VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
  • Blog

Lundin Links Curling Club

27/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

Following on from the previous post about Largo Curling Club, it is worth pointing out that for a time there were three curling ponds in the villages. The 1912 O.S. map above shows these three ponds (ringed and numbered in green): 

1. Lundin Links Curling Club's pond by the 9th tee of the Lundin Ladies Golf Club
2. Largo House Pond (original home of Largo Curling Club)
3. Upper Largo's artificial pond (created in 1905 for Largo Curling Club

When Largo Curling Club moved to their new artificial pond in Upper Largo in 1905, many of the curlers that lived in Lundin Links decided the time was right to create a new pond in their village too. Lundin Links Curling Club was formed around this time (not to be confused with the pre-existing Lundin and Montrave Curling Club that had been around since 1885 and had a pond on the Montrave estate). 

Picture
The above story from the 10 August 1905 Leven Advertiser tells us that discussions around the creation of a "curling pond for Lundin Links, Drummochy and Lower Largo" had begun. Robert Gilchrist, the Lundin Mill builder responsible for the Temperance Hall, led the meeting, where it was "unanimously agreed to form a curling club". Interestingly, the initial idea was to convert the tennis courts into a pond in winter by spraying them. The tennis courts had only been officially opened the previous month. This plan must have been quickly discounted, as the following year a different scheme had been set in motion.

The 27 December 1906 Leven Advertiser (below) refers to both Montrave and Upper Largo ponds before noting that the folks of Lundin Links had "set about realising the ambition of having a pond" and that it was to be "at the side of Fir Park". Note that this was 1906, and therefore was three years prior to the move of the Lundin Ladies Golf Club to its present course. So the nearest landmark at the time really was Fir Park (the substantial cluster of trees close to the Lundin Links Hotel). The "ample water supply" mentioned is the Hatton Burn.

Picture
Picture

The more detailed 1912 map above shows that there was a small building to the west of the pond, presumably for storage of the curling stones and other equipment (which were of course too heavy to be brought along for every match). Most ponds had a 'curling house' for this purpose, of varying degrees of grandeur. The curling house at the Gosford Estate in East Lothian is shown below.
​
Picture
Picture
Picture

From its 1905 origins, the Lundin Links club continued for several decades. Various fund raising efforts took place over the years. For example, the above 'Great Jumble Sale' (December 1921) was in aid of new artificial rinks. This suggests that the original 1906 pond was something basic and more natural - the flooding of a low lying dip perhaps rather than a man-made surface. Below is an advert for a 'Grand Concert' in the Montrave Hall in April (Leven Advertiser). This concert was to raise money to repair the curling pond. Artistes came from Kirkcaldy to perform - arranged by Mrs Nisbet of Beffens. She performed herself in an "amusing sketch". There were two one-act plays, violin selections, songs, piano playing and recitations (21 April Dundee Telegraph). 
​
Picture
As well as regular fund raising events, there were 'curlers' dinners'. The 4 March 1933 Fife Free Press describes one of these below. On this occasion, the Lundin Links Curling Club invited guests from neighbouring clubs Largo, Leven and Montrave to the Lundin Links Hotel. But the heyday of the Lundin Links Club would soon be over. In 1937, the club approached Largo Curling Club to discuss amalgamation. It is unclear what the outcome of this was but references to the Lundin Links Club in the newspapers peter out around this time. Notably, 1938 saw the opening of Kirkcaldy Ice Rink, a facility which would have starkly contrasted with the Lundin Links curling pond. The Second World War would have likely signalled the end of the club had it survived into 1939. If you know more about the demise of the Lundin Links Curling Club, please leave a comment. 
​
Picture
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

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    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.