| |||||
| Historical Forums |
| Tell a Friend |
This page established JANUARY 2011 is dedicated to Barometers in Scottish Harbours. Some of the harbours still have their barometers, but many have been taken down and lost over the years. If you come across a barometer that we don't have or have any information we could add, please e-mail us at banffshiremaritime@yahoo.co.uk
Scottish Harbour Barometers.
- Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy.
Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy (1805 to 1865) former Naval hydrographer born in Suffolk believed that many ships and lives were lost at sea because the captain’s left port unaware of coming storms. In order to remedy this he had a specially designed ‘Fishery Storm Barometer’ issued to every port. The ports which couldn’t afford one, got theirs free, others had to pay or have it paid for by local businesses. Their large clear scales bear ‘Fitzroy’s Rules’. Fitzroy’s barometers must have saved thousands of lives over the years.
In a report dated 22nd June 1858 Fitzroy reported that he had supplied ten substantial durable and easy to observe barometers. These were issued to:
1) Newhaven. 2) Anstruther.
3) Arbroath. 4) Rosehearty.
5) Whitehills. 6) Portessie.
7) Lybster. 8) Dunbeath.
9) Lerwick. 10) St. Ives.
Avoch Harbour Barometer.
The Inverness Advertiser Friday, 15th February 1867 reported that a barometer supplied by the Board of Trade had been installed at Avoch Harbour.
Banff Harbour Barometer.
- Refurbished Banff Barometer box and notice board, Battery Green, Banff. Left to right - Stan Bruce (Secretary), Andrew Bruce (Committee), and Liam Sparke (Vice-Chair). (Photo - Alistair Mason).
Banff Harbour Barometer - The Banff barometer is missing, and the box was in an awful state of disrepair, that was until in 2011 the Banffshire Maritime & Heritage Association decided to repair it and install a dummy barometer. The dummy barometer and information panel adjacent were sponsored by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). www.dnv.com
Boddam Harbour Barometer.
- Boddam Harbour Barometer. (S. Bruce 27 Jan 2012).
Boddam Harbour Barometer was gifted by the 4th Earl of Aberdeen in the 1850's. It was made by West 41 The Strand, London and is sited on the wall of a cottage at the bottom of Queens Road. This barometer is housed inside a steel container which has done its job protecting this barometer well for more than 150 years. Currently the main cover of the box is jammed shut with layers of paint, however the top flap still opens and you canrea dhtetemperature since mercury is still in the thermometer.
Broughty Ferry Harbour Barometer.
We are aware that a barometer box dated 1859 minus the barometer still exists at Broughty Ferry, and we will add it as soon as we have a photo of it.
Buckpool Harbour Barometer.
In 1911 the local Press announced that "We are pleased to note that the fishermen's barometer has now been properly repaired and returned to its former position at Buckpool Harbour. The barometer was given to the fishermen about 1850 by a generous donor". "Two or three years ago the barometer was considerably damaged and made useless but has now been made good and the barometer will forecast the weather for centuries to come!".
The barometer disappeared in the early 1990's, and its whereabouts is currently unknown.
Cullen Harbour Barometer.
- Cullen Harbour Barometer Box. (S. Bruce 31 Jan 2012).
We have been advised that the box shown, which is sited at the harbour held the Cullen Harbour Barometer, however we are not sure if the barometer is still inside it or not.
Dunbar Barometer.
The Fishermen's Memorial at the Old Harbour, Dunbar, erected in 1856 houses a restored barometer. The original barometer is said to have been paid for by a local benefactor.
Eyemouth Harbour Barometer.
We are aware that Eyemouth still has a barometer, and we will add it as soon as we have a photo of it.
Gourdon Harbour Barometer.
- Gourdon Harbour Barometer. (17 Jan 2012, S. Bruce).
- Farquhar coat of arms Gourdon Harbour Barometer. (S. Bruce 17 Jan 2012).
Gourdon Harbour Barometer - The barometer is housed in a granite memorial with steel railings around it.
Text on the bottom of the metal case reads "To the seafaring men of Gourdon A.D. 1871".
Text on the barometer reads "Admiral Fitzroy's Prize Medal Barometer".
Text on the top of the metal case reads "Given by James Farquhar Esquire of Hallgreen".
A marble plaque under the barometer and below a coat of arms reads: "In memory of William Farquhar Lieut R.N. lost in the wreck of H.M. ship Racehorse off the coast of Shantung Gulf of Pechili China on the 4th Nov 1864 in his 24th year" "Faithful onto death".
The steam driven naval gunboat 'HMS Racecourse' was wrecked at 8.30pm of the evening of the 4th November 1864 in the Bay of Lung-mun, approximately 12 miles east of Chofooo (modern Yantai), China. 99 lives were lost including Lieutenant William Farquhar. Only nine of her crew were saved - three officers including the captain, and six men.
To find out more visit http://www.pdavis.nl/Racehorse.php
- Lossiemouth Harbour Barometer (G. Reid).
Lossiemouth Harbour Barometer.
The original Lossiemouth Harbour barometer is now housed and can be seen in the new Harbour Office in Shore Street, Lossiemouth and the box for the
original siting of the barometer is still to be seen between the old harbour office and the Fisheries Museum at Pitgaveny Quay (East Basin).
The barometer was presented to the Lossiemouth Harbour Company by Lloyds of London in 1861.
(Information and photograph courtesy of George Reid, Chairman, Elgin & Lossiemouth Harbour Co.).
