HISTORY OF NEWPORT AND THE PARISH OF FORGAN ; AND RAMBLES ROUND THE DISTRICT, by J. S. Neish, 1890
PART X. PROGRESS OF NEWPORT - CURLING AND BOWLING CLUBS
The opening of the various lines of railway throughout the country, and more especially the opening of the Edinburgh and Northern Railway, running through the county of Fife, which took place on 17th May, 1848, was an event rather adverse to the prosperity of Newport. The opening of this Fife railway, as elsewhere, abolished the rumbling old stage coaches, and introduced a more rapid means of communication between Dundee and the south. The line, as every one knows, only extended from the Firth of Tay to the Firth of Forth, these estuaries being crossed, as in former times, by ferry boats sailing in connection with the trains. On the north of Fife the railway terminated at Ferry-Port-on-Craig, the traffic being ferried across the Tay to Broughty. Newport was thus cut off from the line of traffic by the opening of the new railway; the coaches no longer arrived and departed from her pier; and, to make matters worse, the traffic in cattle and goods for the south was turned into a new channel. The stream of traffic which had for years flowed through the village was thus suddenly dried up. It must have chagrined the inhabitants of the then rising little village to find themselves thus, as it were, isolated from the great world, which they had been accustomed to see passing through their midst day after day for so many years. The prospects of their little community rising to the importance of a trading centre was thus entirely blasted, and with the exception that by means of the Ferries they were closely linked to Dundee, they would have been completely isolated from all contact with the busy world. But another destiny was in store for them, and the future of the village proved to be brighter than its most sanguine inhabitant could ever have anticipated. Judging from the census returns of the population, the village must have remained almost stagnant for about twenty years - viz., from 1838 to 1861. In the former year the population is given at about 600, and in 1861 the population is given at 728. In the next ten years it doubled its population, and according to the last census it had more than trebled the numbers in 1861. Thus it will be seen that the actual prosperity of Newport has only taken place within the last thirty years or so - a period, moreover, in which Dundee has made the most rapid strides in commercial enterprise.
The first event which falls to be noticed during the last quarter of a century is the introduction of gas into the village. Candles and 'oily cruzies', the lights of former days, were superseded by the more brilliant light obtained from coal gas, and in every town or village of any importance the new light was adopted, Newport was fast increasing in population, and giving promise of becoming, at no distant date, a place of considerable importance. It was absolutely necessary, therefore, that gas should be provided if the inhabitants were to enjoy the amenities of modem civilization. By the active exertions of the late Mr. Boyd, solicitor, Dundee, who had taken up his residence in Newport, a Gas Company was formed in the year 1856. The shares were rapidly taken up, chiefly amongst the people in the village and district. A suitable site was procured at Seacraig, close to the beach, and a little to the east of the old harbour, on which neat and commodious works were erected by Mr. Just, contractor, Newport. In the beginning of September, 1856, the gas works were completed, and gas supplied to most of the houses in the village before the end of the month. In recognition of the services rendered to the community in connection with the gas supply, a public dinner was given to Mr. Boyd, the Secretary of the Company, in the Newport Inn, on the evening of Friday, 24th October of the same year. John Berry, Esq., of Tayfield, occupied the chair, and Mr. R. G. Holden acted as croupier. The Gas Company has now been upwards of thirty years in existence, and their affairs are in a very prosperous condition. Of course the price of gas in Newport is very much higher than in Dundee, but, as a rule, the quality is good, and that is a matter of great importance to the consumers.
In 1858 a Curling Club was formed, which is still in existence - vigorous and healthy; but from what we can gather, this club was not the first instituted for the prosecution of the 'roaring game' in the parish. A paragraph in the Dundee Courier of 5th March, 1839, informs us that the gentlemen members of the Forgan Curling Club gave a grand ball in Forgan Schoolroom on the evening of Wednesday, 27th February. The elite of the parish were invited, and the ball went off with great eclat. Dancing commenced at seven o'clock in the evening, the music being supplied by 'Rattray's band' from Cupar. The curlers and their fair partners 'tripped the light fantastic toe' till the small hours of the morning. Public entertainments must have been few and far between in Forgan in those days, judging by the reporter's closing remarks that 'this was the first ball which had been held here for a long time, but it is hoped it will not be the last'. We hear no more of the doings of this club, and in all probability it had been defunct years before the Newport Curling Club was formed in 1858.
