1890
One of the Cellardyke boats returned from Valentia on the south coast of Ireland, this week and reports that owing to the swarms of dogfish they were unable to carry on the fishing.
Theft – A tall and rather respectable-looking man described as Wm Macdonald, pedlar, was placed at the bar of Cellardyke Burgh Court yesterday accused of stealing a door key. He pleaded guilty. A touching appeal was made t0 the pity of the bench by the presence his wife and children in court, this may explain his lenient sentence, 5s or – seven days in Dundee jail. He preferred to go to prison.
A Warning – Boys Sent to Prison. – Three urchins – Alexander Laurie, Wm. Smith, and Peter Murray were placed at the bar of the Burgh Court yesterday – Provost Martin and Bailie Williamson on the bench – accused of wilful mischief, in so far as they smashed the sills and other- injured Cellardyke Public School. They pleaded guilty, when after a pointed reprimand by the Provost, the first two panels were sent, as to be a warning to others, a couple of days to Dundee jail without the option of a fine. The third, Murray, being under fourteen years of age, was fined in 5s, or ten hours in prison, but the fine was paid.
Sad Death of a Native of Cellardyke.—No little regret was felt in the East of Fife over the tidings on Monday of the melancholy fate of Private Alex. Gardener, who was drowned at sea along with another comrade of the Gordon Highlanders. The two bodies, as was stated yesterday, lay at the bottom of the water-logged boat which was towed into Aberdeen on Saturday. He was the second son of Mr James Gardener, carter, West Forth Street. He served his time a tailor with his uncle in Pittenweem, and then enlisted all but seven years ago. His period of service, indeed, expired in a couple of months or so, when he fondly expected to return to the unrestrained comforts outside the barrack room, doing his best in the meantime acquire experience as a cutter. He was about five-and-twenty years of age, and leaves a widow and two children. He passed furlough in Cellardyke some five years ago.
A NEW FISHING COMPANY.
The one topic in fishing circles this week is the proposal to own and fit out trawlers in Cellardyke. David Murray, of St Ayles, is said to be sanguine of success view of the great doings—as they are said to be—at Aberdeen, where six new vessels are being built in addition to the eighty steam vessels already in the enterprise. It is true that only eight years have elapsed since the ricketty old Trawler steamed in and out of the bay. But, Mr James Johnston told his hearers, as one of the deputies of the Fishery Board, in Anstruther Town Hall the other week, the harvest – however great in the meantime -is only, at the most, for year and a day. Bank after bank, as he proved, was already clean ever a broom swept the barn floor. It is the same story in the Forth. In the autumn of 1848, when Tom Deas tacked in the offing of St Monance steeple in his old, brave boat, with the battered mainsail, to trawl for the first time in the Fluck Dub, he and his men could not draw the net for the multitude of fishes. But we all know how soon it was otherwise. The record is the same to-day, or, in the words of the eloquent Fife skipper, “The steam trawl is in no idle words the besom of destruction in all waters.” This fact is fully recognised in Cellardyke. We give the rumour for what it is worth, but it is said that Mr Stephen Williamson, M.P., is willing to advance on the experiment. There little likelihood any Fife skipper being entangled, as Mr Johnston would fav, in the undertaking. In Cellardyke, we said the other week, the sentiment is growing from day to day in favour what experience has proved be the most serviceable and remunerative of all fishing craft, namely a steam liner. “It’s no fishers but carters we want,” a trawl owner told a son of St Peter. But it is otherwise with the steam liner fishing with net and line, as in the case the North Sea fleet to-day.
1893
The body of Thomas Fowler Mason, fisherman, Crail, 28 years of age, who was drowned off Crail by the capsizing a yawl on 9th March, has been found in the water by a Cellardyke fisherman, who was at the crab fishing.
1894
St Andrews
Robert Keith, fish cadger. Cellardyke, was charged with a contravention of the Roads and Bridges Act, by driving his fish cart without lights. He pled guilty, and was fined 10s, or three days, with 6s expenses. – David Keith, jun., was implicated in the same charge, and was fined 4s, or two days, with 6s expenses.
1895
MISSING CELLARDYKE BOAT. The Cellardyke boat Lady of the Lake ( Alexander Davidson, Master) is now, says a correspondent, regarded as having foundered in the gale of the previous week with its crew of seven men. In addition there was a man washed overboard from another boat. These have left seven widows and 27 children unprovided for. An effort is being made to raise a fund for their relief. H.M.S. Niger made at thorough search for the boat last week, and picked up some floating gear which belonged to several other boats. She saw nothing of the missing boat or its gear. At a meeting at Cellardyke, on Friday night, called by the Provost with the view of relieving the distress of the sufferers, it was announced that the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society had voted immediate grant of £30 towards the local relief fund.
( Also lost at this time was William Motion (42) from David Watson’s fishing vessel Providence KY263)
1896
FISHERMENS DISASTER FUNDS. There has just been issued a return of unexpended balances funds raised to provide for dependants of Scottish fishermen drowned at Sea. It is proposed that, the existing disaster funds should be consolidated into a Central Disaster Fund for Scotland and a bill is to be promoted in Parliament to this end. The return was granted at the request of Mr Munro Ferguson, M.P. The return shows that the East Coast Disaster Relief Fund had date of last report (15th March, 1895) 155 beneficiaries and unexpected balance of £24,250;
Dunbar Fishing Boat “Tweed” Disaster Fund, beneficiaries, and £652 unexpended; …………… Fisherrow Boat Disaster Fund. 22 beneficiaries, and £913 unexpended; East of Fife Fishermen’s Widows’ Fund, 21 beneficiaries, and £1100 unexpended ; Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund, boat “Brothers,” Largo 9 beneficiaries, and £199 unexpended; Cellardyke Disaster Fund, 27 beneficiaries, and £566 unexpended;……….. The return was agitated for the Edinburgh and Fish Trade Association, and now the association has been asked by Mr Fergusson to put any proposals they may now have in regard the balances the credit of the different funds into writing.