126-820: Sick Heart River (1941) is a novel by Scottish author John Buchan set in Canada. It was published posthumously. The book was published in the United States under the title Mountain Meadow . Sir Edward Leithen is diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis and given a year to live. While he is deciding how to spend his remaining days, an American associate, John S. Blenkiron , requests help to find his niece's husband, Francis Galliard, who has disappeared from his very successful financial career in New York and fled to Canada. Leithen follows Galliard to Quebec. During this he finds
252-858: A state funeral at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Ottawa. His ashes were returned to the UK aboard the cruiser HMS Orion for final burial at Elsfield , the village where he lived in Oxfordshire. In the United Kingdom, a memorial service was held in medieval Elsfield church on the Saturday after his death and services were held later that month at Westminster Abbey and at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. In his last years, Buchan wrote his autobiography Memory Hold-the-Door , as well as works on
378-528: A state visit to the United States. Tweedsmuir had conceived the royal tour before the coronation in 1937; according to the official event historian, Gustave Lanctot , the idea "probably grew out of the knowledge that at his coming Coronation, George VI was to assume the additional title of King of Canada," and he wished to demonstrate vividly Canada's status as an independent kingdom by allowing Canadians to see "their King performing royal functions, supported by his Canadian ministers ." Mackenzie King, however,
504-477: A "larger, more populous, and better built town than ... any on this coast". A shipbuilding revival produced 38 vessels between 1778 and 1793. In the mid-19th century, whaling became important to the town for a short time. In 1813, the first Kirkcaldy whaling ship, The Earl Percy , sailed north to the Davis Strait ; the town's last whaler, The Brilliant , was sold in 1866 to Peterhead , bringing an end to
630-595: A 'green corridor' to link the main railway station and bus station with the High Street. The budget for the entire project was £4 million, £2 million of which was provided through the Scottish Government 's Town Centre Regeneration Fund. An out-of-town retail park constructed in 1997 north-west of the town on Chapel Level, off the A92 is home to a number of warehouse retailers. The retail park
756-501: A Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order while on the royal train, between Truro and Bedford, Nova Scotia . The King and Queen began their visit to the United States on 8 June. The royal visit to the United States was the high point of Tweedsmuir's efforts to develop a strong relationship with President Roosevelt, which he began soon after his arrival in Canada. The objective was to demonstrate, especially to
882-570: A barrister, upon his return to London in 1903. In 1905, he published a legal book, The Law Relating to the Taxation of Foreign Income. In December 1906, he joined the Thomas Nelson & Sons' publishing company and was also a deputy editor of The Spectator . On 15 July 1907, Buchan married Susan Charlotte Grosvenor —daughter of the Hon. Norman Grosvenor , a son of the 1st Lord Ebury, and
1008-532: A ceremony on 2 November 1935 in the Legislative Council of Quebec (salon rouge) of the parliament buildings of Quebec . By the time Lord Tweedsmuir arrived in Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie King had been sworn in as Prime Minister after the Liberal Party won the federal election held the previous month. Tweedsmuir was the first Governor General of Canada appointed since the enactment of
1134-563: A constitutional crisis. Tweedsmuir conveyed to Buckingham Palace and the British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin Canadians' deep affection for the King, but also the outrage to Canadian religious feelings, both Catholic and Protestant, that would occur if Edward married Simpson. By 11 December, King Edward had abdicated in favour of his younger brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York , who
1260-607: A cousin of the Duke of Westminster . Together, Buchan and his wife had four children, Alice, John , William , and Alastair . In 1910, Buchan wrote Prester John , set in South Africa, another of his adventure novels. He began to suffer from duodenal ulcers , a condition that later afflicted one of his fictional characters, about the same time that he ventured into politics and was adopted as Unionist candidate in March 1911 for
1386-475: A dead Greece behind us". He found himself profoundly affected by John Morley 's Life of Gladstone , which Buchan read in the early months of the Second World War . He believed that Gladstone had taught people to combat materialism , complacency, and authoritarianism ; Buchan later wrote to Herbert Fisher , Stair Gillon , and Gilbert Murray that he was "becoming a Gladstonian Liberal." After
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#17327811131331512-460: A derivation from culdee , which has been repeated in later publications, but this is also incorrect. The discovery of 11 Bronze Age cist burials which date from 2500 BC and 500 BC suggests that this is the most ancient funerary site in the area. What probably made this location ideal was its natural terraces stretching away from the sand bay, and the close proximity of the East Burn to
1638-578: A half marks (33s 4d) to the Abbot of Dunfermline. At the beginning of the 16th century, the town became an important trading port. The town took advantage of its east coast location, which facilitated trading contacts with the Low Countries , the Baltic region , England, and Northern France. The feu-ferme charter of 1451 between the Abbot of Dunfermline and the burgesses of Kirkcaldy mentioned
1764-613: A history of the war for Nelson's, the publishers, which was to extend to 24 volumes by the end of the war. He worked in the Foreign Office, and for a time was a war correspondent in France for The Times in 1915. In that same year, his most famous novel, The Thirty-Nine Steps , a spy-thriller set just prior to the First World War, was published. The novel featured Buchan's oft-used hero, Richard Hannay , whose character
1890-517: A hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps . After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During
2016-481: A key role in securing British agreement to the final negotiations in mid-December 1939 and King acknowledged this in a letter, thank the Governor General "warmly for the help ... What a mischief there would have been had there been another moment's delay!" On 6 February 1940, he suffered a slight stroke and struck his head on the edge of a bath at Rideau Hall. Two surgeries by Doctor Wilder Penfield of
