1895
Town Council elections
In Cellardyke, Provost Martin has been prevailed upon to add to his long and honourable work for his native town by once more allowing his name to be put forward. With the exception of the terms served by Mr Robert Watson, and Mr James Skinner, Provost Martin has been in the Provost’s chair since 1868, and been most active in the performance of his duties to the town. His colleague Mr John Butters has also been returned with him, and Mr James Fortune has taken the place vacated by Mr Henderson, Kilrenny. It is pleasing to see young men coming forward willing to take their share in public work. As many as possible should be encouraged to do so in all the Burghs.
At a Burgh Court on Monday, before Baillies Lumsden and Morton, two young boys from Cellardyke, named John Wallace and William Murray, pled not guilty to stealing from the saw house belonging to Mr Jarvis at the Braehead about four feet of gas piping. One previous conviction was lodged against Murray. Mr Jarvis identified the accused as being in his premises on the day in question. He caught hold of one, and was taking him to the police office when by slipping his cravat he got away. This was not the first time he had had his gas piping taken away, and he must have protection. Two boys deponed that they saw accused in the shed, but did not see them destroy or take any gas piping. The Fiscal craved a conviction. Bailie Lumsden said after considering the case, which was a very sad one in some respects, the Magistrates had resolved to deal as leniently as possible. Murray had been there before, and he was dismissed with an admonition. Considering their age and circumstances they were disposed to repeat the sentence, dismiss them with an admonition. He hoped they would take the matter seriously to heart. They were charged with a very serious offence, and if they did not behave better it might lead to something more serious still. They had it within their power to administer punishment on them, but that they would not do, hoping that they would keep. on the straight path in future.
Obituary. The Australian Presbyterian Monthly of the 1st September contains an obituary notice of Mr Mitchell Doig, head teacher of the Nathalia State School, who died on the 12th of August. Mr Doig’s parents belonged to Cellardyke, and he was a nephew of Skipper Doig of the S.S. Faith. He was a native of Geelong, and was appointed a head teacher when he was 20, at Burnish. From there he was transferred to Tallygaroopna, and thence to Nathalia in 1883. He was greatly interested in evangelistic and mission work, was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and was held in great respect by his fellow-townsmen. The district inspector said he regarded Mr Doig’s school as a model one, and about the best-equipped in the Colony. The whole district felt that it had suffered loss. His illness was brief, it was a lung trouble which lasted but a week, and Mr Doig passed away at the early age of 37.
1897
A number of Cellardyke boats have arrived home from the fishing at Yarmouth and Lowestoft. The earnings of the crews range from £l50 to £400..
1898
FIND OF MONEY IN RODGER STREET. On Tuesday morning, a young girl found a number of bank notes to the amount of £7 in the back court of a house in Rodger Street. She at once handed over the money to the police, who instituted inquiries, and a claimant was found in a young fisherman who telegraphed from Lowestoft, that he had lost the money.
DISPUTE BETWEEN THE SKIPPER OF LINER AND HIS CREW.—At the Small Debt Court at Cupar on Monday, before Sheriff Armour, the action was called at the instance of Thomas Boyter, fisherman, Rodger Street, Cellardyke, against William Watson (Boyter), fisherman, Rodger Street, Cellardyke, lately skipper of the steam liner, “Kilrenny “, belonging to the Kilrenny Fishing Co. of Anstruther, for payment of the sum of £3 3s 3d, being his share of the week’s earnings of the “Kilrenny” for the week ending 18th June last. The pursuer avers that he was engaged by the defender to sail as one of the crew of the “Kilrenny”, the pursuer undertaking to pay him, and the rest of the crew a certain proportion of the week’s earnings of the boat. They had no engagement with the Company. According to the pursuer, the Company have retained the proportion of the-Week’s earnings of boat from 15th to 18th some payments to the skipper to be divided among the crew as damages for the loss they have sustained through the skipper having deserted their service before the end of his engagement with them and without providing a man in his place. The pursuer maintains that the skipper is bound to pay the proportion of the weekly earnings of the boat guaranteed by him, and that he has nothing to do with the disputes between the skipper and the Coy. The defender’s agent contends that the action is incompetent, that it should be brought against the Coy., and not the skipper, and also that the week’s earnings have been retained by the Co., not for the fault of the skipper but for the fault of some of the crew, who refused to go in her. The Sheriff, in consideration of the importance of the points raised, and as this is a test case for the claims of the other members of the crew, stated that he thought the case should be remitted to the ordinary roll. The case was continued for a week, however, to see if a settlement could be come to, defender’s agent stating that there was a prospect of the Coy, paying over to the crew at least part of the sum in dispute. Pursuers Agent—T. D. Murray, Solicit.); Anstruther, Defenders Agents
On Saturday night at nine o’clock, while Agnes Ritchie, net factory worker, Rodger Street, Cellardyke, was returning home from Pittenweem, she met with a severe accident. Just as she turned the Buckie House corner, a large black dog came running along the pavement at a great speed, and before she could get out of the way, it collided with her, knocking her down. She fell on the concrete, breaking her right collar bone, and the right side of her head was cut and bruised. She was assisted into Mr Robert Pratt’s house by her sister and Mr John G. Gray, who happened to be passing at the time. Dr Ferguson as sent for, and dressed the wounds, after which she was conveyed home. She is progressing very favourably since then.
Sudden Death. On Friday morning, Mrs Peter Murray, Rodger Street, while going about her usual household duties, took a shock of paralysis, from which she died in about two hours. She was 52 years of age.
