Lassodie History
The village of Lassodie was situated close to Loch Fitty in the parish of Beath in Fife. The village grew up around the mining industry and by 1901 had a population of over 1400. The village consisted of 3 separate hamlets - Old Rows, New Rows and Fairfield. There was a post-office and Co-op at New Rows and a Co-op at Fairfield. The school and the United Free Church (St Ninians) were also situated at New Rows. The main coal company offices were situated at Old Rows. By 1931 the mines had closed and many miners were given notice to quit their homes.
Early Days
Advertisement 1825
Farms & Coal in the West of
Fife
To be let for 19 years, or such number of years as agreed
upon,
The following FARMS on the ESTATE of LASSODIE, in the parish of Beath,
about four miles from Dunfermline, viz.
1. Lassodie Mains, with Mansion-house
and Offices, containing about 197 Scots Acres.
2. Whinnyhall, containing
about 180 Scots Acres
3. Braehead, containing about 195 Scots Acres
4.
Blairathie, containing about 267 Scots Acres
The farms being contiguous, will
be let either two or more of them conjoined or in such divisions as may be
agreed upon. The lands are mostly arable, fit for any mode of husbandry, and
susceptible of great improvement at moderate expense, from the excellent lime
rock on the lands being now opened, and having commenced burning. They are well
situated for markets, the turnpike road from Dunfermline to Kinross running
through the lands.
The COAL on the lands of Lassodie will be let on liberal
terms, and at a fixed rent, or lordship, or both, as may be agreed upon.
For
particulars application may be made to Mr William Beveridge, writer in
Dunfermline; and the lands will be shown by applying at Lassodie
House.
Offers will be received till the 1st day of July next, by Mr
Beveridge, or George Combe, W.S. 2, Brown Square Edinburgh.
The GRASS PARKS
on this estate, 15 in number, will be let for pasture for the ensuing season, by
public roup, on Wednesday 30th March next. The roup to begin at Lassodie House,
at eleven o'clock forenoon. [Scotsman 2 March 1825]
Advertisement 1851
Desirable Estate in
Fifeshire
Reduced Upset Price £9500
To be sold by public roup, within
the Tontine Hotel, Cupar, on Friday, 10th October 1851, at one pm.
The
estate of Cocklaw, including the lands of Lassodie, part of Wyndyedge and the
superiority and feu duties of the villages of Oakfield, & c., measuring 403
acres imperial or thereby, together with two thirds of the Mill of Lassodie and
converted multures effeiring thereto; all belonging to the sequestrated estate
of Mr James Moodie, deceased.
This estate has a fine southern exposure,
is mostly enclosed, and, by judicious drainage and improvements, may be made one
of the most eligible properties in the West of Fife. There are 6 or 7 seams of
coal on the lands of Lassodie, which Mr D Landale, mining engineer, Edinburgh,
reports to be of considerable value, and there is also a small field of
blackband ironstone which being associated with a thin wild coal, could be
wrought at moderate expense. There are about 20 acres in thriving plantations,
affording shelter, and at the same time ornamental. The property lies in the
parish of Beath, within 2 miles of Cowdenbeath station of the Edinburgh, Perth,
and Dundee railways, the branches whereof to Rescobie Lime Works and Kelty
Coalfields for which and act of parliament has been obtained, pass along its
boundaries on the south and east. It is bounded by the old Queensferry Road on
the east, it is intersected by the old public road from Blairadam to Dunfermline
on the north, and has also access to Dunfermline from the south by another good
road, from which it is only about 4 miles distant.
The teinds are
exhausted, and the public burdens are very moderate. The upset price is now
reduced to a sum which will afford ample return to a purchaser.
If not sold
in One, the property will be offered in 2 lots: the one to consist of Cocklaw,
measuring about 240 acres, with the feu duties thereof; and the other, Lassodie
Mill, measuring about 155 acres imperial, with the feu duties, converted
multures, and minerals thereof.
