Although linen manufacturer John Jeffery was associated with Kirkcaldy for much of his life, owning Balsusney House next to the town's railway station (now the site of the Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery shown below), he also rented Largo House for many years. In fact both John and his wife Margaret died at Largo House - in 1886 and 1879 respectively. Mr and Mrs Jeffrey's granddaughter was Leonora Jeffrey Rintoul, editor of the 'Largo Village Book' published in 1932. John Jeffrey is mentioned twice in the book....
"All spinning and weaving has ceased for many years now (1932), but in 1872, when my grandfather, John Jeffery, came as tenant to Largo House, there were still a good many hand-looms both in Upper Largo and in Lundin Links, though these did not go on long after that."
....and in a later section...
"The linen industry in Largo steadily decayed from the time of the introduction of power looms in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermiline, until by the end of the nineteenth century there were no hand looms left. In 1872 there were still a good many hand-loom weavers, especially in Lundin Mill and Lower Largo, and my mother has often told me of old men who used to come to the station and say to my grandfather, "won't you give me a wab Mr Jeffrey, " and I'm glad to think that as long as they lived he did give them webs enough to keep them employed."
"All spinning and weaving has ceased for many years now (1932), but in 1872, when my grandfather, John Jeffery, came as tenant to Largo House, there were still a good many hand-looms both in Upper Largo and in Lundin Links, though these did not go on long after that."
....and in a later section...
"The linen industry in Largo steadily decayed from the time of the introduction of power looms in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermiline, until by the end of the nineteenth century there were no hand looms left. In 1872 there were still a good many hand-loom weavers, especially in Lundin Mill and Lower Largo, and my mother has often told me of old men who used to come to the station and say to my grandfather, "won't you give me a wab Mr Jeffrey, " and I'm glad to think that as long as they lived he did give them webs enough to keep them employed."
John Jeffrey was born in Biggar in 1818 to Robert Jeffrey and Margaret Jack. John and his brothers went into the family business as linen manufacturers which extended ultimately to multiple countries. As a young man, he came to Kirkcaldy to establish a Fife base for the linen firm of John Jeffrey & Sons, Glasgow. In the 1851 census he could be found lodging at a property on Nicol Street, Kirkcaldy and was recorded as "manufacturer employing 1100 hands (linen) in Ireland, Forfar, Fife....". Later that year he married Margaret McGlashan in the town. On 7 September 1854, the Fife Herald noted that Jeffrey had "concluded a bargain on Friday with the Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway Company, for the sum of £3000, for Balsusney House and grounds." A painting of the long-demolished Balsusney House can be seen here...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/balsusney-house-125008
Based at Balsusney for many years, John oversaw the building of Balsusney Works, which was a major power loom factory in the district. It would continue to flourish many decades after John Jeffrey's death.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/balsusney-house-125008
Based at Balsusney for many years, John oversaw the building of Balsusney Works, which was a major power loom factory in the district. It would continue to flourish many decades after John Jeffrey's death.
When John Jeffrey passed away, the Fife Free Press of 28 August 1886, announced that...
"We deeply regret to record today the demise of our valued and highly-esteemed townsman, Mr John Jeffrey, of Balsusney and Largo House. The event, not entirely unlooked for since the beginning of the week, occurred on Thursday afternoon at Largo, after a protracted illness.... Mr Jeffery was a gentleman of a naturally studious mind, and of fine literary tastes. He was a great reader, who derived much real pleasure and profit from books, from which, combined with his travelling experiences in many lands, he possessed an almost unlimited fund of knowledge"
The article spoke also of his role in establishing Kirkcaldy Musical Society and his special interest in plants and trees. He worked alongside Mr Charles Howie, late secretary of the Largo Field Naturalists' Society on the 1879 book "The Trees and Shrubs of Fife and Kinross". Jeffery was also a Justice of the Peace for the county of Fifeshire. Suffering the loss of his wife and his son in the late years of his life, John Jeffery was survived by his two daughters, Helen and Margaret.
"We deeply regret to record today the demise of our valued and highly-esteemed townsman, Mr John Jeffrey, of Balsusney and Largo House. The event, not entirely unlooked for since the beginning of the week, occurred on Thursday afternoon at Largo, after a protracted illness.... Mr Jeffery was a gentleman of a naturally studious mind, and of fine literary tastes. He was a great reader, who derived much real pleasure and profit from books, from which, combined with his travelling experiences in many lands, he possessed an almost unlimited fund of knowledge"
The article spoke also of his role in establishing Kirkcaldy Musical Society and his special interest in plants and trees. He worked alongside Mr Charles Howie, late secretary of the Largo Field Naturalists' Society on the 1879 book "The Trees and Shrubs of Fife and Kinross". Jeffery was also a Justice of the Peace for the county of Fifeshire. Suffering the loss of his wife and his son in the late years of his life, John Jeffery was survived by his two daughters, Helen and Margaret.
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