1905
At Pittenweem Burgh Court yesterday, before a full bench of magistrates, Walter Myles, confectioner Cellardyke, pleaded guilty to having on Sunday, the 17th inst., at the Commercial Hotel, James Street, falsely represented that he had come from Colinsburgh, by which he obtained a glass of whisky and a glass of beer. Provost Christie passed sentence of a fine of 15s or ten days imprisonment.
1908
An interesting function was held in Cellardyke town hall, when County Committee certificates for navigation were presented to those fishermen who attended the navigation class.
The certificates were presented by Major Anstruther Gray MP who remarked that it was a source of great gratification to know that of a total class of fifty six, forty one men had been successful in taking certificates……
1909
Miss MacMillan, M A Edinburgh of Edinburgh’s National Women’s Suffrage Society, which is affiliated to the WSPU., addressed a largely attended public meeting in Cellardyke town hall on Tuesday evening. She said that at a meeting of her society recently it was decided to support any candidate, of whatever political opinions who pledged himself to vote for a Bill in Parliament enfranchising women.
A crowded meeting was addressed by Major Anstruther Gray, M.P for St Andrews Burghs, in Cellardyke Town hall. He first dealt with fishery questions, and said that when the unionist Government was in power the radicals were constantly condemning that Government for allowing trawling in the Moray Firth. Action was taken by the late Lord Linlithgow, and a master of a foreign trawler was convicted and imprisoned. When the present Government came in, instead of backing the Scottish Fishery board and the law of Scotland, the Scottish office was ordered by the Foreign Office to have the conviction quashed, with the result the Moray Firth was again open to foreigners, but still remained closed to British trawlers…. It was time the Government passed a law prohibiting fish caught by foreign trawlers being landed in English ports. That was all very well but he was strongly in favour of either opening the Moray Firth to everybody or closing it to everyone (Cheers) He thought the three mile limit should be enforced right round our Islands….. there was no heckling and votes of thanks were passed..
1910
A distressing case of suicide was brought to light on Tuesday morning at West Forth Street, Cellardyke, when James Watson (51), was found dead in a loft or garret, hanging from one of the rafters. It seems that Watson’s non-appearance at breakfast roused alarm in his household, and a search was made for him. It was noticed that the key for the loft was missing, and his son-in law on entering found the unfortunate man’s body suspended from the rafters. Medical aid was called, but life had been extinct for several hours.
1911
The Rev Robert Gardner MA, Cellardyke has been appointed assistant in the Parish of Church, Peebles, and will commence his duties on the first Sunday in the year. He starts his career with the best wishes of a large number of friends in the district.
As usual the old folks attending Cellardyke Parish Church received their annual treat from Mrs Oliphant, Mayview.
1912
The fishermen of Cellardyke met in the town hall, when Mr Bertram Dunbar, Secretary of the East Coast Fisheries Association, delivered an address on Trawling for Herrings and Gun firing in the Forth. Mr T S Laverock president of the local branch presided. Mr Bertram said that during the last few months the burning question in fishing circles had been the barbarous for of fishing known as trawling for herrings. The murderous nets of the steam trawlers swept along gathering in all sorts and conditions of fish, vast numbers which are immature. As every fisherman knows the herring was a very delicate fish, and once enclosed in that submarine trap its career was ended…… Another grievance was gun firing in the Forth . The speaker said he had considerable correspondence with the Admiralty on the subject. In their last letter the Admiralty stated that gun firing would be confined to the mouth or outwith the Forth as far as possible, but that as Rosyth was an important Naval Base, it could not be expected that the Forth would be free from gun firing…. On the motion of Skipper Martin Gardner, it was agreed to meet the Skippers and ask them to get their crews to pay 7s per crew out of expenses, thus trying to get every fisherman to become a member of the Society….
This next report was briefly mentioned at this time last year.
1915
While many heroic and glorious deeds on land and sea are being recorded at the present time, none could possibly excel the daring, undaunted courage and cool resource of captain Michael Doig of the Aberdeen trawler Monarch, and his brave men in rescuing the crew – six in number – of the drifter Success, which was wrecked off Donmouth while on a voyage from Berwick to Peterhead. The clever handling of the Monarch in the tempestuous sea which raged along the Aberdeenshire coast was unquestionably the means of saving six men from a watery grave, and the remarkable coolness and gallantry displayed in the face of certain destruction, if anything miscarried in the navigation, calculations, affords another striking example of men willing to lay down their lives for their fellows. When such noble acts are recognised on land, it is hoped that the men of the Monarch will not go unrewarded at the proper quarter.
