The Cellardyke Echo – 29/12/2022 – Issue 371

1870

An Unexpected Dinner. The other morning, as skipper Robert Scott, Cellardyke, was examining the moorings of his boat, he found a fine hare, which had been drowned in the harbour during the previous tide. The number of hares seen about the sea-side of late has given occasion for much remark by the curious

CELLARDYKE – SEASONABLE TREAT -Last week we mentioned that Captain Rodger of Glasgow had sent to Provost Martin the sum of £20, to be expended in providing a Christmas dinner to such poor persons of his old acquaintance as were in decayed circumstances, and the poor generally, of his native place. A public meeting was called last Saturday afternoon by the Provost to apportion the gift and to express their feelings towards Captain Rodger for another repeated evidence of his kind remembrance of his old friends and the prosperity of the town generally. The town hall was quite crowded. The Provost having taken the chair, stated the object for which he had called them together, and then read Captain Rodger’s letter conveying the gift through him to his native town. He said this was another instance of Captain Rodger’s considerate remembrance of his native place and his old acquaintances which they must highly appreciate. It was his (Captain Rodger’s) wish that, in common with the rest of Christendom, they should partake of some good Christmas cheer, and he had now sent a handsome donation to enable them to do to. They would all feel grateful to him, not only for this present kindness, but for the many gifts and privileges which he had conferred on the town in times past. The Provost then made feeling allusion to the loss which Captain Rodger had lately sustained by the death of his partner in life, who was well known to them all and was one of themselves. He moved that a cordial vote of thanks should be forwarded to Captain Rodger, with an expression of sympathy with him in his bereavement. Mr Thomas Brown said he would cordially second the Provost’s motion, and in a few well put remarks said it would he well for their town if all who had the means followed the excellent example set by Captain Rodger, who had all along taken a deep interest in their welfare, and who deserved their highest gratitude. He would also deeply sympathise with him in his bereavement, and thought it would be proper to express that sympathy to him in their address. The motion was cordially adopted, and the Provost was instructed to forward the address to Captain Rodger. The meeting then proceeded to apportion the gift. The large number of 160 persons received a quarter of a pound of tea,2lb of sugar, a 4lb loaf and a sixpenny pie; and 40 more received a pie only. The Ballie Sharp, and Mr David Murray. handed out the articles, while Mr Brown read out the names from the poor roll. A larger proportion of the recipients attended to receive the gift personally than was the case last year, and it is needless to say that all evinced the best expressions of gratitude to Captain Rodger for his considerable kindness.

1871

Precognitions. We understand that Mr Black, of the firm of Messrs Black & Morrison, Joint Procurators-Fiscal for the county, was in the Commercial Inn here on Thursday morning examining witnesses in the case of assault with a lethal instrument Cellardyke, when five persons were precognosced; and also a case of assault 0n a boy in the same place, When four witnesses were examined.

An Interesting Gift. —At the weekly meeting, on Wednesday evening, of the Good Templar Lodge of Anstruther, beautiful banner, subscribed for by the young men in the extensive establishment of Mr Gilchrist, manufacturer, Cellardyke, was presented to the Lodge, in name of the donors, by Mr Beveridge, druggist, who discharged his interesting task with grace and felicity eminently worthy of the occasion.  The banner was enriched with great artistic taste by Stephens, so widely known for his popular entertainment of ” Shuffle Katie.” Within a deep blue border on a white ground is displayed a mounted crusader, clad from top to toe steel armour, surrounded by the wreathed emblems of valour and truth, while on either hand are inscribed, with the same skilful hand, the various mottoes of the Union Lodge of Anstruther.

COALS TO THE POOR. —On Friday last, Mr Thomas Brown distributed 43 tons of coals, provided by the Kirk Session and the Parochial Board, among the poor of the parish. The farmers, as usual, kindly drove the coals to the Houses of the recipients free of charge.

1872

WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE. Notwithstanding the large number of shipping disasters already reported, there is too much reason to fear that many vessels have been lost in the gales of last week of which nothing has been heard. The shore from Crail as far west as Elie has been strewed with quantities of wreckage this week. A considerable quantity of wreckage was found yesterday to the eastward of Cellardyke, consisting of cabin fittings finely painted, with brass locks attached, also a box containing some photographs, and nameboard marked Bertra of London, and various other articles.

1873

The corner property in East Forth Street, Cellardyke, belonging to George Henderson flesher, was exposed for sale by public roup on Saturday last The upset price was named by Fiscal Watson who broke long silence with the remark “I’ll gie ye £380 for a start,” when a spirited contest ensued, which resulted in the property being knocked down to Mr McIntosh, for a client, for £425. This sales gives interesting illustration of the remarkable progress of Cellardyke. The small space on which it is built, but which afforded space for three commodious dwellinghouses on the south, and for many on the west, was sold some twenty years ago for about £60.

East Neuk of Fife Fishing. The fishing has been diligently prosecuted by the crews belonging to the East Neuk, but with slight success. The St Monance and Cellardyke crews have had light rewards for their labours. Not fewer than fifty-seven boats are engaged at the deep-sea fishing at present. The herring harvest has been commenced by several crews along the coast, but as yet the hauls have been remarkably light, the catches being generally counted by hundreds.

1874

A Mock Policeman. On Monday, before Sheriff-Substitute Bell, John Scott, carter, and Alexander Pattie, Cellardyke, were charged with assaulting William McDowl, labourer, on the road leading from Anstruther to St Andrews, on the 31^st  October. They both pled not guilty, and evidence was led. The assaulted party, it seems, left Anstruther late on the night of the day in question a little the worse of liquor, and was followed by a number of young men, two of them being the prisoners, with the object, apparently, of getting some fun with him. When about mile on the road, Scott informed McDowl that he was policeman, and proceeded to handcuff him with a boot lace, and afterwards offered to let him off if he paid a shilling. This excited McDowl, and he commenced kicking, which led to the assault. The charge was found proven, and Scott was fined 30sor twenty-one days, and Pattie £1 or fifteen days.

On Tuesday night, the Cellardyke fishing boat belonging to Skipper Martin Gardiner struck upon the stones and debris lying at the mouth of the new harbour. The tide was too far out to admit of getting into the old harbour, and in trying to get into the new one, the boat was kept too far east, with the result above stated. The boat was not injured at first, but when the tide flowed there was a nasty swell, which caused it to bump heavily on the stones. She was afterwards got into the old harbour, and next morning it was found that the keel and the lowest plank, or, as it is named, the ‘gaver-stroke’, had been seriously damaged.