Born in Largo Parish in 1847 to coal miner William Bethune and his wife Margaret (later to become local midwife), William Bethune would live through, and be heavily involved in, the great changes that would take place in Lundin Links during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He and his sister Margaret lost their father to an accident at work, when William was just five. While the widowed Margaret trained as a midwife in Edinburgh, the children were looked after by their maternal grandmother in Lundin Mill. William attended the old school in Kirkton of Largo, his mother paying the fees. By the age of 14, William was an apprentice grocer in the village and his 16-year-old sister was a linen weaver.
By the 1871 census, William was in Lochgelly, working as a grocer's assistant. He married Margaret Lamond in 1872 and during the 1870s he became an active member of the Lochgelly community. He joined in the local masonic lodge (where he would eventually become Right Worshipful Master), the curling and bowling clubs and became a police commissioner. By 1881 he had been running a grocer and baker shop, at 16 Bank Street, for some years and was noted as 'employing 3 men and 3 apprentices'. However, he was sadly now a widower, having lost his first wife early in 1880. His mother came to Lochgelly temporarily to help support the family. William married his second wife, Isabella Clark later in 1881 and they continued the business in Lochgelly, while growing as a family.
In the Spring of 1890, the the old inn at Lundin Links was purchased by William Bethune. The image below (from 'Largo: An Illustrated History' by Eunson and Band (2000)) shows the inn at the time that Bethune held the license, which was only for a short spell, as he sold it within a year. The 1891 census records the family back in Largo Parish and living at Hillhead Terrace. William was described as a 'Grocer, Wine and Spirit Dealer' and he still retained the Lochgelly business. By 1901, the family were at 'Bellville' on Emsdorf Street, having had the house built circa 1895.
By the 1871 census, William was in Lochgelly, working as a grocer's assistant. He married Margaret Lamond in 1872 and during the 1870s he became an active member of the Lochgelly community. He joined in the local masonic lodge (where he would eventually become Right Worshipful Master), the curling and bowling clubs and became a police commissioner. By 1881 he had been running a grocer and baker shop, at 16 Bank Street, for some years and was noted as 'employing 3 men and 3 apprentices'. However, he was sadly now a widower, having lost his first wife early in 1880. His mother came to Lochgelly temporarily to help support the family. William married his second wife, Isabella Clark later in 1881 and they continued the business in Lochgelly, while growing as a family.
In the Spring of 1890, the the old inn at Lundin Links was purchased by William Bethune. The image below (from 'Largo: An Illustrated History' by Eunson and Band (2000)) shows the inn at the time that Bethune held the license, which was only for a short spell, as he sold it within a year. The 1891 census records the family back in Largo Parish and living at Hillhead Terrace. William was described as a 'Grocer, Wine and Spirit Dealer' and he still retained the Lochgelly business. By 1901, the family were at 'Bellville' on Emsdorf Street, having had the house built circa 1895.
The turn of the century proved to be an interesting time, as that was when William became involved in the building of the new Lundin Links Hotel. The old inn had been bought in 1897 by James McTavish, who had the vision of demolishing the old inn and building a modern, up-market hotel to cater for the golfers and summer visitors that flocked to Lundin Links at that time. James McTavish had married Margaret Duncan in 1896. Construction of the new hotel was well advanced when McTavish was declared bankrupt in March 1899. The bankruptcy was not so much to do with the building of the new hotel but rather was connected to the infamous ‘Pattison crash’. McTavish had previously worked as a clerk for the firm of Pattison, Elder & Co – a whisky distiller and wholesaler that was mismanaged and collapsed taking many other businesses and individuals with it (McTavish held many shares in the company and was liable for some of its debts).
Three individuals step in to save the Lundin Links hotel build and to help out McTavish (who would now no longer own the hotel but would be retained as its manager). The three new investors were Peter Henderson (the architect of the new hotel and probable contact of McTavish’s from his days at Pattison (Henderson designed breweries for the firm)), William Bethune and Samuel Duncan (McTavish’s father-in-law, a tailor from Edinburgh, also known to Peter Henderson through Masonic circles). The hotel was completed and opened in summer 1900.
Duncan, Henderson and Bethune (shown below from left to right) were friends and golfing partners, who had seen Lundin Links take off as a destination for summer visitors and a draw for golfers. As well as his interests in golf and the hotel in Lundin Links, Bethune was a member of the School Board and Largo Parish Council and was present at many notable local events over the years.
Three individuals step in to save the Lundin Links hotel build and to help out McTavish (who would now no longer own the hotel but would be retained as its manager). The three new investors were Peter Henderson (the architect of the new hotel and probable contact of McTavish’s from his days at Pattison (Henderson designed breweries for the firm)), William Bethune and Samuel Duncan (McTavish’s father-in-law, a tailor from Edinburgh, also known to Peter Henderson through Masonic circles). The hotel was completed and opened in summer 1900.
Duncan, Henderson and Bethune (shown below from left to right) were friends and golfing partners, who had seen Lundin Links take off as a destination for summer visitors and a draw for golfers. As well as his interests in golf and the hotel in Lundin Links, Bethune was a member of the School Board and Largo Parish Council and was present at many notable local events over the years.
On 15th March 1915 the Dundee Evening Telegraph reported under the headline 'Death of a well known Fife man':
"A well known Gentleman in the person of Mr William Bethune, licensed grocer died at Lochgelly this morning. Deceased was at one time R.W.M. of masonic Lodge Minto 385 and one of the original members of the town council when Lochgelly was formed into a burgh. Mr Bethune originally belonged to Largo and started business in Lochgelly when quite a young man. For some years back deceased was the oldest merchant in the town".
William Bethune was 68 years old when he passed away at 16 Bank Street, Lochgelly on 15th March 1915, outliving his good friends Peter Henderson and David Stewart.
With thanks to John Band for information.
"A well known Gentleman in the person of Mr William Bethune, licensed grocer died at Lochgelly this morning. Deceased was at one time R.W.M. of masonic Lodge Minto 385 and one of the original members of the town council when Lochgelly was formed into a burgh. Mr Bethune originally belonged to Largo and started business in Lochgelly when quite a young man. For some years back deceased was the oldest merchant in the town".
William Bethune was 68 years old when he passed away at 16 Bank Street, Lochgelly on 15th March 1915, outliving his good friends Peter Henderson and David Stewart.
With thanks to John Band for information.
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