Links or Methven’s Pottery

The Links or The Kirkcaldy Pottery for most of its existence is associated with the Methven family. David Methven(1) had lived in the Cupar area prior to coming to Kirkcaldy. 

In Cupar he apparently learned brick and tile making at the works there. He took over the lease of the Links Brick and Tile Works in 1769. His wife whom he married in 1770 was the daughter of a brewer.  They had 4 sons John born 1772, David(2) born 1775, Alexander born 1779 and George born 1783. With the help of his father-in-law and also with profits from the brick and tile works, a more modern pottery was constructed at the Links site.

It is probable that a pottery was already in existence at the time of David’s(1) first purchase. David(1) died in 1827 and his son John was left the land upon which the Links Pottery is built. The brick and tile works was passed to George. Around about the same time the Fife or Gallatoun Pottery was sold due to bankruptcy and bought by the above John Methven.
Both Kirkcaldy potteries were therefore in the same ownership.

John Methven died in 1837 and he left both potteries to Robert and Mary Heron. Mary was John’s daughter. George Methven (John’s brother) bought the Links Pottery from the Herons. George died in 1847 and left both the brick and tile works and the pottery to his nephew David Methven(3). 

In 1864 after David Methven(3) died, the ownership of both potteries passed to his son James.  For clarification (hopefully) David Methven(2) brother of John, and father of David(3), did train as a potter but died young in 1815. Andrew Young, who had worked his way up from office boy in the Links Pottery to clerk by 1861 (aged 24) he was a traveller by 1863, and becomes the manager of the pottery, in partnership with James, in 1870, and the name of the pottery is changed to ‘The Kirkcaldy Pottery’. 

In 1892, Andrew Young and his sons bought both works. In 1914 Andrew Young died, leaving the potteries to his sons who continued with the business until 1928 when both works close.