1896
On Saturday while some boys were amusing themselves, one of their number named George Anderson, son of George Anderson, fisherman, John Street, Cellardyke, fell off a rock into the sea the same time breaking his leg. Dr Wilson was called in and set the injured limb. The boy is now progressing satisfactorily.
Addition to the Fishing Fleet
Last week there was launched from Mr Millar’s building yard in St Monans a large fishing boat built the order Messrs Corstorphine & Co., Cellardyke. The boat, which was named the Unity as she left the slip, is 62 feet in length, and fitted with all the latest appliances, including steam for hauling the gear.
THE LATE MR CORMACK, CELLARDYKE. A sad feeling of gloom was experienced in the district on Tuesday morning when it became known that Mr Cormack, Cellardyke, had died somewhat suddenly overnight. The rumour was scarcely credited at first as it was known that Mr Cormack had been seen attending to his business as usual the previous forenoon, when he was in Anstruther. Unfortunately, the news was too true, and the expressions of regret heard on all sides were universal. It seems Mr Cormack had not been feeling very well for some time back, but in accordance with his quiet and reserved nature, he did not complain. On Monday afternoon, however, he had a bad attack, and Dr Ferguson, his medical attendant, was called in, when it was found that along with heart disease he was also suffering from congestion of the lungs. Everything possible was done, and towards eleven o’clock in the evening he rallied so much that it was considered lie had got the turn. Before midnight, however, another attack ensued, and he succumbed to it at ten minutes past twelve in the morning. By his death, the presence of a well-known, highly respected, and familiar figure has been removed. Mr Cormack was a native of Eyemouth where he initiated into the fishcuring trade by his father. He came to the East of Fife in the end of 1849, and immediately set up an establishment at the east end of Cellardyke, with a branch at St Mornas, which latter he carried on for twenty years or more. Being possessed of considerable energy and push, and with excellent business qualifications, he soon developed his business not only in regard to the curing of fish, but also in the other branches of the trade. He started a sawmill in which he did a good business for a long number of years, and afterwards he was the first to introduce machinery in the making of barrels. By its means he turned out enormous quantities of fish barrels and boxes every year, and his business in this connection very extensive all over Scotland and England. But it was in the buying of fish on Anstruther piers that he was facile princeps, and his loss in this respect will be greatly felt for many a day to come. For a long number of years he has been regarded as the heaviest and best chaser of fish in the district, and the fishermen assured themselves of a good market when Mr Cormack was at hand. He was a general favourite among the fishermen and his brother fishbuyers, his quiet but genial temperament along with his business integrity and honourable dealings gaining for him the respect and regard of all with whom he was brought in contact, and among whom there is keen regret at his death. The heavy and incessant claims of his business did not deter Mr Cormack from finding time to take his share of public work. He served several terms on the Town Council, and also on the School Board, in which his common sense and practical experience stood him in good stead and were of considerable advantage to the interests of the community. In politics, Mr Cormack was a lifelong staunch Liberal, although he did not take any prominent part in party politics. He was a great admirer of Mr Gladstone, and gave always hearty support to the interests of the Liberal party. He was a dissenter in religion, and has been connected with Anstruther U.P. Church since its start in 1855. He was a member of the Relief Church before that. Mr Cormack was twice married, and is survived by his second wife and large family, the whole of them grown up, one of the sons being connected in business with him for some time lately. He was 72 years of age, having been born in 1824. The funeral takes place this afternoon to Kilrenny Churchyard at 1.30, and it is expected to be largely attended.
1897
23rd
The fisherman employed in the steam liners at Anstruther came out on strike yesterday. The point at issue between the fishermen and the directors of the companies is about the bait. The fishermen claim that when they catch their own bait they should be paid 50s per week for each vessel. The skippers are agreed to sail the vessels until the end of June without the these terms, and with only the privilege of selling whatever surplus bait they have over. On Saturday all the fishermen signed a paper which was submitted to the several directors of the different companies, and the skippers had a meeting with the directors. The demands of the men were refused. A mass meeting of the fishermen was held in Cellardyke Town Hail. The proceedings were private, but the decision unanimously arrived at was that, the gear be lifted out of the liners until the directors gave in to their terms or made an offer. The strike affects about a dozen steam liners.
