1881
Fisherman’s Society. — The first annual meeting of the Cellardyke Fishermen’s Union — having for its object relief in sickness and provision for old age, or to the family in the event of an accident at sea or otherwise — was held in the Free Church Hall on Saturday evening. There was a good attendance — Mr Thomas Birrell being in the chair. The Secretary submitted the report for the year, which showed that 460 sea-going men were now enrolled as members of this Society. The Treasurer submitted a no less satisfactory statement with regard to the funds, which it is proposed to augment by means of a bazaar at the close of the Lammas fishing. The report was unanimously adopted, and the chairman, secretary, and treasurer having been continued in office, the proceedings closed with the usual votes of thanks.
MR JAMES SEATON, begs to intimate to the Inhabitants of Cellardyke and surrounding districts, that he has OPENED those Premises. 22 James Street. Cellardyke, as a SHAVING and HAIRCUTTING SALOON, and hopes by strict attention to business to merit a share of the public support. All kinds of Ladies’ Work done on the shortest Notice. Combings, &c.. made into Plaits. Gentlemen waited upon at their own residences. All orders shall receive prompt attention. Business hours from 8am. till 8pm. Saturdays from 8 till 10. Razors Ground and Set
The Cellardyke Coffee Palace – In the course of the week our Provost and Mr H. B. Mackintosh, banker, were engaged in measuring a section of Mr Gilchrist’s property— which those in the locality will best identify as the fishcuring premises of the late Mr John Henderson—as the site, it is understood, of the proposed coffee house in Cellardyke. The idea to enlarge the Town has evaporated, seeing that Mr Nicolson has declined to sell the property; but the new site is sufficiently wide and commodious, and with only the breadth of the street between it and the other. Like the unfortunate attempt at an institute In Anstruther, there are no means for outdoor recreation, but it will possess in an eminent degree that ever-living attraction, a boundless prospect sad shore. The expense, as our readers are aware, is to be met by Mr Williamson, M.P.
Fife News – Saturday 18 June 1881 4
TRIP TO THE ISLE OF MAY—There is no spot on which a picnic is to be enjoyed with so much zest by young and old as amongst the green knolls of the May. Such was the experience at least of the voyagers in the trim little yacht, the “Olive Leaf,” which sailed from our pier on Friday for the “Holy Isle”. The breeze was fickle, but nevertheless the party made a good landing at St Adrian’s steps, a really happy day was passed—now, in strolling amongst the grey ruins of the ancient monastery, or again amongst the magnificent rock and other scenery, for which the island is so justly renowned. The popular young assistant of the Free Church, Mr Hugh Ross. and his Glasgow friends, were amongst the excursionists. Maggie Lauder was also well represented; nor can we overlook the fair employees in the oil cloth establishment of the Messrs Martin, Cellardyke. The arrangements from first to last were of the most admirable kind, and each, as we have said, to be brimful of delight to one and all.
FLORAL AND INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION IN CONNECTION WTH THE BAPTIST SABBATH SCHOOL ANSTRUTHER, in the SCHOOL ROOM, EAST GREEN on FRIDAY and SATURDAY. 1st and 2nd July
In addition to a large number of MODELS of BOATS, SHIPS, STEAMERS, &e. (principally the workmanship of Cellardyke Fishermen), there will be exhibited the First Prize Model of a Fishing Boat and the Model of a Fishing Boat awarded a Silver Medal at the Norwich Exhibition, Model of Ceylon Canoe, Cradle Nest of Ceylon Bird, Case of Fishing Lines, &c.
The Prizes will be awarded to the successful competitors at 6pm.
Admission on Friday, from Twelve to Three — Adults, 6d; Children, 2d ; from Three to Nine – Adults, 4d ; Children, 2d. Admission on Saturday, from Twelve to Nine–Adults, 3d ; Children. 1d. Flowers and other Articles sent in for Competition by the Children to be Sold, but not removed till close of Exhibition. The Committee will be glad to receive Articles for Exhibition from Fishermen and others.
The Halfdealsmen – These swallows of the season, the halfdealsmen, are now beginning to appear on the coast. As many as twelve hundred are needed to man the East Neuk fleet; but in those dull days in mine and factory, our skippers have little if any trouble in mustering their hands. As a rule, an understanding has been come to with old hands, perhaps so long ago as at parting last season, and they are thus, it may be said, at a day’s notice; but not a few strangers are turning to the coast, steering by the ” Star of Hope,” as a comrade has it, for a berth in the fleet. The honest fellows will be dropping in with every coach and train; but the body, so to speak, will only arrive to be on duty at the general start on Monday week.
