This week’s postings, I’m sorry I could find no results on how the injured fishermen were after the accident in 1887 in last week’s postings.
1889
In the end of the week the herring drift of the Cellardyke boat Young Alexander was run into by a steam trawler while fishing between the Isle of May and St Abbs. It was towards midnight, but Skipper Keay and his crew flared the torch again and again. Heedless, however of the signals, the vessel steamed on, in consequence of which the head rope was cut like a bit of twine, so that six nets were lost with the pallets &c. unluckily the name and number of the trawler was not seen in the darkness.
Gospel temperance in Fife
Mr Thomas Russell from Perth discoursed on the subject in the Anstruther Baptist Church. The lecturer assured his hearers that even in these days of unprecedented oppression in the staple industries of the coast no less a sum of £400 a week or £20 000 a year was spent in Anstruther and Cellardyke on alcoholic liquors.
On the arrival of the fishing fleet at Anstruther harbour, it was reported that the boat Georgina NO 208 of Cellardyke (Skipper Philip Anderson) had been wrecked on the rocks to the eastward of the May Island. It was also rumoured that three of the crew had been drowned, but all fears were soon set at rest by later reports which stated the whole of the men had been saved.
1895
A girl about four years of age, daughter of Mr Alexander Brown, Shore Street Cellardyke was severely burned on Monday afternoon, her dress having become ignited in the absence of her mother.
The Fife Coast had ample warning of the approach of the storm, and so far as the boats were concerned everything was made secure… At Anstruther Harbour fishermen accoutred in south westers and waterproof coats were on duty the whole day as it was feared the boats would slip their moorings. The surf was flying higher than the cross while the sea came rushing up Rodger Street flooding the houses in Castle Street. Miss Mary Young fell and broke her arm trying to put shutters on her windows in Castle Street. At Cellardyke Harbour the heavy stones forming the top part of the east pier were lifted out of their places and flung into the basin leaving the pier in a very precarious condition. The yards lying next the sea were flooded and in several cases damage inflicted to cellars and walls.
1900
Battle of Magersfontein, Boer war
General Wauchope’s death Lost the Battle
JJ Moir writing from Camp Enslin on 14th Dec to his parents in Cellardyke says;- It was an awful sight. The bullets were like a shower of hail and the shells were bursting all around us. God knows how I got clear, for I was in the thick of it. I felt the heat of a shell on my face. I never was so near being killed in all my life. There were bullets hitting all around me and whistling over my head. I have been in a few battles, but nothing like this, but thank god I got out of it all right. We would have beat them had our General not got killed. He was shot in three places. The troops seemed to get disheartened after that, and we got the word to retire. This is a very bad place to get water. I walked four miules that night after the battle to the river for a drink.
1909
A horse belonging to Mr W Birrell, baker Anstruther bolted on Saturday Morning. The Animal dashed along Forth Street, Cellardyke and in taking a sharp turn at the end of the street struck the wall and was instantaneously killed. The van to which the horse was yoked was not damaged in any way beyond a lamp bracket being twisted.
1917
Mr John Smith, Fisherman, Rodger Street, Cellardyke has been notified that his second son Private John Smith, Royal Scots has died from wounds inflicted by a German Sniper. Private Smith was 22 years of age, prior to his enlistment he was in the employment of Bailie Brodie, West Anstruther as a Cleek finisher. Another son Private William smith who is in a Canadian Contingent is also on Active Service.
One of the oldest and best known fishermen on the East Coast was Martin Gardner, Cellardyke, who has just died at the age of 82. Throughout his life he had been closely associated with the fishing industry. He manifested a keen interest in public affairs, being sometime a member of Kilrenny town council and till quite recently a member of the Parish Council. He was the oldest elder in Cellardyke parish Church and was also one of the oldest members of the St Ayle Lodge (No 95) Freemasons.