2142-656: A low income. The median weekly income is calculated at £335 for the area. The place of birth of the town's residents was 96.52% United Kingdom (including 87.15% from Scotland), 0.28% Republic of Ireland , 1.18% from other European Union countries, and 1.86% from elsewhere in the world. The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 40.13% in full-time employment, 12.17% in part-time employment, 4.79% self-employed, 5.68% unemployed, 2.57% students with jobs, 3.06% students without jobs, 15.70% retired, 5.51% looking after home or family, 6.68% permanently sick or disabled, and 3.71% economically inactive for other reasons. Compared with
2268-465: A mountain meadow he had seen on a trip thirty years earlier and which has stayed in his memory since. Leithen finds Galliard and nurses him back to health. He then decides to stay with some Indians and help them. Buchan wrote this while Governor General of Canada and Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh . It was published posthumously following his death as a result of a fall and stroke. It
2394-411: A new wet dock and pier was built at the harbour. In 1847 a canvas manufacturer, Michael Nairn, took out a licence on Frederick Walton 's patent for the production of floorcloth , and opened a factory in nearby Pathhead. When the patent expired in 1876, Nairn and other floorcloth manufacturers began the manufacture of linoleum. Production of both floorcloth and linoleum occupied seven factories in
2520-401: A partnership between Forth Ports Ltd (the owners of the harbour), Hutchison's parent company of Carr's Flour Mills, and Transport Scotland, who provided a freight facilities grant of over £800,000. The work included new silos and conveyors to allow fast delivery from coastal ships. Kirkcaldy's town centre, which serves a large catchment area of around 130,000 residents within a 20-minute drive,
2646-503: A period of English rule in Scotland from 1296 to 1306. During these discussions, the town may have been referred to as "one of the most ancient of burghs". This status as a burgh dependent on Dunfermline Abbey was later confirmed in 1327 by Robert I, King of Scots . A charter granted in 1363 by David II , King of Scots (reigned 1329–71), awarded the burgh the right to trade across the regality of Dunfermline. This charter allowed
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#17327811131332772-844: A significant contributor to the organisation of the trip, Tweedsmuir remained largely out of sight for the duration of the royal tour; he expressed the view that while the King of Canada was present, "I cease to exist as Viceroy, and retain only a shadowy legal existence as Governor-General in Council." In Canada, the royal couple took part in public events such as the opening of the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver in May 1939, and King George sat in Parliament and personally granted Royal Assent to bills passed there. The King appointed Tweedsmuir
2898-516: A small but functioning harbour; it is not known when this harbour was established, or whether it was always located at the mouth of the East Burn. According to treasurers' accounts of the early 16th century, timber imported via the harbour—possibly from the Baltic countries—was used at Falkland Palace and Edinburgh Castle , as well as in shipbuilding. Raw materials such as hides, wool, skins, herring, salmon, coal and salt were exported from
3024-519: A suitable successor to Byng, with which the Governor General agreed, the two being friends. Word of this reached the British Cabinet, and Buchan was approached, but he was reluctant to take the posting; Byng had been writing to Buchan about the constitutional dispute that took place in June 1926 and spoke disparagingly of Mackenzie King. On 27 March 1935, Sir George Halsey Perley announced in
3150-651: A supporter of the Jewish people and a homeland, Buchan's name was inscribed in the Golden Book of the Jewish National Fund of Israel. His name was also in a Nazi publication, "Who's Who in Britain" (Frankfurt, 1938), reading "Tweedsmuir, Lord: Pro-Jewish activity. In one history of the Jewish experience in Canada, Buchan, as Governor-General Lord Tweedsmuir, is described as the "most visible supporter" of
3276-565: A year without a reply, in June 1938 he used a trip to the United Kingdom for a rest cure at Ruthin Castle in Wales to procure a positive decision on the royal tour. After a period of convalescence at Ruthin Castle and his home near Oxford , Tweedsmuir sailed back to Canada in October with a secured commitment that the royal couple would tour the country and visit the United States. Though he had been
3402-463: Is Gallatown and Sinclairtown which has a rank of 82, meaning that it is amongst the 5% most deprived areas in Scotland. Linktown, Seafield, Hayfield, Smeaton and Templehall East areas in Kirkcaldy fall within the 5–10% banding of most deprived communities in Scotland. In June 2017, there was a recorded 1,000 Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimants in the Kirkcaldy area representing a 2.8% rate, which
3528-534: Is Sir Edward Leithen , whose name is borrowed from Leithen Water , a tributary of the River Tweed . After the family moved to Glasgow, Buchan attended Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School . He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Glasgow at age 17, where he studied classics as a student of Gilbert Murray , wrote poetry, and became a published author. He moved on to study Literae Humaniores (
3654-468: Is a town and former royal burgh in Fife , on the east coast of Scotland . It is about 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (19 kilometres) north of Edinburgh and 27 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (44 km) south-southwest of Dundee . The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest settlement and the 11th most populous settlement in Scotland . Kirkcaldy has long been nicknamed
3780-513: Is also known as the birthplace of social philosopher and economist Adam Smith who wrote his magnum opus The Wealth of Nations in the town. In the early 21st century, employment is dominated by the service sector: the biggest employer in the town is PayWizard, formerly known as MGT plc (call centre). Other main employers include NHS Fife , Forbo (linoleum and vinyl floor coverings), Fife College , Whitworths (flour millers) and Smith Anderson (paper making). The name Kirkcaldy means "place of
3906-526: Is one of Buchan's most spiritual novels, exploring the themes of death and redemption. The fictional Sick Heart River is in the real region of the Nahanni River in Canada's Northwest Territories . The area was only just being mapped when Buchan, as Governor-General Lord Tweedsmuir, passed nearby during his voyage down the Mackenzie River in the summer of 1937. Buchan always wanted to visit