The Curling Club has now been upwards of thirty years in existence, and has at present between eighty and ninety members. Two large ponds, containing each 1100 square yards of water surface, were constructed in 'Berry's Den' for the use of the members. The ground was leased from Mr. Berry of Tayfield, and the spot selected for the ponds is a picturesque hollow within the grounds of Tayfield. A brawling burn flows through the den on its way to join the Tay near the Newport pier. The steep sloping banks of the dell are thickly covered with shrubs and trees, the branches of the latter overhanging the dell, and in summer forming a dense canopy of foliage through which the rays of the sun can scarcely penetrate. It is a cool retreat in summer time, where a pensive visitor could dream away the long summer day listening to the songs of the birds and the murmuring music of the burn. The ponds are situated at the north end of the den, and are supplied with water from the little stream 'that gurgles through the wood'. In this sequestered dell the lovers of the 'roaring game' can enjoy their healthy sport by night or day, the matches being often played in the evenings by the aid of torchlight. A night scene at the ponds is romantic and picturesque. Flaring flambeaux light up the dark surface of the frozen water with a lurid glare, casting weird-like shadows into the surrounding darkness; the frost-covered branches overhead reflecting back the flashing rays in every shade and hue; the shadowy forms of the players flitting about the 'rinks', flourishing great brooms, and the whirring noise of the stones as they glide along the smooth ice, combined with the sound of excited voices and merry laughter, make up a scene more resembling a fairy carnival than a gathering of commonplace mortals. Of course, the Newport Club, like other kindred institutions, has its annual dinner of 'beef and greens', and the members are ever ready to give or accept a friendly challenge match with neighbouring clubs. At present the club is under the patronage of Mrs. Berry of Tayfield. The entry money for a member is £1 and the annual subscription 5s. In connection with the Newport Curling Club we extract the following paragraph, which appeared in the Dundee Courier and Argus on Thursday, 9th February, 1882: - 'The annual dinner of this club was held in the Blyth Hall on Wednesday evening, and was attended by a large number of its members. Mr. William Dove, president of the club, took the chair, and was supported by the Rev. D. Thomson of Forgan, ex-Provost Robertson, Mr. Walker (Westwood), Mr. Blyth-Martin, and Mr. Alex. Scott, &c., and deputations from the neighbouring clubs of Ardit, Balyarrow, Balmerino, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, and Scotscraig. Mr Leitch discharged the duties of croupier. Although very little curling has been enjoyed during the season, the usual curling proceedings, including initiation and Curlers' Court, were gone through with great spirit, notwithstanding the absence of 'John Frost', The most enjoyable part of the evening's proceedings consisted in the presentation of a very handsome silver claret jug to Mr. Dove, on the occasion of his retiring from the office of honorary secretary and treasurer to the club. The presentation was made by Mr. Walker of Westwood, and the claret jug bears the following inscription: - 'Presented to William Dove, Esq., by the members of the Newport Curling Club, as a token of their appreciation of his very efficient services as Honorary Secretary and Treasurer to the Club for the long period of twenty years, and of the esteem in which he personally is held by them. 8th February, 1882.' An excellent dinner was provided by Mr. Keay, of the Royal Hotel, Newport.
The period between 1861 and 1871 was a time of active progress in the village, though it was not marked by any great events. Building went on rapidly, and during the ten years the population increased from 728 to 1487. The increase in population was greatest in East Newport, a large number of new buildings having been erected on the estate of Tayfield. In 1860 a Volunteer Artillery corps was formed in Newport, and has up to the present time been maintained in a state of thorough efficiency, and has frequently been complimented by the inspecting officer. The corps made its first appearance at the Royal Scotch Volunteer Review held in Edinburgh in August, 1860. At that, the first great gathering of Scotch Volunteers, they made a very creditable appearance, though they were but a young corps, and had not then been supplied with carbines. They were commanded by Mr. Stewart of St. Fort, and were ranked amongst the eight corps from Fifeshire, which formed part of the 2nd Artillery Brigade. The Newport men were supplied with old cavalry sabres, which each man carried in his hand in the 'march past'. This corps, under Lieutenants Brown and Parker, formed part of the Artillery forces of the Royal Review in August, 1881. While speaking of recreations, it may be as well to state here that a Bowling Club has also been in active operation in the village during the past eighteen or nineteen years. The club was formed in 1869 with twenty-five members, and there are now upwards of one hundred members on the roll. About ten years ago a fine new bowling-green was laid out by the club on a piece of ground feued from Mr. Berry of Tayfield. This green, which is considered one of the best in Scotland, is situated in Kilburn Park, behind the Blyth Hall, the feu being 130 poles in extent. The playing space from north to south is seven rinks, and from east to west six rinks. A handsome and commodious clubhouse is built on the south side of the grounds, a well was also sunk, and the rest of the grounds are tastefully laid out with flower beds and shrubberies. The total cost of laying out the green and grounds, and erecting the clubhouse and other conveniences, amounted to £100. The ground was feued in 1875, and on Wednesday, 1st August, 1877, the green was formally opened by Mr. Harry Walker, president of the club. The architect was Mr. George Smith, one of the members. Mr. H. Walker, in declaring the bowling green open to members, made the gratifying announcement that the club had been able to open the green free of debt. After playing a match, the members lunched together in the Blyth Hall. The green feued from the late Captain Brown of Seacraig House, formerly used by the Newport Club, is now used by the Maryton Club, another bowling club which has lately been formed in Newport.
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