1880
The old tenement situated on the south side of John Street and so long possessed by the family of the late William Wood, was exposed for sale in the Tollbooth there yesterday, The choice situation gave a special value to the timeworn subject, which after a brisk competition, was carried by Mr Alexander Fowler for £318, being an increase of £58 over the upset price. Mr Fowler is understood to have acted for his son in law Mr John Butters, general merchant, who is to erect a place of business on the site.
Our masons are likely to have a breathing time, after a summer which has done so much of the house extension of the locality. We understand however that Mr Thomas Brown is to begin another twin house in Rodger Street where his last speculation has been sold in the one case to Mr John Watson and in the other to Mr Alex Davidson. The price being in both cases three hundred guineas.
1881
On Saturday a public meeting was held in Cellardyke for the purposes of presenting John Montador, Skipper of the boat Francis with the board of trade medal for bravery in saving the lives of the crew of the fishing boat Monarch of Inverness… Provost Watson briefly detailed the circumstances of the rescue, and concluded by presenting the medal to Mr Montador. Mr Montador, who, although a native of France has long been domiciled in Cellardyke, briefly replied, stating that he had tried to do his duty and could do nothing more. Provost Anderson stated that he had received from Mr Park Chief Magistrate of Fraserburgh, a sum of 20 sovereigns subscribed there as a slight mark of appreciation of the gallantry shown by Skipper Montador and his crew.
1882
On Monday morning as David Lindsay was going his rounds in Cellardyke with the Brewery Cart, the horse seems to have been startled by an explosion of steam from one of the traction engines employed in beaching the boats. Springing forward to arrest the animal in its headlong course he was unfortunately struck by one of the shafts and thrown as if by the blow of a battering ram to the ground. Nothing at this moment could exceed the alarm and consternation of the bystanders, so general was the impression that he had been killed on the spot. Bleeding profusely from the stroke on the head and shoulders this seemed to be only too well founded, but Drs Flaxman and McCallum being promptly in attendance, his injuries seemed to be less serious than there was at first reason to believe, and he is now, hoped to be in a fair way of recovery. The intrepid conduct of a young fisherman, George Boyter, deserves special record on this occasion. The horse was continuing its mad career along the crowded street when our hero sprang to the cart, secured the reins, and thus averted an all but certain catastrophe.
The following cases were disposed of before the East Anstruther bailies. David Davidson. Skipper Cellardyke was accused of a drunken outcry in East Green. Four convictions were also recorded against the panel, who put in the plea of ’Guilty, sir and I’m sorry for’t’ when being advised by Fiscal Peebles to ‘Abstain from that confounded drink, the cause of so much shame and regret’ he was fined 20s. Another Cellardyke fisherman, David Brown was fined 10s 6d for using threatening and abusive language while in a like condition towards Mr Alex Wilson, boot and shoemaker, Rodger Street.
1883
The fisher folks of Kilrenny and Anstruther held High Holiday yesterday on the occasion of the opening of the new town hall which has been erected in Cellardyke through the munificence of Mr Stephen Williamson MP and the late David Fowler merchant London and Adelaide, both natives of the burgh. Both in the harbour and in the main street of the town there was a profuse display of bunting, banners at the east end of James Street adjoining the new hall bearing mottos like ‘Welcome home’ and ‘Our Noble Donors’… The cost of the removal of the old building and the new build is thought to have been between £4000 and £5000.
The proceedings connected with the opening of the hall began with a procession of the fisherman’s and other local societies who paraded the principle thoroughfares of the Anstruthers and Cellardyke. Mr Williamson was met by the processionists on his way to the hall and was carried shoulder high for a considerable distance by six sturdy fishermen.
Bazaar, yesterday a Bazaar was held in the new town hall Cellardyke in aid of the building fund of the new native church at Pietermaritzburgh, South Africa, of which the Rev John Bruce a native of Cellardyke was lately appointed the pastor.
The Magistrates of Kilrenny have announced by placard a reward of £5 for the detection of the guilty party or parties who have maliciously smashed the glass in the windows of the new Town Hall in Cellardyke. One of the windows that of the café, was shattered by a stone thrown seemingly by some thoughtless urchin on the opening day, but another in the first floor was wrecked on Saturday night by a deliberate blow, though it is impossible to conceive the cause which could have led to the mean and dastardly outrage.
If the widely current rumour is to be relied on, several leading skippers in Cellardyke have associated for the purchase or hire of a steam trawler to fish in the North Sea.. The Enterprise is prompted, but not wholly so we hear, by the splendid doings of the steam fleet in Newhaven and Granton.
1885
The old tenement with the turret stair projection, or rather obstruction in the West end of Cellardyke, so long inhabited by Baillie Robert Waddel ‘ the king of the coast’ as he was called in his day, was exposed for sale in the town hall there on Friday. The upset price was reduced from £350 to £325; but there was no offer, if we except the suggestion to reduce it to £225 by Provost Skinner, attending the possibility in the interest of the Police board. This house was at one time occupied by the father, and so became the birthplace of Mr Williamson MP – on the following day the two tidy tenements erected by our townsman Mr Alexander Wallace, were also exposed for sale by public auction. Each in turn was offered at £370 but as in the above case they failed to obtain an offer, though they are understood to have cost their enterprising builder 400 guineas. The depression, however as regards the state of the property market is not confined to Cellardyke, on the same day a tenement was exposed for a second time in St Monance; but no one put in an appearance as the story goes save the auctioneer and the Clerk.
1887
A lamentable accident occurred in the West End of Cellardyke on Monday, About 8 am in the absence of her mother on some domestic duty, a girl named Janet Murray the daughter of Mr Thomas Murray (Blythe) fisherman stepped so near the grate as to set fire to her chemise. A wild scream brought her mother with the loss of a moment to her side. She was enveloped in flames, but these were so speedily extinguished that it was hoped that she had not been fatally or even seriously injured. Unfortunately the nervous system had received such a shock that, despite every care and attention, she expired on this side of midnight. She was a fine bright girl of about seven years of age and much sympathy is felt for her family.
1888
Thomas Tarvit, Cellardyke fisherman was accused in the Anster Police court of throwing a big stone and hitting Constable White on the heel. It seems that the missile made a black mark on White, but the foot was not so badly injured that he was not able to capture the thrower and clap him inti jail. Tarvit gave the magistrate an explanation of the incident, stating that in the first place the stone was not a stone at all but a brick; and secondly, that he did not mean to strike the constable, but a Pittenweem man who had injured him. In spite of this explanation Thomas was fined 7s 6d and he hasn’t the satisfaction of having struck the Pittenweem man either. Next time he has to throw a stone at anyone that injures him, the Cellardyke man will see that there is not a policeman within range.
If the whisper is true in the milliners shop the bridal song will not be in full chorus till the return of boats from the south, but on Sabbath there were no fewer than four proclamations in the Parish Kirk of Cellardyke. There was a time when such an announcement would have fired fiddler Easson with ecstasy. The forty or fifty couple, every fisher lad in his spruce sea jacket, and his rosy partner like a ship about to be launched, with ribbons of every hue, passing along to fill the streets as with a gush of sunshine, and then the feast and dance, so as to make the rafters dirl with the joy of the young at heart. But alas! for all that has come and gone, like a tale of long ago, seeing that in these degenerate days the event passes without even the next-door neighbour always knowing of the occurrence.