1884
A fisher lad of Cellardyke, John Henderson, was placed at the bar of East Anster Bailie Court on Friday, charged with being riotous and disorderly while in drink, to the fear and alarm of the neighbours, on the previous Saturday night. He pleaded guilty, but in respect of a previous conviction, he was fined, after a pointed reprimand by the presiding Magistrate, Bailie Darsie, in 15s.
SALE OF HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE AT CELLARDYKE On SATURDAY, the 5th of July next, there will be SOLD by Public Roup, at the Residence of the Misses Fowler, West Forth Street, Cellardyke. A QUANTITY of HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, consisting of Sideboard, Dining Room and other Chairs, Sofa. Tables, Whatnot, Chests of Drawers. Mirrors, Basin Stands, Baths, Seaman’s Chests, Desks, Iron Beds, Mattresses and Paillasses. Feather Bed, Washing Machines, Tub and Stool, Croquet Set, Garden Roller and other Garden Implements, Books, and a variety of other articles. Sale will commence al Two o’clock see Handbills.
PRESENTATION TO MISS FOWLER, CELLARDYKE. On the evening of Friday last, a social meeting was held in the Baptist Schoolroom, Anstruther, to take farewell of the Misses Fowler, who are now removing their residence to Edinburgh. There was a large attendance of members and friends of the Church. After tea and devotional exercises, the pastor, the Rev. W. Macintosh, intimated the object of the meeting, and delivered a short address ………………. They were all sorry at parting with their friends, but they were glad and graceful as they looked back on the many years of faithful service they had rendered. As a church they could not allow that service to end without some slight recognition. It gave him great pleasure to read an address, which was drawn up in accordance with a resolution of the Church : “To the Misses Fowler, on the occasion of their leaving Anstruther, from the Pastor, Deacons, and Members of the Baptist Church…………
A SHOCKING STORY. A correspondent who gives his name and address sends the Scotsman the following painful story –
Typhus fever took, out North Yell through the sending home from Lerwick of a sick man’s clothes. This lay till they acquired an offensive odour, and were then washed. families became infected. Dr Hanson, Mid Yell while visiting these caught the infection. On its becoming known that he was taken ill everybody kept away from the house in a panic of fear, except his servant, a North Mavine woman, who was faithful him. The doctor and his servant would have starved but for Mrs Budge, of Seafield, who supplied them with milk and the schoolmaster and his wife, who procured food for them. These kind people became the objects torrents of abusive language for going near the house, and had great difficulty in obtaining supplies A nurse arrived from Edinburgh, and brought Dr Hanson through his illness by her skill and attention. On his convalescence she prepared to return to Edinburgh, in answer to summons thither. She went down to quay, where there is a hotel, and was refused admittance. She asked for food or a cup of tea, but neither could be had for love or money. Shivering in the cold north wind, she was compelled to pace the beach for a long time. The boatmen swore she should not enter their boats, and they would have nothing to with her. The extreme cowardice these people would be ludicrous were it not for the element of horror in their conduct which has caused among the numerous Scotsmen in the island a feeling of pity and contempt for them. The second case I refer to occurred in North Yell. Dr Douglas, the parish minister, who had also been visiting in his double capacity of clergyman and doctor, was taken ill, and after nearly five days’ illness he died suddenly from the bursting of artery leading from the lungs to the heart. He lay on his back with his head raised on pillows and on being touched the bright red blood gushed out and saturated the sheets, pillows, and mattresses. He was subject to sudden and apparently causeless fits of excitement and passion, lasting a very short time. An hour before his death sat up in bed and spoke rationally; but when offered some wine and water, became excited, and threw himself down on his pillows. He was left alone, and when seen an hour later was dead. He was attended by Dr Currie, Aberdeen, who was on a visit to the islands. He thought his patient was in no danger, and was greatly shocked by his death, which no medical skill could have averted His kindness and courtesy were much esteemed. During Dr Douglas illness not one of his parishioners dared to come within some hundred yards of the manse. After his death one alone had the courage to come and make inquiries, and bring letters. Telegrams were thrown on the ground a long way off, or put into the hands of Scotsmen at the curing stations. His family, unnerved by the shock of his sudden and unexpected death, were left to their own resources. His two sons covered up the blood-stained head and straightened the dead limbs. A Scotswoman who offered to come and assist was forbidden, lest the workers should leave the station. The carpenter, who makes coffins for the dead in the district, refused to go near the house to measure the corpse and make the coffin. He asserted that he never took measurements, and gave measurements which were never exceeded, he said; and a telegram was sent to the Procurator-Fiscal to send a coffin of the dimensions stated, and an undertaker. Delays occurred, men refusing to come, and when one was willing he missed the steamer. The coffin arrived at last, about four hours after the time fixed for the funeral, on Saturday afternoon. “When the minister’s sons tried to coffin the body, the coffin was found to be three inches too narrow and as much too shallow. By this time two clergymen had arrived, (the Rev. W. Smith, of Unst and Rev. John Watson, of Burravoe), along with the schoolmaster and elder. Learning the state of matters, they promptly set to work and got men to begin a new coffin. They then went round the fishing stations and informed the Scots fishermen, who had returned from the sea. They did not themselves venture to enter the house as they knew that they and their families would be boycotted by their own parishioners if they should so. Indeed, the schoolmaster was informed that if he went to the manse lend his assistance he might look out for another situation. On the mere rumour that be had been there, his school was closed for a fortnight.
The Scots fishermen promptly took all arrangements into their own hands. Six brave, truehearted men—Commodore Brunton, a famous fisherman, belonging to Cellardyke; Mr Patrick Buchan, station owner; Skipper James Mellon, Mr Alexander McWilliams, Mr Wilson, and Mr George Samuels brought the coffin, soon as ready, about one o’clock on Sunday morning, and performed the last sad offices for the dead in so gentle and sympathetic a way that they have endeared themselves to the bereaved family. These six men, strangers no longer, carried the ponderous coffin down the narrow and crooked stair, a task of much address and difficulty. The congregation, out of fear, left the minister’s sons to perform this unaided.
