VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
  • Blog

Lower Largo en fête

22/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Above was how the 16 December 1885 Fife Herald described the day of the unveiling of the statue of Robinson Crusoe on Lower Largo's Main Street.  The piece continued:

"On the other arches were displayed such mottoes as "Weel may the Boatie Row" - a song which has special application to Largo; "Labour always conquers"; "Robinson Crusoe now we see, good and great at last"; and "May Cardy Works Flourish". A temporary platform, covered with evergreens, was erected in front of "Crusoe's Cottage" and there the ceremony of the day took place".

Such a special occasion demanded the presence of a high class photographer and John Terras of Markinch provided this service. Many images of the day have been preserved but this post and the next focus on a series of images of the parade route and its arches and mottoes. What has changed along the route since 1885?

Picture

There are a few differences at the very start of the processional route. Notably, the boats once frequently hauled up onto the street have long since been replaced by cars. The house through the archway has undergone significant remodelling. The convenience shop sits where the garden of Alexandra House once was. In spite of these changes, however, it's still a recognisable view - mainly thanks to the Crusoe Hotel on the right hand side and the slipway down to the beach.

Picture

The next 'then and now' location shows the old manse at 23 Main Street on the left while the two-storey building on the right (framed by the arch) is 'Berwick View'. Here was the business of Alexander Simpson, who was a shoemaker in 1881 but a grocer by 1891. His shop sign is visible in the 1885 photograph. Inch View Cottage lies beyond that on the right. In the old image, Butters Buildings can be seen through the arch on the left (lighter coloured building). The people standing watching the photographer include men, apron-ed women, children and babies in arms.

Picture

​A little further east from the first location, another banner was positioned. This time at the bend in the street where White Cottage sits on the right. On the left is the gable end of 57 Main Street (then known as No 1 Seaview). On the 1885 photo, in the centre behind the arch is a quaint old house that was known as 'The Castle'. Little did the occupants of this little house know then that this building's days were numbered. Several years later this property was swept away in a violent storm. 

A severe north-easterly gale intensified on 18 October 1898. The Scotsman that day described how the sea rose to a "tremendous height" and how huge waves had breached the sea wall at Kirkcaldy. The next day's Courier spoke of havoc on Kirkcaldy High Street which was "strewn with large blocks of stone, wood and other debris". Several vessels had been driven ashore along the east coast and it was even said that trains on the Forth Bridge were in danger of being blown from the rails. The St Andrews Citizen of 22 October had the headline "The Terrible Gale: Great Destruction of Property on the Fife Coast" and noted that "a few of the houses close to the sea have washed away all together". The shops at 52-56 Main Street were not built until 1887 and so do not feature in the parade photograph.

​To be continued.....
0 Comments

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

    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.