1880
NEXT OF KIN WANTED. INFORMATION particularly requested regarding the following NEXT of KIN (or their Representatives) of William Sinclair, Fishcurer, Willowbank, Wick, who died there on the 11th May, 1879, His brother George Sinclair, who is said to have left Caithness in or about 1816 and gone to England ; …………… Representatives of his sister Barbara Sinclair, wife of Robert Grant, Mason, and especially her children, George Grant, a Farm Servant, who is said to have emigrated and died Australia ; Robert Grant, Boat Carpenter, in 1863, Cellardyke, Austruther; …………. ; or the Descendants of such of the above as are deceased. Any information of the death, or which will lead to the discovery of the Persons above named or referred to, or any of them, will be gratefully received by Miller, Cormack, and Mackay, Solicitors, Wick, who will communicate with Parties claiming to participate Sinclair’s succession.
Sale of Property.—The old tenement, situated on the south side-of John Street, Cellardyke, and so long possessed the family the-late Mr William Wood, was exposed for sale at the Tolbooth 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 increase of £58 over the upset price. Mr Fowler is understood to have acted for his son-in-law, Mr John Butters.
Departure of the Boats. The fine land breezes of the week have not been neglected for the voyage to the English coast by the Fife fishermen; on the contrary, the harbours are again as deserted as before—in fact, one solitary Cellardyke boat is left to prosecute the line fishing at home. Of the all but seventy boats that have sailed to the southward, about two-thirds have their destination in the Norfolk seas, but the others have their resting place at Scarborough, where the herring fishing usually ends so as to enable them to return about the end of October.
1881
We understand that Mr Jas. Henderson has sold his twin house Rodger Street, Cellardyke, to the cousins, Mitchell and Alexander Poll, for the price in each case of about £330. This house, which Is the dual principle now so generally adopted in the case of fishermen’s dwelling home, is forty feet long by thirty-fire wide, and is fitted with every convenience, including W.C.s and sinks. Thus encouraged. Mr Henderson is to proceed on an early day with contiguous block.
The Outrig of Fishing Boats.
Next to fitting out the deep-sea going boat with deck and hatchway improvement has been long and earnestly advocated as fore and aft sails. That distinguished native of Pittenweem, Sir Walter Hughes, went so far to equip a pioneer boat on a principle which is now the rule almost everywhere on the English end French coasts. Nor is the improvement seemingly so far distant from our own shores. Last week were told of its success in Cellardyke, and now with another branch of the fishing at hand, one of the big boats of Pittenweem is being fitted out for her owner, Mr Archibald Peebles, with fore and aft canvas instead of the old lug sail. The boat In the meantime, we believe, is to be employed in trawl fishing.
On Saturday evening a public meeting was held in fie Town Hall, Cellardyke, for the purpose 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, during a severe gale on the 20th of June last. Provost Watson presided, and, in making the presentation, the Provost stated that they frequently read and admired the gallant feats of soldiers, but he considered the conduct of a fisherman who, in a storm which taxed to the uttermost the energies of both skipper and crew, risked their lives and property to save their helpless brethren, even more heroic. . The Provost then briefly detailed the circumstances of the rescue and concluded by presenting the medal to Mr Montador, at the same time remarking that he deserved all the honour they could bestow him, and expressed the hope that he would be long spared to wear the medal. (Applause.) Mr Montador, who, although a native of France, has been Iong domiciled in Cellardyke, briefly replied, stating that he had tried to do his duty and could do nothing more. (Cheers) Provost Anderson said he had now the agreeable duty of stating that he had received from Mr Park , chief Magistrate of Fraserburgh a sum of £20 subscribed there as a , slight mark of appreciation of the gallantry shown by skipper Montador and his crew. (Cheers.) He had been requested to state that Sir Alexander Gordon / M.P. for East Aberdeenshire, had been chiefly instrumental in bringing the facts of the case before the Board of Trade and had also originated the subscription which had resulted in the sum he had now mentioned, and which, he had handed to Bailie Brown. The latter gentleman then formally presented the twenty sovereigns to Mr Montador, and in doing so said as a fisherman he admired the conspicuous gallantry they had shown on an occasion when as he understood other boats passed by afraid to undertake the risk which they were sure to incur. Mr’ Montador, on behalf of his crew, acknowledged the presentation.
On Saturday several logs of American timber were thrown ashore in the east of Fife. They had evidently been adrift for a length of tone the summer sea, but the curiosity was that they were thickly covered with barnacles as the rocks with sea weed,
Railway Petition.—At the close of the presentation proceedings in Cellardyke on Saturday evening, the Secretary of the ST Andrews Railway, Mr Oliphant, urged upon the fishermen the importance to themselves in connection with the traffic to the north of a railway junction at St Andrews, and with this view he submitted memorial to the Directors of the North British for signature those present. Mr Oliphant’s remarks were well received, and the petition has been largely signed both in and out of the meeting.
1882
We understand that Alexander Brown, Esq., London, is son of the well-remembered minister of Kilrenny, has sent a donation of £25 to the Endowment Fund of Cellardyke Church.
1883
OPENING OF NEW TOWN HALL IN CELLARDYKE, On Wednesday the new Town Hall in Cellardyke, presented the community through the munificence of the late Mr David Fowler, London, and Mr S. Williamson, M.P., was formally opened in presence of a large assembly. For several years past great inconvenience has been experienced owing to the want of adequate accommodation for the holding of public meetings, and attempts were made at various times to induce the Town Council to proceed with the erection of a new Town Hall. The old hall, which was of ancient date, and could only accommodate about fifty persons, was getting into a state of disrepair, and was totally insufficient for the requirements of Kilrenny and Cellardyke. Various schemes were proposed, and it was ultimately suggested that, instead of the establishment at East Green, belonging to Mr David Fowler, London, being converted in to reading-room, &c., for the fishermen, something more should done in the way of providing accommodation for the Young Men’s Christian Association and for the general public The late Mr David Fowler had for years been considering how he could most beneficially confer some gift on his townsmen, and after mature deliberation with Mr Williamson it was resolved that they should jointly make a proposal to the Town Council to erect a new Town Hall. This magnanimous offer was graciously accepted; and plan, prepared by Messrs Henry & Hall, architects, Andrews, having been approved of the foundation-stone of the new building was laid on 5th April 1883 by Provost Watson…
… this was a several thousand word article describing the hall and the event.
And only a few days later..
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 cafe 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.
Dissolution of Boat Insurance Club.—A general meeting of the members of the East of Fife Mutual Insurance Boat Club was held at Anstruther on Saturday evening, to receive a statement of the affairs, and take into consideration the advisability of continuing or dissolving the Club. Provost Anderson, chairman of the directors, occupied the chair. The statement of affairs stated that the income for the year 1882 amounted to £132 17s. The expenses of management were £31 12s 4d, and the salvage and average claims £21 2s 6d, leaving balance of £80 2s 2d, which had been expended in paying 8s 6d per pound on £188 9s 7d of particular average claims. It was then unanimously agreed dissolve the Club, the failure of which was due to the great losses sustained by the disaster of October, 1881. A suggestion to form a new club, confined to Cellardyke, was favourably received.