Robert Black was born on 12 October 1838 at Woodside, the hamlet west of New Gilston. Like many men in Woodside, his father James Black was a coal miner. His mother was Elspeth Dalrymple (daughter of farmer James Dalrymple). James and Elspeth were from Ceres Parish and had married there in 1836. Their first child was born there in 1837 before they moved to the relatively new settlement of Woodside in the Parish of Largo. There, in a cottage on the east end of the hamlet, Robert was born (followed by a further six children). Robert was named after his paternal grandfather, Robert Black, who had been a labourer in the Parish of Ceres.
Robert Black attended the Subscription School in New Gilston but left formal education at the age of 13, to begin work and contribute to the household income. However, leaving school did not diminish Robert's desire to learn. He attended evening classes and studied at home, eventually becoming sufficiently qualified to take up the post of schoolmaster at the Adventure School at Gateside in the Parish of Strathmiglo. That is where we find Robert in the 1861 census, boarding with a manufacturing agent, while working as a teacher.
The 'Adventure School' at which he worked was part of the patchwork of school types that existed at the time, and included Parish schools, Subscriptions schools and Free Church schools. An Adventure School was privately run by an individual's own adventure - the word ‘adventure’ used in the sense of risking a financial loss. These schools were not subject to the legislation that applied to more mainstream schools. There were once several adventure schools across Fife. After a year teaching there, Robert attended a training college in Edinburgh to attain a formal qualification before returning to Fife in 1864 to take up the post of schoolmaster at Strathmiglo Subscription School.
Meanwhile, Robert's parents and his six younger siblings were all still at Woodside. Their father James was now a carter, but two siblings were working as coal miners. It was quite common for men no longer able for the physical demands of mining to make the shift to transporting the coal by cart. James died in 1867 aged 52 years, at which time he was described as a 'coal contractor'. The death of James triggered some changes in the Black family. They left Woodside to move to nearby Baldastard Mains Farm (ringed in red on the left on the map above) where they were recorded in the 1871 census. Widowed Elspeth was the head of the household and her occupation given as 'Farmer of 26 acres'. Robert was living there too - his occupation still a teacher. It was around this time however that he left teaching to become the tenant farmer at Baldastard. Keen to maintain his involvement in education, in August 1873 Robert was elected clerk, treasurer and officer to Largo School Board (a position he would hold for 40 years).
Robert married Strathmiglo schoolmistress Elizabeth Elder in 1878. He continued to care deeply about educational matters and regularly wrote and spoke on the topic, as well as on agricultural affairs. Baldastard was owned by Robert Preston Bruce, who became a candidate to become the Member of Parliament for Fife for the Liberal Party. Robert Black threw himself into supporting Bruce in his 1880 campaign, in which Bruce succeeded (remaining an MP until 1889).
By 1881 Robert and Eliza had moved to nearby Berryside (ringed in red on the right of the map above) where Robert farmed 200 acres (while continuing his duties as Largo School Board clerk). Robert and Eliza's household had now been joined by lodger William Hendry, two farm servants aged 16 and 12, and a 15 year old domestic servant. The 1885 valuation roll shows that Robert Black was tenant farmer of both Baldastard Mains and Berryside, while also owning a property in Woodside (in which one of his sisters lived).
However, this was a time of agricultural depression - a topic that Robert wrote about in the 10 March 1886 North Agriculturalist (below). He spoke of how his rent exceeded his takings, leaving him out of pocket. Indeed a tenant of a neighbouring farm had to leave farming to work on the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge, while another died in the poorhouse. The notice further below advertised a 'displenishing sale' at Berryside, marking Robert Black's retirement from agriculture.
Around this time, Robert and Eliza Black relocated to Lundin Links - moving into Bayview Cottage, on Crescent Road, Lundin Links (to the right of the School and Schoolhouse in the image above). The previous owner of Bayview had been Henry Anderson, linen power loom manufacturer from Strathmiglo (employer of 10 men and 50 women in 1881). Henry was the brother-in-law of Robert Black, as Henry's wife Margaret Elder was Eliza's sister. Henry was already a widower in 1888 when he died aged 60. Interestingly, Bayview had always had a connection to Strathmiglo. The architect of the house was Strathmiglo native James Campbell Walker who also designed nearby Melville Cottage (now Old Calabar) and Bourtree Brae House.
Robert Black lived out the rest of his life at Bayview. He was recorded there in the 1891 census as a 'retired farmer', living with wife Eliza and long-term lodger William Hendry. The same year Robert was appointed Inspector of the Poor for the Parish. He held that role for 22 years until failing health forced him to resign in August 1913. The 1901 census recorded him as 'Inspector of the Poor', still sharing the Bayview household with Eliza and William. His other activities included being the local representative of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, President of Y.M.C.A. and the Vice-president of the 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoon' (or P.S.A.) Brotherhood. The P.S.A. movement originated in 1875 and spread throughout the country - its purpose to gather people together for spiritual objectives on Sunday afternoons. The Largo P.S.A. attracted attendances of up to 100 in Robert's day. The Blacks also hosted committee meetings of the Lundin Ladies Golf Club at Bayview (prior to the construction of the club house) and were involved in a range of philanthropic works, including organising fundraising concerts.
The 1902 Fife News Illustrated Almanac extract below records Robert as holding three key community roles. At the time he was Clerk and Officer to Largo School Board, Inspector of the Poor and Clerk to the Largo Parish Council (he would become its Chair in 1913). When the new road bridge was due to be officially opened at Largo Harbour in 1914, Robert was the obvious choice to cut the ribbon (more to follow on that event in the next post). On 4 July 1915 Robert passed away at Bayview, aged 76. His wife Eliza lived until 1920. Bayview was subsequently bought by Leven solicitor James Ogilvy Shepherd and renamed Oldfield. David Low Pye took over as Chairman of the Parish Council. Robert Black would no doubt have lived long in the memories of many.
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