Article: A Hungry Sea

Our Family

A Hungry Sea

A HUNGRY SEA

The Beginning

Surnames

The following excellent article appeared in The Breakwater

It is reproduced here for educational purposes and the copyright of the Author and of the The Breakwater is acknowledged.

The Breakwater | Heritage Recovery,

A HUNGRY SEA CLAIMED ANOTHER LIFE

Plucky Attempt at Rescue

Tuesday 14 June 1926

A distressing accident occurred about 1.30 p.m. at the South Breakwater, resulting in the death by drowning of a workman employed at the Harbour of Refuge.

The unfortunate man, James Bruce of Burnhaven was, it is understood, proceeding to the end of the breakwater, along with another employee, with the object of attending to the lamps. A heavy ground swell was running, and a big wave dashed over the breakwater and carried Bruce into the bay. His companion, recognising the total impossibility of affecting a single-handed rescue, ran back to the works and gave warning of what had happened. The occurrence had also been witnessed from the North Breakwater, near which the barge Thistle was lying; and the vessel at once put out to the man’s assistance. After about half-an-hour, during which Bruce succeeded in keeping himself afloat, he was got aboard the barge, but by that time he was totally exhausted, and in an unconscious condition.

Dr Taylor, Peterhead, was summoned to the scene, and applied artificial respiration for over an hour, but without avail, and shortly before three o’clock it was apparent that life was extinct.

The task of bringing Bruce aboard the Thistle was an extremely difficult one, owing to the heavy sea, but it was accomplished largely as a result of the gallant action of Robert Buchan, 30 Merchant Street, Peterhead (a member of the crew of the Thistle), who dived fully clad into the water and succeeded in getting a rope round Bruce.

Mr Buchan has been identified with many gallant rescues, and was holder of the Royal Humane Society’s certificate for life saving.

The victim of the sad fatality is was man of sixty-four years of age, and reports said he was survived by Mrs Bruce and a grown up family.

Thanks to the researches of Mr Alec Duthie, a local amateur historian, we can record that the report was inaccurate. Mr Bruce, despite his age, was the father of a family of 8 children, the youngest being 5 years old when his father died.

Mr James Bruce lived at 3, Low Street, Burnhaven (the street nearest the sea) and was a Blacksmith to trade. His wages were £1 - 1/- per week during the summer, but only 14/-per week in the winter. His duties involved him charging the navigation light at the end of the breakwater, this requiring him to ferry carbide gas bottles along the length of the breakwater. It was two waves were responsible for Mr Bruce’s fate. One wave hit him and knocked him out, a second rising over the wall washed him into the sea. It is hard to image what a hard life it must have been for him and his wife and to raise 8 children on such wages and it is sobering to contemplate the reality for the family having lost the breadwinner.

This article was of particular interest to this family as every man involved bears a name that is in our Family Tree. I do not know but suspect there is a connection.

Please email me. This site was complied by Linda Taylor as a historical record of the Taylor's of Broadsea. Any further information is most welcome please email me.

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