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4032-475: Is the executive, deliberative , and legislative body responsible for local governance . Kirkcaldy Town House is the main administrative headquarters for the Kirkcaldy area within the local authority. The Kirkcaldy area also sends 11 councillors, elected from three wards, to Fife Council. Beyond the tiers of local government, the Scottish Parliament is responsible for devolved matters from
4158-585: Is the largest in Fife in terms of retail floor space. Eligible businesses voted in favour of a BID (Business Improvement District) scheme for the town centre in 2010. The High Street, which runs parallel to the Esplanade, is home to the Mercat Shopping Centre. A regeneration programme to upgrade the appearance of the High Street was completed in late 2011. A separate project has also created
4284-654: The First World War , he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927. In 1935, King George V , on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett , appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to
4410-585: The Hannay books . In The Thirty-Nine Steps , for example, the anti-Semitic comments of the murdered freelance spy, Scudder, are called 'eyewash' by Hannay and proved to be totally wrong by later events. She cautions, "it is important to avoid anachronism", that is, "[r]acial and national stereotyping, favourable and unfavourable, was commonplace throughout all society" so "it is hardly surprising that characters in JB's novels should engage in it", reflecting that society. As
4536-642: The Intelligence Corps . Recognised for his abilities, the War Cabinet, under David Lloyd George, appointed him Director of Information in 1917, essentially leading Britain's propaganda effort. In early 1918, Buchan was made head of a Department of Intelligence within a new Ministry of Information under Lord Beaverbrook . Throughout the war, he continued writing volumes of the History of the War . It
4662-508: The Lang Toun ( pronunciation ; Scots for "long town") in reference to the early town's 0.9-mile (1.4 km) main street, as indicated on maps from the 16th and 17th centuries. The street would finally reach a length of nearly four miles (six kilometres), connecting the burgh to the neighbouring settlements of Linktown, Pathhead, Sinclairtown and Gallatown, which became part of the town in 1876. The formerly separate burgh of Dysart
4788-622: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 when the region became a unitary council area . The new Fife Council adopted the areas of the former districts as council management areas and created area committees to represent each. Kirkcaldy is represented by several tiers of elected government. It is divided into six community council areas : Bennochy and Hayfield, Dysart , Kirkcaldy East, Kirkcaldy North, Kirkcaldy West, and Templehall. Of these, only Dysart, Kirkcaldy North and Kirkcaldy West have active community councils , which form
4914-562: The Montreal Neurological Institute were insufficient to save him, and his death on 11 February saw an outpouring of grief, gratitude and admiration, not only in Canada but throughout the English-speaking world. In a radio eulogy, Mackenzie King stated: "In the passing of His Excellency, the people of Canada have lost one of the greatest and most revered of their Governors General, and a friend who, from
5040-653: The Parliament of the United Kingdom , such as education , health , and justice . The first Member of Parliament to be elected to the House of Commons from Kirkcaldy was Colonel Abercrombie in 1710. Prior to the Act of Union in 1707, Kirkcaldy sent a Member of Parliament to the old Scottish Parliament , which usually met in Edinburgh . Kirkcaldy was represented by the constituency of Dysart Burghs from 1707 to 1832, which
5166-660: The Scottish Historical Society and a trustee of the National Library of Scotland , and he also maintained ties with various universities. Robert Graves , who lived in nearby Islip , mentioned his being recommended by Buchan for a lecturing position at the newly founded Cairo University . In a 1927 by-election , Buchan was elected as the Unionist Party Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities . Politically, he
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5292-537: The Statute of Westminster on 11 December 1931, and was thus the first to have been decided on solely by the monarch of Canada in his Canadian council . Tweedsmuir brought to the post a longstanding knowledge of Canada. He had written many appreciative words about the country as a journalist on The Spectator and had followed the actions of the Canadian forces in the First World War when writing Nelson's History of
5418-643: The United Free Church of Scotland joined in 1929 with the Church of Scotland , Buchan remained an active elder of St Columba's Church, London . In 1933 and 1934, Buchan was further appointed as King George V's Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . Beginning in 1930, Buchan aligned himself with Zionism . He was active and vocal in Parliament in condemning
5544-488: The burgesses of Kirkcaldy to purchase and sell goods to the burgesses of the three other regality burghs – Queensferry , Dunfermline and Musselburgh – that belonged to the Abbey. By 1451, Kirkcaldy was awarded feu-ferme status. Under the status, responsibility would now lie with the bailies and council to deal with the routine administration of the town and its fiscal policies; conditional on an annual payment of two and
5670-432: The 16th and 17th centuries. The street eventually reached a length of nearly 4 miles (6.4 km), linking the burgh to its neighbouring suburbs of Linktown, Pathhead, Sinclairtown and Gallatown. Historians are not sure where the medieval centre of Kirkcaldy was located, but it may have been at the corner of Kirk Wynd and the High Street. This would have been the site of the town's Mercat cross and focal point of
5796-497: The Canadian Parliament (in place of ailing Conservative Prime Minister Richard Bedford Bennett ) that the King appointed Mr. John Buchan as the viceregal representative. The King approved the appointment, made by commission under the royal sign-manual and signet . Buchan, by this time elevated to the peerage as the first Baron Tweedsmuir, then departed for Canada and was sworn in as the country's Governor General in
5922-408: The Canadian government. Tweedsmuir had known from previous experience with a British mission, which had examined the possibility of aircraft production in Canada in the spring of 1938, that officials in Britain "do not seem to understand the real delicacy of the position of the self-governing Dominions, especially Canada. King had been difficult, as Chamberlain admitted to Tweedsmuir. Tweedsmuir played
6048-579: The Classics ) at Brasenose College, Oxford , with a Junior Hulme scholarship in 1895 and in his third year achieved a Senior Hulme scholarship, adding to his financial security. At Oxford, he made many friends including Raymond Asquith , Aubrey Herbert and Tommy Nelson. Buchan won the Stanhope essay prize in 1897 and the Newdigate Prize for poetry the following year; he was also elected as
