![Fraserburgh market cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Fraserburgh_market_cross.jpg)
Fraserburgh (; sco, The Broch or ; gd, A' Bhruaich) is a town in
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
with a population recorded in the
2011 Census at 13,100. It lies at the far northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, about north of
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, and north of
Peterhead
Peterhead (; gd, Ceann Phàdraig, sco, Peterheid ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. ...
. It is the biggest
shellfish
Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater envir ...
port in Scotland and one of the largest in Europe, landing over in 2016. Fraserburgh is also a major port for
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
and
pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reef ...
.
History
16th and 17th century: Origins
The name of the town means, literally, 'burgh of Fraser', after the
Fraser family that bought the lands of Philorth in 1504 and thereafter brought about major improvement due to investment over the next century.
By 1570, the Fraser family had built Fraserburgh Castle at
Kinnaird Head
Kinnaird Head ( gd, An Ceann Àrd, "high headland") is a headland projecting into the North Sea, within the town of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, on the east coast of Scotland. The 16th-century Kinnaird Castle was converted in 1787 for use as the ...
and within a year a church was built for the area.
Sir Alexander Fraser built a port in the town in 1579, obtained a charter establishing it as a
burgh of barony
A burgh of barony was a type of Scottish town ( burgh).
Burghs of barony were distinct from royal burghs, as the title was granted to a landowner who, as a tenant-in-chief, held his estates directly from the crown. (In some cases, they might also ...
in 1588 and secured the right to change the name from Faithlie to Fraserburgh in 1592.
A grant from the
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...
in 1595 allowed Sir Alexander Fraser to erect the first college building, and in 1597 the
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...
of the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
recommended the Rev.
Charles Ferme
Charles Ferm, Ferme, Farholme or Fairholm (ca.1566–1617), was a leading campaigning Presbyterian minister in the Church of Scotland, and the Principal of Fraserburgh University, Scotland.
Early life and education
Ferm was born in Edinburgh of ...
, then minister at the Old Parish, to be its first and only principal.
In 1601, Fraserburgh became a
burgh of regality
A burgh of regality is a type of Scottish town.
They were distinct from royal burghs as they were granted to "lords of regality", leading noblemen. (In distinction, burghs of barony were granted to a tenant-in-chief, a landowner who held his esta ...
. The college, however, closed only a decade or so after Ferme's arrest on the orders of James VI for taking part in the 1605
General Assembly of Aberdeen
The disastrous General Assembly of Aberdeen was held in 1605. A few ministers of the Presbyterian party met in defiance of royal authority as the general assembly was prohibited by royal proclamation. There was doubt about the legality of the se ...
, being used again only for a short time in 1647 when
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...
temporarily relocated owing to an outbreak of plague. A plaque commemorating the University's existence may be seen at the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre.
18th and 19th century: further growth and development
![Old Town Council Building - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Old_Town_Council_Building_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1504772.jpg)
During the 18th and 19th centuries the population of Fraserburgh was growing with peaks due to seasonal employment. From a population of an estimated 1682 in 1755, a population of about 2,000 was recorded in 1780, of whom 1,000 resided in the town proper. There were a further 200 people in the village of Broadsea.
[The Statistical Account on the Parish of Fraserburgh, between 1791–1799 (probably 1791) by Rev. Alexander Simpson of the Fraserburgh Old Parish Church]
In 1787, Fraserburgh Castle was converted to
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse
There are two lighthouses located on Kinnaird Head, in Fraserburgh, Scotland: an historical one built in a converted castle; and its modern replacement, built in 1991.
The original lighthouse now forms part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. ...
, Scotland's first mainland lighthouse and the first in Scotland to be lit by the
Commissioners of Northern Lights.
In the 1790s, Rev. Alexander Simpson of the Fraserburgh Old Parish Church describes the harbour as ''small but good'', telling that it had the capability to take vessels with '200 tons burden'. The Reverend notes that shipbuilding had become a main industry in the town, especially after 1784, and that the locals were making donations and seeking government assistance to have the harbour enlarged.
