James Simson
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 54
Get eBook
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...on shore "; for, as I have already stated, the Lazaretto was discontinued shortly after 1832, and sold in 1835. Besides the works mentioned, there were a small tannery and meal or flour mill, opposite each other, on the town-side of a bridge that crossed what could hardly be called a stream, although the tide, I think, reached that far; and further up, on the opposite side of it, and "out of town," was a small fire-clay brick work. The only other work was a small ropery on the crescent that led to the East Ness. Small as Inverkeithing was, it had a provost and twelve councillors, a town-clerk, and a town-officer; in consequence of which it was doubtless well governed, if the number of those in "authority" would ensure that. I do not remember anything particularly exciting in the town excepting at Lammas fair and its horse race, to which I have already alluded. Every one, for miles around, made a public appearance on that day, and entered into the spirit of it. Even the herds had a half-holiday; in anticipation of which they carefully kept their cows off a piece of grass long in advance of the fair (and hence called a "Lammas bite"), so that on the morning of it the animals were turned into the reserve pasture, which would furnish them as much grass during the forenoon as they could get the whole day under or At this time there was no obstruction to the flow of the fresh water till nearly opposite the distillery, where there was a dam with the usual sluice. In time of floods the stream would overflow the bank, on the right, and lodge where there was a row of willow tress, at the bottom of some gardens, one of which belonged to the owner of the tannery, and contained an ancient stone dove-cot. dinary...