1896
Mr John Adamson, Pittenweem, has been appointed inspector of work in connection with the additions to the Public School, Cellardyke.
It is proposed to start a shoe factory in Cellardyke, Mr Smith, Colinsburgh, and Mr Mackintosh, Dundee, being the chief movers. A number of local tradesmen and other gentlemen have subscribed. The capital is nearly all gathered.
The steam line fishing, which was started only six years ago, has developed so rapidly that at present there are over 20 crews of Cellardyke fishermen engaged in these crafts. A dozen these belong to Anstruther companies the remainder being owned by Shields and Aberdeen companies.
Launch of a fishing boat – Mr Jarvis launched a new fishing boat built to the order of Skipper Gardiner, Cellardyke. She was christened the Margarets, she is a fine model and is 66ft in length and 20 feet wide. She is being fitted with steam to hoist the sails and haul the gear.
1898
The steamer Ugie, which arrived at Leith on Saturday. 3rd inst., from Peterhead with herrings, reports having struck what appears to be a sunken wreck on the 2nd inst., half a mile- S.S.W., of Cellardyke. The wreck was dangerous to navigation. The steamer did not sustain any apparent damage.
1900
On Saturday afternoon there was launched from Mr Fulton’s yard at Pittenweem one of these large sailing Liners now being adopted by our East Coast Fishermen. The craft which is 68 feet in length and attractive in design and finish, has been built to the order of Skipper Thomas Bett, Cellardyke, and was christened “Cornucopia” by his daughter Miss Maggie Bett. After being fitted up with patent steam capstan, for hauling gear &c. the craft proceeds to the herring fishing at Yarmouth.
1901
Montrose
On Saturday afternoon Messrs A & JF Scott, boatbuilders, launched a fishing boat for Mr Robert Davidson, Cellardyke. The craft is 69 feet long, 20 feet broad and 11 feet deep and will be fitted up with all the most modern appliances, including steam capstan. The christening ceremony was performed by Miss Davidson, daughter of the owner and skipper in presence of quite a crowd, such a function as naming a fishing boat being somewhat unusual here. The Guide Me, as the vessel was called, was the second which the Messrs Scott have launched with such ceremonial. The first being the Challenger last spring.
On Saturday afternoon, Mr Fulton launched from his building yard a large sailing liner to the order of Skipper William Brown (Reid), Cellardyke, which was named the Vineyard, by Miss Brown daughter of the owner. The craft, which is similar in design and dimensions to the other seven which the builder has executed for district owners during the course of the past year is to be fitted up with all the latest fishing appliances, and starts shortly on her maiden voyage to the Scarborough and other south herring fishings
The fleet of ten steam herring drifters belonging to the Smith Docks Trust Company, North Shields, which have been working the herring fishing at Shetland and subsequently at Fraserburgh and Aberdeen, and other east coast stations, under the management of Mr Alex. Keay, have had fairly successful for their 12 weeks’ business. The gross earnings of the ten steamers is £7300 or fully £7OO per boat, and only four nets have been lost the season. The steamers have been crewed mostly Yarmouth men, and as the shares seven to the crew and nine to the owners, the wages of the fishermen must have been very good. Mr Keay, who is a native of Cellardyke, has high opinion of the quality of the steamers under his charge, and the Scottish fishermen who examined them are mostly of the opinion that the trust steamers are particularly well adapted for herring fishing.
1902
The Anstruther fishing fleet, which encountered the full force of last Wednesday’s gale, all successfully weathered the storm but two. One of them, however, turned up on Friday evening, and relieved considerably the anxiety that was being felt. The other not having arrived by Saturday afternoon, five of the steam liners left Anstruther to make a complete search of the fishing grounds near the spot where the boat was last seen on Wednesday afternoon, about 45 miles off Aberdeen. In the fishing community very slender hopes were on Saturday entertained of her safety, and the belief was pretty general that she had foundered, and that the crew had all been drowned. The boat was named The Brothers, and was owned by Skipper William Watson, who was accompanied by his two sons, Adam and Alexander Watson, unmarried; David Muir, fisherman, Cellardyke, unmarried; William Peat, fisherman, Cellardyke, unmarried; and two hired hands from Broughty Ferry, one of whom was named Charles Norrie, and the other David Ferrier.
