The Recreation Park and Sports Club
One of consequences of the development of railway travel in the latter half of the 19th century was the ability of those living in conurbations to reach seaside resorts and open air activities which became much sought after. Village resorts, especially in Fife and those adjacent to the beach, competed with each other to provide facilities to attract more visitors to their area. Visitors meant economic benefits to the businesses which operated in that area. The explosion of rail travel meant that hitherto difficult journeys by road had become substantially easier by rail. A full day out at the seaside and return to home became possible. Certainly from Glasgow and the west the journey time by train was substantially reduced. The Forth Bridge opening (March 1890) anticipated that the whole of Fife would be much more accessible to the day tripper from east and west and also to second home owners and for lengthy residential holidays. Local authorities (mostly town councils) began to realise that the provision of facilities for visitors encouraged the economic welfare of their village. Of course golf courses and beaches were attractive to these visitors but often they expected more. Golf after all was still a preserve of the wealthy and beach bathing in inclement weather was not everyone’s cup of tea. It seems that towards the end of the 1880s (the bridge was started in 1882) pressure was being applied to town councils by their constituents to provide some extra form of recreation facilities not only to attract visitors to their area but also to provide the local residents with recreation and welfare facilities.
In the East Neuk between 1886 and 1900 many villages created recreation parks for visitors and residents alike – Anstruther, St. Andrews, Methil, Kilrenny, Auchtermuchty, to name but a few involved themselves in creating these recreation parks. The method would usually have been a petition by ratepayers to their local council asking them to promote such a venture in the interests of the constituents if the council itself had not taken the initiative. And so it was that in Elie in 1888 a few public meetings were held to promote such a venture in the village.
“The public meeting of the inhabitants of Elie and Earlsferry was held in Elie public school on Saturday afternoon (12th July 1889) to consider the advisability of procuring a public park for the district. Between 20 and 30 gentlemen were present. Mr Ketchen was called to the chair. ………..continuing the chairman said it was not needful to see much to prove the desirability and even the necessity of a public park for Elie district. He looked at places that fell under the category of “watering places” they would see that those in charge generally recognised the duty and necessity of providing as many attractions as possible to those who visited their shores and neighbourhood. Elie and Earlsferry for some years past fortunately for the inhabitants have become very favourite watering places and they had reached that point in their history when it became a question of the greatest moment whether they would keep the little prestige they had at the moment enjoyed or whether they would allow others to take away their prosperity providing greater attractions.
He did not pretend to say that a public park was an absolute requirement on the score of health but there were other reasons than health to be taken into consideration. The powers that be here have decreed that Elie and Earlsferry are not to become manufacturing places* and they were therefore obliged to make them more and more attractive as summer resorts. They all knew that these places must have considerable natural advantages in the shape of beauty and of situation or they would never have gentlemen from a distance coming there and becoming proprietors and tenants of houses. It required then very little to be said to show that Elie and Earlsferry very must be provided with a recreation park and he hoped to be able to show them how much could be obtained without incurring much expense. They all knew that the Kingdom of Fife had almost been in a state of painful isolation from the outer world on account of its railway system but they were looking forward to reaping considerable benefit from the completion of the Forth Bridge and he wished to impress upon those who had business in Elie and Earlsferry that whilst it was equally true that they should be so much nearer Edinburgh and Glasgow the other large centres of population by the Forth Bridge it was equally true that the railways would run to other places having very much the same natural advantages which they were possessed. It therefore became imperative that they should try and increase the attractions of Elie and Earlsferry so that they would retain their prosperity as a summer resort. For a considerable number of years now a few of them had been endeavouring to discover how and where they could get a public park.
Various steps were taken but unfortunately ours fell through. Within the last month or two Mr Robertson of Wadeslea had been approached and was quite willing to give a portion of the West Kirk Park between the Melon park and Park Place. They would have a space of 22 acres. Mr Robertson has secured a lease (from Baird his then Landlord) of the park as part of his farm and he was willing to give the southern portion** of the park for £25 a year for a period of five years or longer if circumstances would permit. These circumstances are that provided he again becomes the tenant at the end of that period then he would be willing to continue the agreement. At the last meeting of Elie Police Commissioners on Monday as they would have seen from the record a large, signed petition from the inhabitants was submitted complaining of the annoyance caused by the shows on shooting gallery’s*** in the High Street and asking that they should be removed on the ground that they were dangerous to the public and interfere with the quiet that was really needed to in the early hours of the night for children and invalids. If they had a park these shows and shooting galleries would be removed from the streets. Even supposing they had not these grounds of complaint he thought the inhabitants were quite entitled to insist upon a recreation park.
