antiquities
    Beach
    Boarding Houses
    Business
    Churches
    Clubs And Societies
    Drummochy
    Facilities
    Farming
    Fishing
    Golf
    Houses
    Keil's Den
    Largo Law
    Lower Largo
    Masseney Braes
    New Gilston
    People
    Railway
    School
    Shops
    Standing Stanes
    Streets
    Tourism
    Upper Largo
    Viaduct
    War

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Links

    Largo Baywatch Blog
    Fife Family History Society
    ​
    Polish Parachute Brigade Info​

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.