1861
Arbroath – Boat Building.—This branch of nautical architecture is being prosecuted here with more success than what it ever was ; the builders, Messrs Garland and Sutherland, being highly patronised. In their yard, at present, is a splendid specimen of their work, a large boat, beautifully modelled and fastened, measuring 47 feet in length by 14 of beam, for Cellardyke fishermen.
Nine Cellardyke boats arrived at Montrose on Tuesday, with their takes, which amounted in all to about 30,000 of the largest and finest haddocks that were ever offered for sale.
1862
A grey shark, 18 feet in length, was captured at Cellardyke, few days ago in the act of swallowing a cod caught in some lines.
On the forenoon of Monday last, as carter belonging to Cellardyke, named David Imrie, was driving a cart loaded with mussels to Pittenweem, the horse, when within a short distance of that place, became very restive and unmanageable. While attempting to seize hold of the bridle, he was unfortunately thrown the ground, the horse at the same time starting forward; one of the wheels of the passed over his body, crushing him very severely. He was conveyed home as promptly possible, and surgical assistance obtained, when it was ascertained that he had received very serious internal injuries. He still lies in a very precarious condition, but hopes are entertained of his recovery.
New Net Factory. – It is gratifying to learn that the business of this place is to be considerably increased in the building of a net factory by the indefatigable firm Messes Sharp and Murray, general merchants. The site of this building is to be at the back the town. There is no doubt that this will be great boon to the fishermen, as they will have a constant supply of nets, and in all probability a much cheaper rate than at present
1863
The Coming Drave. —As the season is now rapidly approaching, preparations are at length being made for the forthcoming herring fishing. The large amount of stock which has accumulated from the deficient fishing of the last two seasons, has rendered comparatively little addition necessary this year. Owing to this cause considerable number of coopers belonging to the locality had to remove, or to betake themselves to other employment during the winter and spring, very few being at work except such as were required to prepare the white fish for market. The cooperages, however, are again showing signs of activity, and at the present there are over sixty men and apprentices in the employment of the several curers Anstruther and Cellardyke. We may also state that in several cooperages manual labour has been lessened to some extent, by machinery being used in the dressing or preparing of the staves and ends. In the Messrs Welch’s steam sawmills, Pittenweem, machines for this purpose have been long and successfully in use, and more recently they have been fitted up the premises of Mr J Cormack, Cellardyke, and Mr Forbes, of this place—the latter gentleman, by the way, using a windmill a motive power. The stock of this season will probably be the largest ever provided in the district; and notwithstanding the discouraging prospects of the trade, there seems no abatement of enterprise on the part of curers. As indicating the present unsatisfactory state of the herring market, it may be stated that a cargo of herrings sent from here to Ireland were lately sold, and only realised a return to curers of little more than half the price which they had paid to the fishermen. Fortunately, however, the greater part of the fish cured here last season were sold at remunerative prices, previous to the fall of the Stettin and other continental markets.
This season the white fishing has proved very successful—the supplies of fish being much larger than for many years past. In former times the drave was regarded the fisherman’s harvest, but this year or two past the line fishing has not been the least fruitful source of his income. As showing the enterprise with which this important branch of local industry is now conducted, also of the large outlay required, the following particulars respecting it may not be uninteresting. __ At present there are thirty-eight large boats belonging Cellardyke engaged in this fishing, all of which are nearly new, having been built within the past three or four years. They are from forty to forty-five feet in length, with breadth of beam of about fifteen feet, and their sails —the colour and shape of which are so well known —measure altogether over 300 yards. For the most part, they have been built in the locality, and cost, when fully ready for sea, about £140, The boats are manned with a crew of eight fishermen, each of whom is provided with lines to the amount of twelve ties, or taes, in local parlance—a tie being 144 yards in length, and having 120 hooks attached to it. The lines belonging to boat’s crew thus reach to nearly eight miles, and were those of the whole fleet united together, they would extend to over 300 miles. In addition to these, several crews continue carry their great lines to sea, which was done regularly by the whole fleet few weeks since. A great line consists of nine ties, of the same length as the other, and as forty-one boats were then going to sea, the total stretch line then exceeded 550 miles. At this period of the year, the boats proceed so far to sea as be generally fishing from fifty sixty miles to the north-east of the Bell Rock. To supply the necessarily large demand for bait, about twenty tons, or 230 bags, of mussels are weekly received, from the Clyde -four bags, or fully a quarter of a ton, being used by a crew for each trip the fishing ground, two which are commonly made in the week. Amongst the many indications of progress made in the course of a few years, it is gratifying to remark that the fisherman’s comfort has been largely augmented, the boats having been fitted up with bunks, or small cabins, provided with cooking stoves and sleeping berths. Many improvements have recently, too, been introduced, by which his labour has been materially lessened and facilitated.