26th
The Fishermen’s Strike. —At a mass meeting yesterday afternoon in Cellardyke Town Hall, the Anstruther steam line fishermen refused to accept the terms the directors. These were to offer the fishermen 20s for each baiting during the eight months they catch their own bait, relieve them of any share paying the engineers’ and firemens’ wages all the year round, and to divide the money derived from the surplus bait equally between the fishermen and shareholders. The fishermen demand instead per baiting and the surplus bait, or 40 per baiting and the surplus bait to be divided equally.
1898
PROPERTIES IN CELLARDYKE FOR SALE BY PRIVATE BARGAIN. To be sold by Private Bargain, the following PROPERTIES in CELLARDYKE belonging to MISS CRAWFORD, Seafield, West Anstruther, and others :-
1. SHOP presently unoccupied, DWELLING HOUSE of Two Storeys, presently occupied by Messrs Wood, Sutherland and Hodge, situated in George Street, Cellardyke. The Premises are Commodious, and the Shop is suitable for a Grocer, Baker, or other similar business. There is ample cellarage at the back.
11. DWELLING HOUSE in John Street, occupied by Robert Thomson and another. Full particulars can be obtained from H. B. Macintosh, Solicitors, Anstruther, Offers may be lodged on or before THUR DA Y, 31st March 1898.
1899
A QUANTITY of FISHING GEAR, belonging to MICHAEL Doig, juor., consisting of Nets, Bows, Messenger Rope, Great Lines, &c., will be Sold by Rublic Roup on Saturday, 8th April, at 38 West Forth Street, Cellardyke.
Report on repairs to Cellardyke Harbour. On the 9th and 17th February, I examined the above harbour and shore protection walls at public green, with a view to strengthening and rebuilding same so as to ensure no further en croachment by the sea. The damage during the recent storm has been such, that a sum of at least £1200 over and above the £400 already subscribed, would be required to rebuild the harbour and restore it to its former condition in a thoroughly substantial manner.
1/4/2020
1840
CELLARDYKE
ALARM FROM FIRE. – On last Saturday night, the inmates of a house here were alarmed by part of the woodwork being on fire. It became ignited from the heat of the furnace of a boiler in an adjoining house making the stones of the partition red hot. There is no doubt it would have soon communicated with the garret had it not been discovered in time, and the requisite means used for its prompt extinction.
1842
Cellardyke. Melancholy Event. On Tuesday, a fishing-boat, belonging to Cellardyke, with a crew of eight men, was upset a few miles to the eastward of the Isle of May. Only one of their number was picked up, the other seven met watery grave. What renders the occurrence the more distressing is the circumstance that most of the sufferers have left widows and large families to lament their loss.
(The Boat was the Lord Melbourne and the Skipper Henry Reid)
1848
ST MONANCE.
THE WEATHER AND THE FISHING.—The weather has been good the whole of the week, but the success of the fishermen has been very unequal. Those at the haddock fishing have caught little. Several of our crews, however, who have tried the nets for herring. got bait, and caught cod ; one crew succeeded pretty well on Saturday, having caught ten crans of herrings at the May Island, which they sold to the Cellardyke fishermen for bait, and with it they proceeded far east into the German Ocean, and fished for halibut, cod, skate etc, Another of our crews caught five crans on Saturday morning. The former crew sold to the Cellardyke at 45s. per cran.
(that is a huge amount of money for a cran of herring, especially for bait, the white fish prices must have been very good)
1851
Sequestrations
James Wallace, Sailor, lately residing Cellardyke, present prisoner at Cupar, to be examined in the courthouse, Cupar 2nd May at 10 o’ clock.
