1880
Cellardyke Police Commission.—This Board, meeting the other day, agreed to accept the contract of Thomas Christie to cart the street dung, as swept by the scavenger, to the depot for the year the sum of £55. They also preferred, out of several candidates, William Dewar to be the , “town’s man” in Upper Kilrenny at the wage of 18s a week.
Yesterday morning the fishing boat Venus Star, hailing from Cellardyke, Scotland, arrived Whitby, and captain, Peter Murray, reports that on the previous night, while or seven miles off that port, homeward bound, one of crew, William Anderson, of Cellardyke, fell overboard, and was drowned. Deceased was at the time fixing one of the lights, when the stanchion which was holding gave way, and both foil into the sea. The boat was ‘sailing great rate, and it was impossible to rescue the unfortunate fisherman. He was about 40 years of age, and leaves wife and four children.
1881
We understand that the East most of the handsome block of houses in West Forth Street, Cellardyke, just being finished our townsman, Mr Wallace, builder, has been sold to Mr Alex. Keay (Watson) for the sum of £485. The fine site James Street also included, so that a more desirable property has rarely changed hands amongst us. In the house itself every regard has been had not only for the comfort the family, but, also, for that important consideration, the stowage gear, and thus taken along with the magnificent view, it admittedly claims like the rest the block—a model fisher home.
The Bailie Court of Kilrenny on Friday— Provost Watson presiding—four coopers employed in Cellardyke – George Lawson, David Dun, John McLeod, and William Blyth charged with assaulting Mr David Muir, fisherman, at the harbour head on the evening of Saturday week, and also with a breach the peace at the same time and place. All the panels appeared except Blyth who is in the meantime at Yarmouth. They pleaded not guilty, but the evidence of several of the neighbours brought home the charge in the opinion of the court, and they were each fined 7s 6d, or ten days in jail.
1882
GREAT YARMOUTH HERRING FISHING
GEO. W GILES,
FISH SALESMAN, GREAT YARMOUTH,
Can offer superior ACCOMMODATION to SCOTCH FISHERMEN who intend fishing at YARMOUTH for Storage Nets, &e., and gives the most personal attention to the Sale of their Fish. Has been a Salesman for many years for large number of boats hailing from St Monance, Cellardyke, Buckhaven, Eyemouth, Ferryden, Peter- Banff, Buckie &c. Address No1. Fish Wharf, Great Yarmouth.
Fine Art Exhibition Dundee…..We now proceed take a brief glance at the pictures. That versatile and eccentric genius, the late Sam Bough, is well represented in the present Exhibition. No fewer than seven pictures appear under his name; and three these—.No. 1200, “Cornfield” No 1241, “Cellardyke Harbour;” and 1308, “Naworth Castle—Wind and Rain,” are admirable specimens of the master.
Hairbreadth Escape of a Fife Crew. —One of the most remarkable instances of special Providence, to use a favourite phrase of the coast, occurred last week to the Cellardyke boat, Ivanhoe, Geo. Fowler, master, while on the voyage from Scarborough. Their errand over on the herring sea, the crew had put to sea on Tuesday night, and were bowling along, with jib and foresail boomed out, as the sailors say, before the south-west wind, when, about two next morning, those on deck saw red light within bow shot bearing right upon them. The night, by reason of the fog, was as black as the grave, and thus the stranger—a big barque, under full sail—was all unperceived upon them. A vigilant hand, David Meldrum, held the tiller, but not an instant was left to act, or even consider what to do, when her head gear was entangled with the boat. The foremast brushed clear by a hand breadth, but the mizzen was caught by the big bowsprit, and was next moment hurled into the sea. It so far, however, averted the collision, though the winch and part of the rail was wrenched away, but otherwise the boat was safe —delivered as by a miracle from the very jaws of destruction. The escape of three of the crew was exceptionally so. The boat-hook, acting boom, was thrown like a spear from the hand of a giant against the shoulder of a veteran fisher, George Smith, while, as the mizzen mast crashed over the gunwale, it struck full on the steersman, who also received a severe blow in the fall of the winch. A landsman, named John Ramsay, was also thrown into the sea, and his escape was, perhaps, the most providential of all, for, unable to save himself, he must have become the prey of the hungry waves, but as he rose to the surface, the broken mast floated to his arm, and on this he rested like a life buoy till he was sometime after casually seen in the “water burn,” when he was dragged into the boat. In the meantime it was the impression on board that the shoulder of their comrade was dislocated or broken, and that David Meldrum had received a mortal hurt; but for while their every outcry and effort was to obtain assistance from the barque. It was all in vain, however, for deaf to every call, and with that heartless barbarity which unfortunately has only too many parallels in the story of the sea, the stranger never once changed his course, but held under full sail as before. In the darkness and agitation of the hour our fishermen failed to identify the barque, but, so far as could be made out, she seemed to be a foreigner, making probably for English coal port. The Ivanhoe reached Anstruther harbour some thirty six hours after the collision, when no time was lost in obtaining assistance for the injured men. Fortunately, in neither case was there any bones broken, and David Meldrum, for whose condition so much uneasiness was felt, is, we are glad to say from latest accounts, doing as well as can be hoped for. We understand that the authorities are investigating the matter with view of bringing the sea miscreant to justice.
