1866
Early Saturday morning, one of the boats belonging Cellardyke was returning from the fishing, through some strange mischance she went ashore among the rocks between Anstruther and Cellardyke, and in a few hours became a total wreck. The statements of the circumstances connected with the case seem to be of a somewhat conflicting character; but the one which receives most credence is that between one and two o’clock in the morning question, whilst the crew were asleep, the man at the helm had occasion to enter the sleeping berth, and being benumbed and stupefied by the cold, he fell asleep by the fire. The boat held her course until the crew were only awakened by the dashing of the boat among the rocks, and the rushing in of the water through a hole which was quickly driven in her bottom. Seeing that to save the boat would be impossible, the men used their best endeavours to save their lives, which happily they were successful.
Another report of the same incident
About midnight on Friday the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Urquhart Wynd, Cellardyke, were alarmed loud cries from the shore, as if some sailors or fishermen were in urgent distress. This was soon ascertained to be the case, for the night being clear and starry, large fishing boat was observed tossing amongst the rugged rocks about a hundred yards from the land. A crowd speedily assembled, but these were principally women—the fishermen not having yet arrived home—no assistance could be rendered by the helpless and agitated spectators, who could only look on in inexpressible suspense on the jeopardy of the wrecked crew. The anxiety of the people on shore, however, was at length relieved by seeing the men, six in number, suspend a mast between the boat and a high rock, to which by this means they with some difficulty clambered in safety. In the meantime a boat had been launched from Cellardyke harbour and endeavoured to reach the rock, but failed to do so from the heavy surf which was breaking on the strand- A large boat, however, manned by Sir William Muir and his crew, arrived from Anstruther, and undeterred by the peril of the attempt, gallantly succeeded in taking the men off the ledge, from which they must soon have been swept the fast rising tide. The unfortunate boat proved to be the Helen of Cellardyke, owned by the skipper, Thomas Ritchie. The circumstances under which the accident occurred are of somewhat singular nature, and may be briefly stated as follows: The boat had returned from the fishing ground before Anstruther harbour could be entered from the low state of the tide, and until this could be done she was hove to in the offing of the Billowness. The night being fine and no danger anticipated, the crew retired to the cabin, where, weary and cold from the labour and exposure of the night, they all fell asleep. A terrible waking, however, was soon before them. The wind, which had been blowing from the northeast, veered suddenly round to the westward, and this influence with the action of the current, had the effect of driving the unheeded boat upon the shore at the time in the place we have just narrated. The crash of the timbers and the rush of water into their boat were the first signals the sleeping crew received of their danger. Their preservation was due to a higher agency than that of man, for had the mishap occurred on shelving rock few yards the westward their escape could barely have been possible. Soon after being abandoned, the boat went to pieces; but the greater part of the tackling and fishing gear, including the nets, were recovered, although a very damaged state. The boat, which was only about three years old, was in excellent condition, and their loss cannot be estimated at much less than one hundred pounds. ( In May of 1865 a boat also called the Helen, Skipper Henry Bett was lost with all hands)
1867
Witty and Cutting
The other night two young men belonging Pittenweem, who would appear, as the phrenologists say, to have an undue development of number ten or self-esteem, visited Cellardyke, where they attempted to- make bit of a sensation by imitating, like monkeys, the practices and pranks of our neighbours on the south side of the Tweed. Each of them was provided with a huge false beard and whiskers, and under the cover of this disguise they “bounced and flourished” most amazingly, or rather most amusingly, for the good folks of Cellardyke were not long in taking the true measure of the vapouring fools, who thus were the cause of many laugh by their strutting and nonsense. In the course of their walk through the streets they passed a doorway in which several young women were standing; obviously to attract their notice, the fops redoubled their antics, when one the girls called to a friend on the other side the way “Ay, Jean, they’re worth looking at; it’s no often that the sheep’s heids an goat chins are to be seen on the same body. The remark which was made very audibly, had all the effect of a cold bath on the feverish self-conceit of the party, who forthwith bolted out of sight to avoid the merry peals laughter which followed the racy hit the sharp witted Dyker damsel.
Desirable opening – HOUSE, SHOP, GARDEN, AND OILING PREMISES TO BE LET. The heirs of the late Mr John Nicol spirit Denier, and OIL-Cloth Manufacturer. Cellardyke, by Anstruther, being desirous of retiring from the business in that district, in that offer to Let for a period of years as may be agreed on, the House, Shop and Fittings, Oiling Premises, Garden, with the goodwill of business, occupied them. The Business has been carried on successfully for upwards of Twenty Years. Entry immediately offers to lodged with Mrs Nicol, Cellardyke on or before 8th March ensuing.
