Prior to being renamed Letham Glen in 1925, after John Letham of Fernbank, the wooded den between Dykeneuk and Sillerhole, through which Scoonie Burn runs, was officially named Sillerhole Den and was labelled such on maps, including the one above from 1912. However, locally the place was known as Spinkie Den - 'spinkie' being the Scots work for primrose, although sometimes used to refer to various other flowers too. Many towns and villages had a 'spinkie den' including Kennoway, Markinch and St Andrews.
The den was part of the Durie estate and had been the focus of mining activity in the early nineteenth century with ochre and coal pits in the vicinity. However, as this activity came to an end, and the town of Leven expanded, the picturesque woodland surroundings became recognised as a beauty spot. Picnic parties would visit, such as the Independent Order of Rechabites in 1917 (see 21 June 1917 piece below from the East of Fife Record).
Public access to the space was however contentious at this time. The notice below appeared in 16 May 1918 Leven Advertiser advising people not to trespass on this ground. Nevertheless it was clear that Spinkie Den had the potential to be a great public amenity. John Letham the tenant farmer at nearby Balgrummo Farm greatly appreciated the den and discussions began to take place at Leven Town Council on how to secure it as a public park, particularly as the boundaries of the town were creeping ever closer to it.
Meanwhile, Leven Swimming Club had successfully secured a site to the south of the den for a swimming pond. The club had been determined to build a pond or pool due to the difficulties of operating in the open seafront where changeable sea and weather conditions made activities such as swimming lessons and gala days unpredictable. The discharge of sewage into the sea was another huge problem. The club negotiated a site for a pond with Robert Maitland Christie of Durie and by 1920 has completed the purchase of the location by the den. That year saw a fundraising 'Grand Flag Day' (see advert above from 8 April 1920 Leven Advertiser). Whist drives, sales of work, concerts and dances also contributed to the costs of the project.
Ground was broken at the site on the April Spring Holiday 1920. Four of the principal members of the Swimming Club Committee each cut a corner sod to officially start the project. The construction of the pond was later described in the 30 June 1921 Leven Advertiser as having been "a tedious and laborious task" and "a big job". The "dogged determination" of a handful of the swimming club members and the way that they "enlisted spurts of unattached help" saw them make progress towards their goal.
Swimming Club Secretary, Moses Dempster, who was a civil and mining engineer, had always believed that the club were capable to completing the task. His vision was realised and the finished pond was ready for the summer of 1921. It was 50 yards long and 12.5 yards broad, built with brick and cement, topped with a cement pavement 3 feet broad all round. The labour was all voluntary and saw 1000 cubic yards of soil, clay and shingle removed. The pond, which held 176,000 gallons of water, was officially opened on 23 July 1921 (see advert below from the Leven Advertiser).
At this time, aside from the swimming pond, Spinkie Den continued to be owned by Mr Christie of Durie. The creation of the pond had however opened the door for further recreational facilities. In 1924, Christie granted a ten year lease to Benjamin James Hobbs to operate a putting green in the space between the swimming pond and the wooded den. The opening ceremony of the putting green took place on 29 March 1924 (see Dundee Courier piece below from that day). The article pictured Benjamin James Hobbs (incorrectly naming him J.B. Hobbs).
The same newspaper article also emphasised that "Leven people have expressed a strong desire to have the Den as a communal property". The vision was to lay out walks and build bridges over the burn. The Town Council had been negotiating for some time with Mr Christie "without result". By this time the Council were looking to move on a compulsory purchase, to acquire the den for the good of the community. The 10 April 1924 Leven Advertiser told how Baillie Barron brought forward the motion at a time when "the town was growing towards the gates of the den".
However, in an update on the situation in the 29 July 1924 Leven Advertiser, Provost Mackie and Bailie Barron, told of how the Town Council did not want to have to "throw away money needlessly in the law courts" in the event of being unsuccessful in their aim. Perhaps talks were ongoing behind the scenes involving John Letham, as the Town Council remained "hopeful as to the ultimate result". By the start of 1925 it was reported that movement was being made towards a satisfactory settlement. Early in April 1925 it became public knowledge that John Letham had made a gift of £1000, a gesture that appeared to seal the deal, ensuring that feu-duty could be covered on the site of years to come (for more detail on this see the article at the foot of this post from 21 April Leven Advertiser). Shortly afterwards, Sillerhole Den or Spinkie Den was renamed Letham Glen in recognition of John Letham's generosity and key role in ending years of challenging negotiations.
In June 1925 the "experiment of running a pierrot troupe" was tried as Jack Ashwood's Merrymakers opened at the Glen (see 26 May Leven Advertiser piece above). Leven Town Council embarked upon a gradual programme of improvements to the glen in the years after acquisition, including planting, establishing walkways and creating bridges over the burn. In 1929, Mr Alexander Cumming Dewar, architect and Leven town clerk, prepared plans for an ornamental stone arch and iron gate, as well as a separate carter's gate. This was erected the following year (1930) but displayed the date 1925 - the year that the den was secured for the community. John Letham gifted £600 to cover the cost of the gates and railings, as well as plants and shrubs. The completed main arch is shown below. The next post will cover a few highlights from the next few decades at the Glen.