6174-608: The Covenanting cause cost the town over 250 men at the Battle of Kilsyth in 1645. The continuing civil wars killed at least another 480 men and led to the loss of many of the harbour's trading vessels. By 1660, this left the town with only twelve registered ships, down from 100 it is claimed were recorded between 1640 and 1644. Towards the end of the 17th century, the economy recovered, with growth in manufacturing. During this period, Daniel Defoe described Kirkcaldy as
6300-471: The Governor General, and the second in the spring of 1937 with an official visit by the Tweedsmuirs to Washington, D.C. Both visits were significant successes. Buchan's experiences during the First World War made him averse to war, and he tried to help prevent another one in co-ordination with Mackenzie King and the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt by the calling of a conference, to be chaired by
6426-660: The House of Commons for the establishment of a public body for film in the mould of the BBC , Buchan was appointed among the first nine Governors of the British Film Institute after its formation in 1933. Buchan remained in the role until his appointment as Governor General of Canada in 1935. In 1935, Buchan's literary work was adapted for the cinema with the release of Alfred Hitchcock 's The 39 Steps , starring Robert Donat as Richard Hannay, although Buchan's story
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#17327811131336552-407: The Jacobite cause but he did write romances about that adventurous period, for example, A Lost Lady of Old Years (1899), A Book of Escapes and Hurried Journeys (1922) and Midwinter (1923). Following the close of the war, Buchan turned his attention to writing on historical subjects, along with his usual thrillers and novels. He moved to Elsfield , Oxfordshire in 1920 and had become president of
6678-449: The Jews. Both Tweedsmuir and his wife Susan "spoke publicly in favour of Zionism, lending the cachet of the Crown" to the cause of a Jewish homeland. Susan Tweedsmuir's name was also entered into the Golden Book. In recognition of his contributions to literature and education, on 1 January 1932, Buchan was granted the personal gift of the sovereign of induction into the Order of the Companions of Honour . Having previously advocated in
6804-410: The Kirkcaldy area, the majority of which are in Kirkcaldy itself and to a lesser degree in Burntisland . This represents approximately 13.6% of the 163,000 jobs in Fife. The local economy is dominated by service sector businesses. Other important economic sectors in the Kirkcaldy area are retailing and construction with moderate levels of jobs in financial and business services. The largest employer in
6930-532: The Nahanni but never made it before his death in February 1940. John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir GCMG GCVO CH PC DL ( / ˈ b ʌ x ən / ; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada , the 15th since Canadian Confederation . As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over
7056-413: The Scottish Borders seat of Peebles and Selkirk . He supported some Liberal causes, such as free trade, women's suffrage , national insurance , and curtailing the powers of the House of Lords . But he did not support Home Rule in Ireland and what he considered the class hatred fostered by Liberal politicians such as David Lloyd George . With the outbreak of the First World War , Buchan began writing
7182-403: The Scottish Parliament by the first–past–the–post system of election, and the region elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation . The Kirkcaldy seat was won at the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections by David Torrance for the Scottish National Party (SNP). Following a review of Scottish Parliament constituency boundaries , the Kirkcaldy constituency
7308-452: The Tolbooth on Tolbooth Street, particularly in the summer months. When Kirkcaldy was awarded royal burgh status in 1644, the duties of the provost were initially performed by bailies, councillors, and magistrates . The first Lord Provost , Robert Whyt, was elected to the post around 1658. The burgh was one of four in Scotland to use two coats of arms , introduced in 1673. One bears the motto Vigilando Munio ("I secure by watching"), and
7434-446: The U.S. and to include the European dictators. Those efforts to try to secure future peace and stability proved fruitless because the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, refused to countenance the idea. Tweedsmuir signed Canada's declaration of war against Germany on 10 September, a week after the British declaration of war. The week difference allowed war-related materiel, such as aeroplanes and munitions, to move to Canada from
7560-423: The Unemployment Grants Commission and built by unemployed residents. In 1930, the town would further expand to include the former royal burgh of Dysart under an act of Parliament when its own town council became bankrupt. During the 1950s and 1960s, new housing estates were built north-west of the town. This was followed by the redevelopment of the town centre in the 1960s and 1970s, which destroyed much of
7686-405: The United Kingdom by the first past the post system. Since the 2017 UK General Election , Lesley Laird of the Labour Party has been Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. Kirkcaldy forms part of the Kirkcaldy constituency of the Scottish Parliament (or Holyrood ), and is one of nine within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. Each constituency elects one Member of
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#17327811131337812-510: The War , and was helped by talks with Julian Byng, during a visit Canada in 1924. He had also written a memoir of a previous Governor General, Lord Minto (1898-1904), published in 1924. His knowledge and interest in increasing public awareness and accessibility to Canada's past resulted in Tweedsmuir being made the Champlain Society 's second honorary president between 1938 and 1939. He continued writing during his time in Canada, but he also took his position as Governor General seriously, and from
7938-448: The annual Links Market , commonly known as Europe's longest street fair . The production of linoleum continues, though on a greatly reduced scale, under Swiss ownership ( Forbo Holding AG ). Kirkcaldy Harbour, which closed in 1992, re-opened in October 2011 to cargo ships. A project between Carr's Flour Mills, the parent of Hutchison's, Forth Ports (owners of the harbour) and Transport Scotland , will allow Carr's to bring in wheat via
