The gentleman above, pictured back in 1922 at the age of 91, is James Methven. This blog has mentioned him before but since then more has been unearthed about this remarkable man's life and the above photo has been found. Born in 1831 in Lundin Mill and one of eight children in a family predominantly of weavers, James was interviewed by the St Andrews Citizen for its 3 June 1922 publication under the headline "Famous Lundin Links Worthy - A Chat with James Methven". The piece opened with the observation that every fishing village on the east coast of Fife could "boast of some old worthy who had been born and bred in the same place all his days" and remarked that Lundin Links was proud of its oldest inhabitant "Auld Jimmy".
Apparently he had "a wonderful memory, and his racy description of events eighty years ago give rise to great merriment". His recipe for a long life was given as "work hard, be temperate, and be a lover of sport". The name of "Jumpin' Jimmy O' Leven" was a household name all over the lowlands back in the 1850s and 1860s (I guess few had heard of Lundie Mill back then). The article continued...
"Mr Methven was a famous athlete and was never beaten until he retired, by any athlete of his age and weight. From the early age of seventeen he appeared at all the sports, and was always champion jumper. As a hammer and ball thrower he was seldom beaten, and he never failed to secure a place at vaulting. Hurdle races however were his favourites, and to use his own expression, "I cud loup ower the hurdles as guid as ony horse". James prides himself on always "knockin' spots oot o' a' the Duke o' Atholl's giants at sports". For twelve years Methven came up against Donald Dinnie at various sports but never once did Donald gain the mastery. Ned McNeil also competed at many tournaments, and he usually ran hard on Jimmy's heels."
Jimmy made annual visits to Leith, Dunbar, Galashiels and Liverpool. "And mind ye" he said "I had to tramp every inch o' the road". Methven reflected upon how the athletes of the time now had "trains, motors and cycles to convey them to tournaments whereas in the olden days "shank's naggy" was the only choice". What would he make of today's pampered professional sports people? How did he manage to walk to Liverpool and then compete successfully in the Highland Games there? How long would it have taken him to get there and what would he have had to carry with him? An advert for the 1859 Liverpool Highland Gathering is shown below.
Apparently he had "a wonderful memory, and his racy description of events eighty years ago give rise to great merriment". His recipe for a long life was given as "work hard, be temperate, and be a lover of sport". The name of "Jumpin' Jimmy O' Leven" was a household name all over the lowlands back in the 1850s and 1860s (I guess few had heard of Lundie Mill back then). The article continued...
"Mr Methven was a famous athlete and was never beaten until he retired, by any athlete of his age and weight. From the early age of seventeen he appeared at all the sports, and was always champion jumper. As a hammer and ball thrower he was seldom beaten, and he never failed to secure a place at vaulting. Hurdle races however were his favourites, and to use his own expression, "I cud loup ower the hurdles as guid as ony horse". James prides himself on always "knockin' spots oot o' a' the Duke o' Atholl's giants at sports". For twelve years Methven came up against Donald Dinnie at various sports but never once did Donald gain the mastery. Ned McNeil also competed at many tournaments, and he usually ran hard on Jimmy's heels."
Jimmy made annual visits to Leith, Dunbar, Galashiels and Liverpool. "And mind ye" he said "I had to tramp every inch o' the road". Methven reflected upon how the athletes of the time now had "trains, motors and cycles to convey them to tournaments whereas in the olden days "shank's naggy" was the only choice". What would he make of today's pampered professional sports people? How did he manage to walk to Liverpool and then compete successfully in the Highland Games there? How long would it have taken him to get there and what would he have had to carry with him? An advert for the 1859 Liverpool Highland Gathering is shown below.
James also had competition from his fellow villagers at the various games he competed in - notably his younger brother Peter and also William Tivendale (a Lundin Mill born forrester). The Caledonian Mercury of 4 August 1858 reported from the Dunbar Gymnastic Games and listed all the event winners. Jimmy got a placing (mostly 1st place) in the following events - running long leap; standing high leap; running high leap; standing hop-step-and-leap; running hop-step-and-leap; hitch and kick; throwing 28 lbs weight; throwing 56 lbs weight; and 150 yards hurdle race. With good prizes on offer, it was clearly worth his while walking all that way! The report of the Dunbar games also hints at what Jimmy's "racy description of events" might have referred to. The main events were followed by "a number of minor competitions...and a race among the fisher lassies, which caused much amusement...also two donkey races and climbing for leg of mutton on greased pole. On the conclusion of these games, dancing commenced in the ring and was blithely kept up till late."
