1880
The Building Trade – Like outdoor labour generally little progress is being made in the erection of buildings around us, what with the rain and the frost, which are following each other in such quick succession; so far, however, as the work can be proceeded with, the Messrs Brown are pushing on the new Church in Cellardyke, of which an excellent idea is now to be had with regard to the ground plan and dimensions of the edifice, which will be beyond all question the finest ecclesiastical structure of recent years in the East Neuk. Mr Thomas Brown, is also busy with the handsome new shop and dwelling house, which Mr Millar, of Falside, is erecting on the front site adjacent to the old custom-house on Anstruther shore. There is a talk of a new block of fishermen’s houses in Rodger Street, Cellardyke; but, in the meantime, our masons are all but at a stand, still, waiting for the moving of the waters.
CELLARDYKE.
NOTICE OF REMOVAL
T THOMSON & SON, Boot makers, beg to intimate that they have REMOVED to those New and Extensive Premises in JAMES STREET, CELLARDYKE, where, by strict attention to business, they hope to be favoured with a continuance of public patronage. Always on hand a large stock of BOOTS and SHOES at very Moderate Prices.
1881
Anstruther.-Yesterday the crew of a boat belonging to Cellardyke landed here two crans of herrings, which, notwithstanding the fact that none of the English buyers have yet arrived, sold at 40s per cran. The herrings were caught close inshore and as the reports of the yawlmen were also favourable, a large number of boats left last night for the fishing ground. Should they return to-day with good takes, a general commencement will be made both by local and stranger crews to winter herring fishing at Anstruther.
WICK. The winter fishing has within the last few days proved fairly successful, and a considerable number of boats – including a good many from Banffshire, and one from Cellardyke -are either already employed or are preparing to commence.
CELLARDYK E. – The annual meeting and soiree of the Cellardyke “Hall” Sabbath School was held on the evening of New Year’s Day. There was a large attendance, the hall being crowded. Ex-Prevost Martin occupied the chair. From the report, which was read by the chairman, we find that there are about 265 young people in all at present under instruction. 28 teachers being employed in the good work: that there are nearly 30 young women attending the Thursday evening class in studying the Pilgrim’s Progress; that the school is also at present engaged in maintaining a native teacher and his wife in the Island of Tanna, New Hebrides, and have collected since June for this purpose, £6 9s 11d. During the past year also, a Young Women’s Missionary Working Society has been formed in connection with the school, consisting of about 36 members. These meet once a week, and sew or knit or do other work, the material being supplied free to them. During the evening one or two read something interesting, and also some hymns were sung. At the end of the season the work will be sold, and the proceeds applied for some missionary purpose which has not yet been agreed upon. The school has realised for all purposes during the year upwards of £24. The Saturday evening and Sabbath morning meetings, which have now been in existence for upwards of 20 years, are still kept up, although it was lamented that more did not take the advantage of these meetings. After the report was given in Rev. Mr Davidson, St Andrews, addressed the meeting in a most interesting and useful speech, in which he pressed upon both young men and women the duty of trying to make their future homes happy, and to banish from them everything that was likely to blight or mar their happiness. The address was interspersed with a number of telling and humorous anecdotes. Rev. Mr Barry, Carnbee, and Messrs Thos. and Alex. Gregory also gave most interesting and effective speeches, all of which seemed greatly appreciated by the large audience. During the evening the choir of the school sang some new hymns accompanied by the harmonium with very great effect, which were rapturously applauded. Altogether the meeting was a most successful one. After hearty votes of thanks to the speakers, the choir, and those who had so tastefully decorated the hall, the meeting broke up, all feeling that they had spent a happy New Year’s evening.