8064-462: The appointment, the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition , William Lyon Mackenzie King , recommended that the King allow Buchan to serve as a commoner, but George V insisted that he be represented by a peer. Buchan's name had been earlier put forward by Mackenzie King to George V as a candidate for the governor generalcy: Buchan and his wife had been guests of Mackenzie King's at his estate, Kingsmere , in 1924 and Mackenzie King, who at that time
8190-410: The average demography of Scotland, Kirkcaldy has low proportions of immigrants, and has higher proportions for people over 75 years old. In 2010, more than 7,000 people claimed benefits in the Kirkcaldy area; around 90 fewer than in 2009 but 500 more than the pre- recession average for 2008. Recent Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) figures indicate that the most deprived datazone in Fife
8316-407: The burgh. The linear market was important not only to the town itself but to the nearby hinterland. The main thoroughfare was either paved or cobbled , with flagstones covering small burns running down the hill towards the sea across the High Street. Running back from the High Street were burgage plots or "rigs" of the burgesses; these narrow strips of land were at the front and to the rear of
8442-407: The church at Dunfermline. The residents were expected to pay dues and taxes for the church's general upkeep. Two charters, later confirmed by Malcolm's son David I in 1128 and 1130, refer to Kircalethin and Kirkcaladunit respectively, but do not indicate their locations. In 1304, a weekly market and annual fair for Kirkcaldy was proposed by the Abbot of Dunfermline to King Edward I , during
8568-533: The commentary on Buchan, ... before encountering some stiff criticism of some of his attitudes and language. The criticism resolves into three main charges: Buchan was a colonialist, ... Buchan was a racist ... Buchan was an anti-Semite:..." while an article in the Herald on Buchan's poem 'The Semitic Spirit speaks' concludes that it "is poisoned by prejudice". Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy ( / k ɜːr ˈ k ɔː d i / kur- KAW -dee ; Scots : Kirkcaldy ; Scottish Gaelic : Cair Chaladain )
8694-484: The culture of Canada is reflected in his approval of the establishment of the Governor General's Literary Awards in 1936. This was done after discussion with the Canadian Authors Association , under the chairmanship of Dr. Pelham Edgar. The "GGs", as they are nicknamed in Canada, remain Canada's premier literary awards, announced annually, now with seven categories in English and in French. Tweedsmuir also inspired and encouraged individual writers. In January 1940, despite
8820-399: The day of his arrival in this country, dedicated his life to their service." The Governor General had formed a strong bond with his prime minister, even if it may have been built more on political admiration than friendship: Mackenzie King appreciated Buchan's "sterling rectitude and disinterested purpose." After lying in state in the Senate chamber on Parliament Hill , Buchan was given
8946-410: The dictators in Europe, the friendship of America with Canada, as a member of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Roosevelt had to be circumspect and not be seen to have direct relations with Britain because of the strong isolationist opinion in the U.S. concerned about being dragged into another European war. Tweedsmuir and Roosevelt met twice, at the end of July 1936 in Quebec City, summer residence of
9072-629: The difficulty it caused for the population . He strengthened the sovereignty of Canada, constitutionally and culturally. However, not all Canadians shared Buchan's views. He aroused the ire of imperialists when he said in Montreal in 1937: "a Canadian's first loyalty is not to the British Commonwealth of Nations , but to Canada, and to Canada's King ," a statement that the Montreal Gazette dubbed as "disloyal" but that
9198-528: The end of the Abbey's jurisdiction over the town. As a gesture, the king bequeathed 8.12 acres (3.29 ha) of common muir suitable for "bleaching of linen, drying of clothes, recreation and perpetuity". In 1638, under the reign of Charles I, the town subscribed to the National Covenant , which opposed the introduction of episcopacy and patronage in the Presbyterian church. Support for
9324-429: The extension of the royal burgh's boundaries. The town absorbed its neighbouring settlements of Linktown, in the parish of Abbotshall; Invertiel in the parish of Kinghorn; and Pathhead, Sinclairtown and Gallatown in the parish of Dysart. These formerly separate settlements had once been forbidden by the old guild rights to sell their goods in Kirkcaldy. In 1922–1923 a seawall and esplanade were constructed, funded by
9450-600: The first child of John Buchan – a Free Church of Scotland minister – and Helen Jane Buchan (née Masterton). He was brought up in Kirkcaldy , Fife , and spent many summer holidays with his maternal grandparents in Broughton in the Scottish Borders . There he developed a love for walking and for the local scenery and wildlife, both of which are often featured in his novels. The protagonist in several of his books
9576-596: The great park which British Columbia has done me the honour to call by my name". J.R.R. Tolkien admired Buchan's adventure stories; Buchan, along with other authors such as Sir H. Rider Haggard and William Morris , influenced Tolkien's own works. His granddaughter Ursula wrote a biography of him, Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps: A Life of John Buchan (2019). In the 21st century, his writing has come under scrutiny for its attitudes towards race. For instance, Roger Kimball states: "One cannot read far into
9702-496: The harbour and remove a quarter of its lorries from the roads every year. The grant of feu-ferme status in the middle of the 15th century meant that the town could deal with its own administrative issues and fiscal policies for the first time. The first mention of a town council was around 1582. The head courts of the burghs met either in the Common Muir (the surviving portion of the land now known as Volunteers' Green) or in
9828-483: The hard fort" or "place of Caled's fort". It is derived from the Pictish * caer meaning "fort", * caled , which is Pictish "hard" or a personal name, and -in , a suffix meaning "place of". Caled may describe the fort itself or be an epithet for a local "hard" ruler. An interpretation of the last element as din (again meaning "fort") rather than -in is incorrect. The Old Statistical Account gives
9954-509: The history of Canada. He and Lady Tweedsmuir established the first proper library at Rideau Hall, and he founded the Governor General's Literary Awards , which remain Canada's premier award for literature. His grandchildren James and Perdita Buchan also became writers. Buchan's 100 works include nearly 30 novels, seven collections of short stories, and biographies of Sir Walter Scott , Caesar Augustus , and Oliver Cromwell . He