Mr and Mrs David Davidson (Skipper Davidson) yesterday celebrated their diamond wedding 47 St James Street, Cellardyke, having been married in their native town by the Rev. Dickson, Kilrenny, on the 16th November 1838, and have all along resided there. In early life Mr Davidson was engaged the whale fishing, and can recall some interesting reminiscences connection with that dangerous occupation. Of their marriage 11 children were born—four of whom survive. There were also 47 grandchildren (37 alive), and 9 great-grandchildren (7 alive). The worthy couple have received the congratulations of many friends and relatives at home and abroad.
another more full report
DIAMOND WEDDING AT CELLARDYKE. The Weekly News Old Folks’ Competition was the means of revealing many wonderful records married life, but a modesty which old people maintain is unknown to younger folks, kept Mr and Mrs David Davidson, Cellardyke, from taking the place in their length of wedded life entitled them to.
They were married on the 16th November, 1838, and thus yesterday (Wednesday) celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their nuptials. Hearty and numerous were the congratulations that poured in upon the aged and happy couple. Friends vied with each other in their friendly remembrances of the anniversary. Gifts from the family were also handed in. The couple received their friends with cordial hospitality, and pleasant little gatherings were held in home during the week. They are a couple typical of Scottish life, warmly affectionate, God-fearing, and industrious. Born and brought up in Cellardyke, they have spent their days within its bounds, save, of course, the absence at the fishing from other ports, or in the old when in the mansion-house near Colinsburgh Mrs Davidson acted as maid. They were married in the same street as their present house by the late Rev. Mr Dickson, the parish minister. Eleven, children blessed the union, but of these only four are alive, some resting in far-off lands.
There are thirty-three grandchildren all alive and seven great-grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Davidson are hale and hearty. Mr Davidson carries his eighty-three years lightly, and his wife, two years his junior, is able to move about her household duties. They have an interesting life story. For sixty years Mr Davidson prosecuted the fishing. He has seen complete revolutions in the industry methods, boats, and resorts. As a halfling he worked in the 30-feet crafts that then represented best and biggest of the fleet. Today the boats exceed 60 feet. He has seen reform in the outfit, the introduction of steam, and the changed feelings with which fishermen now regard it. Herring was then, as now, the chief part of the fishing, but, as he tells, the men now follow it round the whole coast from north to south. The haddocks held a second, but important, place in the life of the fisherman; in the ‘forties they were followed ten to twenty miles to sea in the small open ‘boats; now in season it is an everyday trip half-way to Norway in pursuit of the cod, with mileages of line that would have served four or five of the old-time crews. But on theme Mr Davidson’s reminiscences are inexhaustible.
During his lifetime at sea narrow escapes were inevitable, and four of these, where the boat was mercifully spared by the Higher Hand, are ineffaceably impressed in his memory. One of these dates back to the year ’60, when Skipper Bett’s boat was swamped by a heavy sea, but kept up. Next, Yarmouth River, he was sinking for third time when succour reached him. Again, five miles east of the Carr, the boat was filled and momentarily expected to go down, and nearer home, one day when running for Harbour, the craft had a miraculous escape from going to pieces on the Beacon. But vividly, and still if yesterday, will ever be before his mind’s eye the terrible scene at the May Island when, on the 1st July, 1837, fewer than thirteen women and children perished within a stone cast of the shore. He was one of the young men who, in accordance with the time-honoured custom, manned a drave boat to give friends and neighbours a holiday on the island. It was a Saturday morning, glorious day, when five boats set out from Cellardyke Pier, each crowded with excursionists. The “Johns,” the admiral of the fleet, carried sixty-five souls. This and that consort took other creeks, but “Johns” was steered for the little pier at Kirkonhaven. All were preparing to land, but at the moment a wild plunge and a deafening crash heralds the fact that the doomed boat had been washed by the surf upon the skerry. All was confusion and terror; women and children shrieked in despair, but already brave men had seen the one chance, and firm feet bearing precious burdens were leaping the chasm as the boat lay with the gunwale to the sloping skerry. A panic seized the remnant, and, pushing to the higher gunwale, they sent the boat reeling from her perch, when she sank like stone, leaving a frantic mass of women and children clinging to each other with the grasp of death.
Mr Davidson says but little of his own share in what followed, but happily others can the story. Of the brave men who plunged again and again to the rescue, returning with a struggling woman or child, he was conspicuous; his work was not over so long as a head or hand could be seen above the water. As the bodies were recovered, for all floated again, he was also active. One by one the corpses were carried up the beach, but one – was it instinct? —caught his. eye. “This woman’s no’ dead,” and, setting to work, he eventually had the pleasure seeing her look up and recognise him. His work amongst the rescued was highly commended by Dr Goodsir. This was the ending of a once favourite holiday trip. [Our photograph is by Mr J. S. Ireland, Anstruther.]
Do you enjoy and follow the Cellardyke Echo and the work of the Cellardyke Trust?
There are costs behind everything we do, such as, Web hosting fees for this website which provides the weekly Cellardyke Echo and all the other info and research. Public Liability Insurance for our events such as the Sea Queen and the Phone Boxes. These are general operating costs which we cannot avoid.
If you are able to support the work of the Cellardyke Trust – Donations of any size would be gratefully received.
Our Account is called “The Cellardyke Trust (SCIO)”, Sort Code 83-15-08 – Acc No 00128815
Many Thanks