1868
We also hear of several new dwelling houses that will probably be in progress in the locality—particularly a fine villa residence which will be erected the west end of Cellardyke by George Sharp, Esq. In Cellardyke, we may here notice range four commodious self-contained houses, suitable for fishermen, have been added the new street now almost completed between the Bog Causeway road and the female school.
ANNUAL CLEARING SALE OF DRAPERY GOODS.
Peter Thomson, GENERAL DRAPER. CELLARDYKE, BEGS announce that his ANNUAL SALE Commenced Wednesday 29th January, and will be
CONTINUED FOR THREE WEEKS,
When, in addition to the present large and well-selected STOCK, which will be submitted at GREATLY REDUCED PRICES. he would call particular attention to the following Special Lots of Goods which, owing to the great depression of trade in the manufacturing districts, has been bought at prices greatly below the original cost:—
Lot First-WINCEYS.
Plain WINCEYS, variety of Shades, 7d per Yard, worth 10d.
ABERDEEN WINCEYS, in variety of shades, 9 ½ d and 11d, worth 1s 4d and 1s 6d.
Lot Second -FRENCH MERINOS.
FRENCH MERINOS, in all Shades, 1s 4d, 1s 6d, 1s 10d, and 2s 2d, worth 1s 7d, 2s, 2s 6d 3s.
Lot Third.- BLUE PILOTS.
Best INDIGO (Twilled) PILOTS, 10s, and 11s 6d, worth 12s 6d and 14s.
Lot Fourth.- SHEETINGS.
LINEN SHEETINGS, 7s and 9s 6d, worth 9s and 12s. Home Made.
COTTON SHEETINGS, 2s 11d per Pair, worth 4s.
Lot Fifth. – FLANNELS.
400 Yards of 4-4 WHITE WELSH FLANNEL, ls 6d and 1s 8d, worth 1s 9 ½ d and 2s.
Lot Sixth.—MUFFLERS.
A great variety of MEN’S MUFFLERS, 1s 4d, worth 2s
P. THOMSON would also call attention to his superior Stock of SCOTCH BLANKETS, now reduced to 9s formerly 11s 6d ; 13s, formerly 16s 6d ; 16s, formerly 18s 6d
AN EARLY CALL RESPECTULLY INVITED- Cellardyke, February, 1868.
SHARP & MURRAY, general merchants, Cellardyke, WILL CONTINUE THE CHEAP sale OF THEIR GENERAL stock of drapery goods, FOR ANOTHER WEEK greatly reduced prices, Cellardyke, February, 1868
1869
Sloop Ashore. – About ten o’clock on Thursday morning considerable excitement was caused here by a small sloop, which was afterwards ascertained to be the Maggie Lauder, of Kirkcaldy, having been seen in dangerous proximity to the Billowness rocks. As it was less than two hours’ flood, and consequently a very insufficient depth of water in the harbour, and the strong wind also at the time blowing little short of a gale from the south-west, great anxiety was felt for the safety of the vessel, and this feeling at once prompted the launching of the lifeboat, which was soon manned and in readiness for the humane service, skipper Thomas Birrell, of Cellardyke, being the coxswain on the occasion. In the meantime the vessel had grounded in the fairway about hundred yards from the pier head, and the steamer’s skiff with two men on board had gone to her assistance shortly before the lifeboat came alongside, which, with the skiff, did good service in running out ropes, in order to prevent the stranded vessel from drifting to leeward of the harbour. As the tide made she was gradually drawn into the harbour, apparently but little the worse of her mishap, although being an old vessel she must have been considerably strained while beating on the strand. The Maggie Lauder was bound to Anstruther with causeway stones for the new pier from Carlins Nose, and had sprung a leak, which had induced the master, with the knowledge that there was little water at the time, to run for the harbour.
On Friday afternoon, while the fleet was leaving for the fishing. ground, and as sail was being hoisted the Cellardyke boat owned by skipper Leslie Brown, which had little more than cleared the harbour, she was run into by the steam-lighter Hemaja, employed at the new harbour works. The sharp iron prow of the steamer cut through the gunwale and several planks of the boat, which compelled the crew put back to the harbour, and so lose their fishing for the night. That the vessel was in the fault may be inferred from the fact that the carpenters employed at the new harbour were set to work next day to repair the damage sustained by the boat, but we hear that the claim for compensation for the loss of the night’s fishing, to which the crew consider they have right, is not yet arranged.