Captain Doig, a well-built cautious and fearless looking type of the hardy Scottish Fisherman – he is a native of Cellardyke and 43 years of age – gave an account of the rescue to an Express reporter with the modesty characteristic of the man. They had been fishing at the grounds off Peterhead, and during the night it came on to blow very heavily, and as they made their way up for Aberdeen harbour an angry sea was raging, betokening more dirty weather to follow. They came dodging up easy ahead, waiting to see if there was any chance of running the bar, but it was out of the question on account of the wild waves that were lashed into a fury at the harbour mouth. About a mile and a half off Donmouth the Skipper had his attention had his attention directed to the ill-fated Empress, which was making for the harbour, and he remarked to the second fisherman that they would watch how she got in. Just then they saw the Success, and heard her signals of distress; the whistle was blowing and the crew were waving a flag. They were trying to get off shore but they could not manage it. No headway could be made, and so violent was the storm that although full steam was up the vessel was going astern.
Wild billows raced across the bay, and the Monarch was swept from stem to stern, huge lumps of water dashing on board the craft, and every minute imperilling the lives of the fishermen. It was a spectacle that would have daunted most men, but Skipper Doig kept up a stout heart, and, having once made up his mind, determined to go to the assistance of his distressed comrades. It was a tremendous gale and getting worse all the time, the huge seas were about swamping both vessels, and the Success being a lighter craft, was tumbling about like a cockle shell. She was right on the leas shore, and, to make matters worse, was unmanageable. The Monarch had to turn right round about to get up the weather side of the Success and ascertain what was the matter with the boat, which was rolling about in all directions, sometimes alongside and the next time nearly half a mile apart. They could not get spoken to the distressed vessel on account of the heavy sea and the wind, but after some manoeuvring the Monarch dropped a buoy overboard with a line attached to drift down to the success for the purpose of towing her out to seas. Connection between the two vessels was successfully established, but the tow rope had not been aboard the Monarch five minutes when it snapped..
The skipper of the unfortunate craft then declared he could not steam to sea and wanted out of the boat all together. Then captain Doig skilfully manoeuvred his vessel into position again, and at the end of eighty fathoms of line tied a buoy and half a dozen lifebelts, one for each of the crew of the Success. These he dropped overboard and they drifted towards the success and were hauled on board. Captain Doing made signs to the crew to make themselves fast with the lifebelts and they would be dragged through the water to the deck of the Monarch. When the first one plunged into the wild breakers and was safely got on board, the rest quickly followed, and were all safely landed in half an hour in getting alongside the Success. James Reid the Skipper’s son saved the situation on the doomed craft. He made everyone fast, and stuck to the last himself. He was a very plucky chap, was the comment of Skipper Doig.
Some of the men were very exhausted, and the skipper had a narrow escape from being jammed between the two vessels, but Captain Doig seized him by the shoulder and got him on board. The crew had a marvellous escape and but for the skilful seamanship of the rescuers would all in probability have perished. Captain Doig was in the Wheelhouse with George Fowler the mate. Four of the windows were smashed, and the wheelhouse was half full of water, but fortunately no one was injured.
The Monarch after the rescue steamed towards Gridleness, but the sea was too heavy to risk entrance to the harbour, and the boat put out to the bay all night, returning the next day. By that time there was only one loaf among fourteen, and very little water. They could not stay out longer, and ran the bar in the face of a terrible sea, and it was a big risk even at that time.
The crew of the rescuing vessel were
Captain Michael Doig
George Fowler, mate
William Beveridge, second fisherman,
John Duncan, deckhand
John Duncan , deckhand,
Alexander Robb, Chief engineer
William Leiper, second Engineer
Robert Bowe, Cook.
Captain Doig has been a fisherman all his life, on sailboats, drifters and steam trawlers, and has been seventeen years on board the Monarch which belongs to his father, himself, and Mr Davidson Fish salesman.