Fishwives & Sweeties
A great game among boys, on Wednesday & Saturday afternoons, was to go and Fish at Donmouth, where we need to catch a few Flounders, generally not larger than the face of a Watch; hence the name we gave them of “Watch Faces.” As they were usually not in time, or too lazy, to dig for Bait, they went on a plundering expedition to procure it. At that time and, perhaps, sometimes yet, in the summer months, the Fisherwomen need to go in Parties along the Shore in search for Bait for themselves in the shape of sand or silver eels. They had a very fine-meshed net, covered in some parts with Flannel, and they used to wade into the Sea, holding out the net, and every now and again come Ashore with it and transfer the contents into a “Murlan.” The boys would wait until they had gone into the Sea again when they would fill their Caps out of the Murlans and off they ran like Deer. The “Fishwives” would pursue them hotfoot, and often they narrowly escaped capture. Woe betide us had we been caught! Some Lads would not have gone into the Fishers’ Squares for love or money, for fear they would be identified as one of the Culprits. Under the altered conditions of the Fishing Industry in Aberdeen a Fisherwoman’s life is very pleasant compared to what it was then, when they had the whole of the Fish Landed to Carry from Pocra Pier up to the old Fish Market, at the Foot of Market Street (later the Site of the Post Office/Broo). A woman might then be seen bending under a Load that it sometimes required 2-men to lift upon her back. Any old Resident about York Street or Pocra Pier cannot but be struck with the great contrast between the bustle that used to pervade the locality at that time, especially at night, and the quiet of the present time, owing in great measure to the removal of the Orkney & Shetland Shipping Company‘s Landing Wharf to near the Dock Gates. At that time there were 3 Public-houses within a stones-throw of Fishers’ Square; now there is not one.
Pilots Tavern, Steam Yacht Tavern, Ferry Tavern
In the “Potteree” (Waterside) lived a well-known couple Betty Allan and her husband, “Geordie” (better known as “Turpentine“). Mrs Allan, who was a kindly, pawky little woman, for very many years used to keep the only fixed Stall there was in the old Fish Market, and supplied all & sundry with Fresh Fish, there being then very few, if any, Fishmongers’ Shops. Old Geordie “Turpentine” used to be seen every afternoon marching up to the Market to Escort his better-half home past dubious drunken Sailors.
Another well-known face in the old Fish Market was old “Mrs Tam Dearie.” In those days, the Fisherwomen sold their own Fish, and a number of them, besides selling them in the Market, used to go with them, in their Creels, to the Houses of their Friends & Customers. Friendships were thus commenced with Up-Town people, and many funny Stories used to be told in this connection. Mrs Dearie lived in the days before School Boards. She had ideas of her own upon things in general, and could give one the vernacular to perfection in the quaintest fashion. One day the old lady called at the door of a friend, when the following conversation ensued: ”Are ye in, Grinnie?” said Mrs Dearie, calling up the Stairs. “Is that you, Dearie? Come awa’ up,” was the answer. “A hinna time the day, ma lammie; Ave bidden ower lang, and it’s time I wis hame. I jist cried in to let ye ken I ‘ad ‘erd frae oor Davie.“ “I’m glaid o’ that,” was the reply. “Foo is he, and faur is he” ” Ow, Va fine, and fin he wrote me the Ship wis new Landit at Wallop-a-razor. (Valparaiso) – Gweed day, ma lammie.“
Another well-known woman in Footdee was Jenny Kemlo. Jenny kept a Candy Shop almost opposite G & W Davidson’s Rope & Twine Works (38-St Clements Street) which, was known to every youngster, and where she manufactured and sold the aforesaid dainty. It was the ordinary black “claggum” made from common Molasses, and she was terribly annoyed by the Gamins of the day, whose notions of “meum” and “tuum” were rather hazy .
Claggum – A coarse sweetmeat, consisting of treacle hardened by boiling, and flavoured
William Forbes Skene (7th June 1809 – 2th August 1892) 2nd Son of James Skene – East Neuk Chronicles
Doric Columns 