A ‘CARNEGIE LECTURE’, entitled ‘Serious Minds: Andrew Carnegie and his Trustees’, will take place on February 15 in the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, delivered by Lord Bruce.

Charles Bruce pursues interests in conservation, multi-culturalism, the fine arts and Scottish heritage overseas. He also manages the Broomhall family estate as a sustainable rural business, now an international destination for heritage and fine arts travel. He is involved in urban regeneration in India where he chairs the Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust, conserving a 200-year-old Scottish cemetery, and was presented with the 'Wallace Award' by the Scottish American Foundation in 2022.

The first image in this week’s trip down West Fife’s Memory Lane looks at the main road into Dunfermline from the east, Halbeath Road. The photograph was taken at the junction of Halbeath Road with what is now Whitefield Road on the left that leads up to the Queen Margaret Hospital. Traffic lights are now in place at this corner, where the entrance to Inglis Veterinary Hospital is today.

The Dunfermline Press described the condition of the road around that time in its edition of August 29, 1925: "Halbeath Road it will be recollected had been constructed of water-bound macadam on a doubtful foundation and the tramways were carried on a single line with loops made on the south side of the thoroughfare. It is the intention of Dunfermline Town Council, partly in order to provide work for the unemployed during the forthcoming winter, to continue the widening of Halbeath Road immediately to the east of Linburn Road."

Ruth Stewart recalls the area: “I was brought up here – milk and post used to be delivered by van because it was in the country!”

Irene Brown has similar memories: “Used to go up the old road under the railway bridge to get to the farm where my dad kept his horses – now all houses above the station.”

The next photograph shows the section of Halbeath Road further into town near East End Park with bungalows visible on the south side of the street.

Moira Ramage’s father was involved in the construction of many of the bungalows in Halbeath Road: “My dad, John Brough, was an apprentice in his father’s joinery business, Robert Brough and Sons, who had the joinery contract for many of these bungalows. Most of the original features of these houses have been replaced with modern double-glazing and doors, though a few art deco designs are still visible.”

The low stone wall and wooden hoardings on the north side of the road in the photograph enclosed the pitch of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.

The final photograph is of the junction of the New Row, Priory Lane and Comely Park, at a time when the tram service was still operating as can be seen by the tracks on the road.

More photographs like these can be seen in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries. Tickets for the ‘Carnegie Lecture’ are available online at Bit.ly/ACBMEvent. Although the Birthplace Museum is closed until March, tickets, priced £5, can be reserved by phoning 01383 724302. Doors open at 6.45pm for a 7.30pm start.

With thanks to Frank Connelly.