Fraserburgh

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Fraserburgh
Location
Image:Fraserburgh (Location).png
OS grid reference:	NS997670
Statistics
Population:	12,216 (2004)

Administration
Council area:	Aberdeenshire
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	Grampian Police
Lieutenancy area:	Aberdeenshire
Former county:	Aberdeenshire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	ABERDEEN
Postal district:	AB43
Dialling code:	01346
Politics
Scottish Parliament:	Banff and Buchan
UK Parliament:	Banff and Buchan
European Parliament:	Scotland

Fraserburgh, called Baile nam Frisealach in Gaelic and referred to as The Broch in the vernacular, is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on the extreme North East corner. It is 40 miles north of Aberdeen.

Fishing Boats in Fraserburgh Harbour.

1 Fishing port
2 History
3 Notable residents
4 External links
5 General Points
6 Sports

[edit] Fishing port

It is the largest shellfish port in Europe. Fraserburgh is also a major white fish port and a busy commercial harbour. Fishing is the town's main industry but it offers other attractions. There are some historical points, a beach, sports such as cycling, tennis, skatepark, football pitches, a golf course, restaurants, and shopping locales.

[edit] History

[edit] General

The story of Fraserburgh began really in 1504 when the Fraser family bought the lands of Philiorth. This family was to bring about major improvement due to investment over the next century. By 1570, the Fraser family had built a castle (Fraserburgh Castle) at Kinnaird's Head which was later converted into Scotland's first mainland lighthouse in 1787. A year after the Castle was built, the area church was built. The Auld Kirk was to be the standing authority in the town up until the 1840s. The 1571 building was later replaced in 1803 when the Church was made bigger to sit 1000 people. By the 1590s the area known as Faithlie was developing a small harbour. In 1592, Faithlie was renamed Fraserburgh by a charter of the Crown under King James VI. Sir Alexander Fraser was given permission to improve and govern the town as Lord Saltoun. At present this title is still in existence and is held by Flora Fraser, 20th Lady Saltoun and head of Clan Fraser. The Royal Charter also gave permission to build a college and university in Fraserburgh allowing the Lord Saltoun to appoint a rector, a principal, a sub-principal, and all the professors for teaching the different sciences. In 1597 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland recommended the Rev. Charles Frame, then minister at the Old Parish, to be principal. The college and University fell through probably for reasons accounting to lack of funds for the project. Fraserburgh was relatively quiet for the next two centuries until 1787 when Fraserburgh Castle was converted to Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, Scotland's first mainland lighthouse. After 1815 the herring trade brought a period of prosperity to Fraserburgh which lasted into the early part of the 20th Century.

[edit] 1790s Statistical Account of Scotland: Parish of Fraserburgh.

The Statistical Account on the Parish of Fraserburgh was written some time between 1791-1799 (probably 1791) by Rev. Alexander Simpson of the Old Parish Church. The account shows that the population of Fraserburgh was growing, peaking due to seasonal employment. He records a population of about 2000 in 1780 of which only 1000 resided in the town. There was an additional population of 200 in the village of Broadsea. He makes a point of the arrival of Dr. Webster in Fraserburgh in 1755 claiming that the population then only stood at 1682. By the time the account was written the population had increased by 518 souls since 1755. Rev. Simpson also gives accounts of deaths, births and marriages. Between 1784-1791, he claims to have an average of 37 baptisms, 14 marriages and 19 deaths per year. More notably, the statistical account mentions activities with the harbour. He describes the harbour as small but good, telling that it had the capability to take vessels with '200 tons burden' at the time the account was written. The account also mentions that Fraserburgh had tried and succeeded in shipbuilding especially after 1784. His account finishes speaking of a proposed enlargement of the harbour. He claims that the local people would willingly donate what they could afford but only if additional funding was provided by the Government and Royal Burghs.

[edit] January 1840, Statistical Account of Scotland: Parish of Fraserburgh.

The second statistical account was written as a follow up to the first of the 1790s. Written in January 1840 by Rev. John Cumming, it gives an interesting look at the change over a period of 50 years since the previous account. The first notable feature is the population change. In 1791 he records it as 2215 growing to only 2271 by 1811. After 1811, however, the population increases massively to 2954 by 1831. The writer of the account considers the herring fishing, which intensified in 1815, to be the most important reason for this population boom. By 1840 he writes that the seamen were marrying early with 86 marriages and 60 births in the parish in the space of one year. On top of this increased population, he explains that the herring season seen an additional 1200 people working in the Parish. There is also mention of the prosperity of this trade bringing about an increase in general wealth with a change in both dress and diet. Cumming also records 37 illegitimate children from 1837-1840 although he keeps no record of death. The prosperity of the economy also brought about improvement within the town with a considerable amount of new houses being built in the town. The people were gaining from the herring industry as in real terms rent fell by 6% from 1815 to 1840. The Lord Saltoun was described as the predominant land owner earning £2266,13s,4d in rents. This period also saw the extension of the harbour as was hoped in the 1791 Statistical Account. A northern pier of 300 yards was built between 1807-1812 but did not provide enough protection for the vessels. After many complaints, in 1818 a southern pier was built by Act of Parliament. There was huge improvement on the harbour in this period, indeed Cumming states that no less than £30,000 was spent developing the harbour between 1807 and 1840. By 1840, the harbour held 8 vessels of 45-155 tons and 220 boats of the herring fishery.

[edit] Herring/Fishing industry in the mid to late 19th Century.

See also Scottish east coast fishery

[edit] Notable residents

Thomas Blake Glover was born in Fraserburgh, where his father worked for the coastguard.
Sir George Strahan (1838 - 1887), British colonial governor was born in Fraserburgh

[edit] External links

[edit] General Points

Population: 12116 (2004)
UK Constituency: Banff and Buchan - Alex Salmond (from 1987-), leader of the SNP (1990-2000) (2004-).
Scottish Parliament Constituency: Banff and Buchan - Stewart Stevenson (2001-)