The 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade

(1 Samodzielna Brygada Spadochronowa)

Overview Of All Owners
& Occupiers Of Largo House

Sir Andrew Woods Tower & Mansion / Castle

These are all the known owners of Andrew Woods Tower & Mansion / Castle:

  • 1490 to 1611 - Sir Andrew Wood (Owner)
  • 1611 to ???? - Peter Black (Owner)
  • ???? to 1662 - Sir Alexander Gibson Of Durie (Owner)
  • 1662 to 1663 - Sir Alexander Durham (Owner)
  • 1663 to 1667 - Francis Durham (Owner, inherited)
  • 1667 to ???? - James Durham Esq Of Largo & Anne Anstruther (Owner, inherits)

Largo House

All known owners, tenants & inheritors of Largo House (All owners underlined):

  • ???? to 1808 - James Durham Esq Of Largo & Anne Calderwood (Owner, inherits)
  • 1808 to 1840 - General James Durham (Owner, inherits)
  • 1840 to 1867 - Thomas Calderwood Durham (Owner, inherited from his uncle General James Durham)
  • 1867 to 1867 - Philip Durham (Owner, inherits)
  • 1867 to 1868 - William Johnston (Owner, bought it for £130K)
  • 1868 to 1900 - George Johnstone (Owner - Inherited from father, William Johnston) However the Fifeshire Advertiser newspaper of 27/11/1880 reports John Jeffrey Esq and Mrs Jeffrey of Largo House arriving in India. (Were they subtenants? Related to Captain Jeffrey who later tenanted the house?)
  • 1901 to 1904 - Lieutenant Charles Maitland Makgill Crichton (Owner). The Dundee Evening Post Newspaper of 8/8/1901 reports Mr R.M.C Johnston taking up residence there (Sub-tenant?).
  • 1904 to 1924 Mr Benjamin G Cox (Tenant). However The Courier Newspaper of 6/9/1912 reports a fire at the house and the occupier as Mr Robert Blackwood Ritchie.
  • 1924 to ???? - Captain Jeffrey & Mrs Jeffrey (Assumed Tenant)
  • 1928 to 1930 -  House is reported as tenantless by The Courier (13/02/28)
  • 1930 to 1939 - Mr John Key Hutchison (Tenant) (Reported In The Courier & Advertiser 4/6/30)
  • 1940 - Requisitioned By the MOD
  • 1940 to 1941 - MOD: 4th Cadre Rifle Brigade
  • 1941 to 1944 - MOD: 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade
  • 1944 to ???? - MOD: Geographical Institute
  • 1951 - Stripped out & declared derelict

Therefore, the owners of Largo House today in 2020 remain as:

The Maitland Makgill Crichton family

Further Reading

  • Some ancestry data available here.