Dev

By Grant W. H. Cargill

The book is a historical fiction novel based on real events which happened over a hundred years ago. The scene is set on the east coast of Scotland and within a fishing community. Some history of earlier generations is told before the main character of Dev arrives on the scene. His life is a fascinating one and intertwined in family feuds and a beautiful love. Dev is a football player also and finds some fame in this. There are many laughs and stories retold from a long time ago. Dev's life is shaped by events outwith his control, while his heroic character shines through even when he can often do nothing about things happening around him. The very hard life makes his heroism more powerful. One person struggling to save others and prevent others feeling the helplessness that he sometimes feels. One person trying to stay positive and strong for the others around him. The story itself is timeless and translates today just as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350919882

Book preview

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Dev

©2023, Grant W. H. Cargill

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN: 979-8-35091-987-5

ISBN eBook: 979-8-35091-988-2

Contents

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Epilogue

Prologue

A man was running through the snow. He was around five feet, nine inches in height and considered to be quite a tall man. He had short light-brown hair and a moustache. He was dressed in a good pair of boots, thick trousers and a coat with a hint of the fisherman-style jumper beneath, and he was a picture of athletic strength. It was getting dark and already it could be seen that the moon was going to shine bright tonight, and that was the only good news.

The conditions were treacherous and the man had to take more care than he wanted to. As he ran he knew that he had a few miles to go yet and he didn’t know what would be facing him when he got there. He carried only a spade, which at the moment he had in his right hand. The man was known to friends and family as ‘Dev’; some others called him ‘Dav’, but he did prefer ‘Dev’. If he had to give you his full name, he would say David Smith Cargill.

Christmas had just passed when the snowstorm started; it had seemed beautiful at first and as it progressed Dev had to admit that he had never seen snow like it in his life, and it appeared that older people that he had spoken to had never seen its like either. The snowstorm had lasted about three full days. It was now the 28th of December, and the year was1906 and the new year was looming.

Dev, as he ran, had to be careful of his footing; this became more difficult as he began to tire a little. He remembered a voice from the past: ‘David Cargill, you are the champion for running. Please come forward to accept your award!’ He had been a young boy then, and here he was still running in his early thirties.

Dev had to continually check the safest route which would also be the fastest available and make those decisions as he ran because of the sheer amount of snow. Some parts of the area had seen fifteen-feet-high snowdrifts. He had already had to jump over some icy patches and with the snow lying and falling, his trousers had changed colour to bright white. He would momentarily pause to brush the snow off with his free hand and start off again.

Dev had to get there quickly, but he also knew that he would need his strength when he got there. He wanted so much to help. He was thinking more and more of Annie as he ran and he needed to help in any way that he could. He felt adrenaline boost him after he thought of Annie. Dev ran on, a lone figure in the moonlight and snow. If anyone looked out of their window they would see the sheer determination of the man as he ran. As he turned to look out to sea he could only think of Annie when he saw the blink of the light out there as the Bell Rock Lighthouse flashed in the distance and he felt a support for seeing the familiar and yet amazing light in the middle of the sea.

Dev hoped that he could get there in time. He would do all that he could; he only hoped that this time it would be enough.

1

The Cargill family originated from the small fishing village of Auchmithie, or at least that is as far as word of mouth and historical records can confirm. Auchmithie is on the beautiful east coast of Scotland. In the 1830s and 1840s more and more fishermen and their families made the short journey to Arbroath as the call went out from Arbroath for fishermen. Many years before branches of the family had moved from Auchmithie to Arbroath and gained prestige in the town, only to be ordered back by the courts as they didn’t have their freedom. At times men, women and children had been put in a dungeon at Red Castle up the coast at Lunan Bay as they were harshly treated by their overlord.

In Auchmithie the Cargill family worked hard, just as all of the other fisher families there did. It was a hard life and they fought hard to exist. Auchmithie is located on the top of cliffs overlooking the North Sea, and one of the favourite haunts of the fishermen was a small covered area called the Outlook. This was where fishermen would go to check on the weather and how the sea looked. One of the first things all Auchmithie folk looked out for in the 1800s was the Bell Rock Lighthouse. On a clear day in the middle of a mass of water, you could see the lighthouse and in the dark—it was a beacon of safety for boats and ships at sea as it was built on a dangerous rock called the Inchcape Rock. The light was to warn fishermen to not get too near. For the residents of Auchmithie who were mostly fisherfolk, it was one of the great constants; on any night you could see the light as it blinked every eight seconds or so as it rotated around. The lighthouse was a miracle of engineering and built by the famous Stevenson family.

