1827
Five boats, belonging Crail, Cellardyke, and St. Monance, near this place, fishing on Saturday, were overtaken with the storm, and none of them have reached home. The crews may amount to from 20 to 30 men.
1838
On the night of Saturday last, we were visited with a very severe gale of wind from the eastward, and the damage done upon the Coast has been very great. The wind was accompanied a heavy fall of snow, and the roads were for a second time this season blocked up. On Sunday the storm raged with equal violence, and there being a stream-tide the sea broke upon the shore with great force. The new building on the south pier at Cellardyke harbour is almost totally destroyed, and several hundred cart-loads of stones, which composed the centre part of the pier, are now lying in the middle of the harbour, which is of course useless. A few years ago about £1700 were expended in improving the accommodation for the boats of this thriving fishing station, but we are sorry to say to little purpose, the basin never having been a safe shelter from the sea any wind, although in good weather the boats were generally moored in it.
1844
Herring Fishery.— During last week this branch our fisheries was prosecuted with success unexampled for a number of years. ……….On 15th 100 boats out; average take nine crans—price 10s. 6d. On the 16th the average was eleven crans a boat—price The quantity landed this day exceeded 1,000 crans. On the 17th the boats returned well fished. The weather has been favourable, and the fish of good quality. They are caught about a mile from Cellardyke shore.
(For those of you who do not know a Cran is about 1000 herring, just over 37 imperial gallons or a cured barrel of fish. So on the 16th Feb 1844 over 1 million fish were landed, caught within a mile of Cellardyke)
1845
INTIMATION IS HIEREBY GIVEN, in terms of Act of Parliament, 1st George, IV., cap. 37, by the CORPORATION of the MASTER and ASSISTANTS of the TRINITY HOUSE of LEITH, of ReCALL of the LICENSES of the following persons who were Licensed by the said Corporation to act as SEA PILOTS, viz.,-
LEITH. …………. KIRIKALDY. Robert Moys. SAINT ANDREW’S. George Wallace (dead, supposed about 1841.) EYEMIOUTM. George Willis, James Dougall. BURNMOUTH. Alexander Martin, Robert Johnston. CELLARDYKE. Alexander Cunningham, James Murray…………..
1848
CELLARDYKE. A public meeting of the fishermen was held in the Town Hall, here, Tuesday week, to consider memorial containing objections to the Dunbar Harbour Dues Assessment Bill, now pending the House of Commons, various clauses of which are very unjust and oppressive to the whole of the fishing population on the Frith of Forth…..
1850
Petitions to Parliament from the Magistrates and Council of the burgh, and from the Sabbath School teachers in Anstruther and Cellardyke, in favour the total cessation of business throughout the entire- post-office department on the Lord’s-Day, have been forwarded to Mr Ellice, MP, for presentation. Thirty-five names were adhibited the teachers’ petition.
1853
The following persons were tried before Mr Sheriff Grant during the “past week:—William Watson (Sime) and John Watson (Sime), fishermen, residing in Cellardyke, were both charged with assault to the effusion of blood. They pleaded guilty, and were sentenced to pay a fine of 15s, or suffer 15 days’ imprisonment. Fine paid.
1854
Australia.-William and Philip Black in company with three Cellardyke men, named Boyter, Henderson, and another whose name did not hear, had tried the fishing in Geelong Bay, and were earning from L.3 to L.6 per day which leaves the diggings in the shade. The fish caught are represented to be thick and short, about the size of half-cod. The fishermen there had kept their trade as much secret as possible but now, that the East of Fife men have got hold of it, the trade will soon be opened, and this occupation will be more congenial to them than the diggings.— Pittenweem Register.
