Old photograph of a Sea Captain in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. By the mid 17th century, Kirkcaldy boasted around 100 active vessels. Local captains routinely exported salt fish, coal, and locally spun linen yarn across the North Sea to Holland, Germany, and the Baltic states, returning with vital imports like Norwegian timber and flax. The harbour in Kirkcaldy was acknowledged for having " a sheltered cove round the East Burn ", thus giving easy accessibility for boats. By the early 16th century the vessels of the harbour had begun to engage in trade with the Baltic; later dealing with the import of grain in 1618 and continental beer in 1625. A shipbuilding trade also existed on the site until this was phased out temporarily in 1645. As Kirkcaldy entered into the 19th century the harbour was catering for the growing trade of imports of flax, timber and hemp and exports of coal, salt and linen cloth, when a decision was made to build a new wet dock and pier from 1843 to 1846. The subsequent demands for linoleum and coal led to a further extension from 1906 to 1908 in the form of an inner dock.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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