1865
Stonehaven
Large “Takes” of Fish.—Three south Firth fishing crews came to our harbour on Tuesday with excellent “takes” of deep-sea fish.—Ling, skate, turbot, &c. —which were speedily bought up by a local curer. We wonder our fishermen do not follow the example of these Cellardyke men, who, we have no doubt, by the enormous quantity these three boats landed, have netted well on to £100 by their venture.
1866
THE WAGES MOVEMENT ANSTRUTHER
The journeymen coopers of Anstruther and of Cellardyke have this week sent in a demand to their masters for an advance of 3s per week on their wages , and there is every likelihood of this demand being complied with. Another movement for an advance of wages and perhaps the most novel among the many strikes that are now taking place, is that of the women who are employed hy the fishcurers to gut and clean the fish as they arrive. These women, who number about half-a-dozen to each curer have just sent in a resolution agreed to by themselves that unless their rate of remuneration be advanced from 2½ d to 3d per hour (equal to 6d. a-day, or 3s weekly), they will feel under the necessity of making a regular strike. A meeting of the curers is to be held to consider these demands
ANSTRUTHER. An Interesting Meeting
It has frequency been our province of late to record the meetings and resolutions of the “sons of toil” for an improvement in their condition, but on this occasion, we are called upon to notice a movement of a most interesting and novel nature. Our remarks refer to a meeting on Tuesday evening of the female Fish-workers in Anstruther and Cellardyke, to consider what was best to be done, under the circumstances, to obtain an increase of their pay, which at present amounts to 2d per hour for such time as they may be employed in the fish-curing premises. As we stated in a recent article on these workers, they number about seventy in the two towns; and it shows the unanimity that prevails amongst them with regard to the movement, that, with the exception of three or four, they are all resolved to have their object at any hazard. This feeling was enthusiastically manifested at the meeting, which was attended by forty of the workers who resolved, in a most orderly and decorous manner to have their views embodied in a circular of the following tenor.
1st. That the ordinary working day should be understood as from 8 am to 8PM —including meal-times and coffee in the forenoon – and for which the rate of pay was to be twopence half-penny per hour, for the time they were employed.
2d. That in all cases where these hours were exceeded the pay should be threepence per hour, with coffee about 8pm.
3d That the arrangement come into effect after the present week.
In what may be called the 4th resolution The workers intimated that they had authorised the sending of Circulars and declared their intention of adhering to its requests. It is presumed that the fish-curers interested this matter will, at least, give the demands of their employees a favourable consideration.
The Coopers and their Wages.
It furnishes pleasing illustration of the prosperous condition of the country, that almost in all departments of labour improvement has recently taken place, either by increase of wages or by a shorter working day to the operative. Although somewhat late in starting, the East of Fife has not been behind in the “march of progress” which from time to time has been joined with advantage by most of our local trades. Not to be behind their neighbours the coopers, in Anstruther and Cellardyke, held meeting Saturday evening, which with one or two exceptions fully represented the trade in the locality —the number present being over 30. opportunity had been given for each and all to state their views upon the subject, was unanimously agreed to request the employers to grant the following rate of remuneration, viz: —18s per week tor barrel-making ; 21s when the men were also required to attend to fish; extra work to paid at the rate of 4d an hour; and 25s per week during the Lammas herring fishing— the same to be reckoned as extending over eight weeks. The fishcurers are requested to signify their intentions to their men on Saturday first, and as the coopers appear to be resolved and unanimous, and employment is abundant elsewhere, it is more than probable that the entire rise or a compromise will be acceded to.
1867
FISHING PROGRESS AND ENTERPRISE.
