|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Monance
Simminins Mare Vivimus --- By the sea we live --- From the sea we have life.
In the thirties St. Monance Harbour, four miles distant from Earlsferry was a beehive of industry. Herring and bottom fish were very prolific in the Firth of Forth. Fishing and boat building were the life blood of the village. The boat building yard of Walter Reekie at the west end of the harbour and that of James N. Miller and Sons, Ltd at the east end of the harbour could hardly turn out fishing boats fast enough to meet the demand. In addition to North Sea fishing boats, Reekie's boat yard turned out round the world motor sailer cruisers, designed and built along the lines of the heavy canoe stern North Sea fishing boats. The Miller yard in addition to North Sea fishing boats made both round the world sailing yachts and also motor sailer cruisers that included the famous "Fifer" designs. The entire village echoed to the sounds of the men who built these craft. They were a loud and jovial group. With heavy adzes they hewed the various timbers into perfect shape and curvature. And oh the wonderful smells that came from all the chippings and shavings of all the various woods. From Reekie's the woods of choice were oak for the keels, the ribs and the structural parts. For the planking, larch or Oregon pine. Decks were either larch or teak. Wheelhouse structures were trimmed in Honduras or Philippine mahogany. Miller's, for their yachts and motor cruisers, used a greater amount of the exotic woods. Now to these aromas, add the smell of tarry oakum, the stuff that gets hammered in between the planking, to make the seams waterproof. But we're not done yet. Tan-barked nets and ropes were everywhere and well used wooden fish boxes covered the piers. But the best is yet to come. When the tide goes out, the floor of the harbour dries to expose a mushy layer of mud that's composed of rotting tangles, seaweeds and the remains of creatures of the sea. The blending of all of these harbour aromas created the very essence of the village, what St. Monance was all about, it's economy from the sea. There have been moments in my life that I'd have given anything for a nostalgic whiff.
When launch day for the boat arrived the slipways were coated with a thick layer of soft soap. Red, white, and blue ribbons were tied from the highest midway point of the boat to the stem and the stern posts. A ribbon covered bottle of red wine hung from the bow. The local school closed for the day to let the children come to see the launching. Everyone who could lined the piers to watch. A lainch (boat launch) was a big event. A workman hammered out the last chock to release the boat.
The lady doing the honours swung the bottle of red wine against the stem. I christen thee, The Morning Star or whatever the boat's name was. (The use of red wine at the christening ceremony of sea going vessels goes back to ancient biblical times.)
At first all is quiet then a great cheer goes up from all the bystanding well wishers as the boat emerges from the boat building shed and picks up speed as it slides down the ways to become one with the sea. I was always amazed that the water line that had been pre-painted on the boat was exactly where it should be.
During the years of World War II the British Admiralty commissioned the Reekie yard to build minesweepers and the Miller yard to build Fairmiles, high speed, hard chine, planing hull, motor torpedo boats.
At week ends when all the boats were in the harbour and rafted together it was at times possible to walk from the west pier all the way over boat decks to the middle pier then over more boat decks to the east pier. They were virtually jam packed in.
I remember one tragedy that happened in the harbour. Luckily on that day most of the boats were still out at sea. This happened in the evening. For whatever reason a boat that was moored at the East pier caught on fire. It's owner valiantly fought the flames. When it got to the point that the blaze couldn't be extinguished the vessel was towed out to sea. It was towed to nearby Newark Castle where it was cast adrift. The wind pushed it to shore where it burned till well after daylight. The heat was so intense that watchers on the braes above the shore had to shield their faces.
Prior to Walter Reekie turning over a new boat to it's owner it was his custom to make one final tour of inspection of the boat. One day in 1949 he was starting to do just that. On descending the iron ladder to get down and on to the boat he lost his footing on a rung. He fell between the harbour wall and the boat. In that instant he died.
After this sad event the Walter Reekie yard at St. Monance was bought by Walter's life long contemporaries and friends, the boat building Miller family. Shortly after that Walter's boat building yard at Anstruther was also sold.
Now fishing in the Firth of Forth has declined to the point that there is no longer a demand for new fishing boats and the villages of the East Neuk of Fife now cater to the many visitors who come to the region.
A Miller Fifer Motor Sailer at Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Another
member of the Miller family who achieved world wide fame, renown and
acclaim in his own right is Niven Miller. Niven elected not to
follow into the family business of designing and building what were
maybe the worlds best and most seaworthy boats. Niven was
blessed with a powerful, rich and wonderful baritone voice and his
forte became that of an operatic singer and a singer of the songs of
his homeland. His voice held audiences, which included
the Queen Elizabeth, spellbound
wherever he
went. Scots abroad who flocked to his performances were reduced to
tears when he would sing," O' my luve's like a red, red
rose." However, as
Niven
said, "We can't "greet"
for ever".
The West Pier at St. Monance harbour, as it was in the day of my fisherman grandfather, John Reekie.
This old faded and water stained painting of yesteryear St Monance poses questions that will never be answered. Many years ago I was traveling on the Oregon coast and saw a going-out-business sign in the window of an antique shop. In a corner of the shop was a collection of stuff that was being discarded. After turning over a few of the items this small painting in it's original very old glass frame was looking at me. For me there was no mistaking what it was. How did this very old painting of the St. Monance harbour end up on the Oregon coast and be on the brink of being cast into oblivion when I happened by to rescue it ? Who had been it's carrier to this part of the world ? It's my guess that a very long time ago it had been the nostalgic possession of someone from St. Monance, a reminder of home. The painting predates the building of the outer block breakwater, known as The Blocks. The Blocks breakwater was added to the East pier to shelter the entrance to the harbour from south easterly winds and the Miller boat building establishment has not yet come on the scene.
August 2007---I took the old painting back to St. Monance where it now hangs on a wall in the village's Heritage Museum.
Old, old St. Monance
And today
The Auld Kirk, St. Monance |