The following new Joint-Stock Companies were registered in Edinburgh this week: The United Fishing Boat Insurance Company, Limited, Anstruther, to insure against total or partial loss and damage at sea or elsewhere of boats and fishing vessels. Capital, £10 000 in £1 shares, for which the public are not invited to subscribe. Subscribers—Martin Gardiner, fisherman, James Street, Cellardyke, Anstruther; James Hughes, fisherman, Mid Street, Pittenweem; James Ogilvie, fish merchant, High Street, Pittenweem; Adam Reid, fisherman, Dove Street, Cellardyke; John Wood, fisherman, John Street, Cellardyke; Andrew Henderson, fisherman, George Street, Cellardyke, Thomas Cunningham, ship chandler, Harbour Head, Anstruther.
1903
As considerable speculation has arisen to the number fisherman voters that will away before the polling day in the St Andrews Burghs on Thursday, it has been definitely ascertained that yesterday and to-day 13 Cellardyke boats left Anstruther Harbour for the south fishing at Scarborough with 90 voters, and to-morrow others are to sail, making altogether 130 fishermen voters, the great majority whom are said to be Unionists.
At a meeting in Pittenweem Captain Ellice, Liberal Candidate, standing against William Anstruther Thomson, Liberal Unionist candidate answer many questions … he was to go on to win the St Andrews Burghs Westminster Seat, which we were then in by 36 votes.. out of a total of 2612 votes cast and was elected MP for this area.
Passing from the food tax. Captain Ellice got on the question of herrings. He had, he said opened with “herrings ” at Crail, and did not regret it. The more he studied the more he was convinced that the herrings industry would be affected by Mr Chamberlain’s proposals. He was aware that herrings were already taxed, but there were a great number of herrings which were admitted to Germany free. He put to them that for those who were engaged in the fishing trade, the question was—Would they sell their herrings dear and have cheap bread or would they have dear bread and sell their herrings cheap If ran the election on those lines the Captain believed he would win. He hoped he would win, and be asked then to put the cross opposite his name on the ballot-paper. We’ll pit twa crosses to spoil yer paper,” drawled Pittenweemite from the back of the hall.
Heckling being invited, Mr W. Lindsay, fishcurer, handed to the Captain a brief catechism. The first question was – is it not time that the country was waking up, seeing that the House of Commons did not know that for every barrel that went into Germany taxed, five go in free, which is a blessing to this locality.’’ The Captain agreed it was a blessing, and believed that if they were taxed it would be a great curse. The next question was – Do you think it right that when the fishermen are from home they cannot vote by proxy?” Captain Ellice replied that he had suggested to the fishermen of Cellardyke that a steamer with polling station on board might be sent out. The difficulty was that the fishermen might be 200 miles from home, and the ballot boxes would not get back in time.
1904
Forthcoming Wedding. A marriage is to take place Chalmers’ Memorial Church, Anstruther, on Wednesday first, the contracting parties being Mr John A. Mackenzie, consulting solicitor, Helensburgh, and Miss Margaret Helen McLeod, second daughter of Mr J. McLeod, Forth View, Cellardyke.
The bride to be attended by three bridesmaids—Miss Bella McLeod, sister of the bride, and the Misses Mackenzie, the daughters of the bridegroom, while the best man is Mr Fred Mackenzie, nephew of the bridegroom. The marriage is to take place 1.30 p.m.
NEW LIFEBOAT FOR ANSTRUTHER. INTERESTING PRESENTATION CEREMONY. The Shore Street and Middle Pier of Anstruther on Saturday afternoon presented an unusually animated appearance. The stir was caused the launching of a new lifeboat. The streets were gaily hung with flags and bunting, while from every boat’s mast in the harbour flew streamers of all descriptions. The proceedings started at half-past one, when largo crowds lined the piers. An enclosure and platform had been erected at the west end of the new lifeboat house, and among those present were:—Sir Ralph and Lady Anstruther of Balcaskie; Mrs Walker, of West Calder, the donor of the boat; Major and Mrs Anstruther Thomson of Kilmany; Colonel and Mrs Aitken, Innergellie; Lieutenant Basil Hall, National Lifeboat Institution, London; Mr W. Bertram, hon. secretary, North Berwick Lifeboat; the municipal bodies of Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, and Kilrenny; the parish ministers and teachers the three burghs; and others.