Full particulars will be communicated by
Archibald Borthwick, accountant, Edinburgh; or Messrs Drummond and Mitchell,
writers Cupar. Mr Taylor, at Thornton, will point out the
boundaries. Edinburgh 3rd Oct 1851. [Scotsman 8 October 1851]
Advertisement 1863
Lassodie Colliery,
Dunfermline
The Lassodie coals are, from the celebrated Dunfermline or
Fifeshire Splint Seam, unequalled in point of quality for household purposes:
and can be had fresh from the pits daily per rail, at moderate prices
from:
James Sword, sole agent for the Company, Scotland Street Station,
Edinburgh; Junction Wharf and Old Bridge End, Leith [Scotsman 4 July 1863]
Advertisement 1863
Dunfermline New Coal
Field
Estate of Lassodie
Lassodie Colliery Office, Scotland Street
Station, Edinburgh
Best splint, great and household coal, all of the finest
quality for household purposes, public offices, bakers, &c., from 11s. 6d.
to 15s. 6d. per ton including cartage
James Sword, Agent by direct
appointment for Edinburgh & Leith [Scotsman 24 October 1863]
Water Supply
Prior to 1887 water was drawn from wells. In 1887, the local
council, at the instigation of Mr Brownlie the colliery manager, set up a water
supply to the village.
Water Supply - 13 September 1887
A new water supply
to the villages of Lassodie and Fairfield, near Dunfermline, was successfully
inaugurated yesterday, the ceremony of turning on the water being performed by
Mrs Brownlie. [Scotsman 13 September 1887]
Schools
Advertisements 1873
New School Buildings
The
School Board of the Parish of Beath propose to erect three schools on sites near
to the villages of Cowdenbeath, Kelty and Lassodie, capable of accommodating
500, 300 and 250 children respectively. They also propose to erect schoolmasters
houses adjoining the schools at Cowdenbeath and Lassodie.
The board invite
architects to send in plans, specifications and estimates of the costs of these
buildings, not later than 12th November 1873. The plans must be drawn to a scale
of one inch to every eight feet, and must be in accordance with the rules of the
Scottish Education Department. Premiums of £10, 10s. and £5 5s. will be awarded
to those competitors whose plans are not adopted, but who in the opinion of the
Board, rank first and second in the order of merit. The Board do not pledge
themselves to adopt any plans that may be sent in.
Further particulars
may be obtained from the undersigned, to whom plans, &c., are to be
addressed.
John Ross, Clerk to the Board Dunfermline 9th October 1873 [Scotsman 18 October 1873]
Advertisement 1874
Teacher (Certificated Female)
wanted for Lassodie Colliery School. Salary meantime £40, exclusive of
Government grant. A new school to accommodate 250 children is about to be
erected, and when completed, the teacher who may now be appointed will be taken
over by the School Board of the Parish of Beath if her services prove
satisfactory.
Applications with testimonials to be addressed to Mr J
Brownlie, Lassodie by Dunfermline.[Scotsman 14 March 1874]
Advertisement 1877
Head Master wanted by the Parish of Beath School Board for the new school about to be opened at Lassodie. Must be certificated. Salary £140 per annum, with new dwelling house adjacent to the school. Applications to be lodged with John Ross, writer, Dunfermline, clerk to the Board, on or before 1st April 1877.[Scotsman 24 March 1877]
The Beith (sic) School Board
have appointed Mr Wm Drysdale, first assistant Cowdenbeath Public, to be
headmaster of Lassodie Public School [Scotsman 11 March 1882]
Lassodie Court Cases
3 Oct 1876
At a Sheriff and Jury court at Dunblane yesterday, James Malcolm, miner Lassodie, was sent 5 months to prison for assaulting a pitsinker named Mitchell in a railway carriage with a bottle. [Scotsman 3 Oct 1876]
6th November 1923
Peter Mills, Garalands cottages, Beath parish, was fined £1 for having in Lassodie pit neglected to observe the rules with regard to propping. [Scotsman 6 November 1923]
5th February 1924
Action of adherence and
aliment
In Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff Umpherston heard
evidence in an action of adherence and aliment by Mrs Mary Toal or Gray, 19 Old
Rows Lassodie, against her husband, David Gordon Ogilvie Gray, a private in the
first Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Pursuer stated that her husband deserted
her and joined the Army as the single man. Some time afterwards she met him in
Edinburgh, but he deserted her on the street, and she lodged information with
the police, which led to his apprehension as an army deserter. Thereafter the
army authorities allowed her two shillings a day which was deducted from her
husband's pay, but this had been stopped pending an order by the court in the
present action. It was stated that defenders army pay was 15 shillings a week.
