Collieston Themes (pier)

The Pier was built in 1894 with the intention of providing a safer harbour and still further boosting the prosperity of the village. The coincidence of it causing the harbour to silt up and the younger fishermen being lured away by prospect of increased earnings at the steam trawling in Aberdeen and Peterhead meant that it failed on the latter account.

It has however remained entwined with the changing fortunes of the village………

Rear Admiral Steve Ritchie about the effort to maintain Collieston pier in good repair. Colvid0010

Collieston pier is pounded very heavy seas
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Pier construction

The concrete 'hut' is a reminder of the construction of the Pier, which was built in 1894. Still standing at a slant at the top of the Brae on the south side of Perthudden, this curious structure was built to house the explosives used in the Pier work.

For safety’s sake the explosives were transported to the site by boat from Perthudden rather than being carted through the village. Looking at the Brae on the north of Perthudden, Slains Lodge the former Whiteness Hotel is clearly visible.

To the right of Slains Lodge is a white washed cottage facing out to sea, formerly the lookout post of the Collieston Auxiliary Coastguard Company.

The Pier during construction

Looking from the high ground above the quarry in Cransdale, towards the north side of Collieston Pier whilst it was under construction.

The North and South entrances where the fishing boats entered or left before the Pier was completed are visible as are the rock formations on which the Pier was built. A crane, used in the construction, can be seen on the right of the picture.

In the foreground fish, probably cod or ling, are drying on racks. Beyond the Pier Slains Lodge, formerly known as Whiteness Hotel, is clearly identifiable on the cliff top.

Fishing

The Collieston fishing fleet of larger, tall masted, yawls in port circa 1900. Some of the fishermen’s gear can be seen lying on the Pier. Beyond the yawls, the gable end of the cottage now known as ‘Buckies’ is easily identifiable, as is the line of the road running from the harbour up to the village.

In wintertime the yawls were taken to the shelter of the Ythan Estuary

North across Collieston Harbour

Circa 1910, looking at the northerly part of the village. On the horizon, behind the grassy mound known as the ‘Rivie’, Slains Kirk and Collieston School are clearly visible.

In the foreground a beached yawl lies on the rocky foreshore while two more yawls can be seen on a part of the foreshore where sand is beginning to accumulate after the recent construction of the Pier.

The houses at the foot of the ‘Rivie’ are built on the area of the village known as the Cliff. Some of the houses subsequently fell into decay and were later demolished but many of them were preserved and modernised.

Edwardian tourist watching fishwives on Pier

Circa 1905, fishwives and fishermen from the village. The fishwives are Annie Wilson, Aggie and ‘Old May’, while standing nearby are the fishermen known as ‘Captain Sandy Ad’ and ‘Jock Retch’.

The well-dressed lady is Molly Clark who, along with several other visitors is watching the fishwives hard at work on the Pier as they sort the catch of fish and get them ready for cleaning and gutting.

To the right of the Pier is the area of the village known as the Cliff and the line of the road running from the harbour up to the village is clearly identifiable. Some of the houses subsequently fell into decay and were later demolished but many were preserved and modernised.

The Pier

Collieston viewed from Cransdale in 1957. Waves, fuelled by a north-easterly wind, are crashing against the Pier wall. Built in 1894, the Pier had had to endure more than one hundred years of pounding by the North Sea and had sustained some damage along the way.

By the late 1950’s the Pier was in a sad state of repair. Sir Douglas Ritchie, who had recently retired to the family home in the village, proposed the formation of a Collieston Amenities Committee. Formed in 1957, its purpose was to raise money for the maintenance of the Pier as well as the unique system of roadies or paths that ran throughout the village.

To the rear are the relatively calm waters of the protected harbour. Clearly visible on the horizon behind the crashing waves is the headland known as the Braehead, a popular vantage point for both locals and visitors.

Circa 1920, two men, one of whom is sporting a medal. Johnny Brand, seated on the right, won his Sebastopol medal for service during the Crimean War (1853-1856).

Johnny had originally come to the village to work as a diver employed on the construction of the Pier. He subsequently married a local girl and stayed on in the village after the construction of the Pier was completed.

The man seated on the left is Jimmy Main, known as ‘Cooncillor’, who was chairman of the School Board.

The Pier

The Pier showing signs of damage circa 1988. Some £60,000 was raised to carry out extensive repairs. To reflect the change of use of the harbour from commercial fishing to leisure and recreation, the ‘Collieston Harbour Act of 1894’ was updated by Parliament as ‘The Collieston Harbour Revision Order, 1991’. This came into force in November of that year.

To fulfil the requirement of this Order, Harbour Trustees were re-established and a fund was set up to ensure that, as far as possible, the cost of repairs to the Pier might be met.

First Gala Day

Sir Douglas Ritchie (left) and Richard (Dick) Donald (right), a resident of the village and Director of Aberdeen Football Club, are standing in front of a stall and marquee at the first Gala Day in 1958.

By the mid 1950’s the Pier, built in 1894, was in a sad state of repair. Sir Douglas Ritchie, from an old Collieston family and formerly Vice Chairman of the London Port of Authority, had retired to the family home in the village and proposed the formation of a Collieston Amenities Committee.

Formed in 1957, its purpose was to attempt to raise money for the maintenance of the Pier and the unique system of roadies or paths that ran throughout the village. The first Gala Day to raise money for this conservation task was held in 1958. The Pier was duly repaired and Gala Day has been a feature of village life every summer since.