Peggy PD149

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, this boat was used as an admirals barge during World WarII and was also used to help bring a Russian* submarine cable on shore at Peterhead.

In 1915 the SS Colonia, a cable laying ship was used (under the cover of darkness) to help lay a cable from Alexandrovsk in Russia to Peterhead.

Often the larger cable laying vessels such as SS Colonia were unsuitable for navigating in shallow coastal waters and the expertise of local fishermen/vessels was often called upon.

Family accounts suggest the Peggy PD149 was sister ship to Jeannies PD145 (which Alexander Duncan had built in 1907). Story goes that it was at the launch of the two boats that Charles Buchan (Dooie's Charlie) and my great-aunt Isabella Duncan (b.1897) first started courting. Charles Buchan was skipper of Peggy.

During the "hungry thirties" many herring fishermen could not earn a living as the bottom fell out of the market. It was a sad day when the Peggy finally sailed out between the pier-heads to its final destiny, ultimately to be scrapped, but her proudest boast was that she allegedly sailed debt free.

From the Crew List Index Project (CLIP) database, the following information is recorded against "managing owners" of Peggy, from 1909 to 1923 the managing owner is recorded as William Hay, then to Robert L Mitchell in 1925, Joseph Buchan in 1927 finally to my great aunt Isabella Duncan in 1937.

• 1909 - William Hay, 25 Maiden Street

• 1925 - Robert L Mitchell, Ellishill, Peterhead

• 1927 - Joseph Buchan, 23 Hay Crescent

• 1937 - Miss Isabella D Buchan, 23 Hay Crescent and Charles Buchan (same address)

1938 - Register Closed

Note: Charles father was John Buchan (Dooie), Charles grandfather was Joseph Buchan. Although not certain, it could be that Joseph shown as managing owner in 1927 was Dooie's father.