10080-469: The houses. On the sea side of the High Street, plots may have served as beaching grounds for individual tenements . The plots on the other side of the High Street rose steeply to the terracing of the Lomond foothills. A back lane running behind the plots from Kirk Wynd went to the west end of the High Street in a southerly direction. This lane would in time be developed as Hill Street. At the top of Kirk Wynd
10206-511: The industry. Construction of a new turnpike from Pettycur to Newport-on-Tay via Cupar in 1790, while improving only one section of Fife's isolated road system, brought a huge increase in traffic along Kirkcaldy's High Street , and helped to strengthen the town's position. For most of the 19th century, the main industries in the town were flax spinning and linen weaving. To cope with increasing imports of flax, timber and hemp , and exports of coal, salt and linen, between 1843 and 1846
10332-467: The lowest tier, and whose statutory role is to communicate local opinion to local and central government. Together with the nearby village of Thornton , the town forms the civil parish of Kirkcaldy and Dysart , although civil parishes now have no administrative functions, and are used mainly for statistical purposes. Fife Council, based in Glenrothes , the unitary local authority for Kirkcaldy,
10458-418: The nation at the outbreak of war for which his countrymen can never be sufficiently grateful ... but he was usually selected to be blamed for decisions for which his colleagues were not less responsible." At one point, Beaverbrook had requested that Buchan meet with journalist and neo-Jacobite Herbert Vivian and admitted to Vivian that he had been a Jacobite sympathiser. Buchan was in fact ambivalent about
10584-468: The neutral United States, which was prohibited under the Neutrality Act from exporting such materiel to belligerents. During the fall of 1939, negotiations were held to establish an air training plan in Canada for Commonwealth air crew. The negotiations were long and difficult, in particular with Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King who was adamant that the facilities would be under the control of
10710-521: The north and the West (Tiel) Burn to the south. Four Bronze Age burials dating from around 4000 BC have also been found around the site of the unmarked Bogely or Dysart Standing Stone to the east of the present A92 road . Although there are few Roman sites in Fife, a Roman camp was known to exist at Carberry Farm on the town's outskirts. The Battle of Raith in AD 596 was once believed to have taken place to
10836-482: The north, on a bay facing southeast onto the Firth of Forth . The town lies 9.3 miles (15 km) south-southeast of Glenrothes , 11.8 miles (19 km) east-northeast of Dunfermline , 44.4 miles (71 km) west-southwest of Dundee and 18.6 miles (30 km) north-northeast of Edinburgh . The town adopted its nickname of the lang toun from the 0.9-mile (1.4 km) single street, recorded on early maps of
10962-464: The old high street. There was speculation that the town's population could increase to around 55–60,000 by 1970. This did not happen: a decline in the linoleum industry in the mid-1960s led to a decrease in population, from a peak of 53,750 in 1961 to 47,962 in 1981. In the 21st century, Kirkcaldy remains an important centre for the surrounding areas, with a Museum and Art Gallery , three public parks and shopping facilities. The town also hosts
11088-417: The other displays the figure of Saint Bryce, Kirkcaldy's patron saint. Kirkcaldy enjoyed royal burgh status until this rank was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , in favour of a three-tier system of regions and districts . The royal burgh merged into Kirkcaldy District , which was one of three districts within the Fife region. The district council was abolished in 1996 under
11214-478: The outset made it his goal to travel the length and breadth of Canada, including to the Arctic regions , and promoting Canadian unity in the process. He said of his job: "a Governor General is in a unique position for it is his duty to know the whole of Canada and all the various types of her people." Tweedsmuir encouraged a distinct Canadian identity as well as national unity, despite the ongoing Great Depression and
11340-630: The parish. By the time of the first nationwide UK census in 1801, the population had risen to 3,248. The population of the burgh was recorded as 4,785 in the 1841 Census, and had risen to 34,079 by 1901. By the time of the 1951 Census, the figure stood at 49,050. According to the 2001 UK Census , the census locality of Kirkcaldy has a total resident population of 46,912 representing 13.4% of Fife's total population. It hosts 21,365 households. 14.8% were married couples living together, 16.4% were one-person households, 18.8% were co-habiting couples and 7.9% were lone parents. A 2010 assessment estimated that
11466-453: The peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom. Buchan was born at today's 18–20 York Place, a double villa now named after him, in Perth , Scotland. He was
11592-587: The popular Prince of Wales , succeeded to the throne as Edward VIII. Rideau Hall —the royal and viceroyal residence in Ottawa —was decked in black crepe and all formal entertaining was cancelled during the official period of mourning . As the year unfolded, it became evident that the new king planned to marry the American divorcée Wallis Simpson , which caused much discontent throughout the Dominions and created
11718-510: The president of the Oxford Union and had six of his works published, including a book of short stories ( Grey Weather , 1899) and three of his first adventure novels ( John Burnet of Barns , 1898; A Lost Lady of Old Years , 1899; The Half-Hearted , 1900) Buchan had his first portrait painted in 1900 by a young Sholto Johnstone Douglas at around the time of his graduation from Oxford. After graduating from Oxford, Buchan read for and
11844-705: The questions of the meaning of life in the Canadian wilderness. Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in British Columbia is now divided into Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park and Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park and Protected Area . It was created in 1938 to commemorate Buchan's 1937 visit to the Rainbow Range and other nearby areas by horseback and floatplane. He wrote in the foreword to a booklet published to commemorate his visit: "I have now travelled over most of Canada and have seen many wonderful things, but I have seen nothing more beautiful and more wonderful than
11970-569: The sea. From the mid-19th century, the Hutchison's buildings became a significant landmark adjacent to the burn. The flour millers chose this area for its railway connection which linked the main station to the harbour, rather than for the need to use the burn to power the mills. The West (or Tiel) Burn, was also important, providing power for textile mills. This burn flowed out of the Raith Estate lands where scenically and recreationally it