We learn from tradition as well as from ascertained facts that the history of the fishing in the Frith of Forth, and indeed the whole Scottish seaboard, has at all times been marked change and vicissitude. It would appear that when the herring or even the haddock quitted for some seasons their accustomed haunts, which they did in remote periods much in the same way as they do still, the fishermen in the neighbourhood sank into poverty and ruin, and yielded to their misfortune either by leaving their occupation or it might be their native locality. Thus, it is that such places as Crail, West Anstruther, and Earlsferry. which were once the seats of flourishing fishery, have long ceased to hold any position in this respect, or, at least, have very much declined, compared with their flourishing neighbours. The fishing, however, in the present day is carried on in an entirely different spirit. Now-a-days, when a particular fishing haunt becomes unproductive, the fisherman at once goes out in search of new and more fruitful ones, or if particular branch of his calling fails him, he betakes himself with renewed energy to another. The St Monance men furnish a pleasing instance to illustrate the latter point. A few years ago they confined themselves to the waters of the Firth, in which they fished with small yawls, but now they have almost exclusively betaken themselves to deep sea fishing, which is remunerating them far better, ln little more than a generation Cellardyke, the least ancient of the fishing towns on this coast, has taken the foremost place amongst them all, simply because of the more adventurous and enterprising character of its native population, who, generally speaking, may be said to be the pioneers their class. Years before any other fishermen had made the venture, the sails of their boats marked like dark spots the far horizon of the German sea, where they are still by far the most seaward of the white fishing fleet. The same thing is true in the herring season, which for years has found many them drawing good takes in the north, when the nets of their home-keeping neighbours remained as blank as their own rueful faces. The fishing village of Eyemouth on the opposite side of the Firth, has certainly made a surprising advance of late years, although it is still, and in all probability will remain much behind Cellardyke, especially now that our local fishermen have the gratifying prospect before them of the unequalled facilities of the new Union Harbour. Our opinion of the continued superiority our local crews, rests upon a good foundation. Notwithstanding that the Eyemouth boats have been of much larger dimensions, the Cellardyke crews ever in their smaller crafts have gone much farther out sea. This fact is also worth knowing, for in itself it proves in the Cellardyke men the possession in a higher degree of those qualities which make a community prosperous namely, that while the boats of Eyemouth are owned by little companies of associated fishermen, those in Cellardyke belong entirely one or two individuals. In this fact have a gratifying display not only of the superior enterprise and self-reliance of our local fishermen, but also of their greater economy and prudence, which after all are of no less consequence than the qualities first named to individual and social well being. It cannot otherwise from the very nature of humanity than that the concern which belongs to individual will be conducted with more care and energy, and must therefore prosper better than one of a similar nature belonging to a company where the profit and the interest as well are divided amongst several partners. This well understood principle gives us a full and easy explanation of the Higher success of the crews on this side of the Firth when contrasted with those of Berwickshire; and in the future, we may fairly expect that our local crews will more and more take the lead of their southern friends. There can be more conclusive illustration of the great comparative advance which Cellardyke has gained a fishing station than the suggestive fact that, in proportion to their numbers, there are three times more new boats supplied Cellardyke fishermen than any others on the east coast. The number large and powerful boats which are constantly being added to our local fleet is something of which the whole district may well be proud. It is practical, and. therefore, the best refutation that can given of the silly and groundless theory that our fisheries are becoming exhausted, for when our fishermen are found to prosper as they deserve do by their industry and enterprise, people will, after all, be inclined to believe in the good old adage that “There are good fish in the sea ever were taken out of it,” or, in other words, that the sea will ever, through the blessing of a kind Providence, continue to yield fruitful harvest to the bold and skilful reaper. That those who are not acquainted with the locality may understand the great enterprise with which our fishermen now carry their labours, we give the following brief notice of the latest boat built for them by Bailie Pottinger, who, in the construction of fishing craft, has found an excellent sphere for his superior ingenuity and talents. This boat, which is the property of Messrs Alexander Fowler and George Marr, is considered to be the largest in capacity as yet built for our fishermen, although she is not so in point of length and breadth. She is a strong and well fastened craft, 47 feet long, 17 feet 8 inches broad, and 7 feet 10 inches deep, and, like all the others recently built, she is decked all over. Such a boat, fully equipped for sea. will cost over £200, for as she must face the winter’s storm as well the summer’s calm, her material must be of first-class order.
