Spring Drive From Kilconquhar To Pittenweem East Neuk Of Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland Spring travel video of a road trip drive, with Scottish music, from Kilconquhar, through St Monans to visit Pittenweem, East Neuk of Fife. Founded as a fishing village around a probably early Christian religious settlement, Pittenweem grew along the shoreline from the west where the sheltered beaches were safe places for fishermen to draw their boats up out of the water. Later a breakwater was built, extending out from one of the rocky skerries that jut out south-west into the Firth of Forth like fingers. This allowed boats to rest at anchor rather than being beached, enabling larger vessels to use the port. A new breakwater further to the east was developed over the years into a deep, safe harbour with a covered fish market. As the herring disappeared from local waters and the fishing fleet shrank, this harbour and its attendant facilities became the main harbour for the fishermen of the East Neuk of Fife. Sir Walter Watson Hughes was born on 22 August 1803 in Pittenweem, the third son of Thomas Hughes and his wife Eliza, née Anderson. Hughes attended school in Crail and was apprenticed to a cooper for a short time, he then entered the merchant service and became a master, including whaling in the Arctic for several years. After hearing of opportunities for trade in Asia, Hughes purchased a brig, Hero, in Calcutta and traded opium in the Indian Ocean and seas of China, having to contend with pirates. Hughes emigrated to South Australia in 1840, started business with Bunce & Thomson and took up land. Hughes suspected the land on which he kept sheep contained mineral deposits and informed his shepherds to look for minerals. On 22 September 1841 Hughes married Sophia Richman, eldest daughter of John Henry Richman, who arrived in South Australia with his family aboard Thomas Harrison in February 1839. They had no children. In 1860 the Wallaroo copper mine was discovered on his property, and in 1861 the even more important Moonta mine was discovered nearby. Hughes secured the largest interest in both mines and became wealthy. Hughes and his wife subsequently returned to England, and bought the Fancourt estate in Chertsey, Surrey. Hughes was knighted in 1880. Around this time he formed a partnership with P. B. Burgoyne, who was building up a market for fine Australian wines, notably Tintara, in London, and was in dire need of capital. He died at his home on 1 January 1887 after a long illness. He has been frequently referred to as the " father" of the University of Adelaide. "

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