1854
Commercial Movements. Rumours of war may produce temporary suspension of business in the great legislative assembly of the nation, but no such effects appear visible in the commercial movements on this coast, remotely situated apart from the theatre of hostility. According to the gossip of last week, the crew of strange boat having picked up salmon nets on the high seas, carried it into the port of Cellardyke, and disposed of the capture, after which they are reported to have entered vigorously on the transaction of business with an old acquaintance, named John Barleycorn; and so intimate did they become with the treacherous old villain, and so ardent in their brilliant gratulations, that one of the nautics in a vehement gust of affection, tumbled down in a state of utter insensibility, the one spirit having apparently dislodged the other. His comrades then had no alternative remaining, but to shoulder their unconscious companion, and re-embark for the purpose of proceeding across the great stream to their own locality, that their associate might enjoy the resuscitating influence of his native atmosphere.
1856
AUSTRALIAN MAILS.
PASSAGE MONEY £14 AND UPWARDS.
BLACK BALL LINE
BRITISH AND AUSTRALIAN ROYAL MAIL PACKETS.
Under Contract carry her Majesty’s Mails in 65 Days,
Sailing from Liverpool on the 5th of each Month,
FOR MELBOURNE,
Forwarding Passengers by Steam to all ports in
AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA, and NEW ZEALAND at Ship’s Expense.
Ship. Tonnage. Capt. DATE
JAMES BAINES 2515 McDonnell April 6TH
LIGHTNING 2090 Enwright May 6th
SCHOMBERG 2600 Forbes June 6th
OCEAN CHIEF 1092 Tobin July 5th
MARCO POLO 1625 Clarke Aug. 5th
DONALD McKAY 2594 Warner Sep. 7th
OLIVER LANG 1299 Mundle Oct. 5.
CHAMPION OF THE SEAS 2470 M’Kirdt Nov. 5.
The above Line is composed of
THE LARGEST, THE FINEST AND FASTEST MERCHANT SHIPS IN THE WORLD
And have been built by the most celebrated builders of day, including McKay of Boston, and Hall of Aberdeen. They are commanded by men who have already rendered themselves famous; and their equipments and accommodations are unequalled by any line of ships afloat. Freight and Passage apply to the Owners
JAMES BAINES, & CO., 6, Cook Street, Liverpool;
ROBERT STEWART, Meadowside, Dundee,
J. JEFFERS WILSON, Advertiser Office, Kirkcaldy,
JAMES HOWIE, St Andrews.
THOMAS BROWN, Cellardyke, Anstruther,
J & R. DEWAR, Crossgate, Cupar-Fife.
(£14 in 1856 → £1,517.66 in 2020, so prices are comparative with flying today in 18+ hours as a pose to 65 days sailing)
1858
On the placid bosom of the fertile stream, the numerous boats have been observed under the azure sky, wending their way to their respective destinations, bearing valuable draughts of herrings, huge codfish, gigantic halibut, and skate of prodigious dimensions. One of the monstrous flats measuring fully seven feet by five and-a-half, was captured and landed last week by Mr John Murray of Cellardyke, which mightily attracted the wondering gaze of the curious public. This must have been quite a match for the notable flapper or skatefiah, which is said to have been substituted by a certain blacksmith as a gable for his workshop. Here we observe that there is gold in the Forth for the persevering diggers, as well as in the far distant regions either of the eastern or western world. And any one boat’s company can expiscate forty pounds from the subtle element in one day, this can by no means be considered a despicable nugget; and this during the last week has not only been realized, but in numerous instances considerably exceeded. Indeed, some of our coast skippers have, within the last three months, extracted gold from the saline depths amounting to £100 in round numbers. And it perhaps not generally understood that all fishing enterprise is exempted by Act of Permission, from the moultering operation of every exchequer impost. But it must be remembered that in searching for gold, whether on earth or ocean, there is much of lottery in the process, whatever be the means employed, and numerous blanks withal.
1859
DEATHS.
At Cellardyke on the 24th ult., Margaret Fletcher, relict of the late David Corstorphine, aged 84. Friends will please accept of this intimation.