1883
Mr James Henderson is giving the finishing touch to the Eastern Section of Rodger Street, Cellardyke, in a handsome corner block which has been rented to that rising practitioner Dr Flaxman.
1886
The Magistrates met in the several burghs, so far as there was any applications, on Tuesday. Phillis Carstairs, the widow of Alexander Gardine, who held a grocer’s license for premises in John Street, Cellardyke, asked for a transfer her own name, which was granted by Bailies and Smith, the Magistrates on the bench.—Walter Miles and Widow George Shelley, within a few doors of her, applied for a table beer license. Bailie Martin opposed the application on the ground that it would increase the number of licensed houses to six—a number out of all proportion in one street. Bailie Smith was more sympathetic—the one was a blind man laid aside by the infirmity of heaven from ordinary work, and the other was a “widow indeed ” if only by the frailty of years ; but on being referred to, Constable Martin said that these houses were often the most mischievous of all in the neighbourhood, when both were refused.
1887
New Patents
William Duncan and Alexander Black, Cellardyke, for “Improvements to Boots”
1890
Mr Archibald Guillan, Anstruther, having completed his hundredth year six o’clock on Saturday evening, the neighbours, to the number of 220 1 celebrated the event by a soiree in Anstruther Town Hall. The meeting began in the afternoon. The tables, &c., were tastefully decked with flowers and evergreens. The centenarian ascended the platform with an agility to be envied three score and ten to take his seat with the Chairman, Provost J. T. Darsie, ex-Provost Halson Anderson, the Rev. T. Murray, &c. The company were then served with tea and cake in way that would have done honour to drawing room by Mr M’Connell. ….. The proceedings were also enlivened with fine selection of songs by Councillor Melville, Mr Alexander Watson, the Misses Melville and Watson, Cellardyke; the Misses Wilson and M. A. Brown, Anstruther, &c. and charming violin music by Miss M. Cook, with the pianoforte accompaniments by Miss A. Oliphant. In moving a vote of thanks to the Chairman, Mr Cook made one of the most interesting contributions to the night reading from the columns of one of the Edinburgh newspapers published in the autumn 1790. Singular to say, it contained notice of the death of two of the apocryphal centenarians, in which the serials the period so delighted to indulge. …
1892
Yarmouth
The BF 372 Glad Tidings, hailing from Buckie, collided with Yarmouth boat on Monday night, with the result that her stern was stove in and considerable amount damage done. She is now in dock, but will ready for sea in a few days. The KY boat Hawarden Castle, from Cellardyke, had a collision with another Yarmouth vessel in the harbour, and she is also in dock.
Early Sunday morning the joists of a house in James Street, Cellardyke, were found to fire. The brigade was called out, and the flames extinguished without difficulty. A neighbouring chimney had been on fire the preceding night, and the flames had smouldered till the smoke alarmed tire inmates. Little damage was done.
1893
At Cellardyke Court, William Leslie applied for grocer’s license for premises in the village of Kilrenny. The application was refused, Provost Martin stating that there was no demand for license there, which had been without one for 40 years. John Pitt was granted renewal of public-house certificate for premises in George Street.
1895
The Maggie Scott, of Cellardyke, while lying at the wharf at Yarmouth, had been run into by the Glengarry, St Monance, which was tacking up the river. She was severely injured, and had to be beached. T
The liners, with the exception of the East Neuk, had to rest content with one shot, the details of which we gave last week. Judging from the great gathering of all kinds of craft to the lee of Elie Ness a heavy sea was raging outside the Firth, and the Bonito, which tried to face it, had to turn back. The Pioneer** which has been hired Skipper Adam Reid, was telegraphed from Shields on Wednesday with £104 for the first shot., but was unable to get bait for a second shot. A number of townsmen were in the Tyne on the same day, the details being:—Glenogil £89; Tennant, £31; Fair, £13; and Edith, £13; while the Maggie was at Newhaven with £50. The reports from Islay are far from cheering; little has been done by the Fife yawls, but it is hoped that change for the better will set in by another week-
**The Pioneer was owned by the Peterhead Steam Line Company and was not doing well under the previous crew, so they hired it out to Adam Reid who in the first few weeks of this new arrangement was doing very well.
