1910
FOR SALE, that commodious DWELLING HOUSE, (Tennant A. Pattie), situated in Tolbooth Wynd, consisting of 3 Rooms, Bath Room, Scullery, Cellar, and Washing House, with piece of ground at back, and large shed suitable for storage of Fishing Gear, also a Stable and Loft to go, either with House, or separately. Apply to Mr JAMES LESLIE, Manufacturer, Cellardyke.
CELLARDYKE MAN’S THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Like a chapter out of a boy’s book of adventure is the tale of Mr George Smith, a native of Cellardyke, chief mate of the barque Loch Katrina that nearly foundered in a violent storm experienced in a journey between Sydney and Melbourne. The following extract is taken from the Melbourne Argus of May 9th, which was kindly forwarded to us by Mr R. Mitchell, late of Anstruther.
“George Smith, the first mate, who is a young practical. level-headed Scotchman—they are nearly all Scotchmen on board—gave the following account of the ship’s misadventure: —
“We left Melbourne at 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 23rd, for Sydney, and cleared the Heads four hours later. We passed Wilson’s promontory at 7 a.m., on Sunday, and it was fine then, and remained so until 5 p.m. on Monday. Then the wind suddenly shifted nor’ard from the east, and freshened up considerably. By midnight we had taken in everything but the two lower topsails, and we hove to. It was blowing a strong northerly, and we were rolling and pitching heavily in a high cross sea. We, however, were not taking any water aboard. On the Tuesday morning about three o clock the gale suddenly shifted to the west, and we ran away east to clear Flinders Island. We hove her to again at 3 o’clock well clear of the land—to the south of Cape Howe. We lay hove-to until midnight. It was blowing a severe gale, and a heavy sea was running. The ship was working heavily.
All of a sudden a squall struck the vessel, she made a heavy roll to the leeward, and away came the main top mast, leaving only the main lower meet and the main yard rho wreckage fell partly on deck, and part it caught in the gear, and hung aloft where it swung dangerously. All hands were called out, and soon everyone was at work cutting away the lanyard, with axes and chisels in the effort to get the wreckage over the side. It was a wicked night. We sunk to the work of clearing away the main mast for an hour. At half past three o’clock the main mast snapped, leaving a stump between 3 feet and 4 feet high above the deck. The ship was straining herself severely. She was rolling terribly in the trough of the seas. The main mast was hanging to her, and bumping against the side, and we were afraid it would go through her. So we cut and slashed to get the mast clear.
The main mast had carried away with it the lee fore-braces, which steady the yards on the foramina. The weight was now on the foremast. The yards were flying round with nothing on them, making a horrible rattle, and they strained the foremast. At 8 o’clock in the morning (Wednesday April 27th), the fore top mast, weakened by the strain, crashed down about us as we were struggling to cut away the main mast. There was no spelling night and day. All hands were at it from midnight till eight o’clock on Wednesday night.
At ten o’clock on Wednesday morning we lost the mizzen top mast. That left the fore lower meet and the foreyard of the lower mizzen mast standing. We tried all we could to secure the foremast and foreyard, but, owing to the heavy rolling of the ship, we could do nothing. The foremast itself snapped about three feet from the deck at noon. It stove in the after end of the deckhouse and the main hatch. We lashed it in the position in which it landed, but the lashings would not hold and the mast went over the side. Only the lower mizzemast was then standing. The boom was out of her, too; and of the four ship’s boats only one was whole. She was rolling just like a barrel. She had no top gear to steady her, and, instead of making a fine long roll, she was working in short roll, as a barrel would do in the water.
The sea started to moderate at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, but it was still heavy. The crew kept at work cutting away the wreckage, and by 6 o’clock the foremast and the mainmast were practically clear of the ship; but it was not until next day that we got clear of the jibboom, which had been carried away when the foremast went. Captain Martin then decided to try and sail the ship. He employed the crew in rigging up stays on the lower mizzenmast. We put up four stays on her. Then we sent the spanker-boom aloft, and tried to get a square sail on her, but she would not answer her helm. We put up a gaff alongside what was left of the foremast, and tried to get her to sail forward, but that had no effect. All the time, as we were casting wreckage over the side, we were painting on planks, hen-coops, anything that would serve the purpose, the particulars of our position. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday went by, and we were at it night and day. Two days after he was dismasted we had another heavy westerly gale, and she rolled so heavily that we could do nothing in the way of rigging the ship. We could not sleep when we had our spells, for the rolling kept us awake when it did not toss us out of our bunks.
At 6 o’clock in the evening of Monday, May 2, when it was seen that nothing could be got out of her, the captain called all hands aft, and said :
“See here, men, we have done all we could to try and get the ship on the way. All our efforts are fruitless, and we have come to the conclusion that we will man the boat, and do our best to make the land and get assistance. The mate volunteers to go into the boat, and he wants six hands—four pulling, two spelling. Who will volunteer!”
Every hand went up. All right, boys,’ the captain said. ‘ We will start first thing in the morning.’ We picked six strong men. Next morning we provisioned the boat, but we could not make a start, for a very heavy sea was running. At half-past 2 o’clock in the afternoon the sea had moderated a bit, and the boat was lowered. The swell swept it against the side, and we thought for a moment that the boat was gone, but it withstood the knock. They cheered us from the ship, end we cheered hack, and away we went. We were making for Gab, Island, 150 miles distant. The ship was then in latitude 39 south and longitude 152-32 east. The first gale drove her about 70 miles out of her course, but after she was dismasted she drifted about nine or ten miles a day in a circle, according to the way in which the wind shifted.
