The Tayside Annual and Directory for Newport, Wormit and Tayport for 1908
Noteworthy Dates in Newport's History
1788 | Tayfield Estate came into possession of Berry family. |
1817 (October 14) | Mr John Berry of Tayfield died, aged 92. |
1829 | Severe storm in Tay. Pinnace lost near Beacon Rocks. Four Newport men (Allan, Rait, Mackie, and Patrick) drowned. |
1843 | Week-day school opened at Newport in connection with Free Church. |
1852 (December 9) | Mr William Berry of Tayfield, died. |
1855 | Sarcophagus or stone coffin discovered by workmen while holing trees near Westwood, Newport. |
1856 | Newport Gas Company formed. |
1858 | Newport Curling Club formed. |
1865 (October) | Ancient burial-place discovered at Westwood, Newport. About twelve ancient urns disinterred. |
1869 | Newport Bowling Club formed. |
1872 | Kinbrae completed for Sir John Leng, LL.D. |
1876 | Blyth Hall built by Mrs Blyth-Martin as a memorial to her three brothers. |
1877 (December 17) | Mr John Berry, third proprietor of Tayfield, died at Nice. |
1887 | Newport constituted a police burgh by the adoption of the Lindsay Act. Mr Alex. Scott, banker, Chief Magistrate; Mr J. H. Walker, Senior Magistrate; Mr J. F. Millar, Junior Magistrate. |
1889 (March) | Mr Harry Walker of Westwood, died. |
1890 (October 14) | Ball to celebrate completion of Blyth Hall Buildings. Address presented to Mrs Martin. |
1893 (June 1) | Knighthood conferred upon Sir John Leng, Kinbrae, Newport. |
1900 | Set of chimes presented to Newport Congregational Church by Sir John Leng, M.P. |
1902 (March) | Sheriff Kincaid Mackenzie decides in favour of Newport's petition to include Wormit. |
1902 (May 24) | Tablet to memory of Newport Volunteers who fell in South African War unveiled in cemetery at Vicarsford. |
1903 (May 27) | New Gas Works at Newport inaugurated. |
1906 (Dec. 12) | Sir John Leng, LL.D., D.L., of Kinbrae, died. |
1906 | Braes and Gowrie Hill taken over for public use. |
1906 | Mr John Fergusson, schoolmaster, retired after 42 years' service. |
Noteworthy Dates in Tayside History
1548 | Abbey at Balmerino burned by the English. |
1564-5 (January) | Mary Queen of Scots spent several days at Balmerino. |
1684 | Alexander Nairne of Sandford (now St Fort) 'fined in £3,300 for House Conventicles by the Privy Council'. |
1715 | Rob Roy Macgregor, after a raid in Fife, retreats to Dundee by the Woodhaven Ferry. |
1864 (Nov. 25) | s.s. 'Dalhousie' foundered on banks of Tay ; 34 persons drowned. Several bodies were recovered and brought to Tayport. |
1869 | 'Mars' Training Ship arrived in Tay. |
1889 | Railway Station established at Wormit. |
1905 (October 12) | Wormit Bowling Club Bazaar opened in Kinnaird Hall by Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, M.P. |
The Tay Bridge - Noteworthy Dates
1854 | Thomas Bouch propounds scheme of bridging Forth and Tay. |
1870 | Bill passed sanctioning first Tay Bridge. |
1877 (Sept. 25) | Tay Bridge first crossed in a train. |
1879 (Sunday, December 28) | Tay Bridge disaster. Thirteen large spans blown into river, along with train and about 90 persons. |
1881 (November) | Contract for building second Tay Bridge entrusted to William Arrol & Co., Glasgow. |
1887 (Monday, June 20) | Second Tay Bridge opened for traffic. Cost £640,000. |
The Tay Ferries - Notable Dates
1669 | Woodhaven and Dundee public ferry placed by Act of the Scottish Parliament under the regulation of the Justices of the Peace of the respective counties. |
1713 | Guildry of Dundee resolved to take steps to establish a regular ferry between Dundee and the Fife side of the Tay. |
1815 (Sunday, 28th May) | Pinnace 'Nelson', engaged in Ferry traffic, capsized on Tay ; 17 or 18 persons drowned. |
1819 (August) | Tay Ferries Trustees take possession of Ferries. |
1821 | Twin steamship 'Union' employed on Tay Ferries. |
1822 | Newport constituted by Act of Parliament the ferry station from Fife to Dundee. Pier constructed shortly after, from designs by Telford. |
1823 (Sept. 10) | Foundation-stone of Newport pier laid. |
1824 (Feb. 7) | Tay Ferries steamer 'George IV' goes on fire and has to be scuttled and sunk. It was afterwards repaired. |
1828 (December) | Terrific gale on Tay. Piers damaged. |
1873 | Control of Tay Ferries vested in Dundee Harbour Trustees. £20,000 paid to Caledonian Railway. |
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