Sheriff Umpherston gave decree of adherence, with aliment at the rate of 14
shillings per week. [Scotsman 5 February 1924]
4th February 1930
Hutch pinning in Fife
John
Penman, miner, 38 Dundas Street, Townhill, was convicted on evidence at the
Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday, and sent to prison for 60 days' for hutch
pinning in No. 10 pit, Lassodie Colliery. James Penman, a son, who acted as
drawer to his father pleaded guilty to the charge. The evidence showed that
miners in the section in which the Penmans worked had complained for months of
not being credited with hutches which they had filled and sent to the surface. A
test hutch was prepared and James Penman was seen in its the vicinity. Shortly
afterwards it was found that the pin and tally had been removed from the hutch
and in its place there was discovered a pin belonging to John Penman. The
Sheriff gave James Penman the benefit of the probation of offenders Act. [Scotsman 4 February 1930]
Decline of the Village
19 Feb 1925
Effect of Slack Trade - Work at the collieries in the Cowdenbeath district has been slack for some months and the Fife Coal Company Ltd have given the workers of Foulford and No 9 Pits Cowdenbeath, and of Lassodie Mill and Blairenbathie Collieries Kelty, fourteen days' notice for the termination of employment. Certain workers in the pits of Raith Colliery, belonging to the Lochgelly Iron and Coal Co. Ltd, have received notices to the same effect [Scotsman 19 Feb 1925].
Four coal pits owned by the Fife Coal Co are to be shut down. The pits are the Lassodie and the Bathie at Kelty and the Foulford and No 9 at Cowdenbeath. Fully a thousand miners will be thrown out of work with small prospect of obtaining other employment in the district [The Times 19 Feb 1925].
6 May 1931
Problem of Fife Village Church - One of the many problems which have arisen as a result of the closing down of Lassodie colliery, near Dunfermline, and the impending evacuation of the village was brought to the notice of the Presbytery of Dunfermline and Kinross yesterday. A letter was read from the clerk to the congregational board of Lassodie Church of Scotland stating that the board had decided to lay the matter before the Presbytery, with a recommendation that the church be closed, as the people resident in the village had received fourteen days notice to quit their houses. The Presbytery remitted to their Home Mission Committee to review the whole situation and to appoint a representative to meet the Lassodie congregation tomorrow. The charge of Lassodie Church has been vacant for some considerable time [Scotsman 6 May 1931].
3 Feb 1932
Demolition of Fife Mining Village - At the instance of Thomas Spowart & Co. (Ltd), former lessees of Lassodie Colliery, action of summary removal were called in the Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday against the occupants of five dwelling-houses in Lassodie Village. An agent for pursuers stated that, the colliery having been closed, the Company, under their mineral lease, were obliged to clear the houses of the land within a certain time. On behalf of the men, all of whom were stated to be in arrears with rent and taxes, in one case to the extent of £16, it was explained that they had not been able to find employment since the colliery was closed in the early part of last year. Sheriff Umpherston gave a decree of summary removal, the men being ordered to quit the houses within 3 weeks. Each of the defenders was ordered to pay the expenses of the action [Scotsman 3 February 1932].
5 April 1933
Dissolution of Congregation - Dunfermline & Kinross Presbytery to Petition Synod - At a meeting of the Dunfermline & Kinross Presbytery at Dunfermline yesterday, it was agreed to petition the Synod of Fife for the dissolution of the Lassodie congregation. Following upon the closure of Lassodie Colliery, the village was depopulated and many of the dwelling houses demolished. The union between the congregations of Lassodie and Kingseat has been dissolved, but the Lassodie congregation could not be dissolved until the church property had been disposed of. That has now been done, the church, church hall, and the manse being now occupied as a retreat and conference centre under the name St Ninians [Scotsman 5 April 1933].