1855
DISASTERS ANSTRUTHER HARBOUR. We are sorry learn that the storm which raged with much violence, and widely, last week, hat inflicted great damage on the fishing-boats in Anstruther harbour. In addition to the Cellardyke boats, there were many stranger boats in the harbour attracted the herring-fishing, now being prosecuted along the coast. The fishermen disliked the appearance of the weather on Wednesday evening, and only a few boats went to sea—the rest, numbering somewhere about 140, having on board their nets and other fishing-gear, remained at anchor the harbour. About nine o’ clock the wind rose, and about twelve o’clock, it blew a gale, which, from one to three o’clock, increased till it blew a hurricane. When the storm was at its worst, it was high water, and the wind, being from the south west, blew directly into the mouth the harbour. The boats soon began to drag their anchors, and, drifting against each other, were in a body dashed against the quay of Shore Street. Many of the fishermen were present, and soon all of them, aroused from their beds, by the drummer announcing that their boats were adrift, crowded the quays; but the great seas rolling into the harbour, the blinding spray, and the howling wind, paralysed all their efforts, and left them only to look helplessly 0n, as their boats, grinding against each other, and hurled against the quay, were stoved in, or went to pieces before their eyes. There were indeed a few cases bold successful daring, where the parties, flinging themselves into their boats, skilfully steered them from the crash. There also were cases of hairbreadth escapes. One man was washed off the east quay, but was fortunately got hold of; another would have been crushed between his boat and the quay help had not been at hand. When day dawned the harbour presented a scene of such wreck and disaster as the oldest inhabitant had neither seen nor heard of. Crushed against or upon each other, and jammed against the quay, like a scared flock of sheep on a steamer’s deck, lay almost all those boats that rode so freely at sunset. It was found that while few escaped quite unscathed, there were forty-two boats so damaged that would cost from £8 to £40 each to repair them, and that, too, exclusive of the loss by nets torn and damaged. One boat was literally smashed, and had to be lifted over the wall in fragments. It is calculated that many hundreds of pounds must expended before all those damaged boats can proceed to sea. But that even is not the extent of the loss. The winter herring fishing now at in its commencement—it lasts but a week or two—and this disaster has spread a gloom over our fishermen generally, as well as crippled, quite disabled, many of them for this season’s fishing. We learn that nothing is now spoken but Craignoon Harbour; and the idea of a low water harbour (here with a safety-basin was ardently desired before, that wish has, by this disaster, been now fanned into an enthusiastic determination to have It accomplished. Its necessity seems to equally felt by fishermen from Newhaven, Buckhaven, and all along the coast, they express their readiness give pecuniary assistance.
Additional one for entertainment 02/03/2018
24th Feb 1887
FISHERMEN IN BAD COMPANY.— Arbroath – At the Police Court this morning, William Donald, hairdresser or flaxdresser; Mary Ann Murray Winton or Donald, his wife; and a young woman named Mary Bates or Thoms were charged with keeping disorderly house at No. 11 Lordburn yesterday afternoon. They pleaded not guilty-. John Morris, fisherman, belonging to the Vesta, of Cellardyke, said was in the house kept by the accused yesterday afternoon. He was taken to the house by the two women. While there some drink was consumed, and he had been robbed of £3 in notes and some silver money. Robert Mair, another fisherman belonging to the Vesta, said he was also in the house. He could not say how he got there, he having been the worse of drink at the time. Jessie Duirs or Haft, residing 11 Lordburn, said Mrs Donald brought the two men her house and afterwards took them away again. Both men were under the influence of drink at the time. She had never before seen any strangers in the house occupied by the accused. Constable Webster deponed that one of the fishermen informed him last night that some money had been taken from them in Donald’s house. Witness went the house, and found Donald and his wife there, both being the worse drink. Mrs Donald said that Bates had got £2 and some shillings from one of the fishermen. Bates was not in the house, he found her in a house in Gravesend much the worse for drink. Inspector Johnston deponed that he recovered £1 of the stolen money in a public-house in Keptie Street. The people in charge of the shop informed him that Donald had paid for some drink with a £1 note, and that Bates, who was with him, had taken possession of the change. This was all the evidence. Mr McNeill, addressing Donald, asked where he got the £1 note. Accused—From Bates. Mr McNeill —Were you not surprised to see her with so much money? Accused—l knew she was getting it, one of the fishermen had told her he was going to take her to Cellardyke and marry her. (Laughter.) The Bailie found the charge proved, and imposed a fine of 15s in each case, with the alternative of fifteen days’ imprisonment.