1920
Colonel Sir Alexander Sprot, M.P., accompanied by Lady Sprot, opened short tour of his constituency last night by addressing meeting in the Town Hall, Cellardyke, under the chairmanship of Provost Black. They were, said Sir Alexander, proud of their fishermen and the magnificent work they had done during the war. He endorsed in every detail the splendid need of praise given by the First Lord of the Admiralty to the navy and the auxiliary forces, with special emphasis to the noble part played the mine-sweepers. (Applause.) They had, he continued, suffered considerably less than other nations. They must stick together and get the working machinery of the country speeded up so that they might bring the country back to its normal state….
1921
ANSTRUTHER, Saturday.— The scarcity of herring elsewhere has caused them to reach a high figure at Anstruther and St Monans. There wero two arrivals to-day, the yawl Atlantic (Pittenweem) and the motor boat Ebenezer (Cellardyke). Both boats discharged over 10 crans. At St Monans fishing was general, from 2 – 8 crans being landed, prices reached to £6 14s per cran. Though small in size, the herring are young, which is considered by the fishermen a good sign.
1922
PSA brotherhood – Meeting
On Sunday Afternoon in the Christian Institute at 3 O’ Clock (St Andrews), Speaker – Mr Wilson, Cellardyke, Account of Revival Work in the Fife Fishing Villages- Soloist- Mrs Agnes Law, Orchestra leading the praise
All heartily invited
1923
CELLARDYKE. Emigrant’s Gift.— Over 100 poor and aged persons in Cellardyke have each received half a ton of coal from Mr George Fowler, of Binghampton, U.S.A., a native of the town.
1924
LEVEN COUPLE’S GOLDEN WEDDING. Mr and Mrs W Rollo have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of their marriage along with their family and friends at their residence, Kenmonth, Leven. In the course of the evening Mr Robert Rollo, Post Office, North Berwick, the eldest son, on behalf of the family presented the worthy couple with a wallet containing Treasury notes. Rev. Dr Durward conveyed the congratulations of the company to Mr and Mrs Rollo.
The marriage knot was tied by the late Rev. Mr Cameron, Cellardyke, on 6th January, 1874. There is a family of four sons and three daughters, and there are eleven grandchildren. Mr Rollo was born 75 years ago in Anstruther, and his spouse, who is the same age, is a native of Cellardyke. Mr Rollo has established a record as a church elder in never having been absent from a Communion in Scoonie Kirk for the past 36 years. The Kirk Session of Scoonie (Leven) have sent congratulations to Mr Rollo.
The wooden drifter Suffolk County, of Cellardyke, has been purchased by Mr John Duthie, Fraserburgh; ( This vessel was purchased sometime after 1908 by the Lowries of West Forth Street as LT1059 and re registered KY6 before being requisitioned during WW1)
1925
FAILED TO EXHIBIT LABEL ON MARGARINE. CRAIL AND CELLARDYKE SHOPKEEPERS PROSECUTED. It was purely due to ignorance, said Mr Ian W. McInnes, Cupar, who tendered a plea of guilty at Cupar Sheriff Court yesterday on behalf of Margaret Boyter, grocer, 69 George Street, Cellardyke, who was charged with failing to exhibit a label on some margarine exposed for sale. Mr McInnes said accused opened a little shop in June last in order provide some form of livelihood’ for her father, who was a fisherman and unable to work. The rental of the shop was only £6 She had no business experience, and she was greatly surprised when the inspector came in and pointed out that there ought to have been a label on the margarine. The Fiscal said he was satisfied with the explanation. Hon. Sheriff Osborne said would not inflict a penalty beyond the expenses—10s. For a similar offence committed their premises at Crail William Fisher and David Donaldson, partners of the firm of Fisher & Donaldson, bakers and confectioners, were also mulcted in 10s.
1926
Fife Dourness. An amusing comedy illustrative of the dourness ” or ” thrawnness ” of Scottish nature was enacted in the streets of Cellardyke the other evening. In common with most fishing villages, the streets are narrow, and carts may pass other with little room to spare. A huge motor van was making its way out of the town when was confronted with a horse-drawn lorry. As the lorry was only thirty yards from its destination the driver requested the motor man to reverse the required distance. This he refused to do, knowing that if he did so, he was blocking the road for himself, and argued that it was the horse that should be backed to allow him to proceed his journey. A hot time ensued, but both men were obstinate and neither would yield. At last the lorry-driver decided to carry the load from a house four doors away, and he did so, while the motor driver looked on with ill-concealed impatience. Eventually the lorry was loaded, and both vehicles were able their respective ways. A little give and take would have solved this difficulty, but both men wore “takers ” not ‘givers,” and now l am, speculating which of them had right on his side.
MOTOR ACCIDENT NEAR ANSTRUTHER. Fife Fisherman Claims Damages Against Perth Mechanic.
Proof was led in Perth Sheriff Court an action in which a Fife fisherman sued a Perth motor mechanic for damages in respect of damage alleged to have been sustained by the former through having been knocked down by the motor cycle and side car of the latter. Pursuer was James Tarvit (22), fisherman, 22 Fowler Street. Cellardyke, and sued James Adam Carnegie, motor mechanic, Keithick Place, Feus Road. Perth, for £40.
James Tarvit gave evidence to the effect that between 11.15 and 11.30 on the night of 20th June last he was at the picture house at Anstruther and afterwards accompanied three ladies home to St Monans, walking in pairs close to the footpath.
The Mishap.
