1870
NATIVES of Anstruther in Australia
David Murray, son of William Murray, of Adelaide Lodge here, has we learn from Australian Papers been elected a member of the legislature of South Australia. There were four candidates, and one of Mr Murray’s opponents was Mr D Fowler, son of James Fowler, Esq, Cellardyke, who was next to him in the number of votes polled.
On Monday last, a sheriff officer arrived here from Cupar for the purpose of executing a warrant, at the instance of his creditors, for the apprehension of Thomas Paterson, a confectioner who lately commenced business in Cellardyke. Paterson appears to have got an inkling of the Cupar functionary’s intended mission to the east coast, and resolved, in order to avoid all disagreeable intimacy with him, to take a day at the yawl fishing. He accordingly went out in a boat in the forenoon to enjoy the sweets of the ocean breeze. The beagle, along with an assistant, called repeatedly at the house and shop of the truant, but could never see or get any satisfactory knowledge of his whereabouts, until six o’clock in the evening. He was then about to start homewards without any prospect of being able to accomplish his mission, when, in taking a look at the new harbour, he overheard some persons conversing about the Cellardyke confectioner having gone out to fish in a small boat along with a certain other party. At this he no doubt pricked his ears, and resolved to await the boat’s return, which it did about nine o’clock in the evening, landing at West Anstruther pier. The officer, of course, and a considerable crowd of persons, made it a point to be present to welcome him on his return front the sea voyage, and the boat had no sooner touched the pier than he swung himself aboard and at once captured the runaway. He was conveyed at once to St Andrews, en route to Cupar.
A boat’s crew, belonging to Cellardyke, a few days ago fell in with a number of deed sheep floating out at sea east of the of May. The carcases were brought onshore and proved to be wholesome food. They had been washed overboard from the Leith end Baltic steam traders, the Dresden and Vistula, which during the late gale lost about 900 sheep and cattle. A life buoy, narked “Gibraltar” was also picked up, and is supposed to have belonged to the steam tug of that name, ran into and sunk near Dunbar.
1871
Property in Cellardyke for sale to be by private bargain, that commodious front dwelling house in East Forth street, and the flesher’s shop adjoining, with cellar and garden ground, belonging to Mr George Henderson, flesher, Cellardyke. offers to be lodged with Messrs Smith & Cook.
HOLIDAY. The annual Queen’s birthday holiday was observed in Anstruther, Cellardyke, and Pittenweem yesterday, when business was generally suspended. The weather was very unfavourable, rain falling very heavily up till nearly four clock in the afternoon, and the number of persons who left the town to visit other places was far less than in former years
1872
WRECK- The wreck of the schooner Maori,’ of Montrose, which sunk some time ago between Fifeness and Crail, was exposed for sale in the Golf Inn here on Wednesday. There was only one bid for the wreck, and it was knocked down to Mr Alex. Cunningham, Cellardyke, for £5. The long-boat belonging to the vessel was also sold, the purchaser being ex-Bailie Gay, at the low sum of 32s 6d. Bailie Bonthron, Anstruther, officiated as auctioneer.
WANTED, a Stout LAD, as an Apprentice to the Boatbuilding Trade. Apply to J. A. MILLAR, Cellardyke.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CELLARDYKE. During the last twenty or thirty years, reforms and improvements- social, political, and scientific – have been the order of the day. The East of Fife burghs have been no exception to this general movement, and we have on various occasions noticed improvements as they have been effected in the district; but it may perhaps not be uninteresting in these dull times to refer more particularly to those which have taken place in the prosperous and important fishing place of Cellardyke. Before these improvements were projected, the state of the town was far from being creditable to the inhabitants, although it was perhaps not worse than some of the other fishing towns along the coast. Part of the Lower Street was at that time laid with round bullets, and at many places it was almost impassable for carts. The first improvement was the lifting up of these bullets and the substitution of a macadamised road. A few years ago part of the east end of the town was paved with Carlingnose stones, and at present a considerable portion of the street to the west of the town hull is being laid in the same way, and when this is finished, the only parts remaining unpaved of the principal street will be small portions between the town hall and the Urquhart Wynd and at the west entrance to the town, which it is expected will also be done as soon as the state of the funds at the disposal of the Police Commissioners will permit. The old system of having outside projecting stairs to houses prevailed to a considerable extent in the burgh, but these have been nearly all removed, as well as many obstructions end buildings jutting out upon the pavement. This has more especially been the case since the passing of the Act which put the management of the affairs of the burgh again into the hands of the ratepayers, whose selection of representatives has done them great credit. For the improvements which we have briefly alluded to, the community is undoubtedly mainly indebted to Provost Martin, and his colleagues in the Magistracy, Bailies Sharp and Watson, who have taken advantage of every opportunity not only to improve the condition of the burgh, but also to forward the interests of the inhabitants in every way. As instances, we need only point out the raising of the Post Office to a money order office in 1889 and to a telegraph office last year, and also to the appointment of a new letter-carrier—all matters of importance to the community, and the concession of which were entirely due to the praiseworthy exertions of the Provost and his colleagues. The great increase in the population has also led to the erection of a large number of new houses and the enlargement of others. In 1763, the population. of the parish was 1348 ; but in 1790, when a census was taken at the instance of Sir John Sinclair, who got it done by the ministers of the various Scottish parishes, in order to tarnish materials for the Statistical Account of Scotland, it had decreased to 1080 ; and in 1801, when the first official census was taken, to 1042. Since the beginning of the present century, however, it has steadily increased until last year, when the population, including that portion of the parish situated within the parliamentary burgh of Anstruther- Easter, was 3050, being an increase of nearly one third during the 70 years. The number of houses has also increased from 205 in 1801 to 310 in 1871, and at the latter date on an average each house was occupied by two families, or nine individuals. The population of the burgh is about 2500, of which 426, or about one sixth, are fishermen. Among the new houses which have been erected during the last twenty years are the large tenements in Dove Street, in the neighbourhood of the harbour, the fine block of houses known as East Forth Street, extending from Mr George Henderson’s to the New Free Church Hall, Ellice Street, and West Forth Street. In the last mentioned, Mr Wallace, builder, Anstruther, is at present finishing four new houses, while a little further west Mr Guthrie, Crail, is engaged in putting up three more for Mr Ritchie, fishcurer. The site to the west of Mr Ritchie’s houses is also to be built upon immediately, so that there will be additional accommodation in a short time for sixteen families. Many other minor improvements have also taken place in the taking down of old houses and rebuilding of new ones, which have all tended to improve the appearance of the burgh. In regard to sanitary matters, the Local Authority, have been active in their endeavours to remove all nuisances, and lately the Police Commissioners adopted several clauses of the Lindsay Act, which will extend their powers in this respect.
