New book captures work of renowned photographer and a long-gone way of life in Fife

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A long-gone way of life in a Fife town has been captured in a newly-published book.

‘We Live By The Sea’ is a compilation of the photographs taken by the St Monans photographer William Easton. His family ran the fishing burgh’s pharmacy and general store, and was an established part of the community.

Easton was born in 1860 and died in 1929. Among the many services offered was photography, with William providing studio sittings in his studio, accepting commissions for local events, and selling images for the buoyant postcard market at the time.

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While those were commercial considerations, his camera also captured everyday scenes in the bustling fishing town. Together these images provide a rare insight into life in St Monans at the dawn of the 20th century when the town’s motto ‘Mare vivimus’ (We live by the sea) was economically very apt.

Net mending at the St Monans harbourfront from a new book of photography by William Easton.Net mending at the St Monans harbourfront from a new book of photography by William Easton.
Net mending at the St Monans harbourfront from a new book of photography by William Easton.

Margaret Sutherland, a long-time supporter of the volunteer-run museum, the St Monans Heritage Collection, urged the publication of a record of Easton’s work back in 2018 but the idea failed to win the necessary support.

With 2024 being the silver anniversary of the museum, former local newspaper editor Jerzy Morkis - he was at the helm of both the East Fife Mail and Fife Free Press - became involved in the project and, thanks to Margaret, the Collection’s own archive, local collectors, and National Museums Scotland, this month sees the publication of a limited edition compilation of William Easton’s work.

Jerzy explained: “I was confident, given it was the Heritage Collection’s 25th anniversary, that there would be official Fife support for a book - one celebrating an important Fife collection of an historic Fife town, and taken by a Fife photographer; compiled, designed and printed in Fife.

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“Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. So with much of the organisational work done, I funded it privately. There is a great deal of interest in Easton’s work with a very encouraging response from overseas, enough to make a very limited print run almost viable.” Jerzy hopes the compilation will put Easton’s work back in the spotlight, and give him the recognition he deserves.

Washerwoman Lucy Allison, a local character captured by William EastonWasherwoman Lucy Allison, a local character captured by William Easton
Washerwoman Lucy Allison, a local character captured by William Easton

He said: “I hope this is a first step towards recognising the importance of Easton’s photographs, not just to St Monans but to Scotland in the hey-day of the herring fishing industry.

“Margaret Sutherland, local Easton collector Peter Marr and National Museums Scotland were instrumental in the creation of this compilation, and I never would have got it to print without the skill and patience of Kirkcaldy-based freelance graphic designer Lee Wood.

“I hope this is just the start of wider recognition for William Easton. The photographs in ‘We live by the sea’ are predominantly of St Monans but he took his camera much further afield. Hopefully someone else will pick this up in the future and give him his rightful, and overdue, place in local history.”

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> ‘We live by the sea’, is a 196-page limited edition A4 publication, compiled by Jerzy Morkis. Copies, which cost £25 excluding postage and packing, can be reserved by emailing: [email protected]

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