In the first part of the nineteenth century the fisherfolk were offered different parcels of land, by people running the town of Arbroath, to settle in. However, they wanted to create their own fisher town near the harbour in Arbroath; they requested this and it was accepted. Some folk moved into what had once been large town houses of merchants for any time they were staying over, although they would now house families instead of one or two people. Some streets were known to be part of the fishing community and other streets were split into fishing and regular town folk. It was Dev’s grandparents that married and soon moved to Arbroath. The pair were Thomas and Jane Cargill. The young, newly married couple would settle in South Newgate, which was known to the fisherfolk as South Street. The street directly faced the North Sea and most fisherfolk were used to this in Auchmithie and enjoyed being able to see the sea and any boats or ships that were there and how the weather was. Also, when the boats were still small, they could drag them up from the beach. The couple would have four sons—one called John died in infancy, and the other three all grew up to be strong men. They were Thomas, Isaac and Adam. Biblical names were very popular amongst the fisherfolk, and Scottish naming conventions ensured that the names would be recycled over and over and never lost.

The fishwives lot was a hard one; in Auchmithie, they had been known and often expected to carry their husbands to the boat so they didn’t get wet feet when they were going out on the boat. Although this had changed now, the workload for the women was a hard balance of preparing lines as in all weathers as well as being a mother to often many children and making meals and doing other aspects of housework. They were a hardy breed and they needed to be.

Where previously all those years ago the Cargills were ordered back to Auchmithie against their will, they were finally not only allowed to move but also this exciting opportunity had arisen. After so many generations now being able to move it was now time of change and especially young fishermen and their families grasped the opportunity with both hands. In some families one or two children moved away when old enough, while others remained in Auchmithie. It was only a few miles and yet so far after they had been bound to where they were in Auchmithie. Things were looking up for the fisherfolk and new, exciting times were ahead, and forever Arbroath would change too as the influx began.

When Thomas and Jane moved to their brand-new house in South Street, they found things strange. Although they were in a fishing community, which was like a recreation of Auchmithie, there was also a town of many non-fishing folk and many shops. Things were very different in some respects. When one day Jane saw a family Bible, a beautifully bound book she decided to talk to Thomas and they agreed to buy one. They added their wedding date, and each time a child was born or christened or sadly passed away, they added the dates. It was a new book for a fresh start, but it would keep their family history within and be treasured. As time moved on, the family became established in the new fishing community with many familiar faces and some new ones too. However, within the actual town of Arbroath they were not really known at all and they didn’t mix with people from out the fishing community very often.

The house that Thomas and Jane had was built on two levels with further accommodation through the back of the house too. The house at the back, simply referred to as the back house, could bring in extra money for the family by renting it out, or indeed allow more of the family to be nearby if required as the family grew. From the front of the house the family looked out onto the beach below and the North Sea. Looking to the left they could see the cliffs in the distance at Whiting Ness; while looking to the right they could see Seagate or the Wynd, as it was known in earlier times.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon in 1860, and Jane shouted her three sons in from the back of the house, where they were working with fishing gear. The oldest son, Thomas, with brown curly hair, walked in first. He walked confidently and beckoned his two younger brothers into the house behind him, and they eagerly followed him in. Isaac was around fourteen and although quite tall for his age, he still had some growing to do. He had short fair hair and wore a smile as he walked in. Finally, in came Adam, who at around eleven years old was the youngest. Adam was not much shorter than Isaac and looked happy to follow his older brothers in. Their mum looked them over and said quietly, ‘It’s not teatime, hungry lads, but your dad is wanting to talk to you all and he will be here in a minute.’

‘What’s it about, Mum?’ asked Thomas, scratching his stubble-covered chin while talking and always the ringleader.

‘It is big news,’ their mum replied. ‘Your dad and I have chatted this through, but he will tell you more. I must get on with tea now.’ At that, their mother, Jane, quite a tall woman with greying hair, departed the room.

‘Hello there, boys!’ a deep voice rang out even before their father, Thomas, entered the room. Thomas was a bit shorter than his son Thomas but stronger built and had curly dark-brown hair with just a hint of grey. ‘Just sit on the floor, boys.’ The father motioned with his hands for his sons to sit down next to where he was just in the act of sitting down.

‘The best talks are when we are all on a level, eh?’

Thomas looked around at his three sons and said, ‘This is the time, Thomas, you are marrying soon, and Isaac, you have been going to the sea full-time for a couple of years now. Well, Adam, it is time for you to go full-time too.’

‘Yes!’ cheered Adam. ‘I don’t mind school—I do well—but I love the sea and love fishing with my family.’ Adam had a smile as wide as his face could handle. He felt so grown up right at this minute, and his brothers were clapping him on his back. It was then that their father raised his hands for silence. ‘We are a family, and these are the bonds that mean the most. Adam, you will be added as an owner of the boat now; you have already paid in enough while working part-time. Thomas, from when you are married to your Jeanie, your wages will go straight to you. Isaac and Adam, you will both still get pocket money and the rest of your wages will still go to the family. Before you go back to your duties, we will all celebrate tonight as this is a big day!’

Thomas junior cleared his throat and asked his father a question.