1882
Life Assurance and the Fife Fishermen.— At time when so much is being heard about the duty of our fishermen to provide against the ever-recurring hazards of life it is interesting to observe the continued success of the experiment with this view in Cellardyke. At the third half-yearly balance the other Saturday it appears that the membership is scarcely less than four hundred and eighty, or all but the whole able-bodied fishermen of the place. “The tippence a week” contributions for the six months exceeded ninety-nine pounds, making the capital fund, including the proceeds at the late bazaar, amount to the handsome “nest egg’* of nearly eight hundred pounds. Three members have been on the sick list, and one has been so for the quarter, when the relief sinks from five to three shillings a week. The fishermen outside the society belong to an older union, so that every seafaring man of Cellardyke whether young or old is as a link in the chain; but in addition to this some thirty or forty young men have very recently identified themselves with one or other of the Life Insurance Companies which admit seafaring members.
THE NEW YEAR. In the East of Fife the advent of the New Year has not been characterised by any special event, and it is satisfactory to learn that the usual licence granted by the authorities has not been abused. In Anstruther between ten and twelve o’clock on Saturday night there was a good deal of noise caused principally by boys and young lads who had been indulging in unaccustomed potations, but before midnight the most of them had gone quietly home. In Cellardyke matters were pretty much the same, and the inhabitants were as a rule able to enjoy their accustomed night’s rest without being much disturbed.
1884
At the Burgh Court of East Anstruther on Monday – Bailie on the bench—a Cellardyke stripling, George Mitchell, a labourer, was charged with having broken the peace in the course of a street riot in the New Road on Saturday fortnight. “Not guilty, sir,” he somewhat confidently replied to the charge; which, however, was sustained to the last particular by the evidence of police constables Sparks and Martin. Mitchell was sentenced to pay a fine of 15s, or to go so many days to jail. Almost before he could resume his seat the panel, who had been convicted no fewer than five times of late, was indicted for a like offence, aggravated by assault, in so far as that he had thrown the fragments of a pie at Police Constable Martin on the succeeding Saturday night. He was sentenced to twenty days without the option of a fine.
THE FESTIVE SEASON.
Never before, we are almost tempted to say, has the old-world way of greeting the New Year been so truly an echo of the heart as it was on Tuesday. That, of course, was due to the crowded state of road and rail, telling of the glad reunions and the gathering in again of this and that parted one under the old roof-tree. True to ancient custom, Monday was a busy time with the young folks, whose happy voices were everywhere wakening up the old alleys long before daylight, with “Gies my cakes.” You could note, however, even in the youngest, that earnest and persevering ways had the big sheaf in the harvest. In the towns there was the usual busy shopping in the afternoon and evening; but towards midnight all was quiet again, till by and by there was the pattering of young feet and the melody of young voices serenading the New Year. It is pleasant to be able to say that there was little, if any, of the riot and extravagance so often seen at a Scottish carnival. That remark is scarcely less true of the rest of the holidays, although here and there the tipsy shout told only too emphatically that the Temperance Reformer has still work to do “whether as reaper or gleaner” on the shores of Fifeshire. At various points there was the old-established gathering at the target which was fired at for cheese, etc.; and at Anstruther sands and elsewhere there was no end of diversion. The crowning event of the day was the procession of the Forresters; The meeting place was the site of the old Tolbooth from which, the number of fifty or so, each and all, picturesquely clad in green hat and sash, or carrying, as becomes the pioneers of a sweeter harvest time, the woodmen’s axe and horn with their magnificent banner floating proudly in the breeze. – not forgetting the fantastic mogul in flowing robes and prancing steed – and escorted by the St Andrews band discovering sweet music by the way, they marched to West Anstruther , wheeling by the manse to Marsfield. thence they marched by Maggie Lauder’s own chosen haunts through Cellardyke to the Golden Strand, where turning again while the streets echoed far and near, they went rolling up the hillside to Kilrenny from which they and their thousands following ere long returned. Then they dispersed as at the opening of the march. Subsequently there was a brave scene at the cross. A score or more of lads and lassies danced to the inspiring music of the band, whose handsome outfit and spirited playing won the golden opinion of the coast. But we must not overlook the graver aspects of the day. There were watch meetings at the advent of the year; and in the course of the forenoon a special service conducted by the Rev. Mr Smith, was held in the UP Church. There was also the usual Sunday school and temperance festivals.