I was honoured to take a trip to Kings Lynn to pay respect at the memorial service for the event known as the Beautiful Star Disaster which occurred in 1875. Three St Monans boats, the Beautiful Star, Thane and Quest, and two Cellardyke boats the Vigilant and Janet Anderson were lost in a storm while heading home from Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
The Beautiful Star was found semi-submerged off Kings Lynn and towed in, 5 members of the crew were discovered drowned in the cabin, blocked in by a broken mast.
The town of Kings Lynn was so affected that they planned a public funeral which was attended by hundreds of fisherfolk, sailors and Good Templars, this happened on 3rd Dec 1875. Two days later 3 men were burried in the same plot having been discovered with the wreackage of the Thane – no other bodies were found. In 1876 the town raised further monies and placed a memorial stone in Hardwick Road Cemetery ,shaped like the Beautiful Star.
The ceremony on the 4th Dec 2025 was to mark the 150th anniversary.
At the church Sevice, attended by the Mayor and leader of the County Council as well as other local representation I read the names of the Cellardyke Fishermen lost. This was held in the medieval St Nicholas’s Chapel which had hosted the original funerals. A muffled bell was rung after each of the names was read out. Mary Henderson of St Monans read out the names of those lost from there. We then went to the cemetery where a wreath laying service was held. I laid a wreath on behalf of the Community of Cellardyke.
The community of St Monans has raised money and commissioned a Memorial Garden which opened in November 2025, commemorating all the losses from this the East Neuk’s biggest fishing disaster. This was opened by the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres after a moving church service, in the Braehead Kirk, name reading and bell ringing at the harbour.
Bill Bruce of Different Video’s excellent film commissioned to commemorate the event
Cellardyke Trust organised our memorial walk to commemorate this on National Fishing Remembrance day, in May. This event in Kings Lynn rounded off the year’s memorials
Trues Yard Museum in Kings Lynn have an excellent temporary display on the disaster, the nameboards, flags and mast created for our walk are now part of that display
Richard Wemyss
Cellardyke
JANET ANDERSON KY. 1176 Crew of seven
James Murray, owner & skipper (26) Single
Andrew Stewart (34) Left a widow with 4 children
William Bridges (22) Left a widow and 1 child
James Walker (37) Left a widow and 4 children
Alexander Lothian (54) Left a widow and 4 children
Hugh McKay (?)Single
William McKay (?)Single
VIGILANT KY. 1214 Crew of six
Robert Stewart, owner & skipper (42) Left a widow and 4 children
William Stewart (46) Left a widow and 1 child
James McRuvie (45) Left a widow and 3 children
James McRuvie, (16) son of above Age 16
Alexander Doig (32) Left a widow and 6 children
Leslie Brown (19) Single
St Monans
BEAUTIFUL STAR KY.1298 Crew of 7
James Paterson, skipper and owner (49) left a widow and 5 children
Robert Paterson, (16) son of owner, single
William Paterson (39) brother of James, left a widow and 5 children
Robert Paterson, (18) son of William, single
David Allan, (48) shoemaker by trade, left a widow and 6 children
James Allan, (18) nephew of James Paterson single
David Davidson, (28) single, not related
THANE KY.1071 Crew of 7
Thomas Fyall, Skipper & part owner Left a widow and 2 children
David Lowrie, Joint owner Left a widow and 5 children
Lawrence Fyall Brother of skipper, single,
Thomas Fyall Left a widow and one child
Thomas Lowrie, Brother of David married only three months
Andrew Allan Single
Alexander Duncan Left a widow and 3 children
QUEST KY.221
David Allan, skipper & owner Left a widow and 6 children
William Allan, brother of skipper Left a widow and 5 children
Robert Allan, son of David, single
Alexander Irvine Left a widow and 7 children
Alexander Hutt Single
Alexander Latto Single
David Eason Single
Three other fishermen were lost from Cellardyke boats in the same season or storm
Alexander McRuvie – 1875 – from the Excelsior
John Watson (31) Unmarried– 1875 from George Anderson’s boat
James Gardner (47) from the boat WILLIAMS – Oct 21st,
THE CELLARDYKE ECHO
1890
FAITH MISSION MEETINGS —From advertisement it will be seen that the Faith Mission are to hold a gospel meeting in Anstruther Town Hall on Sunday evening, and special meeting for Christians in Cellardyke Town Hall each night beginning on Monday up to and including Friday night.
DAMAGE TO A CELLARDYKE BOAT.—On Monday while the Cellardyke boat “New Kate,” K.Y.234, was on her way from Yarmouth to Anstruther, she was struck by a heavy squall about two miles off Whitby. The mizzen mast was carried away nearly three feet from the deck. The damage sustained was £2, but is covered by insurance. The mast had been only three mouths in the boat.
1892
BURGH COURT.—At the bar of East Anstruther Court on Friday—all the Magistrates on the bench —Thomas Anderson, fisherman, Cellardyke, was charged with striking P.C. Wright on the preceding Saturday night. He pled guilty, and after a few remarks by the Fiscal, and a pointed warning by Provost Anderson, accused was fined 10s 6d. Mrs Murray (Blyth), Cellardyke, was charged with assaulting her sister, Mrs Graham (Blyth), in the house of the latter, by catching her by the hair of the head and dragging her across the room and passage. Mrs Murray pled not guilty, and evidence was led. Mrs Graham detailed the circumstances of the assault, and added that a handful of hair which was pulled out had unfortunately been left at home. James, a son of Mrs Graham’s, corroborated, and P.C. Wright deponed to seeing the hair which had been hauled out; but Mrs James Wallace, a neighbour, who was also examined, had seen nothing although she heard a noise. The charge was held as proven. Accused finally admitted her guilt, and was fined 7s 6d. Both fines were paid.