12096-400: The theatre adopted its present name in 1973 after a renovation of the building in time for the 250th anniversary of the birth of Adam Smith . The King's Theatre, originally opened in 1904 and derelict for some time is currently being redeveloped to become the biggest venue in Fife. The Links Market originated as a farmers market on Links Street, before moving to its present site in 1903 on
12222-538: The town by 1883, employing 1,300. A further expansion of the harbour was completed between 1906 and 1908, for another increase in linoleum and coal. The smell of the linoleum factories was notorious, giving rise to the famous lines in Mary Campbell Smith's 1913 poem The Boy in the Train : "For I ken mysel' by the queer-like smell / That the next stop's Kirkcaddy!". The expansion of the town led in 1876 to
12348-426: The town had a population of 49,560. This had increased to 49,709 by the time of the 2011 UK Census . The total population in the wider Kirkcaldy area was estimated at 59,784 in 2016, with a projected increase of 18% by 2026. The number of households in the Kirkcaldy area in 2016 was recorded at 29,246; 67% of which were owner occupied, 27% social rented and 5% private rented. 36% of people live alone and 16.1% are on
12474-464: The town is MGt plc. Other important local employers include NHS Fife, Forbo (vinyl floor coverings), Fife College (education), Whitworths Holdings (flour millers) and Smith Anderson (paper making). The principal industrial and business estates include Mitchleston, Randolph, Hayfield, and John Smith Business Park. Local industrial activity has also increased with the reopening in 2011 of Kirkcaldy Harbour to cargo ships. This has been facilitated through
12600-670: The town until well into the 17th century. Ships from Kirkcaldy brought wine and spices from Spanish ports including Cadiz . In April 1598, the Grace of God , belonging to James Birrell of Kirkcaldy, was attacked off the Cape St. Vincent by the English Green Dragon of Bristol. Birrell's ship sank and the mariners who reach the shore were in danger of being made captive by Turkish authorities. A charter issued by Charles I granting royal burgh status in 1644 resulted in
12726-454: The town's most successful industry: Kirkcaldy was a world producer until well into the mid-1960s. The town expanded considerably in the 1950s and 1960s, though the decline of the linoleum industry and other manufacturing restricted its growth thereafter. Today, the town is a major service centre for the central Fife area. Public facilities include a main leisure centre, theatre, museum and art gallery, three public parks and an ice rink. Kirkcaldy
12852-470: The town, with yarn imported from Hamburg and Bremen . The pottery industry, which was originally established in 1714 as an offshoot of the Linktown Brick and Tile Works, was centred around Linktown, Gallatown and Sinclairtown. The Fife Pottery, built by Andrew and Archibald Grey in 1817, produced Wemyss Ware , named after the family who owned Wemyss Castle . The production of heavy canvas
12978-463: The treatment of Jews in Germany. To a mass demonstration organized by the Jewish National Fund in 1934, Buchan described Zionism as "a great act of justice ... a reparation for the centuries of cruelty and wrong which have stained the record of nearly every Gentile people." He was a friend of Chaim Weizmann and assisted him to keep alive Britain's commitment to a Jewish state. Despite this, Buchan
13104-449: The war, Tweedsmuir invited influential Canadians to Rideau Hall, including Sam McLaughlin, President of General Motors of Canada, to support, as he wrote to his sister in Scotland, the development of "a Hollywood in British Columbia". This proved prescient; by the 21st century, Vancouver had popularly become known as " Hollywood North ". In May and June 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured Canada from coast to coast and paid
13230-510: The west of the town's site but the theory no longer holds support. The battle was said to have been fought between the Angles and an alliance, led by King Áedán mac Gabráin of Dál Riata , of Scots , Picts and Britons . The first document to recognise the town was issued in 1075, when the King of Scots , Malcolm III (reigned 1058–93) granted the shire of Kirkcaladunt, among other gifts, to
13356-624: Was called to the Bar in June 1901. In September 1901 he travelled to South Africa to become a private secretary to Alfred Milner , who was then the High Commissioner for Southern Africa , Governor of Cape Colony , and colonial administrator of Transvaal and the Orange River Colony , making Buchan an early member of Milner's Kindergarten . He also gained an acquaintance with a country that would feature prominently in his writing, which he resumed, along with his career as
13482-544: Was also later absorbed into Kirkcaldy in 1930 under an act of Parliament . The area around Kirkcaldy has been inhabited since the Bronze Age . The first document to refer to the town is from 1075, when Malcolm III granted the settlement to the church of Dunfermline. David I later gave the burgh to Dunfermline Abbey , which had succeeded the church: a status which was officially recognised by Robert I in 1327. The town only gained its independence from Abbey rule when it
13608-455: Was awarded the 1928 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his biography of the Marquess of Montrose , but the most famous of his books were the spy thrillers, and it is for these that he is now best remembered. The "last Buchan" (as Graham Greene entitled his appreciative review) was the 1941 novel Sick Heart River (American title: Mountain Meadow ), in which a dying protagonist confronts
13734-476: Was completed in June 2013. The work resulted in the integration of the facilities within the building through a single entrance and reception desk. The building also adopted its present name. The Adam Smith Theatre, the town's main auditorium, plays host to theatrical and musical productions as well as showing a selection of arthouse and commercial films. Originally known as the Adam Smith Halls,
13860-499: Was created a royal burgh by Charles I in 1644. From the early 16th century, the establishment of a harbour at the East Burn confirmed the town's early role as an important trading port. The town also began to develop around the salt , coal mining and nail making industries. The production of linen which followed in 1672 was later instrumental in the introduction of floorcloth in 1847 by linen manufacturer, Michael Nairn. In 1877 this in turn contributed to linoleum , which became
13986-476: Was difficult for him, given his close connections to many of Britain's military leaders, not to mention the government, to be critical of the British Army's conduct during the conflict but nonetheless did so in certain instances, being critical of government, politics or statements, or disagreeing with statistics. Buchan could enter comment on political events. He complimented Winston Churchill's "services to
