On a January evening in 1939 a meeting was brought to order in the small committee hall room of St Margaret’s, Dunfermline, under the auspices of the Western District of the Fife Agricultural Society to instigate the formation of a Young Farmers’ Club and what is now the West Fife YFC was born.
The meeting attracted more than 30 young men and 10 young ladies.
David Marshall, called to the chair, congratulated each on their interest in the proposal to form the Young Farmers’ group.
He said enrolments had come from a wide area, embracing Dunfermline and district, Cairneyhill, Newmills, Aberdour, Kirkcaldy district, Crossgates, Glencraig, Clackmannan and Kinross.
Mr Marshall called W Craig Husband to read a draft constitution for the club.
The first office-bearers were AJ Elder, Pitbauchlie (honorary president); John Bayne, Rosebank Mains (chairman); William D Todd, Chapel Farm, Glencraig (vice-chairman); and Miss Agnes WH Younger, Wester Craigduckie (secretary and treasurer).
They were supported by a small committee made up of Miss Mary Moir, of Thistle Street, Dunfermline; James Auchterlonie, Primrose; David Russell, Mawhill, Kinross; James Macaulay, Gartlove, Clackmannan; and James Philip, Parkend, Crossgates.
The annual subscription, payable by the initial membership, was set at 2/6.
The first club event was a dance in February at the Kinema Ballroom attended by more than 200 members and their friends, which reaped a profit of £10.3.10.
Dunfermline High School’s Lauder Technical Building was the venue for the club’s first meeting, on March 16.
It was supported by more than 55 members and included a talk from Mr Rea, of Lister’s Farm Engineers, who gave “two very interesting talks on farm engines, with many witty criticisms”.
Fast-forward three-quarters of a century and although the members’ subs may have increased somewhat with inflation, the West Fife Young Farmers Club carries on with equal enthusiasm.
As part of the East Region of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers’ Clubs, West Fife covers Kincardine to Kirkcaldy and everywhere in between.
Fortnightly club meetings consist of anything from stock judging to clay pigeon shooting or mini golf, and include competitions and educational visits.
The club which boasts a former membership including NFUS vice-president Allan Bowie, MEP James Provan, former NFUS treasurer and SAYFC national president Jimmy Wilson, and Hardie Brown, of I&H Brown, Perthshire is counting down the days until its 75th anniversary celebrations.
To mark the occasion, West Fife YFC is hosting a commemorative dinner dance at Solsgirth House, Dollar, on December 5.
For more information, or if you are interested in joining West Fife YFC, please contact the club secretary Jen Shaw on
0787 9491153, or email westfifeyfc@hotmail.co.uk
* Following the inception of its Young Farmers Club, the Western District of Fife Agricultural Society later merged with Leslie and Kinglassie Agricultural Society, during the early 1960s, to form Central and West Fife Agricultural Society.
The society hosts an annual show on the first Saturday of June.
Next year’s West Fife Show takes place on June 6 at Hilton Farm, Kelty.