1870
Montrose – A smuggling case – On Friday a Justice of peace Court was held here – Provost Barclay presiding – when L Montador ( A Frenchman), William Thomson, George Parker and James Kenney were charged, at the instance of Collector Edmonds of HM Customs, with having in their possession, 2 ¼ pounds of foreign manufactured tobacco. The crew of a fishing boat belong to Cellardyke and pled not guilty. They were defended by Mr James Ross. After evidence they were found guilty, and fined 11s 4d. It was suspected they had obtained the tobacco from some French Luggers at the mouth of the river.
Public feeling has been again strongly aroused in the East of Fife by the scandalous profanation of the Lords day by certain crews of Pittenweem fishermen. On Saturday there were indications that a large shoal of herrings was gathering on that favourite spawning ground ‘the traith’ but, instead of leaving the herrings at this critical time quite undisturbed, about a dozen Pittenweem crews – regardless of every honourable consideration and actuated only by avarice and selfishness were seen putting to sea on Saturday afternoon…………. In Cellardyke and St Monans there is but one sentiment of indignant condemnation of the Pittenweem Sabbath breakers; but in stigmatising the disgraceful outrage the fact is not forgotten that though certain of the Pittenweem, like the Prestonpans fishers, are ready to violate ‘the day of rest’ yet it is as little to their profit as to their credit or, in other words, while the stations of Cellardyke and St Monans are year by year adding to the number and size of their boats, the fishing community Pittenweem, with some honourable exceptions, seem to be actually retrograding; and Sabbath profanation and drunkenness a ready explanation why it is so.
1876
Sequestrations
John Alexander Millar, boatbuilder Cellardyke, in the parish of Kilrenny
1877
Aberdeen – dwellers in the city who were lulled to sleep on Monday night by the sound of descending torrents of rain and a strong ENE breeze were most disagreeably surprised on awakening yesterday morning to a strong gale….. that the rain had fallen continuously during the night was plainly evinced by the state of the river Dee and Don both streams running in high spate.. the larger portion of the herring fleet had returned to port but up until 5 o clock yesterday there still remained at sea twenty boats hailing from Cellardyke , one from Torry and one from Footdee. During the day information was received that two of these boats had succeeded in making Cellardyke to which they belonged, and that others were expected. About midday when the gale was at its height, a fishing boat under sail was descried in the offing . The utmost excitement at once prevailed amongst the fishing community, as the bar was considered impassable, and, the north pier was speedily crowded by a large number of spectators. Mr William Clark, captain pilot, and Mr J Davidson his assistant, made the usual necessary arrangements for rendering assistance should it be required, but the boat stood to the southward. When off the harbour entrance however she reached for the port. The ‘fresh’ from the Dee was running very heavily on the bar, and a broken sea was thus caused in which it was feared the boat could not live, but as she got within the breakwater a lull took place, and although under close reefed mainsail, the boat, which was handled in fine style by her crew made her way slowly up the harbour past the lower jetty, where she safely moored. The craft which is Marked KY 1342 (‘Energy’) belongs to Cellardyke and is commanded by Daniel Henderson (owner of my house in West Forth Street, he owned this vessel between 1876 and 1879 she was only 42ft of keel). It appears that the crew hung at their nets till two o clock yesterday morning, when they broke adrift losing ten nets and getting others much damaged. They passed other Cellardyke boats, who had preferred riding at their nets to running for any harbour. Councillors Inglis and Mearns were at the North Pier while the Fishing boat KY 1342 was in danger and took an active interest in the proceedings.
1878
A Blacksmith name Peter Thomas Nicholl belonging Cellardyke was fined 30s with the alternative of 21 days imprisonment for conducting himself in a riotous manner on Saturday last, and using threatening language towards his wife.
1880
The Cellardyke boat Jessie, James Brunton Master, arrived in Anster harbour on Sunday with about 40 barrels of herrings. The freight, however, was scarcely more than a third of the haul of the previous morning on the great sea bank, but which had to be consigned again to the waves, owning to the calm or baffling winds, which kept the boat thus long from land. In these days in what seems to be an over fruitful sea, none of the curers would give an offer for the belated cargo, which was disposed of as manure at a shilling a cran or seven shillings a ton, but Skipper Brunton, with consideration for his poor neighbours beyond all praise, attached a promise to the bargain, that any such might select what they chose for their winter’s use from the herrings – a kindness which was not lost on Anstruther shore, as not a few old wives and some young ones for that matter did not need a second bidding to hasten away with the readiest utensil, in the shape of can or basin, towards filling the ‘saut herrin barrel’ that like the ‘mort meat’ of the old fathers, was so long thought indispensable to the good housekeeping of every thrifty family in the East Neuk of Fife.
1882
An accident of a most alarming character, but fortunately unattended with loss of life, occurred on the Aberdeenshire Coast yesterday afternoon. About 3 o clock as the herring fishing fleet was proceeding to Aberdeen against a light wind, the Cellardyke boat KY 841 (Watson Master) came into collision with a North Country boat and sustained serious damage, filling almost entirely and nearly disappearing under the surface of the water. The other boat at once hove to and with considerable difficulty the crew of the disabled craft was got on board safely. the accident which occurred about 5 miles SE of Aberdeen was observed by the crew of the boat Village Maid KY1699 (Warrender Skipper) who soon afterwards ran alongside, and, having ascertained the nature of the accident, proceeded to the port of Aberdeen where the intelligence occasioned considerable excitement and alarm. One of the harbour tugs steamed out to render assistance to the two boats which still lay alongside and to endeavour, if possible, to save the damaged vessel, together with the nets and gearing, but up to an early hour this morning no further tidings were obtainable, the vessels at this time not having put in an appearance. The boat which sustained the damage was engaged fishing at the port of Aberdeen by Mr George Watson, fishcurer, Point Law.
Next day
It was reported that it was an Inverness boat that struck her on the starboard bow and the timbers of the Cellardyke boat were stoved in from deck to keel. The steam tug Bon Accord towed the two boats which lay alongside each other into the harbour about 3 am twelve hours after the accident.