1882
NOVEL USE or COAL TAR.—Everyone is aware of the economical virtues of coal tar for preserving timber, when exposed to the action of the sea, as in the case of a boat’s bottom, or to damp as in the case of palisades, Ac., but it may surprise our readers to know that it is being toted with no less success and profit, instead of bark or cutch, on the nets and netting of the herring fisher. The good effects of the new agent are said to be simply marvellous. Thus, after the tear and wear of the season without being once landed for a drink in the “Wis” tub, nets so treated are found in the end to be as “firm and tough as bone,” to take the expressive -words of the intelligent young fisher of George Street, who has applied the test for several years. The modus operandi is not difficult to explain. Some prefer “primie,” or first dip, In boiling wis that is, dissolved cutch—but others dip the net, fresh from the weaving loom, or the merchant’s shop, amongst the tar without any previous bath or preparation at all. Care is taken to make the immersion complete, and this is done so quickly, that as the yarn is fed in on one side of the tub it is withdrawn at the other, by a machine, usually nothing more nor less than the housewife’s wringer, which will perhaps be engaged tomorrow, as it was yesterday, at the washing of the family linen. In any case, the object is merely to squeeze out the surplus tar, and this being done, the same busy fingers toss it once more into the steaming tub, as without such an expedient it would be impossible to dry or “case harden” the yarn, which after a day or two’s immersion is easily effected in a reeving breeze. Old Willie Waid, the uncle of the Anstruther patriot, who left his fortune and his prayers for the Orphan Asylum, would never bark his hand Iine, ” Na, na.” he would say, “I ken better than dae that—they would never bite”—his impression being that the fish would turn from the unseemly lure; but it has been seen again and again that nets seasoned with tar are as successful as others in all conditions of the herring sea. So far as our inquiries go, the idea was first caught by our fishers at seeing the practice of the Penzance crews at Yarmouth. This was twenty years ago, and for the last twelve, perhaps, it has been more or less adopted, but this season it has become almost the rule in Cellardyke. It is also no small abridgment of time and trouble, for we have only to remember the long weeks of household sweat and toil of the barking process, with the weary sequel to many an exhausting night at sea, when the tired fisher, with big Duncan, or Donald, murmuring fearful Gaelic oaths between his teeth, had to repair to the green to “air” the nets, as the only expedient to prevent them from rotting like damp hay in the forehold. Much was gained when catch took the place of Tanner Darsie’s oak bark; . but the new plan is the most forward step of all, especially in those days when, instead of fifteen or twenty nets, as when our grandfathers put to sea, the drift is now counted by sixty and seventy. Perhaps, however, no fact is so suggestive of the enterprise of the sea as with regard to the quality of the net, which now consists of cotton thread, so finely span that its twelve hundred yards or so — the size usually in the hands of the East of Fife fishers–will only weigh from twelve to fifteen pounds; and the other day we saw a parcel which I scarcely turned the scales at ten.
CRICKET. —A number of spirited young men in Anstruther and Cellardyke have organised themselves into a cricket club, in connection with which this delightful game is being played with much enthusiasm. It is a search for pleasure under many difficulties; but the Anstruther players meet on the Billowness. Their Cellardyke friends, however, are so fortunate as to have the verge of the beautiful field beyond the golden strand, for which they are indebted to the kindness and courtesy of Mr Clark, the esteemed factor on the lands of Kilrenny, who in this considerate act has set an example which cannot be too well commended, especially when we reflect that not a single facility for outdoor recreation is open to our young men. Hence the concourse that is so often—and we had almost said unavoidably—to be met with at the corner of our thoroughfares.
Call to Cellardyke Mission Church.— We understand that the Committee of this church have invited the Rev. Mr Watson, sometime of the Peterhead Mission, to become their pastor. Mr Watson preached with great acceptance before the congregation on Sabbath week, and we are assured that the step now taken by the Committee is at the earnest and unanimous desire of all interested in the welfare of the church. This young minister is a son of the Berwickshire Manse, and is one of the promising young men who in these days have gone out from the Divinity class rooms of Edinburgh; but he comes especially recommended to Cellardyke, for, though scarcely more than seven and-twenty, he has laboured for some two years at Fraserburgh, and for about the same period at Peterhead, where he has greatly endeared himself to the seafaring people, not only as a faithful preacher the New Testament, but specially, perhaps, as a devoted worker in the Bible class and Sabbath school. Mr Watson, we are further told, is to enter at once on his charge in Cellardyke, which has been vacant for several months, or since the removal of the Rev. Charles Ross, B.D., to assistantship in Edinburgh.
Herring Nets. Herring Nets. SHARP & MURRAY, Cellardyke, have always a supply of NETS, Barked and Mounted ready for Backrope or with Backrope, all made from very Best Material. Samples can be seen at Messrs Scott Leslie’s Office, Broad Street, Peterhead. Cellardyke, 3rd July, 1682.
The fleet this season includes the finest and largest boats ever fitted out from the East of Fife. Amongst these being notably the dashing clipper Ruby, which was launched the other day Councillor Jarvis to the order of the old Cellardyke skipper, Mr David Wilson. For the last thirty years boat-building has been carried on with no greater enterprise on the East coast than at the Brae of Anstruther; but the Ruby is beyond question the queen of the fleet. She is longer by a foot than any other built here, her dimensions being —length, 55; beam, 18; and depth of hold, 7 ½ feet; but, in addition to this, she also challenges attention by the fineness and symmetry of her mould. Councillor Jarvis has also contracted, not for a boat, but a regular deep-sea going smack to the order of another Cellardyke skipper, Mr Robt. Cunningham.
1883
LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION—REWARDS. —An award of £7 has been granted to James Smith, Cellardyke, and his crew, for saving the lives of five persons from the boat Jessie, of Lerwick, which was, during stormy weather, in danger off Mousa on the 14th April last.
EXCURSIONS. –Anstruther – The choir of the Free Church here had their annual excursion at the invitation of their esteemed leader, Mr David Bruce, of the Post Office, Cellardyke, on Thursday, when the party spent a delightful day amongst the charming scenery and proud and kindling memories of Falkland and the western vales of Fife. The choir of the Parish Church of Cellardyke with their leader, Mr W. B. Watterston, likewise had an excursion on Wednesday to Dundee, where the various points of interest were visited in the long round of pleasure like bees, flying from flower to flower- certainly not the least interesting being to the old Mars, where they had an opportunity of inspecting the whole of the beautiful and suggestive details, by the special favour of her worthy commander, Captain Scott.
THE CELLARDYKE COFFEE HOUSE. —At a meeting the other night the Directors, we understand, have selected Mr George Butters, confectioner, to conduct the establishment during the opening year, when the rooms, ie, the lower section of the new Town Hall buildings, will be given by way of bonus free of rent. Councillor Skinner proposed Mr Thomas Swinton but the opinion would seem to be widely shared that the Directors have been singularly fortunate in putting the experiment in the hands of one every way fitted for the critical and interesting trust. The opening of course is reserved till the return of the boats.
Decrees in Absence
County Amount Month Defender Pursuer
Fife £17 15s 4½d July 5 John Millar Boatbuilder Anstruther R&D Slimon Manufacturing and furnishing Iron Monger
Fife £21 12s 9d July 5 John Herd, Cabinet maker, Cellardyke Francis Milne, Timber merchant Aberdeen
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