He also thought the police commissioners of Elie and Town Council of Earlsferry should take advantage of the powers they had under the act of parliament and to take up this question. He then asked for expressions of opinions from those present. In reply to Mr Glover (he lived in Earlsferry House) the chairman said that the act of parliament gave the police commissioners the power to provide a recreation park by assessment and he believed that the laying on a penny per pound on rental [i.e. rates] would raise all that was needed. If Earlsferry joined with them the share of Elie will be something like £20. ………………….Mr Currie**** moved and Mr Morrow seconded the first resolution as follows “that this meeting is of the opinion that a public recreation park should be secured and pledges itself through all its power to procure such streets. Mr Glover proposed seconded by Mr. Thompson the following: that this meeting considers the southern portion of the West Kirk Park between the Melon Park and Park Place would afford a suitable site for a public park. The resolution was also unanimously agreed to as was the following “that this meeting recommends that a petition be lodged with the Elie police commissioners and the town council of Earlsferry to provide funds out of the rates or common good. …..Various members were then appointed to a committee.
*“manufacturing places” – this is a reference to a recent proposal to build a paper mill at the Toft to make use of the water from the loch run – by this time the flax mill had fallen into disuse. The application was refused by the town council stating that it did not want industry in the area.
** “southern portion” – this was roughly a line from the current track from park place in a straight line to Elie Golf Course see below
*** “shooting galleries” – these had long been an irritation to the residents of Elie whose sleep was disturbed by rowdy behaviour associated with such travelling fairs. The shooting galleries’ successor, the penny arcade and side shows, were later accommodated on ground of the recreation park adjacent to the school during the summer holiday season.
**** Mr. Currie was one of the Currie family who were the main builders of the large houses in Elie after the arrival of the railway line. They had premises in South Street.
And so the petition with the 124 signatures was presented to the police commissioners in Elie (the forerunner of the Town council).
They met and…..
FOR ELIE. THE PROPOSED RECREATION PARK DEPUTATION TO COMMISSIONERS. A special meeting of the Elie Police Commissioners was held on Monday evening, to receive a deputation in support of the requisition by ratepayers in favour of the acquiring of the southern portion of the East Kirk Park as a recreation park. All the Commissioners were present. Mr Ferguson stated that he, as interim convener of the Committee appointed by the ratepayers at the recent public meeting, had to produce a requisition signed by 124 of the ratepayers which he understood represented a large majority both as regards the number of the ratepayers and the value of properties within the burgh. In addition to asking Mr Ketchen (the Clerk to the commissioners) to read the requisition with signatures attached he did not think it would be needful for him to say much in support of the requisition, he had for a good many years been in the habit of coming with his family to Elie as a watering place, and as most of them knew he recently became a proprietor within their burgh. He had been induced to purchase on account of the introduction of the water and the attractions of the place in the shape of a golfing course and the fine beach. As regards the golfing course he believed its recent extension (this would have been the addition of the Melon Park and the increase to 14 holes) would induce others to seek summer residences in their midst as it had done him, ……….As regards the proposed recreation park he was quite certain it was just what was wanted to meet the requirements of the place. As everyone knew who frequented the golfing course there was really no provision made for ladies and younger people, and unless such were provided it was quite clear that parties having families would go where such accommodation could be had, and judging from what had been done in the past he could not imagine that the authorities, in the face of the requisition which had been read to them supported, as it was by so many of the ratepayers, could not be attended to and carried out. Mr Blues said as a ratepayer and proprietor in Elie he confirmed every word that Mr Ferguson had uttered, and most strenuously urged upon the Commissioners to do all in their power to make Elie one of the finest watering places not only in Fife but in Scotland.
Mr Morris (the local Baker)as long connected in trade both in Earlsferry and Elie said he could assure the Commissioners that it was of the greatest moment to the place that all should be done that possibly needed to be, not merely to keep up the credit of Elie and Earlsferry as attractive watering places, but if possible to induce visitors to come to their shores in increased numbers, as not only the prosperity but almost the existence of the place depended on them doing that. Mr Dower confirmed Mr Morris’ statements. Mr Leitch (the convenor of the Police Commissioners) said it gave him the greatest pleasure to receive the deputation, and thanked them for the interest they were taking in the place, and he hoped the Commission would be unanimous in granting the prayer of the requisition. He thought the Commission should now express their views as to how they felt in regard to the matter. Captain Smith was not inclined to have anything to do with the matter. Mr Moon considered that the desire of the ratepayers should be carried out, while Mr Morgan and Captain Bonner, declined to give any expression of opinion in presence of the deputation. Mr Leitch again expressed his approval of the scheme, and thanked the deputation for their attendance, who then retired. Ultimately the meeting unanimously resolved that a special meeting be held on Monday to consider and dispose of the matter.
