In this week’s trip down West Fife’s Memory Lane we look at an area at the bottom of the town in and around St Leonard’s Street.

The first photograph from the 1970s is a view looking up that street towards the town with Dunfermline Abbey visible in the distance.

The entrance on the left is to the bus depot and garage which is still there today, though the tenements lining the street have long since been demolished.

Dunfermline Press: St Leonard's Street in the 1960s.St Leonard's Street in the 1960s. (Image: Contributed)

Our next photograph shows the opposite side of the street. Again most of the buildings in the image, taken in the 1960s, are no longer there, with the area now the site of Asda’s supermarket.

One building that still stands today, however, is the prominent one in the distance (since converted into flatted accommodation) which was part of the Erskine Beveridge Steam Weaving Factory that opened in June 1851 with around 1200 employees.

Erskine Beveridge and his son were recognised as good employers for their time with the conditions in their mill being better than most others.

As early as 1856 there was a school on site teaching 145 children, many of whom had parents working in the mill. There was also a library at the works, with the difference from today being that male and female employees had to use the facility at different times.

The school building later became the first St Leonard’s Primary School.

Bob Peattie remembers the school from long ago: “I went to the school just before World War II started and shortly afterwards it was shut down for a period for fears that the adjacent tall chimney stack would be bombed and fall on the school."

Dunfermline Press: St Leonard's Street in 1973.St Leonard's Street in 1973. (Image: Contributed)

Our next photograph shows the same area prior to demolition in 1973, after which ‘Fine Fare’ constructed a supermarket on the cleared site.

The origin of the name of the street is referred to in the ‘Dunfermline Journal’ of 1903: ‘Just a little beyond the St Leonards factory of today we come to the site which was dedicated to St Leonard.

'It is difficult to say when the Hospital, the most ancient charitable institution in the parish of Dunfermline, was founded.

'The oldest of the records of the institution date back to 1384 but in 1651 an entry appears which connects the Hospital with the days of Malcolm and Margaret.

'It is generally believed that the Hospital and Chapel were wrecked in 1651 by Oliver Cromwell and his army while they were on their way to Dunfermline after the Battle of Pitreavie.

'It is quite possible that the Cromwellian victors may have done some wrecking work at St Leonards but it is proved beyond doubt by documents that the Hospital and Chapel of St Leonards were in a dilapidated state before the Battle’.

Dunfermline Press: St Leonard's Street junction with Whirlbut Street where it merges into Bothwell Street.St Leonard's Street junction with Whirlbut Street where it merges into Bothwell Street. (Image: Contributed)

Our final photograph is from further up the street at its junction with Whirlbut Street where it merges into Bothwell Street.

The Bank of Scotland building is situated to the left just before the railway viaduct.

More photographs like these can be seen in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries and also at facebook.com/olddunfermline.'

With thanks to Frank Connelly