AN internet phenonomen Lochgelly-style ensured that the New Year came in with a bang thanks to local man Derek Johnstone.

The internet enthusiast opened a Facebook page which included the Lochgelly Past and Present group and invited anyone interested to share their memories and photographs of the town.

Response was pretty steady at first but then word spread around the town as the old year came to a close and hundreds of new members signed up to share their memories.

The group membership soared to an amazing 500 by the time the New Year arrived and has continued to rise.

Ian Fraser, whose own site www.lochgelly.net has regularly topped the Google chart for ‘Lochgelly’ in the last decade, said, “Derek has done a fantastic job and hit the right note with a whole generation of Lochgelly folk. “The site has already provided many, many interesting anecdotes and unearthed some quality photographs. I would recommend it to Times readers of any age group.” Derek is quoted on the site thanking Ian for his encouragement and also sings the praises for the help given by Jim Kinnell, all the way from Dubai. He said, “Jim played a big part in helping me set up the site and has now produced some quality photographs to put on the site.

“I have been overwhelmed by the response but these memories must be kept forever. Life is changing so fast these days that we need to keep our past to show the younger generations how we lived.” The two groups were originally set up as a joint group with only seven members/friends. This group lay dormant for approximately 12 months. The original idea behind the joint page was for people to reminisce their childhood.

Added Derek, from South Street, “When I thought about my childhood I had fond memories and they made me laugh. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t showing an interest.

“So a couple of weeks before Christmas I had a Eureka moment when I decided to separate the two groups into what we have now. I didn’t expect the groups to be so popular and feel greatly reassured on how much the groups are growing from strength to strength.

“Lochgelly soon clocked up it’s 1500th member and Cowdenbeath the 2000th member. There are members from around the world ie, Australia, Canada, Spain and France to name but a few.

“The groups haven’t just been about reminiscing they’ve actually re-united people who have lost touch. I have heard from residents of Lochgelly that everyone seems to be talking about it and I’ve had lots of positive feedback on both groups via email and private messages. I’ve also read residents going up their lofts to hunt out old photos for the groups to share with us all.

“I would like to thank Ian Fraser of lochgelly.net, for his support and the encouragement he has given me. And hope both groups continue in the same vein as they have done in the last few weeks”.

Some of the pictures include, Cowdenbeath secondary High School (Auld Beath), Foulford School 1910, The Co-op fire at the Fountain in 1963, The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on their Royal visit to Cowdenbeath in 1958, The Store Bakery Horse and Cart approx 1910, two Shops that are no longer with us Spectrum Carpets on the left and Sharps clothes shop on the right. Broad Street School soup kitchen 1921, The Model Lodging House in Station Road, Lochgelly, Loch Gelly and the boathouse, Macaris Chip shop (This has been one of the most popular posts on the Lochgelly Group), Lochgelly Co-op butchers, a Lochgelly bus standing at The Cross, Bella Reid’s shop in the heart of “The Happyland” at 24 Melville Street and Lochgelly part-time firemen in the early 80’s.