1870
At a Burgh Court held in Cellardyke Town Hall on Wednesday, John MacDonald, a boy about fifteen years of age, the son of Peter Macdonald, hatter and hawker of chinaware was charged with the crime of breach of the peace, in so far as on the noon of Monday, the 15th last, he cursed and swore at the window of the baker’s shop near Cellardyke harbour, occupied by David Black, and also entered said shop and threatened to ” knock down ” Christina Black, the girl in charge, and did thereafter pursue her to an upper room which he tried to force open, using as he did so exceedingly violent and abusive language by which the young girl was very much agitated and alarmed. The officer of Court called the panel in due form, but, failing to appear, warrant was granted for his apprehension.
Smuggling.—At J.P. Court, held at Montrose on Friday week, J. Montador, fisherman, Cellardyke, was charged at the instance of J. N. Edmonds, Esq., collector of U.M. Customs, for having on board his boat about 2 ½ lbs of foreign manufactured tobacco, the same not having paid duty. The case was found proven, and fined 11s. A deposit of £5 was also left as a fine on the boat.
1871
Freuchie
On Saturday last the factory workers employed Scott’s Trustees had their annual excursion, going per morning train to Anstruther. Thanks are due to the inhabitants the place generally for their kindness to the excursionists, and in particular to Provost Martin who courteously gave them the use of the Town-Hall at Cellardyke, when; the whole company, numbering about 100, were served with refreshments, After a dance on the green sward, they returned at a late hour deeply grateful to their employers for enabling them to spend a day so happily in the East Fife.
Another report
Pleasure Excursion.—On Saturday last, a stirring appearance’ was given to our streets by the arrival witii the morning train the employees —to the number of about 100—in Mr Scott’s factory at Freuchie, who, with flute band in front, walked in procession through the town. The merry strains of the music readily drew our townsfolks to their doors, to look on and admire so .many handsomely-attired young women, whose blooming cheeks and cheerful faces w ere so contrary to the ideas of many life within the brick walls of a factory, and with the “cold metallic motion” of the machinery ringing incessantly in the ear. The weather, fortunately, was fine, and though without the advantage of being conducted to any particular place of interest in the neighbourhood, the party seemed highly gratified with their visit to the East Neuk. The sea-shore—as never fails to be the case with inland visitors—was the grand attraction for all; but the “Admiral Fitzroy” lifeboat, the sailing of the steamer, and the herrings and herring boats were also the objects of lively interest. The whole company met by appointment in Cellardyke Town Hall, where dinner was partaken of in the shape of savoury pies from the Steam Bakery of Mr David Black, and which, we understand, like the whole expenses of the excursion, was provided their masters, who, by such a graceful act of liberality, cannot fail to excite those kindly feelings which form the true and only bond of union between employers and employed. The party left again for home with the evening train—their decorous and orderly conduct being in pleasing contrast with that of certain visitors lately to this locality.
1872
Sabbath morning, the herring boat of skipper .John Fleming, of Cellardyke, arrived with a vessel’s boat about fourteen feet in length, which the crew reported they had found floating about 15 miles seaward of Montrose. The boat had a broken rope attached to her bow, and from her appearance there is every reason to suppose that she had broken adrift from some French fishing lugger, though the usual regulation name and number is not painted upon her as to identify the waif, which has been taken in charge by Mr Keay, the receiver of wrecks for the district.
Thefts from Fishermen,—On Saturday morning, the fishing boat “Delaware,” of Cellardyke, while lying in Anstruther harbour, was found to have been boarded during the night by a scamp or scamps, and a quantity of wearing apparel robbed from the cabin. The apparel consisted of what is known amongst sea-faring people as ‘a suit of go ashores,’ belonging to skipper John Doig, and a pair of boots belonging to brother—having value of about £7. The crew had arrived at a late hour on the previous evening and exhausted with sea labour had been glad to go home for a little needful rest, which some blackguard no doubt on the look-out-had taken advantage of to make the heartless theft.
1874
There still continues to be the most encouraging signs of a large spread of herrings the Forth. On Wednesday morning all St Monance resounded with the cry—” Willie Marr’s in wi’ four and twenty barrel,” which had been netted overnight in the Fluke dub, which realised ready sale at 30s a barrel; and on Thursday morning, Skipper Peter Smith who, by the way, is the only “free ” or unengaged boat of the large Cellardyke fleet, landed on Anst’er pier over thirteen crans fished in the offing, with soundings at eighteen fathoms and in the same tide a Buckhaven crew came across from the Dunbar coast with about fourteen crans ; but not the least significant incident of the week was the success of some Kingsbarns men, who, instead of wearing away the backs of their waistcoats against the village pump, have launched a big yawl from Anst’er beach, with which, and sundry old nets, they had two barrels on the Fife shore on Thursday morning. The boats returned to Gourdon after one or two unsuccessful trials in the early part of the week, but there is a widely current opinion that if there had been more boats with gear adapted for the inshore fishing, a good harvest might have been reasonably expected in the Forth ; but few as the reapers may have been, the yield is already much better than for several years, thus strengthening the idea of the old fisher the other Sabbath at the Kirk style of Kilrenny, The reeshel o’ the auld haikes on the pepper sands will someday sune scoor the roost aff ilka wheel.”
The disastrous storm of last week entailed full share of loss on not a few of our East of Fife crews. Two skippers, George Barclay, sen., and Robert Dickson, were overboard, and the former especially escaped as if by miracle from a watery grave, and several crews had to buffet for hours between life and death before they reached a port of safety ; while the destruction of gear was altogether without a parallel. Two or three crews came in without a single net and others had to leave from ten to forty adrift in the foaming waters. Skipper David Watson returned to Cellardyke in order to replace “thirty toom raips” so as to continue the Aberdeen fishing ; and we hear of an unlucky Pittenweem crew who could only resume operations by the friendly aid of some Samaritan neighbours who lent them a net from each of their boats As was stated in the News last week, the visit of so many of the wives to the fishing stations of the north has been a most fortunate circumstance, as it was only by so many willing and expert volunteers that the torn gear was repaired in time to allow the crews to go to sea with improved weather. A consideration of the utmost value, as the herrings were known to be upon the coast.
But while the season has had its own record of misfortune, a considerable number of the crews from this district have met with encouraging success. Skipper Peter Murray reported to have earned about £300 , and several crews belonging both to Cellardyke and St Monance have nearly, if not quite, overtaken their have 200 barrels, but as a rule the prices, particularly of Aberdeen is under the average last year.