In 1803, the original 1571 church building was
replaced and enlarged, to a design by
Alexander Morrice,
to seat 1,000 people. The Auld Kirk was to be the standing authority in the town up until the 1840s. This period also saw the extension of the harbour, with a northern pier of 300 yards being built between 1807–1812 and, in 1818, a southern pier being built following an Act of
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
.
Fraserburgh's population boomed in the early 19th Century, from 2271 in 1811 to 2954 by 1831. This was primarily put down to the growth in herring fishing, which intensified in 1815. The herring season also brought with it an additional 1,200 people working in the Parish. Contemporary accounts mention the increase in general wealth brought by this increased trade spurring a change in ''dress and diet'' as well as a ''considerable'' amount of new houses being built in the town.
No less than £30,000 was spent developing the harbour between 1807 and 1840 by which time the harbour held eight vessels of and 220 boats of the herring fishery.
Fraserburgh Town House, which was designed by Thomas Mackenzie of
Matthews and MacKenzie, was completed in 1855.
Lifeboat service
The town has had a local lifeboat on service since 1806 which was run privately by the local Harbour Board until the first
RNLI operated station opened in 1858. This was the first official RNLI station opened in Scotland.
Throughout the 20th century, Fraserburgh suffered three lifeboat disasters. First, in 1919, the 'Lady Rothes' capsized while assisting HM
drifter
A drifter is a vagrant who moves from place to place without a fixed home or employment.
Drifter(s) or The Drifter(s) may also refer to:
Films and television Films
* ''The Drifter'' (1917 film), an American film directed by Fred Kelsey
* ''Th ...
''Eminent''. Coxswain Andrew Noble and Acting Second Coxswain Andrew Faquhar drowned. Second, on 9 February 1953, six crew members lost their lives when the lifeboat capsized while escorting fishing vessels to the harbour. On this occasion Coxswain Andrew Ritchie, Mechanic George Duthie, Bowman Charles Tait, Assistant Mechanic James Noble and Crew Members John Crawford and John Buchan all lost their lives - the only survivor was Charles Tait. Lastly, on 21 January 1970 while on service to the Danish fishing vessel ''Opal'', the lifeboat ''The Duchess of Kent'' capsized with the loss of five of her crew of six. Those killed were Coxswain John Stephen, Mechanic Frederick Kirkness and crew members William Hadden, James R.S. Buchan and James Buchan.
In 2009, a local campaign was started to raise £40,000 to erect an official monument to the 14 men who lost their lives whilst serving on the Fraserburgh Lifeboat. The target was successfully achieved and the monument unveiled by
Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun
Marjorie Flora Fraser, 21st Lady SaltounIt has recently been determined that Margaret Abernethy succeeded her brother, Alexander Abernethy, 9th Lord Saltoun, in 1668, but only survived him by about 10 weeks and had not previously been counted ...
in August 2010.
Railways
Fraserburgh railway station opened in 1865 and closed to passengers in 1965. The railway line was built by the
Formartine and Buchan Railway
The Formartine and Buchan Railway was a railway company operating in the north-east of Scotland. It was built to link the important fishing ports of Fraserburgh and Peterhead with Aberdeen. It had a junction with the main line of the Great Nort ...
Company, which became part of the
Great North of Scotland Railway
The Great North of Scotland Railway (GNSR) was one of the two smallest of the five major Scottish railway companies prior to the 1923 Grouping, operating in the north-east of the country. Formed in 1845, it carried its first passengers the fr ...
. Trains operated to
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
via
Maud and
Dyce
Dyce ( gd, Deis) is a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, situated on the River Don about northwest of the city centre. It is best known as the location of Aberdeen Airport.
History
Dyce is the site of an early medieval church dedicated to the 8 ...
, as well as a short branch line to
St Combs via
Cairnbulg
The villages of Inverallochy (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Aileachaidh'') and Cairnbulg (from the Gaelic ''càrn builg'' meaning 'gap cairn') lie some east of Fraserburgh, in North East Scotland. It formerly consisted of the three fishing villages ...