1896
These are stirring times in the history of the Cellardyke men. Every eye is turned on the efforts of the liners, and the crews in their turn are devoting every energy to the management of their vessels. Sunshine and storm come alike. So long as there is a possibility of working the boats are at sea, and last week they had a baptism of storm which only the splendid qualities of the crafts and the seamanship of the men brought them through.
They did not leave the deep without forcing tribute from her bountiful store, as the following record of the earnings testifies — East Neuk £101; Tennant, £97; Isle of May, £52; County of Fife, £40; Copley, £25; Fair, £24; Maggie and Edith, -£22; Glenogil, £15, &c. This was the reverse side of the picture. The Kittiwake returned with all her lines carried away, and one of the crew of the County was badly cut about the face by the glass of the window of the wheelhouse, which was shivered by a sea. Other steamers lost lines and all bore traces of the fury of the gale which they had come through.
Only one week previously
…. the Fife boats the highest fishing which has ever been coupled with that of any fleet of vessels from one port. The County of Fife had pride of place with a coveted total of £179. Skipper Henderson in doing this has only capped a series of splendid hauls during the past five weeks, the average earnings of the liners being £103.
1897
The summer fishing proved the lowest for many years back. The average earning generally amounts to from to £150, but this year it was considered that £80 would cover it. The boats have now all left for the south coast, Scarborough, Lowestoft, and Yarmouth. The steam liners during the quarter have mostly been engaged at the herring fishing as well, and did very fairly, the average weekly gross earnings ranging from £50 to £45. An addition has been made to the fleet by the launch at Anstruther of the Rothesay Bay. This makes 20 steam liners manned Cellardyke fishermen.
1898
In the East of Fife the storm was most disastrous and caused great destruction to property. The east wall of Cellardyke Harbour was knocked over in several places, and the stones swept into the harbour, making it entirely useless. The walls of the houses fronting the sea in Cellardyke were torn down and boiler and washing-houses destroyed. The saw mill and fish manure factory at Cellardyke belonging to Mr Cormack, was completely wrecked, and the machinery twisted. Part of the coping at the east pier of Anstruther was swept into the harbour, while different places of the west pier were much shaken and torn. The wall of west Anstruther is covered with sea ware, and, and the churchyard walls which faces the sea has been swept away. Breaches have also been made in other properties. The west end of Shore Street. Anstruther, is covered with sea ware, sand, and large stones, while the causeway blocks in Castle Street have been lifted by the force of the waves and thrown about. It is impossible to estimate the damage, but it must amount to thousands of pounds.
Another report of the same storm
..it was Cellardyke that the greatest amount of havoc and destruction was wrought. The garden walls of the houses skirting the sea got the full fury of the storm, with the result was that on Tuesday morning scarcely a wall escaped right along from Anstruther to the end of Cellardyke—more than a mile in length. The breaches made an inlet to the sea to reach bark, boiler, and wash houses, many of which were knocked over, and the bricks and stones scattered over the beach. Cellardyke Harbour, which belongs Mr Bethune of Balfour, was also rendered useless by the east wall being broken in several places and the harbour blocked by the debris. The roadway the North Pier was torn and heavy stones misplaced. The saw mill and fish guano manure factory the east end Cellardyke, which stood in a very exposed position, were completely wrecked and the machinery twisted into every conceivable shape. The Anstruther lifeboat was called out Monday night, but the crew found it impossible take it outside the harbour, and the boat was wheeled to Methil. a distance of 15 miles, only find that the services of the captain and his crew were not required, the vessel had been taken tow and the crew rescued.
Two days later
About eight o’clock this morning the body of a Norwegian sailor was found on the beach at Cellardyke. He had only been few hours’ dead, and wore a lifebelt and cork jacket. There was nothing to lead to his identification.
Then a public appeal goes out in a letter to the papers
Sir,-The recent storm struck Cellardyke very hard. The sea-wall at the east end of the burgh is -its only protection-is almost demolished, and there is great risk of further damage to property if it be not restored. Another storm would wreck the place and invade the streets: Many private persons have suffered loss by the inroad of the sea, while the damage to public property amounts to at least £2000. The Town Council is quite unable to make this good; the community is a poor one, consisting almost entirely of fisher people, and on their behalf, through your courtesy, I appeal to all who know and love v the coast of Fife to come to their aid. Provost Thomson, Cellardyke, by Anstruther, will gladly receive and acknowledge any contribution.. H.T. Anstruther Gillingshill
1899
…an engineer was also to be in the town to make inquiries about starting linoleum industry, but he was afraid the old water supply would not be found sufficient, and inquiries would have to be made of premises in Cellardyke to see if they would be suitable for the purpose. He hoped these industries would yet be started in the locality and turn out success.