Crail pauses to remember those lost a quarter of a millennium ago

On a sunny Saturday morning, dozens gathered at Crail Harbour to mark one of the darkest days in the community’s history.

Some 250 years after eight fishermen lost their lives, descendents paid their respects to those who perished in what has become known as the Crail Fishing Disaster.

Despite extensive research, little is known of what happened at the mouth of the harbour on January 21 1765, when the boat carrying the men was heading out to sea.

Indeed, it is not even known if all the bodies were recovered, with four funerals and graves unaccounted for from that fateful winter’s day.

There were no survivors to tell the tale of what happened, while there were few newspapers established at that time to relay the account of the tragic event.

As well as the laying of a wreath, a bench was dedicated to those whose lives were lost.

Alan Runciman, one of the descendants, said: “It’s been inscribed so there will always be a reminder of the sacrifice made. Crail harbour is a beautiful place yet for us it is a sad place, too.”