AN ATTRACTIVE EXHIBITION.—As will be seen from our advertising columns, an exhibition of special Interest is to be opened in the Baptist Class-rooms next week- Our young folks are invited to take part in a competitive display of floral and other designs. There is also the happy idea of prizes in the practical details of domestic economy, but the grand attraction will doubtless be the illustrations of life on the shore. These include the prize models of deep sea smacks by Councillor Jarvis and Mr Alexander Cunningham. There are also some beautiful miniature ships by Mr Andrew Keay and other young fishermen of Cellardyke, with specimens of fishing gear employed on the Fife Coast, &c., &c., so that the exhibition is unquestionably one of the most unique and interesting ever arranged amongst us.
THE LAUNCH OF THE DRAVE BOATS—There are few scenes so full of life and bustle as those today on the shores of the East of Fife at the launch of the big boats for the drave. At St Monance they are being run from “my ain muir,” as Tom Mathers sings ; but at Cellardyke they winter under the bank at the Golden Strand, where lever and engine have been busy from morning to night in putting them afloat. There was a time when it was the grand task of the shore, but the boat carriage and the steam engine are now so helpful that the work is done in clubs or sections—say of sixteen boats—in which the skipper and his mate are only called “to do duty in their own watch,” as the old commodore says. But if it is a saving in labour, it is no less so in cash, as the engine fee at Cellardyke is just 7s a boat, the work being by contract, in the hands of Mr Gilchist, Carvenom. Rather less than one-half of the fleet, or about 90 boats, were drawn from the green, the operations, notwithstanding all the risks that beset it, being attended with nothing worse than the snapping of an axle.
Our Cooperages —After the memorable experience of last year, it is a matter of no little consequence to estimate the resources of the coast in view of the coming drave. Singular as it may seem, the East of Fife has exceptional facilities in the supply, at least, of herring casks. We refer to the steam machinery so successfully employed by Mr Cortnack, Cellardyke, and the Welch brothers at Pittenweem. These machines not only cut up the billet wood, but dress the staves so thoroughly as to reduce the manual labour by one-half. Thus, fifteen barrels from the rough staves was the allotted task for the week; but, with milled staves, it is just double the number. The cost, too, of this valuable auxiliary is only at the rate of fourpence a barrel; but our fishcurers have not been slow to avail themselves of it, and the consequence is that our cooperages are amongst the staple industries of the shore, from which thousands of casks are annually drawn both by Scotch and English traders. As in last year, considerable consignments have been made to Glasgow at so low a figure, we hear, as 3s 6d or less per barrel; but sales are reported this week at 4s, and with the comparatively limited stock with which the trade is facing the prospects of the mason on the north east coast, our merchants have every temptation to hold back in the remembrance of last year, when barrels were freely bought and sold at ten shillings a-piece, which, but for the big spate, might have been had, and “thank ye,” as King Methven used to say,. for a third of the money. An incident of those days is worth relating. A fair trader volunteered to buy a thousand barrels at a given price on Anstruther shore. “The key of my store is at your service, but at 4s 6d a barrel,” said one worthy merchant speaking for the rest. The offer was declined in the way that only disappointed ladies can do, but within the week the same barrels were tumbling out of the stare at the tune of 8s 6d each.
DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENTER—Cellardyke has this week lost an old and worthy father in Mr William Watson, who died there on Monday in his 78th year. He the son of the solitary survivor of the tragical wreck at the doors of Cellardyke some 80 years ago, but as soon as he grew up he took to the same arduous calling—for arduous it was, inasmuch as the fishing was then carried on in little open boats, in which the circulation was only kept up in your half ‘frozen fingers by throwing out the water shipped at every wave, or when the hardy fellows might be called at any hour of night or day to save the shallop from being dashed to pieces at the surf beaten pier. These were stern experiences., but William Watson could forget all, as we have heard him say in the “singing school,” presided over some sixty years age by the venerable registrar of the parish, Mr Brown, whose generous efforts were so warmly sympathised with by the eminent minister of the parish, the Rev. James Brown, that he occasionally took part in the lessons with his flute. Notwithstanding his lifelong enthusiasm for music, however, he was one of the most steady and industrious of his class. He was also amongst the gallant band which the East of Fife sent year after year to fish the whale at Greenland or Davis Straits, but doubtless the most eventful incident of his life was his expedition, like so many other fishermen of Cellardyke, to the gold diggings of Australia. He embarked with his old companion, the late Captain Nicol, and with another townsman wended his way with pick and spade, but becoming tired of the search, or rather of the “scoundrelism” of the mines he changed his “location,” as Jonathan says, to the coast, where, taking to net and line, gold came faster to his hand than ever it was likely to have done on the plans of Ballarat. After an absence of two or three years he returned to Cellardyke to share in the herring harvest, which for a time gave a new and brilliant chapter to the annals of the shore; but in whatever situation, he sustained the honest and blameless character which has gained for him from boyhood the love and confidence of all that knew him.
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