1851
TO HARBOUR CONTRACTORS.
THE HONOURABLE the COMMISSIONERS of the BOARD of FISHERIES are ready to receive Offers for the execution of QUAY WALL, and the EXCAVATION of ROCK at the HARBOUR CELLARDYKE, in FIFESHIRE.
The Plan and Specification the Works may be seen on application to Mr Fowler. Cellardyke or to Messrs’ Stevenson, Civil Engineers, Edinburgh, the Engineers to the Board.
Sealed Tenders, marked “for Cellardyke Harbour Works,” may be sent to the Honourable B. F. Primrose, Secretary the Board, Royal Institution, Edinburgh, on or before the first of September next. Satisfactory security will be required, and the lowest offer not necessarily to be accepted. Board of Fisheries, Edinburgh, August 1851.
1855
A Fishing Boat Capsized, and Four Lives Lost.- It is our painful duty to have to record another lamentable occurrence, accompanied with loss of life, connection with the fishing. On Monday night about eight o’clock, a boat belonging to this place, the Venus, left the “Auld Haikes’ to proceed homeward with between seventy and eighty crans of herring on board. A strong head wind was blowing at the time. The crew comprised the following individuals, viz., Adam Reid, senior, belonging to Cellardyke, and his two sons, Adam and William, the latter boy about eight years of age ; Kenneth McLeod, Isle of Sky ; James Malcolm, Dundee ; and David Laing from Arncroach in this district, half-deals-men. Adam Reid, senior, was skipper of the boat. Betwixt nine and ten o’clock, when off Crail the boat was struck by two tremendous seas in succession, which capsized her, but she did not sink. The crew clung to different parts of the unfortunate vessel for about an hour, when the skipper and Kenneth McLeod were washed off. The other three men continued to hang on by the wreck for nearly other two hours—the elder brother Reid nobly supporting the poor young boy, his brother—when at last their cries attracted the attention the crew of a St Monance boat, under the charge of William Mathers, who immediately put to their assistance, and when just about so near to be able to give them relief James Malcolm was washed off, and the young boy had ceased to exist. David Laing and Adam Reid, junior, had ropes attached to their persons and were hauled on board, the latter taking along with him the lifeless body of his brother. They were conveyed to Anstruther with all the speed that contrary wind would allow, and the two men saved are now recovering. We believe that the crew of the ill-fated boat had some misgivings, before leaving the “Auld Haikes,” that their cargo was too heavy to allow them to get home with ease, owing to the strong gale.
1856
Number boats fishing at each station: Anstruther and Cellardyke, 133; Pittenweem, S3; 8t Monance. 54; Crail, 10; Largo, 7; Buckhaven, 97 ; besides a few strangers who come here frequently, but those of the two latter places are still fishing Dunbar except on Saturdays when they return home with that day’s catch.
The following is the result of the fishing at this station during the past week—including Anstruther, Cellardyke, Pittenweem, St Monance, and Crail;
July 29, Boats out, 247; highest. 3; average, ¼
30 247; 5 ¼
31 247 15 1
August 1 247 18 3
2 248 31 4
Average for the season, 10 ¼ crans.
1859
The stimulus imparted to fisheries by the rapidity of railways laying the markets 0f all the large towns open to the coasts for the supply of fresh fish, has raised an urgent demand for deep water harbours,-so that the boats may get in at any time of tide to deliver their catch, and which are also most needful t0 the safety of the fishermen, who, as yet, have no ports of refuge that can be taken at low water. These considerations have stirred the towns of Anstruther and Cellardyke to unite their common interest, and to move the Board of Fisheries to co-operate with them in erecting a deep-water harbour there. Before the fishermen at Cellardyke consented to waive their claim for a separate harbour, the site of Craig-noon, near at hand, had been fixed upon by them, and surveyed at their request.; but though possessed of some capabilities, it gave no promise of a harbour .equal in convenience or accessibility to that of Anstruther improved, and it perhaps owing to the results of the survey, that the parties saw that their real interests lay, not in moving for separate harbours, and thus frittering away their money, but in applying extensive improvements to the harbour of Anstruther, which’ could be thus made to serve both towns, and a populous fishing neighbourhood besides.
Accordingly, an enlargement of Anstruther Harbour, with the designation given to it of the Union, Harbour, has been planned by Messrs. Stevenson, the engineers of the Board, and its design has met with general satisfaction and approval.
The erection of a harbour of this description at Anstruther has been recommended by the Harbour of Refuge Commission; but, again, the funds are a wanting for its execution. Its estimated cost is £30,000, a large sum to raise; nevertheless, there appear to be means available for effecting a loan, which, with assistance from the Board of Fisheries, may, at no very distant day, enable this work to be executed.