Over the past three years people have been bringing in old photographs of Eyemouth and asking me to possibly produce a calender or a book of old photographs. The problem is it is such a minefield sorting out who’s copyright is who’s, although obviously some images here are too old to even worry about I do not wish to use anybody’s photographs illegally.
Therefore if anyone thinks I am using their image and they can prove ownership I will remove it, or if they dont mind I would give them a credit for use.
Some of these images I have cleaned and in time I will restore all the images I have been given if for no other reason but to archive a set of images for prosperity.
I will add more images to the blog whenever I can. If you have any images I could use please contact me.
Old Glass plate Image
Children playing somewhere near Swan Court
If anyone can recognize anyone in these images or has any information please let me know and I will add it to the relative images.
Church Street
I was really pleased when I got this image seeing as I live here.
Church Street 2
Old Eyemouth fisherman “Auld Sands”
Harbour 1
Harbour 2
Harbour 3″
The house in the middle of the photo that connects the sole and the whale was demolished and when it fell into it’s cellars, they had to ship more rubble and soil in as it didn’t fill the hole it made… (smuggling at it’s best I would say). Courtsy of Elaine Peakman
Harbour 4
Eyemouth lifeboat man (who is he?)
Eyemouth fish market.
Gentleman in the blazer is James “Storey” Collin who was the harbour master at the time. He’s talking to George Craig
Does anyone know anything about this photograph? I have been told it is possibly St Abbs
Repairing a creel
High Street
Loading Herring
Meeks Yard
Packing the herring
Tar Castle
Walkers Store.
Apparently the sign was deliberate to gain attention to the shop. The young lass there is Kath Rosie who lives just along from there now. The photo is of Dundee House where Bing (WM Collin & son) has his electrician’s workshop.
Eyemouth flood 1948
Eyemouth Flood 1948
Eyemouth Flood
St Abbs Harbour
Gunsgreen House
Eyemouth
Eyemouth Harbour
Eyemouth Harbour
Eyemouth Harbour
Eyemouth Harbour
At last a few more images, sorry its been a while. I have been pretty busy with other projects and it does take a while to repair & clean all these images but I am getting there slowly but surely.
Three Fishermen Burnmouth
Bolinda Eyemouth
Burgons Ragtimers
Burnmouth
Eyemouth harbour re-build
Fisher Lassies
Lads learning to tie knots (Eyemout Harbour)
The ladies in the photo are left to right Lizbeth McCloud, Mag Gowdy, Maglyn Darnelle, Morag Scotts Grandmother (name unknown) If they were still here they would be 120 ish…..
Eyemouth’s Blacksmith
William Dougall was also known as Old Titivate
William Dougall
St Abbs Fisherman George Colvin
Eyemouth Station
Eyemouth Station
Eyemouth Station
Burnmouth Station
Burnmouth Station
Crabbers working Eyemouth Harbour
The Man with the crabs in his hands
Is George Colvin
Old Burnmouth Fisherman
Burnmouth Fishing Family
Old Salts
St Ella’s Place
Chapel Street
Shop Ladies
Lady Cleaning
Burnmouth Harbour
Glass slide image of Burnmouth 1910 – 1912
Burnmouth in 1910 – 1912
Glass slide image of Coldingham in 1910
Glass slide image of St Abbs in 1910 – 1911
A glass slide image of Eyemouth harbour in 1910
Glass slide image of Eyemouth Harbour in 1910 showing the old lifeboat house
Glass slide image of the old mill in Eyemouth
Hand painted glass slide image of Eyemouth in 1910 – 1912
Old Eyemouth with Gunsgreen House in the background
Eyemouth harbour construction. (courtesy Elaine Peakman)
Eyemouth Harbour 1912
Netherbyres Nr Ayton 1910
Maggie Murphys House Nr Ayton
Who is this man?
Burnmouth Fisherman 10
Does anyone know who this is please?
Burnmouth
Danny Stott & Jimmy Lough (Eyemouth)
Eyemouth Fish Market
Working on the Harbour
Concord Entering Eyemouth Harbour
Eyemouth harbour 10
Eyemouth
Jimmy Dougall
Willie Spiers
Star Devine
Petticoe wick
Petticoe Wick
Please leave a comment especially if you have any information about these photographs and add me to your favourites. Thank you, Kevin.
Kevin O'Brien's Blog 
Hi Kevin
great photos , my grandmother Georgina was born in Eyemouth 1902 , her mother was Williamina Crombie born 1882 , her father was William Crombie of the vessel Florida lost in the disaster .
