Largs Museum: Promenade's historic Silver Spade on display in town

The silver spade which was used to cut the first turf on the Victoria Esplanade has been put on show at Largs Museum.

The ceremony was part of the town's celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria on June 22, 1897. 

A procession led by the local band, the Volunteers and the Boys Brigade, included decorated lorries representing fishermen, farmers, bakers and other tradesmen.

Most notable features were a smithy in full operation by the Mackie brothers, and the Town Clerk who brought up the rear in his own pony and trap.

In 1959, the spade in its case was found by workmen demolishing a slum property in the London borough of Finchley.

How it got there is a mystery, but the Town Clerk of Finchley returned it to the Town Clerk of Largs, who passed it on to the Largs Historical Society. 

Also on display at the Largs Musuem is the list of the town's Provosts, which was preserved following the closure of Moorburn Chambers in 2009 and includes many of the town's forefathers, some of whom would have attended the Victoria Esplanade opening day 126 years ago.

Town's forefathers - Provost's board is on display at Largs Museum (Image: Newsquest)

Largs was set up as a burgh council in 1876, and a new Provost was appointed every year, with the town council looking after all the local affairs, with its own baillies, burgh surveyors, and council officials, all based in the local area, until 1975, with the building of Largs Swimming Pool one of its last major projects. 

In subsequent years, local government became regionalised under Cunninghame District and latterly North Ayrshire Council, with the late Bobby Rae serving as Provost.

Largs Museum is open on Saturdays from 11am till 3pm and entry is free.