The Cellardyke Echo this week, not much good news, a Cellardyke boat had gone missing at the start of August 1885 and this week it was a St Monans boat, with the evidence found by a Cellardyke boat
1885
Sudden Death. —A touching instance of the uncertainty life occurred at the end of Cellardyke on Saturday forenoon, when Mrs John Parker was found lying dead at the foot of the stair. The message that none may disobey seems to have come when the finishing touch had been all but given to the household duties of the day— indeed, when last seen alive she was rejoicing she didna, ha’e dirty steek in the hoose.” She was the second wife of one of the old fathers of Cellardyke, whom she outlived several years. He was one of the survivors when his own boat the “Flora” was lost under such distressing circumstances one bright summer day within sight of the shore in 1819.
On Thursday, boat after boat came scudding to the Forth, as to the first open door; but others were seen riding at their nets, and this so far allayed the fears about the missing, who were all by-and-bye accounted for, save the St. Monans boat. Ocean Chief. K.Y., 1480, Thomas Hutt, fishing at Aberdeen.
She was last spoken, so far as we can hear, about six or seven p.m. on Wednesday, when the skipper hailed a Broughty Ferry crew. The boat was then to the gunwale with ninety or a hundred crans; and, having still four nets to haul, he gave them to his less lucky neighbour. He and his men were tired, but they were in excellent spirits. How could it be otherwise? They had gained their errand. Was the change in the sky to be more than passing cloud after so pleasant a day But as the shadows fell she was once and again seen, as if overburdened in the storm, till, as they say, she foundered in the terrific squall soon after midnight. The crew were: the skipper, Thomas Hutt, aged 65, twice widower, with three sons and two daughters; his second son, Thomas, fine young man of twenty-eight, who shares his fate with his townsman, William Forgan, aged thirty, who leaves widow—soon likely to become mother. The Benjamin of the boat, David Gay, a promising lad of fifteen, also belongs to St. Monans,-but the other half are dealsmen, viz. William Finlayson, Murrayfield, and William Lamb. Dundee.
The Ocean Chief was built at St. Monans six or seven years ago. She was amongst the finest of her class indeed, one better found, and with more experienced crew was not amongst the hundred-and-ten fitted out this season from St. Monans. The family of the skipper have at one time another had their own share in peril and bereavement. His lather, an old Davis Straits hero, died in his bed the ripe old age of seventy-five, but his relative, Thomas Hutt, was one of the three who perished by the capsizing of their boat between Anstruther and St. Monans in the year of 1821. Yet a still more terrible calamity occurred in 1834, when James and his son Alexander, David and Alexander Hutt, were four of the live who suffered by a like catastrophe near the Isle of May. He was also a brother-in-law Robert Allan, who was killed some time by fall over the pier. ….. Later the week the water-cask belonging to the hapless boat was picked some two-and-twenty miles in the offing of Aberdeen by the Margaret Taylor, of Cellardyke, and other wreckage is said to have been seen near this, the too palpable spot of the catastrophe. During the storm more than one Fife crew only escaped by a miracle. Their decks were swept by the sea, and one veteran in particular was heard to say “She’ll never rise, men,” so slowly did the gallant little craft recover from the ocean of foam and spray. The crews were also sorely spent with harassment and toil, as in the case of the Cellardyke boat. Young Alexander, fishing at Stronsay, but who had to run thirteen-hours’ race for life as far as Wick.
1886
Last night, while the boat Vivid, No. 98, belonging to Cellardyke, was fishing off Peterhead, one of the crew named John McKibben was engaged taking in the jib sail, when the jibboom swung round and struck him the right leg, breaking it a little above the knee. The man was attended to at Peterhead and removed to the Infirmary, Aberdeen, this morning.
The Herd Laddie in Aberdeen.
Mr James Wyllie, champion draught player of the world, brought a very successful week’s visit to a close on Saturday night in, presence of large number of spectators. It is five years since the “Laddie” paid his last visit to Aberdeen, and the stimulus then given has gone on increasing until the “quiet game” can now count amongst its votaries large numbers in all classes of the community. He has given our local cracks a severe lesson this season, for out of a total number of 92 games played nobody has been able to register a win, while only 8 games were drawn—a truly wonderful record The great characteristic of his play is caution; he never makes a weak or false move, and so that when the onlookers see nothing but a draw in a position, he frequently able to score a win, which he forces in the shortest and most scientific method. ……….. In the evening a number of Cellardyke fishermen paid him a visit, deputing their champion to try conclusions with the veteran, but the claims of natal countyship had no influence, and he shared the common fate.
WOMAN SEVERELY BURNED AT CELLARDYKE. Last night while woman named Isabella Boyter, who is subject to fits, residing in Shore Street, Cellardyke, was engaged cooking she took a fit and fell into the fire. No one was in the house at the time, and the poor woman would have been roasted to death had not a neighbour, who felt the smell of something burning, gone into the house. Boyter when taken out of the fire was still unconscious and very severely burned about the face and bands. She is suffering much pain.
1887
Mr Peter Murray at present residing with his brother in St Ayle’s Cresent, Anstruther, has generously distributed 40 tons of coals among the poor of Cellardyke.
Shetland – On Saturday last—before Sheriff Mackenzie, William Wilson, fisherman, belonging to Cellardyke, presently fishing here in the boat Jessie, KY336, was charged with the theft, from a house at Stoneyhill, Lerwick, occupied by Mary Vass and others, herring gutters, of twenty-seven letters and six photographs belonging to Vass. He pled guilty and was fined in the sum of 7s 6d, or to go to prison for four days. The fine was paid.
1888
ACCIDENT TO A SOMNAMBULIST AT ABERDEEN. —A rather peculiar accident occurred on Monday morning to Chapman Smith (22), fisherman on board the Medium, K.Y.841, at present fishing from Aberdeen. Smith belongs to Cellardyke, and was lodged at the Middle Row, Footdee. About half-past twelve in the morning he rose from bed while asleep, and fell down a stair, a distance of fourteen feet. When picked up it was found that he had sustained severe injuries to his left shoulder blade, and less severe injuries to the scalp. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary.
1889
Fatal effects of an accident.
While assisting his grandson to start a cart-load of barrels in Councillor Melville’s yard, the old Cellardyke skipper, William Brown, fell and broke three or four of his ribs in the region of the lungs. His life was despaired of from the first, but he lingered from last Wednesday until Saturday, when he died. He was in his 80th year, and leaves many children and grandchildren to mourn his melancholy fate.
LAUNCH of a BOAT- On Monday afternoon a launch took place from Mr Jarvis’ boatbuilding yard. The boat was launched by means of Mr Gilchrist’s steam engine, and was witnessed by a large turnout of spectators. The craft has been purchased by Mr David Watson, Cellardyke. Her length is 60 feet, breadth 19 feet, and her name is to the “Morning Star.” (This would be the boat KY130 – 57ft Length sold to Alex Rodger in 1901 when David watson had the 70ft Morning Star KY 190 built)