HOW THE LIFEBOAT IS APPRECIATED. Provost Dalziel, of Anstruther Easter, occupied the chair, he had no doubt that the beautiful boat now presented by Mrs Walker would fulfil all that was expected of it. It was extremely gratifying that this boat was the gift of a lady who had done them the further honour of being present that day. (Loud applause.) Having drawn attention to the handsome new lifeboat house, built the generosity the London Institution, every detail and furnishing which was the best of its kind, concluded by calling upon Lady Anstruther of Balcaskie to open the lifeboat house. (Applause.) Lady Anstruther, amid loud cheers, gracefully performed the ceremony, and the vessel was pulled to the water’s edge and manned by the crew.
ACCEPTING THE GIFT. Lieutenant Basil Hall, the parent institution, in accepting the gift, said the last time he appeared in public in the town he was the audience and the fishermen the speakers, and the first of their remarks was to ask him to use his influence with the Institution to get them new boat. By the great generosity of Mrs Walker the beautiful boat before them was shortly to become one a fleet of nearly 750 lifeboats that ling the coast, ready to go forth day or night their errands of mercy.
The earlier boats were much of the same type, mainly propelled by oars, but times had changed, and the Institution had changed with them, and there were now several types of boats on their coasts. When the Institution were to give a new boat it was the custom for three representatives the crew to round the different stations and choose which style of boat would most suitable for their coast. In this three of the crew, along with another gentleman, went round several stations, going as far away as Denby, in Wales, where they saw this type of boat they considered would be most suitable for their coast, and that boat was now before them. (Applause.) She was all that modern lifeboat should be. She was built of two diagonal layers of mahogany, had two drop keels, twelve oars, and was fully rigged with lug and jib sails, and, indeed, had all the attributes a lifeboat should have. (Applause.) There was one point—the most important —that was the crew. The most beautiful lifeboat ever built was a useless log in the water without good crew, but in Anstruther and Cellardyke they had fishermen of stout hearts and strong backs, second to none in the country. (Loud applause.) He had, in conclusion, to call Sir Ralph Anstruther of Balcaskie to accept the lifeboat and house on behalf of the local Institution. Sir Ralph, who is president of the Anstruther branch, said was fortunate, in so far that his first duty as president had been to accept of these gifts, not only because it was tribute to the generosity of Mrs Walker, but because it and others were the best specimens their kind the coast. (Applause.) Mr Hall had been kind enough to say flattering things about the people (of the place in regard to lifeboat matters, and was sure the fishermen would their best to deserve these re- and that they would make good use of the lifeboat. (Applause.) The boat was then christened the John and Mary Walker, (Newspaper Mistake) and slid into the water to the accompaniment of the loud and continued cheering of those assembled. The 2nd Paraphrase and the dedication hymn was sung by the united choirs of Anstruther and Cellardyke, after which short prayer was offered by the Rev. J. Woodside Robinson, expressing the hope that the boat would long be spared to useful work in the district.
During the launching ceremony the pipe band of E (Anstruther) Company of the 6th V.B.R.H. paraded and down the middle quay playing selections, while body of collectors, with miniature lifeboats collecting boxes, and wearing red pilot cars, assailed the pockets of those present for subscriptions. It is pleasing to state that their efforts met with liberal response.
1905
The Shields trawler Reaper put back to Shields yesterday morning. While 29 miles from the Tyne the vessel was in collision with the Methil-bound steamer Bengal. The Reaper was extensively damaged the stem, and gave such alarming indications of foundering that the crew scrambled aboard the Bengal. Some hours afterwards they returned aboard, finding the trawler still afloat, and succeeded in placing canvas over the damaged part to prevent the inrush of water. The Bengal towed the Reaper Shields, and afterwards conveyed four the crew, who belonged Cellardyke, Methil, where they were landed last night.