William Leng
Waterstone House was built in the early 1900s for William Leng, son of Sir John Leng of Kinbrae House. Called Highfield at first, it became Waterstone in the 1920s. William lived here with his wife Jessie and family of five daughters. He played a major part in running the family publishing business, conducting campaigns for social improvements through his writing.
He was a benefactor of Comerton Children’s Home, just outside Newport, and he was on the board of Dundee Approved Schools Society. By 1910 he had become totally blind, but this did not restrict either his working or charitable activity, and he responded by doing much work for the Dundee Blind Association. Unable to drive, William travelled to work each day in a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, crossing the Tay by ferry.
Later Years
Forgan Arts Centre 2022
After his death here in 1953, aged 93, his family gifted the house to Fife County Council as a retirement home. It opened as such in 1955, re-named the Leng Home.
In 2019 Fife Council decided to sell the building as surplus to requirements, but it was saved for local community use by Forgan Arts Centre, who managed to purchase it with support from The Scottish Land Trust in December 2021.
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