Such events must have caused huge excitement in the towns where they took place - with thousands of visitors, work suspended for the day, bands playing, flags and banners flying, "shows" (such as menageries, shooting galleries, merry-go-rounds, conjurers) and all manner of tents and stalls. The Jedburgh Border Games of 1853 (another of Methven's regular venues) reported "retailers of berries, pies, tarts, gingerbread, nuts, &c...soda water, lemonade and ginger beer....corks loosed from the grasp of wire were flying in all the tents in all directions". Methven's name crops up in many, many newspaper articles from the period in many different locations (Leven, Colinsburgh, Alva, Cupar, Dunfermline, Kinross, Dundee, St Andrews, Wishaw, Newcastle, Dumfries, Hawick, Leslie...to name a few) including several years at Leith Gymnastic Games held on Leith Links. The clipping below shows him winning multiple "purses of money" for his efforts in 1855 at Leith.
Such events must have caused huge excitement in the towns where they took place - with thousands of visitors, work suspended for the day, bands playing, flags and banners flying, "shows" (such as menageries, shooting galleries, merry-go-rounds, conjurers) and all manner of tents and stalls. The Jedburgh Border Games of 1853 (another of Methven's regular venues) reported "retailers of berries, pies, tarts, gingerbread, nuts, &c...soda water, lemonade and ginger beer....corks loosed from the grasp of wire were flying in all the tents in all directions". Methven's name crops up in many, many newspaper articles from the period in many different locations (Leven, Colinsburgh, Alva, Cupar, Dunfermline, Kinross, Dundee, St Andrews, Wishaw, Newcastle, Dumfries, Hawick, Leslie...to name a few) including several years at Leith Gymnastic Games held on Leith Links. The clipping below shows him winning multiple "purses of money" for his efforts in 1855 at Leith.
The 14 August 1857 Forfar Advertiser (pictured) shows the Lundin Mill double act of Methven and Tivendale walking off with a wide range of prizes, as well as the mighty Donald Dinnie of Aboyne.
More on Dinnie here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Dinnie
Methven must have 'retired' as an athlete around the time of his marriage, aged 38, to Euphemia Robertson Cockburn. They had four children that survived infancy - Andrew (who became a joiner, serving his apprenticeship with Peter Broomfield of Upper Largo), Euphemia, Jane and James (a stone mason).
More on Dinnie here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Dinnie
Methven must have 'retired' as an athlete around the time of his marriage, aged 38, to Euphemia Robertson Cockburn. They had four children that survived infancy - Andrew (who became a joiner, serving his apprenticeship with Peter Broomfield of Upper Largo), Euphemia, Jane and James (a stone mason).
Many were the gold, silver and bronze medals won by Jimmy (an example of one similar is shown inset, in addition to the many and varied other prizes. His working life was, unsurprisingly, an active one. As well as decades as a linen weaver, he was a forester for a time, a railway porter for a spell while in his 50s, and a 'mason's labourer' from his 60s and well into his 80s! By the time he was interviewed at the age of 91, he had time to enjoy his pastimes of shooting and golf (another sport for which he won trophies).
Going back to the St Andrews Citizen piece from 1922, we learn that James's four children were all thriving - with Andrew in South Africa, James in New Zealand and both daughters married - in London and East Lothian. The articles notes that Jimmy's father and grandfather both lived into their nineties.
Going back to the St Andrews Citizen piece from 1922, we learn that James's four children were all thriving - with Andrew in South Africa, James in New Zealand and both daughters married - in London and East Lothian. The articles notes that Jimmy's father and grandfather both lived into their nineties.
James Methven reached the age of 95 and died in Lundin Links in 1926 - at Allan Cottage on Largo Road. A true local sporting hero and great all-rounder, Methven was much more than "some old worthy". Surely he would put many of today's athletes to shame. What he did and what he achieved was astounding and, had he lived in the present day, surely we would all have heard of him.
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