19 Aug 1933
A Disappearing Village - Lassodie, in Fife -
Demolition of Houses - Since the closing of Lassodie Colliery about 2 years
ago, the population of the village, which at one time exceeded 2000, has been
gradually dispersed. The houses known as Old Rows have been out of existence for
some time; over 30 persons are still resident in Fairfield, an isolated part of
the former village, and the New Rows still afford accommodation for 13
families.
Intimation has now been made of the early demolition of the New
Row houses which will mean the disappearance of what for nearly a century was
Lassodie proper. The announcement is also made by the postal authorities of the
closing, on 26th August, of the Post Office, the business of which has been
conducted in one of the New Row houses for over 50 years.
Within a short
time all that will remain of the once prosperous mining village will be the
church and manse, which some time ago were converted into a retreat for weekend
conferences [Scotsman 19 Aug 1933].
20th November 1936
Derelict village- Plans for
transferring people elsewhere- Fife housing schemes
Big housing
improvements in West Fife were foreshadowed at the monthly meeting of Lochgelly
local committee. A move is being made to close the derelict mining village of
Lassodie, near Kelty, and rehouse the inhabitants in a new scheme.
The
difficulty of finding safe housing sites in mining localities also occupied the
attention of the committee. It was reported there was a prospect of settling on
a site at Lumphinnans. The housing conditions at this place are among the worst
in the county, and the committee agreed to press for an early start on the new
scheme.
The site difficulty also stands in the way of the new Glencraig
housing scheme.
The housing problem at Lassodie has occupied the
attention of the authorities for some years. The village was formerly a
prosperous mining community of about 200 houses, and with about 10 pit in the
district. Coal was worked in Lassodie over a century ago. The last few pits
closed a few years ago and since then the population has dwindled until few
families remain. Less than 10 years ago nearly 300 pupils attended the village
school: now there are only 35 pupils. The teachers' hostel was closed, and the
church taken over as a retreat by the Church of Scotland. As the people went to
other districts the houses were demolished, and the village has become
derelict.
No water except through roofs - The condition of the
houses that remain was described to the committee by Councillor Peter Mitchell,
Hill of Beath. He said there was no drainage in the place, and the sanitary
conditions were appalling. There was no water in the houses except the water
that came through the roofs, and there had been a good supply that during the
last few weeks. He suggested that the sanitary inspector and the medical officer
should report on the matter, so that the committee could submit a case to the
county council for new houses for the Lassodie people. He did not care where
they were built, so long as the people got houses. He suggested that they could
be erected at Kelty, near Cowdenbeath, or at Hill of Beath. It was almost
impossible for the people to live in Lassodie.
The chairman, Councillor
John Sneddon, Kelty, said that been sanitary inspector and the medical officer
had reported on the need for closing the houses some years ago. At that time if
Lassodie was to be shut down, the proprietors would have been obliged to level
the houses to the ground, and that would have meant considerable hardship. The
county council had entered into an agreement with the trustees. Events had moved
quickly, however, and the people had mostly left the place. They could not
tolerate the present conditions. The officials were agreed that the remaining
people should be removed to new houses. The time was now opportune to proceed
with a new scheme for the tenants elsewhere, for the county council would get a
big grant under the 1935 Housing Act. The committee instructed officials to
report on the matter [Scotsman 20th November 1936]
22nd January 1937
Fifes problem village- Bad
condition of houses- Closing agreement - The problem of housing conditions
at Lassodie, the Fife mining village, again occupied the attention of Lochgelly
local committee at the monthly meeting.
At a previous meeting it had been
suggested that the village would be practically wiped out if a number of the
houses were condemned and new houses built elsewhere under the 1930 Act, and
other houses built under the 1935 Act to deal with overcrowding in the
village.
This plan has since been found impracticable. It was intimated
at the monthly meeting that the committee would be unable to take advantage of
the large grant under the 1930 Act as the Department of Health had stated that
it was incompetent for a local authority to serve demolition orders on
themselves. The committee decided, however, to recommend that a number of new
houses be built at Kelty to meet the overcrowded conditions in Lassodie. It was
stated that about 16 new houses will probably be required.