Willamina and Georgina both worked as ‘lassies’ so it was great to see the photo’s , we have no photos of georgina as a young girl and none of Williamina , maybe someone has .
Thanks again for the work you have done .
Dean
Kent,England
Hi Kevin
I have just read your blog which I found very interesting, some of the photo’s are of streets where my ancestors used to live and some of the responders to your blog gave names from their family history which are also part of my family history.
My grandparents Andrew Donaldson Angus-Janet Johnston left Eyemouth in 1901
Family history names, Angus, Johnston, Windram, Maltman, Chrystal, Crombie, Swanston, Donaldson, Imrie.
GREAT PICTURES! Any information on Margaret Stott (nee Fraser) who was the innkeeper of the Whale between the 1840s and 1876 when she died. Her daughter Isabella Stott took over running the inn after she died.
The fishing vessel labelled “Bolinda” is properly BK 312 “Bolinders”.
MY UNCLE WAS DOUGAL PATTERSON PART OWNER IN THE STAR DIVINE BK 47 PICTURED. WE SPENT MANY SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN EYEMOUTH STAYING WITH THEM FOR TWO WEEKS EVERY YEAR. AS CHILDREN WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT .MY GRANDAD USED TO MANAGE THE HOME ARMS HOTEL BEFORE HE WAS TAKEN OFF TO WAR,( WILFRED HENRY WARD) DOES ANYONE RECOGNISE HIS NAME. MY MUM MY SISTER AND MYSELF HAVE BOOKED IN THE HOME ARMS ON JULY 13TH 2015 FOR A NOSTALGIC VISIT. CANT WAIT
Absolutely wonderful photos. Have just read Children of the Sea by Peter Aitchison ( couldn`t put it down) these photos bring Old Eyemouth even more to life. I visited Eyemouth as a child not knowing that my Great x 3 Grandparents were Haimoothers. Thomas Davis Black, Carter of Eyemouth Mill and Jean Innes daughter of John Innes Principal Customs Officer, married 1822. I`m now researching them all. Is that the Mill in the glass image? If these photos become a book, add me to the list subscribers !
These photos are fantastic!! coming to eyemouth tomorrow for the first time in 55 years. Used to come from Edinburgh for my holidays with the West Pilton Community Centre, stayed in dormatories of the old High School, next to where Eyemouth Utd played Spending two nights at the Homes Arms, before heading up on a road trip to the north of Scotland. Will love to see my old holiday haunts My name is Bob Copland, I now live in Bedworth, just north of Coventry.
Would love to have a chat with anyone who was around then, 55 years ago!!! Happy to buy then a drink !!!
contact No 07749991874
Hi, I’m looking for photos of yawls built by Weatherhead, skippered by the owner of my current house in Cellardyke, Janes BK340 lost with all crew (I have all names) and skipper Andrew Henderson when she hauled up a mine with her nets 11.5 miles SE of St Abbs 14/08/1917. She was 12 Tons so I’m guessing about 40ft and her replacement that was being built Janes II BK 390 that skipper Henderson was due to take up within weeks of his death. I’ve had a scan through your photos on this site but cant make out numbers.. If you know you have any images, that would be fantastic, cheers
Hi Richard. I have posted a message on my facebook page, there are a lot of people on it that live in the Eyemouth area so hopefully someone can help. Kevin
Hi. I am a great great grand daughter of William Maltman and Annie Ross who married in Eyemouth in 1871. William was lost in the Eyemouth fishing disaster in 1881 on the Guiding Star. Family then moved to Fraserburgh Aberdeenshire
. Would love any info on the family. Sylvia Harper
I have asked my Facebook friends, a lot live within the Eyemouth area so maybe someone will come up with something. Kevin
Hi Sylvia,
William that drowned was my 4th Gt-Grandfather. I have done a bit of research of the family history.
Sylvia, William Maltman was also my Gt-Gt-Gt Grandfather. I have traced the Maltman line if you want any ino.
Hi. I have only just checked this site and found your reply. So glad you took the trouble to respond. My husband and i came down to Eyemouth and met with the geneologist of the museum there who helped me with my trace. If i am on tbe right track, i have managed to go back to early 1700s. It would be good to know where your link in the chain is. My link is william Maltman (my great great grandfather) who married Annie Ross – David Maltman-(my great grandfather) margaret maltman (my grandmother) -Sena Murison – ( my mother) any information would be most appreciated.