. In 1923 the GNSR was incorporated into the
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) was the second largest (after LMS) of the " Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. It operated from 1 January 1923 until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. At th ...
, which was in turn nationalised on 1 January 1948. Passenger services on the Buchan lines were withdrawn in 1965 as part of the
Beeching cuts
The Beeching cuts (also Beeching Axe) was a plan to increase the efficiency of the nationalised British Rail, railway system in Great Britain. The plan was outlined in two reports: ''The Reshaping of British Railways'' (1963) and ''The Develop ...
, although freight trains continued to operate Fraserburgh until 1979. The track was subsequently lifted.
Following the opening of the
Borders Railway
The Borders Railway connects the city of Edinburgh with Galashiels and Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders. The railway follows most of the alignment of the northern part of the Waverley Route, a former double-track line in southern Scotland ...
in September 2015, Fraserburgh became the most distant town in UK from the rail network, leading to calls for the lifted track to be reinstated. The nearest operating station is currently
Inverurie
Inverurie (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Uraidh'' or ''Inbhir Uaraidh'', 'mouth of the River Ury') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland at the confluence of the rivers Ury and Don, about north-west of Aberdeen.
Geography
Inverurie is in the vall ...
, away.
Climate
Fraserburgh has a
marine climate heavily influenced by its proximity to the sea. As such, summer highs and winter lows are heavily moderated, with mild winter temperatures for a location so far north. The differences between seasons are narrow as a result, with February averaging highs of and August .
As a result of its marine influence, there is significant seasonal lag, with September being milder than June, and October having slightly milder nights than May, in spite of a considerable difference in the length of
daylight
Daylight is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and (often) both of these reflected by Earth and terrestrial objects, like landforms and buildings. Sunligh ...
. The climate is overcast and wet with and average of 1,351.8 hours of sunshine per year. Temperature extremes have ranged from in July 1995 to in February 1991. There is approximately of precipitation per annum.
Fraserburgh is also notable for having the
highest ever recorded wind speed in the UK at a low altitude. The gust was recorded on 13 February 1989 at
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse
There are two lighthouses located on Kinnaird Head, in Fraserburgh, Scotland: an historical one built in a converted castle; and its modern replacement, built in 1991.
The original lighthouse now forms part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. ...
. The corresponding hourly mean speed was .
Demographics
The 2011 census recorded 13,180 residents making Fraserburgh the third largest settlement in
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
after
Peterhead
Peterhead (; gd, Ceann Phàdraig, sco, Peterheid ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. ...
and
Inverurie
Inverurie (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Uraidh'' or ''Inbhir Uaraidh'', 'mouth of the River Ury') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland at the confluence of the rivers Ury and Don, about north-west of Aberdeen.
Geography
Inverurie is in the vall ...
. Since the accession of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
and other eastern European countries to the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
in 2005, there has been an influx of EU citizens to the town, with 5% of residents now speaking Polish as their first language, and a further 6% speaking other languages.
Some 10% of residents stated the
Scots language
Scots ( endonym: ''Scots''; gd, Albais, ) is an Anglic language variety in the West Germanic language family, spoken in Scotland and parts of Ulster in the north of Ireland (where the local dialect is known as Ulster Scots). Most commonly ...
to be their primary language used at home, whilst 63.1% reported being able to speak it.
Places of interest
The town has several attractions including an award-winning beach, a major commercial harbour,
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse
There are two lighthouses located on Kinnaird Head, in Fraserburgh, Scotland: an historical one built in a converted castle; and its modern replacement, built in 1991.
The original lighthouse now forms part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. ...
, the
Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, Fraserburgh Heritage Centre and the community war memorial by the Scottish sculptor
Alexander Carrick
Alexander Carrick (20 February 1882 – 1966) was a Scottish sculptor. He was one of Scotland's leading monumental sculptors of the early part of the 20th century. He was responsible for many architectural and ecclesiastical works as well as m ...
.
