Need Your Help re "Dunacurie Estate", Kirkcaldy, Fife

[AnneLittle]

"Dunacurie" is how the estate name sounds.  I'd like to know how to properly spell it.  I haven't been able to track it down using my guess at the spelling.  I'm a Canadian volunteer with an Ontario historical society.  I recently had a conversation with an area resident who told me his father had been a groundskeeper on "Dunacurie" Estate in Kirkcaldy before emigrating to Canada in 1928.  In 1929, the father was hired as head groundskeeper to an estate here because of his previous work experience.  Thank you.

[JJen]

Hi,

Welcome to Rootschat 

Could it be Dunnikier estate/park, Kirkcaldy? I'm not familiar with the area, however by doing a quick search that name came up.

JJ

[dawnsh]

I had a look at the Genuki site for places in Kirkcaldy and Dunnikier seems to be the most obvious whilst waiting for someone more local to come along

http://www.genuki.org.uk/cgi-bin/placemaps?GR=NT278914

[DonM]

Dunnikier House is a Hotel now, it is also for sale if you are interested. 

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-35325048.html

It was an Oswald holding going back to the 17th C and they left around 1940 so I imagine this is who he worked for.  I'm sure a Google search will answer your questions.

Don

[AnneLittle]

Thank you  all for replying so quickly.  I think my person pronounces it as he would have heard his parents say it with their Scottish accents.  "Dunnikier" certainly sounds very likely.  Here's a link to the digital record I'm working on, FYI - without the "Dunnikier" info added yet. http://images.ourontario.ca/TrafalgarTownship/3240403/data?n=1   Much appreciated and thank you for the links.  Anne

[hdw]

I had a quick look at Scotlandspeople, and found that John(Jack?) and Harry Lessels were born in Kirkcaldy in 1902 and 1908 respectively to John Lessels, linoleum printer, & Janet Thomson, who were married in 1899 at Dysart.

Dysart is basically the east end of Kirkcaldy although it had a long history as a separate parish and burgh.

Kirkcaldy used to be famous for its mills producing linoleum floor covering.

Lessels is an old Fife name and I had Lessels ancestors in east Fife myself.

Harry

[josey]

NRS catalogue has 122 hits for Dunnikier - they may have estate & employee records:
http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx

[Rosinish]

Could it be Dunnikier estate/park, Kirkcaldy? I'm not familiar with the area, however by doing a quick search that name came up.

Not sure if this was all one area at sometime (prior to the existing housing estate) but in this pic Dunnikier Estate & Dunnikier Park are separate areas 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hq6/

This one shows the Dunnikier House Hotel within Dunnikier Park

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hq7/

So not sure if it's of any help 

Beautiful place though.

Annie

[josey]

It may be that the Golf Course & Park were parts sold off from the Estate sometime in the past.

I can see from the estate search sheet on Registers of Scotland that at least 800 acres of the estate were sold to the Royal Burgh of Kirkaldy before 1959.