Fitzroy's report of 1863 reads "Of great use, and generally understood. Has occassionally misled, but no gale of importance has occurred without warning" (George Shand, Harbour Master 21st Feb 1863).
Macduff Harbour Barometer.
- Macduff Harbour Barometer. (S. Bruce 1 Feb 2012).
Macduff Harbour Barometer - The barometer was originally sited on a gable wall of a building in Shore Street, but is currently inside the fishmarket.
The barometer was presented to the fishermen of Macduff in 1849 by John Murray Esqire of London.
Marvig Harbour Barometer.
Will be added when we have a photograph.
Nairn Harbour Barometer.
According to the Inverness Advertiser published Tuesday, 7th June 1859 - A Barometer is to be supplied by Board of Trade.
The Inverness Advertiser Tuesday, 2nd August 1859 reported that the barometer had been delivered.
(The Inverness Advertiser Tuesday, 23rd March 1858 reported that the Board of Trade were to enforce the use of barometers).
Newhaven Harbour Barometer.
- Newhaven Harbour Barometer Box. (S. Bruce, 30 July 2011).
Newhaven Harbour Barometer - Located across the road from the harbour, on the wall of the former Society of Free Fishermen building, Pier Place, Newhaven, Edinburgh.
Inscription at top of the box reads "Erected 1775, re-erected 1900".
Inscription at the bottom reads "Society of Free Fishermen".
North Berwick Harbour Barometers.
North Berwick Harbour has two barometers. The tall barometer in the wooden box has a brass plates which reads "Presented by J.B. Whitelaw Esq. to the fishermen of North Berwick".
- North Berwick Harbour Barometer. (S. Bruce, 23 July 2011).
- North Berwick Harbour Barometer. (S. Bruce, 23 July 2011).
Pennan Harbour Barometer.
The Pennan Harbour Barometer is housed in the wall of the Pennan Inn to the right of the main door, (although there is an empty housing of similar size in a small building at the harbour). A brass plaque above the barometer reads "Pennan Barometer presented by F. W. Garden Campbell Esquire of Troup Glenlyon 1864". The barometer was made by Hay and Lyall, 73 Union Street, Aberdeen.
- Pennan Harbour Barometer Housing. (S. Bruce 18 Feb 2013).
- Pennan Inn. (S. Bruce 18 Feb 2013).
- Hay and Lyall's shop 73 Union Street, Aberdeen.
Peterhead Harbour Barometer.
According to The New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845), there was a barometer at Peterhead Harbour aside the lighthouse, however in 1835 it was reported as being broken.
- Portgordon Harbour (Dummy) Barometer. (S. Bruce).
Portgordon Harbour Barometer - The original harbour barometer is now safely sited inside the village hall. The original box aside the harbour now has a dummy barometer in it.
For more on the Portgordon Barometer and Portgordon click the above link.
Portknockie Harbour Barometer.
The K'nocker Easter 2004 reads the following "When we are at Meg's we are also at the Barometer. The Barometer is as it says a barometer but is known locally as the Glass. When someonc says he was down at the Barometer, they mean they were down in the area of the road in front of the Barometer and having a look at the Glass".
Portsoy Harbour Barometer.
- Portsoy Harbour Barometer. (15 Aug 2010, S. Bruce).
Portsoy Harbour Barometer - 1858, the Portsoy Harbour barometer was sited at the Old Harbour (Shorehead) on the gable end of No. 31 Low Street. The Portsoy barometer was lent (Free) to the town of Portsoy by the Meteorological Office, London, and was made by Negretti & Zambra Instrument Makers to Her Majesty, 1 Hatton Garden E.C., 122 Regent Street W, and 59 Cornhill E.C., London.
St. Andrews Barometer Box.
We are aware that St. Andrews still has a barometer, and we will add it as soon as we have a photo of it.
Sandhaven (Pitullie) Harbour Barometer
- Sandhaven (Pitullie) Barometer Box. (S. Bruce 10 Nov 2012).
A little to the west of the former Forbes Boat-yard at Sandhaven Harbour is the barometer housing. Unfortunately the housing no longer has the barometer nor does it have a door.
According to Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy's report of The Meteorologic Office of The Board of Trade dated April 1863, the Sandhaven Barometer was "Useful; Generally understood, and there had been no important gale without warning".
Stonehaven Harbour Barometer.
- Stonehaven Harbour Barometer. (25 Nov 2006, S. Bruce).
Stonehaven Harbour Barometer - According to a plaque it was erected in 1852.
Stornoway Harbour Barometer.
Will be added when we have a photograph.
Whitehills Harbour Barometer.
- Whitehills Harbour Barometer Box. (12 April 2006, S. Bruce).
Whitehills Harbour Barometer - 1858, the Whitehills Barometer was located near the Old Harbour on the gable end of No. 37 Low Shore. It was provided by the Board of Trade for the fishermen of Whitehills.
It was removed from the original box on Low Shore, and re-sited at the Harbour Masters Office, where it can be seen today.
This barometer bears serial number FB12.
Wick Harbour Barometer.
- Wick Harbour Barometer (Mike Steven - 2012).
- General view of Wick Harbour Barometer. (Mike Steven - 2012).
Mike Steven of Wick kindly gave us these pictures of the barometer, if anyone has anymore info we'd be glad to hear from you.
This is not a Fitzroy Barometer so we guess it was paid for by some prominent local.
Typical Fitzroy Barometer.
- Vice-Admiral Fitzroy Barometer.