Fraserburgh is also home to a variety 19th century churches, each in its own distinct style. This includes: Fraserburgh Baptist Church;
Fraserburgh Old Parish Church (the oldest); Our Lady, Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church; South Church; St Peter's Episcopal Church; and West Church.
Photo gallery
File:To the lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 236129.jpg, Harbour Lighthouse
File:View to Mormond Hill White Horse figure - geograph.org.uk - 235788.jpg, The 'White Horse' on Mormond Hill.
File:Cairness House south front.jpg, Cairness House near Fraserburgh
File:Strichen Community Park - geograph.org.uk - 188790.jpg, Strichen Community Park, near Fraserburgh
File:Fraserburgh Lighthouse (Kinnaird Castle) and the Wine Tower.jpg, Kinnaird Head and the ancient Wynd Tower
Sports and recreation
![Bellslea Park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Bellslea_Park.jpg)
Fraserburgh has a number of sporting facilities including a swimming pool, ten-pin bowling alley, tennis courts, martial arts dojo, skatepark and football pitches.
Golf
Founded in 1777, Fraserburgh Golf Club is the fifth oldest club in Scotland and seventh oldest in the world. It has both an 18-hole and a 9-hole course, and a modern clubhouse. Nearby is the Dunes Golf Centre public driving range and cafe.
Football
Fraserburgh Football Club is a senior football club that plays in the
Highland League, of which they are the current champions, having secured their 4th title in April 2022.
Fraserburgh United F.C. is a junior football club that plays in the
Scottish Junior Football North First Division
The North Region Junior Football League is a football league based in the north east of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–7 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Highland Football League.
Geographically, the l ...
.
Cricket
Fraserburgh Cricket Club was founded in 1862 and currently competes in the Aberdeenshire Grades Leagues. They play their home matches at Kessock Park. The club celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2012 and in the same year succeeded in gaining promotion to Grade 2.
In 2013, the Club won the Bon Accord Cup for only the second time in their history with a close but in the end comfortable victory over Knightriders CC, thanks to a man of the match performance from Fraser Lawrance, bowling 5-6 off ten overs. In 2014, Fraserburgh Cricket Club gained promotion to Grade 1 by finishing second in Grade 2, meaning that they would play in the top tier of the Aberdeenshire Grades for the first time since 1975.
The club were relegated to Grade 2 in 2015, and have remained there to the present.
In 2018 the club won the Bon Accord Cup for a third time, in a re-vamp T20 competition, at Mannofield Cricket Ground, beating Gordonians. Chris Gospel winning the Man of the Match for his impactful contributions in the game.
Transportation
Road
Fraserburgh is situated at the northern end of the
A90 road. It is served by buses, including the
Buchan Express
The Buchan Express is a series of bus routes starting in Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of ...
to Aberdeen and a town service numbered 76 and 77.
Harbour
Fraserburgh is a major
white fish port and busy commercial harbour. The harbour has a six berth slipway facility, storm gates, a large drydock, and fully refrigerated fish market facilities.
The
Apostleship of the Sea
The Apostleship of the Sea is an agency of the Catholic Church. It is also sometimes known as ''Stella Maris'' (Star of the Sea), and its patron is the Virgin Mary as Our Lady, Star of the Sea. Founded in Glasgow, Scotland in the early 20th centur ...
, a seafarers charity, has a port chaplain in Fraserburgh.
Education
The town has a variety of educational establishments, including four primary schools (Fraserburgh North School, Fraserburgh South Park School, Lochpots School, St Andrew's School), a secondary school (
Fraserburgh Academy), a SEN school (Westfield School), and a campus of a college of further education (
North East Scotland College
North East Scotland College (abbreviated as NESCol) was formed on 1 November 2013 from the merger of Aberdeen College and Banff & Buchan College. The regional college serves an extensive geographical area with its main centres in Aberdeen and ...
).
For the short-lived Fraserburgh University see above under History.
