The first photograph in this week’s trip down West Fife’s Memory Lane shows crowds of people at the opening of the Louise Carnegie Gates that were constructed between 1927 and 1929.
The design was by ‘Jamieson and Arnott’, with the ironwork by Thomas Hadden.
Funded by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust, they were a tribute to the wife of Andrew Carnegie, Louise Whitfield. The design incorporates Louise’s initials, together with three letters ‘M’ for Margaret Morrison, Andrew Carnegie’s mother, Margaret Carnegie their daughter and Margaret Miller, their grand-daughter.
There will be an event in the Canmore Room in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries on Wednesday, May 8, at 6.30pm when actress and storyteller Irene Lofthouse from Keighley in Yorkshire will bring her one woman play on the life of Louise to Dunfermline.
The great great great grandson of Andrew Carnegie, the actor and singer Joe Whiteman, will also provide entertainment, performing songs from the musical on the life of Carnegie, ‘The Star Spangled Scotchman’.
Our next photograph is of the opening of the Museum Hall attached to the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie in Moodie Street on the June 28, 1928. Funded by Louise Whitfield (who had earlier purchased the birthplace cottage itself as a gift to her husband on his birthday) the museum tells the story of the life and achievements of one of the world’s greatest ever philanthropists. Louise can be seen sitting in the front row of the photograph third from the right.
The Birthplace and Museum is now open for the summer season between 11am and 4pm (last entry 3.20pm) every day free of charge.
Our final photograph was taken on Friday, June 26, 1914 and is of the Children's Gala in Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline.
In 1903 Louise and her husband Andrew Carnegie funded a Children's Gala which paraded down the High Street to Urquhart Park, now the grounds of Dunfermline Cricket Club.
The following year in 1904, with Pittencrieff Park now purchased for the people of Dunfermline by Andrew Carnegie, the parade ended in there with a picnic lunch and school games.
The gala was, and still is, one of the most popular and best remembered events in Dunfermline’s calendar and brings back memories for generations of people brought up in the city including Douglas Currie.
He said: “Pittencrieff Primary had a pretty good spot, just inside the main gates at the bottom of the High Street and Chalmers Street in front of the doocot. Loved every one of those days, though some were rained off and then we had the races etc in the gym.”
More images like these can be seen in the Local Studies Department in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries, as well as at facebook.com/olddunfermline.
Tickets priced £10 for the show entitled ‘An Evening with Louise Whitfield and her husband Andrew Carnegie’ are on sale online at OnFife as well as from the venue itself, and also from the Carnegie Hall box office on 01383 602302.
With thanks to Frank Connelly
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