1873
Dispute about Public Property. A curious misunderstanding has just come to issue between the Town Council and the fishermen respecting the foreshore at the harbour, which has been an everyday topic of lively and anxious debate for some time past. As the point, however, is beset with some local peculiarities, few prefatory remarks may not unwelcome to our readers. Both a burgh of Regality under its early superiors, the Archbishops of St Andrews, from Patrick Graham to John Hamilton, and a Royal Burgh ever since the youthful days of King James, the town of Kilrenny or Cellardyke has, like other Scottish burghs, had an undoubted right to “all vacant ground,” including the foreshore, which with the harbour was formally ceded by charter to the inhabitants by its first lay master, John Bethune, nearly 300 years ago. From time immemorial, however, the fishermen had been in the habit—which was any winter night in the days of the old storm-swept harbour—of hauling their boats upon the beach without leave being asked or granted, and so matters remained till at a comparatively recent period, when it was resolved by the Burgh Managers with the consent of the fishermen to let the foreshore for yearly payment as wintering place for boats. Subsequently, however, the Managers gave the charge of the foreshore to the fishermen who were and are represented, we may say, by what is called the “Teind Committee,” that is, four of their number who lease the tithes of Kilrenny from Admiral Bethune, and for which £50 has been for some time annually paid. The Teind Committee, from some curious mistake, had thought they were bound to keep up the harbour, and it was avowedly with the view that a fund might be set aside for this purpose that the foreshore was surrendered by the Burgh authorities, who, however, have always let the ground without question as fishcuring stations. In this position the case remained till at meeting in June last when the Council resolved, on the motion of Provost Martin, to resume possession of the foreshore. The authorities were induced to take this step from a strong sense of public duty, the language on the occasion being that “the Town Council were the trustees of the community, and such could not and ought not as faithful guardians give up any part of the town’s property.” It was specially resolved, however, that the rent raised from the foreshore should be exclusively devoted to uphold the harbour and its approaches; but as the old saying has it, ” There are always two at a bargain making,” and on their part the Teind Committee seem to have taken offence that the constituents, the fishermen, had neither been consulted nor recognised in the arrangement. ” We, and our fathers before us,” said they, have had a free right to the beach ; and though we may agree to pay for it amongst ourselves, yet it is so far like a bargain in a family, which other party has a right interfere with or disturb.” Accordingly the Committee, as usual, gave notice that the foreshore would be publicly offered for set on the last Saturday of May; but the Council at once accepted the advertisement as a declaration of war, and that spirit, we may say, prepared to vindicate the burgh rights. At least so we may infer, as at the meeting on Saturday the Council resolved, unless the Teind Committee resiled from the intended proceedings to apply for interdict from the Sheriff, and bring the case to a legal issue. But fortunately for the interests peace, this extreme course was avoided by a suggestion from Bailie Watson, who is also the secretary of the Committee, to adjourn the meeting till the evening, in order to allow time for an amicable understanding being come to. The Committee, which consists of Skippers Robt. Brown, Jas. Cunningham, Alexander Watson, and George Moncrieff, with their worthy secretary, were fully persuaded of the justice of the claim made on behalf of the fishermen, but out of enlightened regard for unity and peace, they resolved to withdraw the advertisement and stop the intended auction rather than allow the town to be divided by any profitless and unseemly strife. At the adjourned meeting held the same evening, the Town Council frankly accepted the concession by the tacksmen, and agreed to take no” further action in the meantime. The money, however, realised by the auction of the foreshore last summer still lies unappropriated in the bank, and as the question may be said to be merely postponed rather than decided it presently stands, itis earnestly to be hoped that some fair and permanent arrangement will be speedily come to. It is obvious that Provost Martin and his colleagues are in this matter acting from a high sense of public duty, and that the difference, or rather misunderstanding, with the fishermen must be to them a source very much pain and regret; while, on the other hand, the hardy mariners, who all but represent the community, have an undoubted ” use and wont” right to vindicate and defend; but still, in those privileged times, when the fishermen may be said “to have the haft and blade in their own hand” in the election of the burgh rulers, think that the spirit of prudence and moderation will gradually bring about the proper solution of the question without the costly and vexatious agency of the law.