Fraserburgh Academy
The original academy building was opened in 1909. A new, more modern, school was built in the 1950s, and the original building was repurposed to house the academy's art and drama departments. The school has had many successes these past few years including having several of its pupils gaining prizes over a number of years in a nationwide photography competition - Focus Environment.
In early 2009, a group of MPs from the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
held a petition committee meeting in the school. Also in early 2009, the art department of the school organised commemorate photo exhibition in memory of Glover's early years of living in Fraserburgh. These photos were displayed throughout the town, and some of the photos are being used as part of the
Homecoming Scotland
Homecoming Scotland 2009 was a series of events designed to attract people of Scottish ancestry to visit Scotland. The campaign, organised by EventScotland and VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, and part-financed by the E ...
campaign. See article -
Thomas Blake Glover
Thomas Blake Glover (6 June 1838 – 16 December 1911) was a Scottish merchant in the Bakumatsu and Meiji period in Japan.
Early life (1838–1858)
Thomas Blake Glover was born at 15 Commerce Street, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire (council area), ...
In September 2009, the school had a visit from the
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...
Carol Ann Duffy
Dame Carol Ann Duffy (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is a professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2009, resigning in 2019. She was the first ...
who gave a speech to pupils from the school and others from the whole of Aberdeenshire.
Religion
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
is the prevalent religion in Fraserburgh and it is home to many congregations from a wide variety of
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...
s. This includes three
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
congregations and four
Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement congregations (
Elim Pentecostal,
Assembly of God
The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
,
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an association of evangelical churches, maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs.
Beginning in 1965 in Southern California, this fellowship of chur ...
and Emmanuel Christian Fellowship). Additionally, there are also congregations of
Baptists
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
,
Roman Catholics
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
Scottish Episcopalians,
Evangelists
Evangelists may refer to:
* Evangelists (Christianity), Christians who specialize in evangelism
* Four Evangelists, the authors of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament
* ''The Evangelists
''The Evangelists'' (''Evangheliştii'' in Roma ...
,
Congregationalists
Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
,
Brethren,
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
and
Salvationists.
Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society
In 1952 the Fraserburgh Photographic Society staged a pantomime, “Humpty Dumpty”, to raise funds for equipment. The pantomime was so successful that the following year some of the members came together and formed the Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society. The object of the Society being to encourage young people in the Arts. The society conducts pantomimes, plays, musicals and variety theatre, and has also been involved in all the major community events in Fraserburgh. Back in 1957 the society organised the formation of the Swimming Pool Fund after several fatalities at the beach, the project was subsequently adopted by Aberdeenshire Council resulting in Fraserburgh swimming pool’s completion in 1969. During the 1960s and 70s the Society participated in and organised events in the local annual gala. Some former members have gone on to make drama, music or dance their career after more formal training at institutes like
University of West London
The University of West London (UWL) is a public research university in the United Kingdom with campuses in Ealing, Brentford, and in Reading, Berkshire.
The university has roots in 1860, when the Lady Byron School was founded, later Ealing Col ...
,
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
, the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( gd, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ( gd, Acadamaidh Rìoghail Ciùil is Dràma na h-Alba) is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and ...
, MGA, Telford College, Trinity College, the
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a public university based in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England. It was formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of a number of training colleges, and gained full university status as the University of Northampton in ...
and the
London College of Music.
Notable people
* Sir George Anderson(1845-1923): born in Fraserburgh, knighted by King Edward VII, 1905, treasurer of the Bank of Scotland. The Bank of Scotland building at the corner of Frithside Street was named Anderson House after him. He gifted bequests to Fraserburgh: the clocks in the steeple of the South United Free Church (now Fraserburgh South Church), the stained glass windows in the High Kirk in honour of his parents and the Gold Dux Medal he donated to Fraserburgh Academy His wife gifted the Bishop's Chair and Credence Table to St Peter's Episcopal Church in 1909.
*
George Bruce (1909–2002): Poet of the Scottish literary renaissance
*Robert Bruce OBE (1911-1999): diplomat and Oriental scholar
*
Felicity Buchan
Felicity Christiana Buchan (born 1970) is a British politician serving as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Housing and Homelessness since October 2022. She served as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from Sep ...