Such optimism turned out to be seriously misplaced. Because on the following Monday night:
The Proposed Recreation Park. —At special meeting of Elie Police Commission on Monday night to consider the desirableness of providing ground for a recreation park, asked by requisition signed by 124 ratepayers, Provost Leitch moved that the requisition be complied with, and urged the necessity of increasing the attractions of the locality for summer visitors. Mr Morgan proposed that the requisition be not complied with, and said the park would only result in an increase in the rates. Mr Ketchen (the clerk) pointed out that the requisitionists asked that the assessment for the public park should not exceed 1d per £1, so that it was not the case that there would be an increase in the rates above that. The amendment was carried by four to two.
In effect this scuppered the involvement of the local authority in the scheme.
However nothing daunted the 124 ratepayers took matters into their own hands, leased the ground and set about organising the Recreation Park for the benefit of the villagers and visitors.
RECREATION PARK FOR ELIE.—We are glad to say that the laudable efforts being made to get a recreation park for Elie and Earlsferry are likely to be crowned with success. The public meeting held on Saturday afternoon, (August 1889) although not largely attended was unanimous in demanding that the park should be secured as early as possible. Mr Ketchen, who has done so much for the district in the past, was called to the chair, and in a short but pithy speech, pointed out the necessity of increasing the attractions of Elie and Earlsferry when so many other places were doing their utmost to attract summer visitors. This is the principal trade of Elie and Earlsferry, and in order to keep it up everything possible must be done by the inhabitants to sustain the popularity of the towns. A good deal has been done in the past in this direction, but something more remains, and until a public park is provided, and a larger Hall is erected, the work will not be completed.
Fortunately Mr Ketchen went to the meeting fully prepared with the necessary particulars as to the park to be obtained. Everyone will admit that the agreement which Mr Robertson of Wadeslea is willing to enter into, to give 22 acres of the West Kirk Park for £25 annually, is a very moderate one, and inasmuch that the park is in every way suitable and convenient for the purpose asked there should be no hesitation in coming to a definite decision at once. The Elie Police Commission and Earlsferry Town Council will be consulting the interests of their constituents in helping to pay the rent out of the public funds. In no case can the tax exceed a penny per £ of rental for recreation purposes, and in this case it is not likely that that figure will be required. A good part of the yearly rent will be drawn from the Ladies’ Golf Course and other sources, and in these circumstances the ratepayers cannot grudge the small sum to be taken from the common good. The Committee, under the convenorship of Mr Gorman, who have been appointed to make the necessary arrangements to secure the Park should be heartily supported by everyone interested in the prosperity of the locality. We fully anticipate that a public park will soon be among the number of the many attractions which Elie and Earlsferry possess.
Things moved at a breathtaking speed hence this advertisement merely two days later from the above meeting in 1889
And the report the following Friday thus: “Elie Recreation Park. This park was opened yesterday by a ladies golf tournament being played. There was a large attendance of visitors and inhabitants at the park. The ladies golf course has nine holes and eleven couple started playing two rounds. Sir Henry Morland of Bombay , who agreed to present the prizes, congratulated the visitors and inhabitants on securing the recreation park which had been opened so auspiciously that day. Although the police commissioners had rejected it, Scottish Enterprise and perseverance had come forward and obtained the park.”
The fact that a tournament could have been organised is such a short time suggests to us that actually there already was a rudimentary golfing area because it seemed most unlikely even with the primitive golf courses that then existed a suitable course could have been created in such a short time. Of course the committee may well have anticipated the decision of the police commissioners and started the ball rolling before the anticipated rejection. This is compounded by the fact that the initial lease of the property was only the southern section and one wonders whether there was room in that area for 9 holes (even if it was only the ladies who were playing!). However it was up and running and became very popular for various activities.
One of the early uses was the Elie Annual Sports – this became an institution and held each year. It seemed to be a most popular event hence this report in 1899.
Hardly surprising then that works outings were arranged thus:
Keillor was a major employer in Dundee producing jams and marmalade which became and still are world famous.
And this in 1892