THE LATE MR ALEXANDER MONCREIFF. The announcement of the death of Mr Alexander Moncreiff, teacher, Cellardyke, will, we feel assured, received with sincere regret by a large circle friends and acquaintances, he died, as will be seen from our obituary, at Anstruther on Monday, at the ripe old age of seventy-four. Seldom as in the case of Alexander Moncreiff, has a character been thoroughly stamped with moral excellence, and few men in equally humble position have as done much to leave the world better than they found it. Simple and artless as a child, he yet possessed a faculty of imparting instruction to all orders of intellect which some of the most pretentious of modern teachers might well have envied. For about half-a-century he has been held in the highest estimation in his native district as a teacher of navigation, and amongst his old pupils are to be reckoned several of the most eminent and successful seamen of our times.
The following brief notice of this worthy old man, who has been long known and respected in the East of Fife, will, we trust, not be uninteresting to our readers in that quarter.
Mr Moncreiff was a native of Cellardyke, his parents had long been settled in an humble yet respectable position. In youth his constitution was by no means robust, and this circumstance induced his friends to give him the benefit of all the education that could be enjoyed in the locality in order that he might be able to earn an independent livelihood for himself as teacher. Accordingly, when other lads have little more than commenced their apprenticeships as tradesmen or mechanics, Mr Moncreiff began the battle of life on his own account taking up a small adventure school in his native town. His gentle and patient temper soon made him great favourite with the children, and although modern educational authorities, we fear, would sneer at his primitive method of instruction, yet often happened that the young progressed better under his charge, than schools of much higher standing. Some years later he also conducted an evening school, which for more than fifty years continued to be well attended by the grown up lads in the neighbourhood, and many a youth who had neglected his early school opportunities, or who, perchance, had never been in position to enjoy them, was enabled to make headway in the world, and to hold a respectable position by the lessons received at this school. Teaching, however, proved very precarious source of subsistence, until he added navigation as branch of education, in his school, which he was induced to do under the following interesting circumstances. The late Mr Robert Lothian, of the Royal Navy, a man of high intellectual and moral parts. Amongst his other accomplishments was included great skill in navigation, which he had thoroughly practised, as the sailing master of a man-of-war. Towards the close of life Mr Lothian was unhappily at times the victim melancholy nervous disorder, when he required to incessantly watched and tended by his friends —one of the most constant and kind of these being Mr Moncrieff. When convalescent, Mr Lothian, who thoroughly knew the circumstances of his humble friend, proposed give him as full knowledge as he could of the art of navigation, in order that he might be able teach it to the young sailors of the place. Mr Moncreiff followed the suggestion, and with the help of his noble hearted preceptor, he acquired exact familiarity with Norrie’s system of navigation. The gift which was thus the consecrated legacy of gratitude and friendship, soon became source of considerable remuneration to Mr Moncreiff, for the same qualities which enabled him to lead the dull and stubborn child through the difficulties of the “Primer.” equally fitted him to impart to the young sailor who amidst the excitement and adventure of maritime life would often retain but little of his early schooling—a comprehensive idea of those abstract principles which the mariner is able to guide his barque with unerring precision over the broad and trackless sea. No better illustration can be given of Mr Moncreiff’s success in this department than the pleasing fact that, out of the hundreds that have studied under his care, not one failed to pass on examination before the Marine Board for the particular grade in his profession to which he aspired. Never was there a more gentle, kind, and patient teacher. Ha seemed to suit himself to the dullest understanding, and step by step helped them on through the difficulties of the problem until it was thoroughly mastered, when, praising the achievement with unaffected heartiness, he cheered his pupil for still higher and more ambitious efforts. Amongst his gallant band who became initiated into the mysteries of the “epitome.” In the little schoolroom of Cellardyke, were Captain Rodgers of Glasgow, Captain Hughes of Wallaroo, Captain Fowler of Elie, the late Mr David Gosman, R.N., Pittenweem. &c- Except, however, in this one department, Mr Moncreiff’s abilities and attainments could never have excited attention. Yet few men lowly in as lowly a sphere have fulfilled so well the mission of life for according to the full measure of his gifts and opportunities, he wrought from day to day, and from year to year, seeing his duty before him as a strong clear light, and moving straight towards it, with perfect singleness of eye and heart .
Mr Moncreiff was married, but his wife predeceased him some years ago, well as his only son, Captain John Moncreiff, to whose melancholy public attention was painfully directed a few months ago, in reference to piracy in the Indian Seas.
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