Debating Society
A number of young men between 15 and 18 years of age, have formed themselves into a Debating Society for Cellardyke, and are to meet in one of the class-rooms of Forth Street Hall every Tuesday evening. The officials elected are: —Hon. President—Provost Martin; President—D. Boyter; secretary—W. Bayne; treasurer—J. Bruce: and editor of MSS. magazine—Andrew Dick.
The other day one of our correspondents observed in a shop in Cellardyke a most striking freak of nature. This was Swedish turnip of stunted growth which had grown through the neck of a bottle and shaped like a fowl deprived of wings. The head was nearly complete. There was a beak, and the under part resembled plump chicken when plucked.
1893
Yesterday, a new barometer was fitted up at the harbour of Cellardyke. The barometer was sent by the Fishery Board to replace the old one, which has been out of repair for some time.
WANTED, A Good Second-hand SPRING CART, suitable fora Pony 15 Hands. Must be Strong and in Good Order. Apply JOHN MARTIN & Co., Cellardyke.
1894
The Cellardyke Fishermen’s Union and Benefit Society have at their credit funds to the amount of £1431, and a membership of 200.
On Monday evening, a public meeting the fishermen under the auspices of the local branch of Scotland Fishermen’s Association was held in the Reading Room. About a hundred were present. when Mr Martin Gardiner was called to the chair. For a long time the non members of the branch were at a loss to know why they had been invited to – discuss what appeared to them to the Association business. Mr Alex. Gardiner argued that he had no right to speak upon any subject which might come up. Mr Alex. Wood said he supposed the meeting was to appoint a delegate to the Aberdeen conference, but unless an appeal was made to the community to pay the expenses they had no say in the matter. The discussion might have lasted for hours, but at length Mr Carstairs cleared up the issue,. He explained that in March a branch of the East Coast Fishermen’s Association was formed to Cellardyke when 85 joined. A meeting had been held on Saturday night when a circular was read from Mr Macnaughton, Buckie, inviting the fishermen of Cellardyke to send a delegate to a conference of Scottish fishermen on the 22nd December in Aberdeen. The Association’s central meetings were held in Edinburgh, but this conference was independent of it. …….. Such grievances as Sunday trawling, barrell bulk, &c., could then be redressed. The Chairman said the meeting was unanimous in agreeing to send a delegate. As an instance of the lack of union he mentioned a petition signed by 400 Cellardyke men and other 2000 Scottish fishermen which was forwarded to the Fishery Board last year, and never looked at…….
At a meeting last week of Cellardyke fishermen it was considered that the close time of the herring fishing should extend from the end of April till the 10th of July. A complaint was made that Fife fishermen are being forced to compete with trawlers on Sunday or lose their situations.
Capture of a Shark. A shark measuring 15 feet m length was landed at Aberdeen Fish Market Saturday morning the steam trawler Faith. It was purchased by Mr Walker, junior, and cut up for manurial purposes. (Faith KY 443 was the only Cellardyke Steam Trawler Owned by Stephen Williamson and skippered by Michael Doig it never landed in the East Neuk as trawling was not supported here.)
On Sunday considerable stir was created at the harbour by the arrival of a Shields steam liner with flags flying. She came to Anstruther for the crew, who belong to Cellardyke, and whose captain is Skipper David Parker, to take their gear on board. During her stay in the harbour her appearance was contrasted with the other local vessels, and a good number of people were shown over her. She sailed on Tuesday for Shields, but in turning in the new harbour she sustained alight damage to her stem by striking the pier. ( This was the Bernicia SN 199, built in Leith, lost in Feb 1900 with all her Cellardyke crew and two shields men of the black squad, engineer and fireman)
Anstruther Harbour board ……..some of the town’s people got up a company to build some steam liners (not trawlers). They were built of wood at Anstruther and engined et Leith, and they have happily been quite successful. But they draw 9 feet to 9 feet 6 inches aft. They could not be modelled to contend with the heavy weather on that coast unless they had a good hold of the water, and they could not be built of iron or steel because of the rocky bottom of the harbour. Moreover, you will see they draw about 2 feet 6 inches more than the sail boats, and this is the most serious consideration. The skippers are afraid to risk taking the ground in the harbour bad weather. There are also other risks involved arising from the shallow water near the entrance as well as the chance of being neaped, as sometimes happens. In consequence these steam liners which have been entirely successful frequently run to Shields, Aberdeen, or to Granton to sell their takes of fish. There are seven excellent steam liners belonging to the place which have cost about £17,000. One of them I may month, strained soon after she was built by the uneven and rocky bottom of the harbour, and the town’s people are afraid to venture further so long as the harbour remains In its present unsatisfactory condition. There is a liner now ready to be launched. I have tried to encourage one or other of the existing Steam Liner Companies to buy her, and add her to’ their fleet—but they are afraid ……… prosperity would go down if the harbour was not deepened. Mr Cunningham said as an instance of that new liner came in that lay to Anstruther, and took away a crew, from Cellardyke to fish at Shields He understood some of the owners would scarcely allow them to come inside the harbour to take their gear on board, because they were so much against the harbour, on account of its shallowness….
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