About four o’clock Sabbath afternoon the coffin, draped in the Union Jack, was carried out; and all the men harbour formed a procession, and set out towards the churchyard, three miles away situated in beautiful spot near a small loch at the north end of the parish. On the way a number of Shetland fishermen joined the procession and assisted bearers. The body was interred within the old ruined church, beside those of the former ministers. The Rev. John Watson conducted a short and appropriate service over the grave. The Rev. W. Smith, being in delicate health, had been obliged to return home, having serviceably shown his sympathy and promptitude during the time he was able to remain. The agony of mind of the poor wife and mother, left alone in her troubles, may better imagined than described. (Dr Douglas was native the parish of Cupar, and a brother the late Mr John Douglas, blacksmith, Cupar)
DYSART – Herring fishing. —Owing to the depressed state trade and want of employment, nearly 20 of our townsmen have left this week for the fishing, to join the boats sailing from Pittenweem, Cellardyke, and St bound for Aberdeen.
BOAT LAUNCH—On the forenoon of Saturday last, a fine carvel-built fishing boat was launched from Councillor Jarvis’s building yard here. her length was 51 ½ feet, and breadth 18 feet. The owner is Skipper David Corstorphine, Cellardyke, whose boat, it will be remembered, came into collision near the Bell Rock with another boat, belonging to Arbroath, on the 26th of March last. The boat which was launched on Saturday has been named ” The Betsy.”
MELANCHOLY OCCURRANCE—BODY FOUND IN THE HARBOUR. —About nine o’clock on Tuesday morning, while a number of boys were amusing themselves wading in the sea at the new harbour, they noticed a body in almost an erect position being washed in by the tide. The alarm was instantly given, and the report soon spreading, a good number of people wended their way down the pier to witness the unusual spectacle. By this time the body was a considerable distance in the harbour, and it was noticed that the exposed parts—the hands and face—were much decomposed. The features were entirely unrecognisable, while on the back of the bead there was a small quantity of black hair. Some time elapsed before a yawl was got, but ultimately the body was towed into the old harbour, and being tied to a plank was hoisted on to the pier, from whence it was conveyed to the old steamboat shed in presence of a large crowd of spectators. Various surmises were made as to who the person was, but one or two little girls were heard to remark that they were sure it was a Cellardyke man. The police constables being away in the country, nothing could be done to lead to identification, and the body lay for two hours in the shed, during which time it was seen by Dr McCallum, Provost Anderson, Rev. M r Murray, &c. At half-past twelve, however, Constable Martin, on going to make a search, at once identified the body as that of Peter Duncan Masterton, bootcloser, Cellardyke, and in this he was corroborated by several others. Nothing was found in the pockets but a pipe, some tobacco, and the key of a lock. The relatives were communicated with, and in the evening, Mrs Masterton arrived in Anstruther from Kilconquhar. Along with her sister, and brother-in-law, she identified the body as her husband, and late at night it was conveyed to the house of Mr White, in West Anstruther, the deceased’s brother-in-law. On Wednesday, the remains were interred in East Anstruther Churchyard. It appears that deceased came from Dundee about three months ago, and set up a small confectioner’s shop in James Street, Cellardyke. It is stated that his wife left him in the middle of last month on a visit to her mother’s in Kilconquhar, and that he was seen on Friday, the 20th of June, to lock his door in the morning, and leave the place, On Mrs Masterton returning and finding the door of the house locked she supposed that he had gone away to Dundee, and would be back in a day or two. But he was never seen alive after the 20th. Whether the deceased committed suicide or not by drowning himself of course can never be properly ascertained, but he is said to have been in a desponding state of mind for some time back. He was 28 years of age, and has left a widow and one child.
Boat Run Down in Aberdeen Bay.
Man Severely Injured. This forenoon an occurrence. resulting in the serious injury of a fisherman and considerable damage to a fishing boat, took place in Aberdeen Bay. The boat Sisters, of Cellardyke (K.Y. 1476), left Footdee for the fishing ground between nine and ten o’clock. She had proceeded about half a mile off, sailing in an E.N.E. course with the foresail set following up close behind and on the same course as the Sisters was the boat Joseph and Francis, belonging to Hull. The two crafts were in company for a short time, when the latter (say the crew of the Sisters) suddenly shifted her course, and before the Cellardyke boat could avoid a collision she was struck with great violence by the English boat on the lee site. The boom of the Joseph and Francis struck the mizzenmast of the Sisters, carrying it away, and then went through the foresail, and the strain on the lee rope caused the foremast to break. The skipper of the Cellardyke boat, John Robertson (32), was at the helm at the time, and, on seeing the mizzenmast fall by his side, and in response to the cries of the other members of the crew, he made a rush to the forward part of the boat. At this moment the foremast came down and before he had time to get out of the way Robertson was struck by the mast and fell to the deck. The mast falling above him pinned him to the deck and as great excitement prevailed among the other members of the crew, some time elapsed ere he was relieved from his critical position. On the two crafts getting clear of each other those on board the Sisters asked the crew of the Joseph and Francis to take them in tow but the latter, the former state, paid no attention to this request. The boat Cyprus, of Cellardyke, (James Steverson, skipper), which was in close proximity then came up, and towed the disabled craft to the harbour entrance, whence she was drawn up to a berth at Footdee by the tug Ben Ledi. Immediately on the boat being moored the skipper, who is very severely injured about the breast and back, was removed to his temporary residence. at New Pier Road, when a doctor was called.
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