14112-580: Was extended along the coast, taking in the Buckhaven , Methil , and East and West Wemyss villages ward, ahead of the 2011 elections. Prior to Brexit in 2020 it was part of the pan-Scotland European Parliament constituency , which elected seven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Kirkcaldy curves around a sandy cove between the Tiel (West) Burn to the south and the East Burn to
14238-467: Was formed from the burgh itself and three other burghs, Dysart , Kinghorn , and Burntisland . Under the Reform Act of 1832 , the constituency of Kirkcaldy Burghs was created. Robert Ferguson of Raith was re-elected as Member of Parliament. Kirkcaldy forms part of the county constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath , electing one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of
14364-508: Was higher than the Fife and Scottish averages. The first industries to develop in the town were coal mining and salt panning, which date back to the early 16th century. Early manufacturing both in Kirkcaldy and neighbouring Pathhead consisted of coarse cloth and nailmaking; the latter of which went to the Royal Master of Works for repairs at Holyrood Palace until the 17th century. Linen weaving, which began in 1672, became important to
14490-448: Was largely because the news release did not include "and to Canada's King" which Tweedsmuir had added by hand to his typed draft after it had been distributed to the media. Tweedsmuir stated that ethnic groups "should retain their individuality and each make its contribution to the national character" and "the strongest nations are those that are made up of different racial elements." George V died in late January 1936, and his eldest son,
14616-431: Was later described by Anthony Storr as being "overtly antisemitic". This is, however, a claim that does not hold up amidst the evidence of Buchan's active support to and friendship with Jews and supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland. As Ursula Buchan notes in her biography, the charge of anti-Semitism is almost entirely as a result of some unfavourable comments made by fictional characters, mostly to be found in
14742-557: Was much altered. This came in the same year that Buchan was honoured with appointment to the Order of St Michael and St George on 23 May, as well as being elevated to the peerage , when he was ennobled by King George V as Baron Tweedsmuir , of Elsfield in the County of Oxford on 1 June. This had been done in preparation for Buchan's appointment as Canada's governor general ; when consulted by Canadian prime minister R. B. Bennett about
14868-423: Was not convinced, thinking it wrong to spend money on royalty while the poor were starving. To overcome King's reticence, Tweedsmuir argued that the royal visit "would have a 'unifying' effect on Canada while the visit to the U.S. would be "helpful to relations of democracies. Mackenzie King agreed. Tweedsmuir put great effort into securing a positive response from Buckingham Palace to the invitation; after more than
14994-662: Was of the Unionist-Nationalist tradition, believing in Scotland's promotion as a nation within the British Empire but also as a constituent of the United Kingdom." The effects of the Great Depression in Scotland, and the subsequent high emigration from that country, also led him to reflect in the same speech: "We do not want to be like the Greeks, powerful and prosperous wherever we settle, but with
15120-468: Was partly based on Edmund Ironside , a friend of Buchan from his days in South Africa. A sequel, Greenmantle , came the following year. In June 1916 Buchan was sent out to the Western Front to be attached to the British Army's General Headquarters Intelligence Section, to assist with drafting official communiques for the press. On arrival he received a field-commission as a second lieutenant in
15246-533: Was prime minister, was impressed with Buchan, stating, "I know no man I would rather have as a friend, a beautiful, noble soul, kindly & generous in thought & word & act, informed as few men in this world have ever been, modest, humble, true, man after God's own heart." One evening in the following year, the Prime Minister mentioned to Governor General the Lord Byng of Vimy that Buchan would be
15372-454: Was purchased by Hammerson, a London-based property developer for £75 million in April 2005. Kirkcaldy Galleries is home to the town's museum and art gallery and central library. The building opened in 1925 under its former name of Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery and was extended to provide a main library in 1928. In 2011, the building was closed to allow a £2.4 million renovation which
15498-538: Was started in 1828 by Michael Nairn at a small factory. Influenced by a visit to Bristol , Nairn started to make floorcloth at his new factory at Pathhead in 1847, where his company pioneered the use of ovens to season the floorcloth and reduce production times. When the patent belonging to Frederick Walton expired, Nairn's were able to manufacture linoleum from 1877 onwards. Other factories producing floorcloth and later linoleum were established by former employees of Michael Nairn. Approximately 22,200 people work in
15624-603: Was the Parish Church of St Bryce, now known as the Old Kirk, overlooking the small settlement. The small burns that are tributaries to the East Burn contributed to the draining of the lands of Dunnikier Estate. The burn emerges from a deep-set culvert to flow under the Victoria Viaduct , down a deep gorge , through the site of Hutchison's Flour Mills before running parallel to the harbour wall and into
15750-776: Was thereafter known as George VI. In order for the line of succession for Canada to remain parallel to those of the other Dominions, Tweedsmuir, as Governor-in-Council , gave the government's consent to the British legislation formalising the abdication , and ratified this with finality when he granted Royal Assent to the Canadian Succession to the Throne Act in 1937. Upon receiving news from Mackenzie King of Edward's decision to abdicate, Tweedsmuir quipped that, in his year in Canada as governor general, he had represented three kings. Tweedsmuir's desire to strengthen
15876-626: Was used to create Raith Lake (with its tributary, the Dronachy Burn). The mill owners in Linktown also made use of the burn. Towards the end of the 16th century, a detailed assessment on the size of the townscape was carried out. The first estimate of the parish population in 1639 was between 3,000 and 3,200 and around 3,400 by 1691. At the beginning of the 18th century, the population declined. A census by Webster's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland in 1755, recorded an estimate of 2,296 in
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