Several
members took objection to the report by the medical officer (Dr McGillivray) and
the sanitary inspector (Mr C A Alexander). The medical officer's report stated
that 40 houses were still occupied at Lassodie and, although certain of them
were in a decidedly poor condition, most of them were still in a fairly good
state. They lacked modern sanitary facilities and had no water laid on. With few
exceptions most of the tenants were satisfied with their houses and did not wish
to remove elsewhere unless they could be assured of work. They were paying only
a nominal rent and were better off than if they were in new houses and had to
pay a higher rent.
A ticklish problem - A report by the sanitary
inspector said that Lassodie had always been a rather ticklish problem. He
understood there was an agreement that the village has to be closed by 1943, and
that should be adhered to. Since 1933 the houses had been reduced from about
60-40 and 30 tenants had left the village and found accommodation elsewhere. He
thought that within two years' accommodation could be found for half of the
population if they were asked to look for it. He did not think they should
interfere meantime with the tenants who wished to remain.
The chairman,
Councillor John Sneddon, Kelty, said that since he knew they could not get the
advantage of the 1930 Act grant he was not so enthusiastic about removing the
people from Lassodie. Four of the older tenants who had approached him had been
afraid they would be forcibly removed. They wished to remain, and had stated the
houses were in a better state than when the pit had been
closed.
Councillor P Mitchell, Hill of Beath, said he was disappointed
with the report from the Medical Officer and the sanitary inspector. No one, he
said, who had seen the Lassodie houses could say they were in a fairly good
condition; it was absurd.
Councillor J Davidson, Kelty, also expressed
surprise at the report. A number of the houses were not windproof or watertight,
more than 50 per cent of them were in a bad state, and he could not see why the
reports by the officials said they would be good for four or five years
yet
The chairman said that they knew that the houses were in a bad state,
but the officials felt that as the houses had to be vacated any case by 1943 the
people should be allowed to take advantage of the opportunity of finding houses
elsewhere in the area, without building houses specially.
Councillor
Moffatt said that at least 20 tenants wished to remove from Lassodie, and it was
admitted that the houses were in a bad condition. There was no lighting in the
village, and during darkness it was dangerous to enter Lassodie, for the roads
were in a terrible state. The villagers had to use carbide pit lamps to go about
at night. In view of that he did not think it was right that the people should
have to remain for three or four years as suggested by the officials. He moved
that they recommend the building of a number of houses at Kelty to deal with the
overcrowding conditions in Lassodie. Councillor Davidson seconded and the motion
was unanimously carried [Scotsman 22 January 1937].
1940
Theft of timber - For stealing timber to the value of £25 from dwelling houses at Fairfield, Lassodie, belonging to Fife County Council, which had been vacated, Andrew Malcolm, retired miner, Lochview; Alexander Robert Buchanan, assistant farmer, Whinneyhall Farm; Alexander Ramage White, miner, 97 Fairfield; Hugh Ford, miner, 93 Fairfield; David Hunter, miner, Lochview, all of Lassodie; and Archibald Moffatt, miner, 3 B North Drum Street, Kelty were each fined £5, with the alternative of 30 days' imprisonment, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday. The Procurator Fiscal stated that the houses, which were being vacated, became the property of Fife County Council, and accommodation was found for the tenants. The county housing supervisor impressed on the tenants that he wanted all the timber that was in the houses; but when county council employees went to remove it they found houses had been stripped of flooring, joists, doors, and window facings. The accused Malcolm stated that a county councillor, now deceased, told him he could take everything he required when he removed from the house [Scotsman 27 October 1940].
1948
Tree Planting on Bings - In an endeavour to beautify Fife colliery bings, the National Coal Board, in conjunction with the Forestry Commission and experts from Edinburgh University, are shortly to carry out experimental planting of trees on Lindsay Old Bing, Lassodie Bing, and Kirkford Bing. This information was divulged at a meeting of Fife Planning Committee in Cupar yesterday by Mr L R Milligan, deputy area general manager of the NCB, who said that if the experiment proved successful it could be extended to other bings in the county [Scotsman 13 March 1948].