We started off with a fair wind, and set the sail standing away to the north-west. At midnight we encountered a head wind, and we started to pull. We pulled all night, and up to neon the next day. Then the wind wasted again, and we stood north till midnight, when the wind fell calm. We pulled till 6 o’clock the next morning, and as the wind subsequently set west-sou’-west, we made a more north-westerly course. I took sights at noon, and I reckoned we were about 100 miles due east from Gabo Island. We had a strong south-easterly wind, and we ran for the land. We sighted Gabo Island at 8 o’clock on Friday morning. We had intended to run along the coast to Twofold Bay, a distance of 27 miles, but at 8 o’clock we sighted a steamer, which proved to be the Tasmanic. We tacked about in front of her until she came up, and then we hailed her. We were immediately taken on board, and they treated us the best—splendid!
As far as I know, the hull is sound, and she is not leaking. There are no sails on her, barring a few staysails to keep her steady. There is no immediate danger. I should reckon that the tugboat sent from Sydney—l suppose she goes about 10 knots—would reach her about 4 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. If they did not locate her immediately, they would see her rockets at night.
1911
DEATH OF PROMINENT EAST FIFE MAN. Mr James Fortune, draper, died yesterday at his residence in Williamson Street, Cellardyke. Deceased took a great interest in public affairs, and was a member of Kilrenny Town Council. He had long been a prominent figure, especially in the religious life of the district. A strong supporter of the temperance cause, he was a member of the Baptist Church, and in all the agencies connected with that body was the head. Deceased, who was highly respected throughout whole of the East of Fife, leaves a widow and grown-up family.
1912
DAVIDSON & CO. James Street, CELLARDYKE,
Have received a fresh supply of Millinery suitable for Summer Wear. Fancy Crinoline Tagel and Chip Hats.
Also Boys’ and Girls’ Mushrooms.
Jack Tar Hats.
Special Lines in Trimmed Millinery, Smart and Up -to-Date.
Corsets a Speciality.
Dainty Novelties in Coats, Pelisses, and Frocks.
Children’s Millinery, Hoods and Hats.
New Satin and Lace Scarfs.
Blouses and Umbrellas.
Boys’ and Youths’ Suits.
Trousers, Hats, Caps, Ties, Scarfs, and Mufflers.
Any one paying a visit will not be disappointed DAVIDSON & CO.
Burgh Court – Alexander Miller, West Anstruther, and John McRuvie. Cellardyke, were charged before Provost Morris and Bailie Burd on Friday with having created a breach of the peace in High Street and Rodger Street on Friday 31st May, by challenging each other to fight and behaving in a drunken and disorderly manner. Both pled guilty. Miller admitted 11 previous convictions, the last being in 1908, while McRuvie had 7 cases against him, the last in October. 1911. The Fiscal stated that, as usual, drink was the cause of the disturbance. Miller had been on his good behaviour for nearly four years. McRuvie, he recommended, should leave drink alone. The latter readily promised the Provost to abstain from liquor, and fines of 7s 6d were paid by both
1913
COALS FOR MAY ISLAND.—Messrs A. Smith & Son, Cellardyke have been successful in securing the contract for the supply of coal to the May Island. On Monday forenoon, the Cunzie Burn took on board a horse which was shipped to the Island to cart coals from the landing place to the lighthouse. The shipping of the animal was watched by a large crowd. By the use of a wide band, the horse was slung from the pier to the vessels hold, and what was rather a ticklish job was carried through very quickly to the accompaniment of much shouting.
1914
HERRING DRIFTERS. The Story of their Progress. The question of the application of the steam vessel to the pursuit of the herring fishing, and the development of the steam drifter, has recently been commanding the attention of several writers, and it appears that none of the persons dealing with the matter has given a full account of the history of that craft- That, I do intend to aim at here, but would like to connect a few links of the chain that appear to be missing and to show that steam was successfully applied to herring 36 years ago, Few people seem to be aware of the fact that Mr David Allan, shipbuilder, Granton, took in what I consider were really the first successful steam drifters that operated on the Sottish coast. In the year 1878 that gentleman built and equipped two very tidy steam drifters, purposely for the prosecution of the herring fishing. During the fishing season of that year both of those craft fished at Aberdeen, and were engaged to work at that poet for the whole season. They were named the Forward and the Onward. The former fished fur the firm of Messrs James Methuen Co. of Leith, and the latter for Messrs Sharp & Murray, Cellardyke. For a number of years afterwards the Onward continued to fish at Aberdeen for the Cellardyke firm. These craft appeared at Aberdeen four years before steam trawling was commenced at that port, and there is little doubt but what they were the first steam fishing craft that operated there. A few years later a number of other vessels intended for the catching of herrings were built by Mr Allan, some of which would I compare favourably with the drifters of to-day….
CELLARDYKE. Award for Bravery —At its monthly meeting in London lost week the Committee of the Royal Humane Society, presided over by Admiral Sir G. D. Morant, K.C.8., made the following award : Testimonial to Thomas Watson, Dove Street, Cellardyke, for his prompt action in saving a lad who fell into the sea while fishing from the Basket Rock there on 22nd May.
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