Tag: fisherfolk

Categories
Disasters People

Stonehaven Skipper’s Silver Watch

  • Post author By
  • Post date

Fisherman, William Christie and 3 of his crew were drowned off Stonehaven in Jan. 1885. Their bodies were never found. 3 years later, another fisherman hooked William’s silver watch by a single link in its chain and presented it to William’s widow Christina.

Image
Stonehaven Harbour, 1890. Source: https://www.stunningstonehaven.co.uk/looking-back-stonehaven-harbour/
Image

This picture (below) of fisherfolk at Stonehaven was taken about his time. Also here’s the entry for his boat (The Mary) and the crew in the register of deaths at sea. The cause of death is given as “swamping of boat”

Image
https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1773579
Image
Entries in the register of deaths at sea for William Christie and the 3 other fisherman who died after the Mary was swamped.
References

Aberdeen Evening Express. 26th January 1885. pg. 4
Aberdeen Evening Express. 18th February 1888. pg. 2
1885 CHRISTIE, WILLIAM (Statutory registers Deaths 022/MR 98)

Categories
Folklore Rural Life

Avoch Wedding Tradition

  • Post author By
  • Post date

At the weddings of Avoch fisherfolk, the best man would untie the groom’s left shoe before the ceremony to defend against meddling by witches. The shoe needed to be worn untied for the rest of the day, night, and following morning.

David Allan’s Penny Wedding
Categories
People

Newhaven Fishwives

  • Post author By
  • Post date

Bef. 19th C, Newhaven was a gyneocracy run by its fishwives. Men needed their wife’s permission to join a war. Women set fish prices and controlled the local economy. Nicknamed “Maggie Mucklebackit”, the typical Newhaven fishwife could carry 50-100kg of fish.

Categories
Folklore Words

He-wood and She-wood

  • Post author By
  • Post date

In the 19th C., fishermen in Nairn believed that wood was either “he” or “she”. Boats made with “she-wood” sailed faster at night than during the day. Boats made with wood that had been stolen, “stealt-wood” also went faster at night.

Categories
Rural Life

Fisherwomen’s burdens

  • Post author By
  • Post date

Fishermen in the Moray Firth hated getting their feet wet. Their wives would carry them out to the boats at low tide, would carry the catch to the shore, then go back out and carry the men back to shore. Burt, in 1726 commented on “their remarkable Laziness”.

Edward Burt was scathing of Highland life in the 1720s and quick to criticize what he didn’t fully understand. In Inverness men also spent a bodle to cross the Ness by bridge whereas women were made to wade through to save the household money. Wives were treated v. poorly in general.

Categories
Folklore Rural Life Words

Fishermen’s Freits

  • Post author By
  • Post date

In fishing communities many words were taboo and would curse ship and crew if said aloud. Here are some “safe” alternatives:

keys: SNUTTLES
sheep: BLITTER
milk: SKUBBA
church: MUNGER-HOUSE
pig: MUDVITE
cat: FOODIN
knife: RAGGER
eel: SMONGIE
crab: SNIFFLE

For instance, if a fisher or a gutter accidentally said “gie tae me the knife” and didn’t call it a “ragger”, the knife had to immediately be thrown into the sea.