A solo motorcycle passed him with a girl on the pillion. After it had passed pursuer heard a girl scream and turned round to see the cause, when he was knocked down by a motorcycle and sidecar driven by defender. The young woman alongside of him was also knocked down.
Pursuer was quite certain that defender carried no light, and did not sound his horn, and, being a fisherman, he was trained to observe lights and hear sounds. Carnegie took him to the doctor’s in Anstruther, and on the way stopped to pick a glove. Defender said to him that he had seen him but could not get clear. The road to the doctor’s house was blocked, and Carnegie conveyed him home.
Defender admitted to pursuer’s mother that he was in the wrong, and said that he had dropped something on the road, and had turned round. On a subsequent visit Carnegie offered payment of £15. but it was declined. He was off work for several weeks, during which time he had to be medically attended. Dr Wilson, Anstruther, said pursuer was suffering from a lacerated wound in the left leg, which measured between 6 and 7 inches wide, and was gaping widely and bleeding profusely. The wound required seven stitches, and Tarvit was confined to bed for three weeks.
Bella Thomas (19), residing at Reform Street, St Monans, who was in the company of pursuer, said she heard no horn sounded, and the motor cycle and sidecar were unlit. She denied that pursuer and she were larking or running on and off the footpath. Pursuer was represented by Mr J. Gordon Dow. solicitor, Anstruther, and defender Mr Thomas Macpherson, solicitor, Perth.
TRAGIC DISCOVERY IN KIRKCALDY HARBOUR. Cellardyke Fishermen Find Body of Unknown Man. A tragic discovery was made by fishermen from Cellardyke they were entering Kirkcaldy Harbour. When about 300 yards beyond the west pier their came upon the body of a man floating- in the water. They immediately took the body ashore, and it was later taken to the police mortuary. It appears to be that a middle-aged man, dressed in a dark suit, a dark overcoat, soft collar and tie, white shirt with black stripes, and brown shoes. The man appears to have been very respectably dressed. There was nothing found in the pockets to aid identification. Our Kirkcaldy correspondent, wiring this afternoon, says:— The body has not yet been identified. The police are communication with Aberdeen police, from which town man reported be missing His description tallies with the man who has been found at Kirkcaldy.
AT DOCTOR ONCE IN 92 YEARS A Familiar Cellardyke Veteran Our portrait is that of “auld Tammas Tamson,” as he is familiarly called, who resides at 12 John Street, Cellardyke,. and now in his 92nd year. Tammas is ” as fit as a fiddle, and is aye able to gang aboot.” He belongs to a fast dying type of Fifer once not so rare on the shores of the ancient kingdom by the sea before the days when the unique shire was linked up with modern progress. A man of shrewd sense, of native wit, and of sterling worth is Tammas, with a cheerful outlook down his many years, even the present time with all its changes. Tammas proudly boasts that he never had a doctor in his life except once, when broke three ribs on board his boat. He is also the happy position of having gained his ” second sight.” a pleasing and accidental discovery. It appears that’ someone, under the impression that the old man’s sight was bound to be failing, advised him to ” get glesses.” he did so, and kept rubbing and wiping at the lenses to clear away the blur from his eyes. The dimness was so aggravating that he laid the spectacles aside because—to quote his words —” they werena as guid as my ain een.” Tammas ran away to sea as stow-awav at the age of 12, hiding himself on board the wind-jammer The Javis, which sailed from Anstruther. The ship was only few hours out to sea when storm arose, and, as Tammas tersely put it, “It shifted the cargo and me alang wi’ it.” He has little to say about what happened when he was discovered, but he was not deterred from ” a life on the ocean wave.” He does not enlarge on his long sea-faring career, but it is unlikely that was devoid of adventure, seeing the ships had to tussle with the stormy North Sea when sailing was really a matter of skill and danger. However that may be, Tammas is now well content to cast anchor in his native haven, having reached the “years that bring the philosophic mind.” He got married when he was still sailing, and naively tells that he left his ship and took to the fishing because his wife ” didna see the use o’ being: married when he was never at hame.” This was in the leisurely days before the trawling industry swept the ocean beds of their finny inhabitants, and thereby ruined the simpler calling of the fisher craft. A talk with this genuine old salt is a pleasant thing, even though his words are few and unadorned picturesque language. He looks every inch a sailorman, cheerful, alert, and keen. Long may he be spared to cast a weather eye over the gurly Firth of Forth foment the old sea front of Cellardyke
1928
CELLARDYKE MAN FINED. The theft of a tam o’ shanter from Kingsbarns Public Hall was admitted by James Bett, West Forth Street, Cellardyke, at Cupar Sheriff Court yesterday. Appearing on behalf of accused, Mr Ian W. McInnes W.S., Cupar, stated that on Christmas Eve Bett attended a dance at Kingsbarns. He was one of the last to leave the hall, and when he entered the cloakroom he found that his cap—a new one was gone. It was snowing heavily, and as had about eight miles to walk home he donned disreputable-looking tam o’ shanter, which he saw hanging up. was his intention to return the tam o’ shanter to the hall soon as he possibly could. When was his way home he was stopped near Crail the police and asked to hand over the tarn o’ shanter. He did so. and continued his homeward journey hatless. Sheriff Dudley Stuart imposed a penalty of 5s.
CELLARDYKE VETERAN DEAD, BURGH’S OLDEST FISHERMAN. Thomas Thomson, Cellardyke, familiarly known the burgh ” Auld Tammas Tamson,” has passed away at the age of 95 years. He was the oldest fisherman and inhabitant of Cellardyke. He was a typical old salt, and had weathered many storm.
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