1856,
Alex Dick, Cellardyke fisherman, when securing something about the sail which had just been set after the hauling of the nets, by some unaccountable way or other he fell overboard. Every exertion was made to save him. The sail was taken down and the boat brought back to where he was, but while some of the crew were reaching to catch him, he went down, and was never to be seen again. He was steady, industrious young man, and is much regretted by all who knew him.
1864
The Fishery Commission met at Anstruther 11 am last Thursday after the members arrived about in HM gunboat Salamis.
Thomas Fowler fisherman Cellardyke was first witness. From an experience of 30 years he was well acquainted with the fishing trade. The herring fishing had in his opinion diminished for the past two or three years, while the white fishing, such as for cod, ling, and haddocks had increased….. David Corstorphine, fisherman, was next examined and certified a decrease of white fishing inshore, but to an increase when the boats went far out to sea.
1866
Dundee Courier 9th Aug
A report is current here that during Tuesday night or Wednesday morning a Cellardyke boat, engaged at the herring fishing. Was run down by a schooner, which passed on, and one man only, who hung by the wreck, was rescued by another boat, and landed at Stonehaven during the day. The remainder of the crew met a watery grave.
Stonehaven Journal 9th Aug
During the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, at the fishing, the boat ‘Ballarat’ of Cellardyke was rundown by a French lugger, and the crew with considerable difficulty managed to get on board the Frenchman, with one exception, he having clung onto the wreck from which he was rescued by another boat. The boat appears to have gone down by the stern, leaving the bow sticking out of the water, and yesterday afternoon, it was brought into the bay by a French government steamer. The crew of the boat gave the name and number of the lugger, and we understand intend to claim compensation for loss of boat and tackle, as also of their fishing. Another boat was also damaged by a schooner, but her damage was not apparently vital, as she proceeded southward and we believe belongs to Montrose.
Dundee Courier 10th Aug ( not quite a retraction had the Cellardyke folk read the Couriers report of the 9th and not the Stonehaven journal there would have been many worried people waiting for news!)
The accident to the Cellardyke boat that we mentioned yesterday as having taken place during the night of Tuesday, turned out to be true. She was run down by a French lugger but the fishermen were all saved and their nets were recovered. The damaged boat was towed into Stonehaven harbour on Wednesday by a French steam cutter.
1869
The Greenock diver who has been employed for the last two months in excavating the dangerous reefs that cross the fairway of Cellardyke harbour has just completed his engagement, and the result is a most valuable and decided improvement in the navigation of the harbour. That the nature of the improvement may be understood, it may be explained that the entrance of the harbour is beset with two parallel ridges of rock known as the inner and outer ‘buss’ the crests of which are only visible at low water of spring tides, they have naturally from time immemorial cost the fisherman many an anxious thought while crossing the harbour mouth at night fall or in a seaway, and many a serious boat disaster is there tom testify that these fears were by no means groundless…… The effect of the recent operation is to widen the channel by about 30ft while the outer one is now lower by fully four feet for nearly double that distance. Thousands of tons of rock have been dislodged by the diver, who has also done valuable services by removing many a dangerous boulder from the fairway which is now perfectly free and open as soon as there is water enough to float boat or ship in the harbour. the improvement is a gift of captain Alexander Rodger, it has cost upwards of £100 which added to the other public bequests of this honourable gentleman, make a total of more than one thousand pounds expended by him to promote the welfare of his native town, there is not a resident of Cellardyke who has not directly benefitted by this generosity..
Applications for Cessio Bonorum (surrender of good to creditors)
John Robertson Terras, bottler, Cellardyke, presently prisoner in the prison of Cupar, case to be examined in the Sherriff House Cupar, 14th September at 10 o’ clock.