Hi Sylvia, if you can send me your e-mail address & I’ll give you what I have about the Maltman’s. Regards
Bruce
Hi Bruce. My email address is sjharper3@gmail.com. thanks for your reply.
Was in Burnmouth this afternoon and now, at this rather late hour, getting round to finding out something of its history. Loved these old photos, so interesting and full of character.
Great photos, thanks for showing them. My ancestors are from that area; Burgon/Affleck/Fleck/Cowe/Paterson/Robertson/Crombie/Whillus.
Love the town and the area. Nostalgic
Great pictures! Especially some of portraits
My Uncle Willie is Willlie Spears, wonderful set of pictures, other relations were Dougall, Patterson, my family moved from Eyemouth to New Westminster in 1912 approx, many Eyemouth names also were in New Westminster BC Canada
hi thanks for some great memories,but surely the eyemouth flood was in august 1948 and not 1946.regards Bill Craig
Your right Bill, thanks for the amendment. I should have been more careful. Kevin.
Lovely set of photographs. I am particularly interested in any of Burnmouth as my Grandparents used to live there & I have spent many very happy holidays there, both as a child & more recently.
If you’re interested, I have some old pictures of Burnmouth/Ross/Cowdrait, that may contain faces featured in your sets. Also some from the early 70’s.
Regards Pete
Kevin i believe you were looking for info on the Craig family who had the old bakery. I’m not sure if i can get my hands on any images for you, but i will try. I am a relation of the family infact they were my Great Aunt and Uncle. I spent many a summer holiday in the property, which by then was just a residence lived in by my Great Aunt. It always fascinated me. Sadly it is as i believe,after checking out google earth, now turned into apartments. I will get back to you if i find any photos.
Thank you Jane for your post Jane. It would be very interesting to see any photographs you may have, Only if you can get then of course. Kevin
The photos are lovely and give me an insight into Eyemouth from my ancestors’ eyes. My great grandfather (William Nisbet) was born in Eyemouth and with his wife Elizabeth (nee Patterson) and their children moved to the North east of England where my Granda was born. He appears to have left South Shields sometime after 1911 as he appears on the census for that year in South Shields. His will details are given as 13 Church Street, Eyemouth in 1941 and one of the witnesses was George Burgon McLean, a carter of the same address.
Brilliant stuff. The one of St Ellas place though.. are you sure? The building to the left looks like Invereye and the building in the foreground looks as though it has the whale behind it. could be very wrong though!
Thank you so much for these photographs. My great Grandfather was George Bone lost on the Myrtle along with his Son in the Great Disaster. I used to visit Eyemouth as a young child and there was an aunt Lebe who had a fish shop and also a fishing boat. I think it was called The Amelia.
The fishing boat Amelia was named after my mother, Amelia Kinnaird (maiden name) who spent her summer holidays in Eyemouth as a child in the 1930’s.
Thank you so much! My ggrandma Bell was born at the old mill (Netherbyres) so fabulous to see it………………at last.
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Love the photos. In was hoping to find some of the Craig family who owned a bakery and large walled garden house. Alas I did not. Jane.
This is so great! To see Eyemouth as my Gran and her family before her would have seen it. Thank you so much for these wonderful photos. I especially like the Fish Lassies as my Great-Grandmother was one herself. She lived in Church Street too! I will be sure to send this address to all my family members.
Wonderful photographs. Please keep them coming!
Hi my husbands great grandma was Mary Burgon from eyemouth and you have a photo called Burgons ragtimers do you have any info on that photo.Brilliant photos Thanks Michelle,Ipswich Suffolk
Hi Michelle. My 4 x Gr-Grandmother is Mary Burgon! I can send you some info I have about her if you would like ) Regards, Ashleigh James South Africa
Hi michelle here yes i would love any info on the Burgon family.Thanks
Hi Michelle,
No problem. Send me an e-mail to the following address and I’ll send on all the info I have on Mary Burgon- antiquesroadshowiscool@gmail.com
hi my dads great great grandad was Alex Burgon skipper of the Aeriel Gazelle we went back this summer 2012 to see Billy – my dads mam was called Burgon
these pictures are fantastic again a bit before my time but i would love to learn more about them myself am sure lawson wood has a lot of info on old eyemouth he maybe one to contact
Fantastic photos Kevin. Great job sourcing all these. All are well before my time of course but very interesting.
These are remarkable images, would love to see more and to have them commercially available. All best
Peter
Hi Peter Some of these images are for re-sale. If there are any you want please don’t hesitate to ask then I can let you know. Kevin.