THERE will be a ‘Carnegie Lecture’ in the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum on Wednesday, January 18, delivered by former First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, Henry McLeish.

Since leaving active politics, Mr Mcleish has undertaken various professorships in the United States teaching European Studies. A frequent visitor there, having visited 42 of the 50 US states over the past 35 years, he is ideally qualified to speak on ‘Carnegie and America’.

The first photograph in this week’s trip down West Fife’s Memory Lane shows Pittencrieff House in the Glen that was purchased for the people of Dunfermline by Andrew Carnegie at the same time as he bought the whole of the Pittencrieff estate.

The next photograph is a view looking along Woodmill Road from its junction with Linburn Road in 1970. The flats in view on Inchkeith Drive have since been demolished and St Columba's High School now occupies the area on the right. To the left, the Trondheim Bar was built and is where Luca’s Kitchen is situated today.

Helen McHardy remembers being at school in Woodmill: “I was at Woodmill 1970-1975 and remember many events between the two schools. Remember the time St Columba’s pupils went out on strike because of the headmaster's rules on their uniform? The pupils sent deputations round the other high schools to try to get us to strike too. Woodmill was allowed out at lunchtimes to the local shops but St Columba’s weren't for a while too. Bit unfair that on reflection. Ahh – happy days.”

Alexander McKenzie recalls the area: “I stayed in the flats on the left just before the ones that you see. The spare ground next to it is where they built the Trondheim Bar. Fantastic memories of Inchkeith Drive.”

Sheena-Ann Brown also remembers staying there: “I remember when that part of Woodmill Road was farmland on the right (Touch). My mum and dad used to go for walks around the area. Our house was brand-spanking new in Calais View. We used to go here to pick raspberries. It was just a farm track at that time!”

The next photograph is of the flats in Allan Crescent and brings back memories for Andy Harper: “I lived in number 48 for most of the ’60s before leaving in 1969. It was a great place to be brought up. It all started changing when they built the shops and houses on our bonfire ground. Million memories of the place.”

Ian Ogilvie remembers how busy the housing scheme was when he stayed there compared with low-rise housing today: “Each block housed a lot of people, unlike the individual houses that are all over the place now. It seems as though people all want their own space now and cannot bear being near anybody else. It is getting to the stage that people will soon want a whole street for themselves!”

Tickets for the ‘Carnegie and America’ lecture are on sale online at Bit.ly/ACBMEvent priced £5. More photographs like these can be seen in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries.

With thanks to Frank Connelly