‘Someone said to me today, Dad, that I am Limpet Tom’s son. Is that your byname as they call it?’

‘Yes, my lads. The bynames are used to distinguish us from others of the same name but also to just give us bit more interesting names. You will hear some very funny ones. As an example, a person who is not good on his feet could be called Dancy or an angry man called Robert could be called Calm Bob. Then again sometimes the names are just spot on.’

‘So which is it with you? I haven’t often seen you gathering limpets. Is it because you never do it?’ Isaac asked with a real serious expression.

Thomas wanted to be angry that he was seen as lazy, but he knew the boy meant well and he ended up laughing.

‘No, laddie, I don’t do it often now but I will now and again. I used to help my parents back in Auchmithie to gather limpets for baiting our lines. It was one of my duties as a young boy and I was good at it and stayed out long after others had given up. Once you are given a byname it is for life, and you don’t get to choose it yourself, otherwise I would be Handsome Tom or The Kingfisher or something like that.’ Thomas laughed at his own humour.

The boys were all interested, and it was young Adam who spoke last.

‘I hope I get an exciting byname.’

The family celebrated quietly together that night, appreciating so much the good times in life that they all knew could be very tough. There would soon be a wedding to celebrate again.

The wedding day soon arrived, and Thomas married Jeannie and the music flowed with other family members bringing concertinas with them. The newlyweds were very happy on their special day. Just two days later, Thomas was back to sea and fishing with his father and two brothers.

Thomas Jr. and his wife, Jeannie, felt very lucky to bring two baby girls into the world. Houses were often cold and damp and the sea across the road was very unforgiving, especially in winter. Of course, the couple always tried to keep their little part of the world warm and safe for their babies and they achieved this. Both girls would grow up to be strong, however, it was their father who would not be well. Thomas’ lungs were damaged beyond any help, and in 1863, at age twenty-three, he passed away, leaving his widow, Jeannie, and two baby girls.

In the next few years, Thomas Sr. worked a lot at the harbour as a pilot. It was a responsible job as Arbroath was a thriving port and there was easily enough work for around a dozen pilots. Thomas was still a boat owner with his sons, but the regular pay from his pilot work was very valuable for the family. Isaac and Adam were full-time fishermen, and although they so missed their older brother, they did at least enjoy the extra responsibilities that came their way after the sad passing of their brother.

The years after Thomas’ death were hard in many ways. Isaac and Adam had lost a brother, a friend, a leader and a very able fisherman. But the fishing was quite successful, and Isaac had now reached the age of twenty, and in October 1866, he married his sweetheart, Margaret. On the day of the wedding as the brothers were getting ready for the big day, Adam approached his older brother and embraced him, and while clapping him on the back he said, ‘Congratulations on finding such a fine woman; you are a great couple!’

Adam’s smile was broad. The two brothers had always been close and now they were the only two siblings left, and working together every day they had become best friends too.

‘Thank you, Adam. You are a good brother’. ‘I am very lucky to find her; she is beautiful and hard-working too. We will be all that we can be together!’ he smiled back at his brother.

The wedding was such a happy day and once again the music flowed and singing and dancing was aplenty as the alcohol flowed too. Isaac and Margaret were very happy and a son that was named after his brother Thomas Jr arrived the following year and a daughter would soon follow.

Adam was still a young man, not yet eighteen, when he met the girl that stole his heart. He met a beautiful woman, tall like himself. The apple of Adam’s eye was Helen Smith and she was the daughter of David and Lizzie Smith, who were also a fishing family. Adam had liked Helen from afar, but she was five years older than him and he felt that she was perhaps out of his league. Then at seventeen, Adam got the confidence to ask her out. Adam’s hopes soared when she agreed to go for a quiet walk with him. They quickly became a courting couple.

One day the couple were out walking hand in hand on the beach and Adam got down on one knee and said, ‘Helen, would you agree to marry me as I love you and I have admired you for so long?’

Adam quickly added before Helen could reply, ‘Of course, I know that I would need to ask your dad.’

Helen let out a giggle and Adam’s heart froze in his chest in anticipation and he was worried that this could go wrong.

Helen left him to wait for a few seconds and then said, ‘Yes, my love, and please don’t worry about Dad. I am twenty-three and he knows that we love each other.’

Adam was so happy and he got to his feet quickly, and they shared a kiss on the beach and he said, ‘That is wonderful my love!’ Adam brushed the sand off his trousers and laughed aloud before saying, ‘There is no time like the present.’ They laughed together beaming smiles as they walked back to her parents’ house hand in hand.

Adam spoke to Helen’s dad, David Smith, who was a tall man, around Adam’s height, and was balding and wore small glasses.

Her father said to him, ‘ Helen is special, but Lizzie and I see the two of you together. You are younger but mature for your age. You must treat her well though or you will answer to me.’ He said the last sentence with a steely gaze.

Adam cleared his throat a little nervously before saying in his