We were delighted to welcome Graham Johnston, Chairman of Elie & Earlsferry History Society as speaker on the 1st May.

What followed was a fascinating look at the history of Elie Harbour or, as Graham put it - ‘A few vital facts to impress your friends’!

The story began before the year 1100. We heard that in times past the harbour was actually an island known as the isle of Ardross, with the name Elie possibly deriving from ‘isle’.

In more recent times Robert Stevenson had been involved around 1815 in a plan to create a ‘proper’ harbour. The present causeway being built somewhat later.

It was clearly a busy trading port with routes to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Poland and Prussia. Tourists came over from North Berwick and pilgrims too on their way to St Andrews.

A particularly interesting story was the outcome of an enquiry about ‘indigo mills’ at Elie. Reference was made to a brief paragraph in the Practical Mechanic’s Journal of 1863 on windmills, suggesting that several mills of a horizontal construction were in use ‘at the town of Eli [sic.], in the litigious kingdom of Fife’.  And that these were employed in grinding indigo, possibly from shellfish, or from plants, usually referred to as indigo or woad.

We heard too of the role played by Elie harbour in the ‘ragged school’ movement of the industrial revolution. The aim of the movement was to give the poor and unfortunate a chance for a brighter future, by providing structure to their lives and an education.This was the ambition behind the Mars training ship, which differed only in that it would, ideally, train boys to join the Royal Navy or the Merchant Marine on their discharge. The boys were taken to Elie, for between four to six weeks each year, to live in the granary at the harbour - getting there by marching from Dundee!

A truly fascinating illustrated talk and, following questions, an appreciative vote of thanks was proposed by Steve Blaney.