(1970 - ), Conservative MP for Kensington, Investment Banker.
*
James Cardno
James Farquhar Cardno (25 May 1912 – 15 May 1975) was a Scottish bobsledder who competed in the late 1930s. He won the bronze medal in the four-man event at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Germany,, ...
(1912 – 1975) was a Scottish
bobsledder
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Feder ...
. He won the bronze medal in the four-man event at the
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games (german: IV. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 ( bar, Garmasch-Partakurch 1936), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 ...
in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (; Bavarian: ''Garmasch-Partakurch''), nicknamed Ga-Pa, is an Alpine ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated ''GAP''), in the O ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
*
Patrick Gray Cheves (1820 –1883): a
farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...
in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
who served two terms as a member of the
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
from
Racine County, Wisconsin
Racine County (, sometimes also ) is a county in southeastern Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 197,727, making it Wisconsin's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat is Racine. The county was founded in 1836, then a pa ...
.
*
William Cheyne (1912–1988) sometimes known as Andy Cheyne: was a Scottish
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
, playing for Rangers and Motherwell.
*
John Christie (1929 – 2014): a
football goalkeeper
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
who played for
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club () is an English professional football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, which competes in the . Their home ground since 2001 has been St Mary's Stadium, before which they were based at The Dell. The club play i ...
for most of the 1950s.
* John Cranna (c.1853 - 1932): Harbour Treasurer and author of "Fraserburgh Past and Present" (Rosemount Press, 1914).
*Harry Cruden (1895–1967): Founder of Crudens Ltd, creator of postwar prefabricated housing, founder of the Cruden Foundation (1964).
* Henry Duthie MBE (1923-2020): founding member of Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society, Boys' Brigade stalwart, and Chairman of Fraserburgh 400.
*
Steve Fairnie (1951–1993): Fraserburgh born musician, painter, sculptor, actor, board game designer, chicken hypnotist, frontman of the post-punk band Writz and half of the Techno Twins.
* Rev.
Charles Ferm
Charles Ferm, Ferme, Farholme or Fairholm (ca.1566–1617), was a leading campaigning Presbyterian minister in the Church of Scotland, and the Principal of Fraserburgh University, Scotland.
Early life and education
Ferm was born in Edinburgh of ...
(c.1565–1617): born in Edinburgh; Minister of
Fraserburgh Old Parish Church (1598–1617), Principal of the University of Fraserburgh. A notable rebel minister against Episcopacy.
*
Gordon Mitchell Forsyth (1879-1952) Fraserburgh born artist. Known mainly for his work in ceramics, he tutored many artists at the Burslem School of art including
Clarice Cliff
Clarice Cliff (20 January 1899 – 23 October 1972) was an English ceramic artist and designer. Active from 1922 to 1963, Cliff became the head of the factory creative department.
Early life
Cliff's ancestors moved from the Eccleshall area ...
and
Susie Cooper
Susan Vera Cooper OBE (29 October 1902 – 28 July 1995) was a prolific English ceramic designer working in the Stoke-on-Trent pottery industries from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Life and work
Born in Burslem, Staffordshire, she was the youngest of ...
.
*
Alexander Fraser, 11th Lord Saltoun (1604 – 1693): Scottish peer and the 10th
Laird
Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...
of Philorth.
*
General Sir John Fraser,
GCH (1760 – 1843):
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
officer.
*
William Fraser, 12th Lord Saltoun
William Fraser, 12th Lord Saltoun (21 November 1654 – 18 March 1715), was a Scottish peer and the 11th Laird of Philorth.
Early years
Fraser was born on 11 November 1654 in the small town of Fraserburgh. His parents were Alexander Fraser, Maste ...
(1654–1715): born in Philorth; voted against ratifying the
Treaty of Union
The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new state of Great Britain, stating that the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland were to be "United i ...
.
*
Bill Gibb
William Elphinstone Gibb (23 January 1943 – 3 January 1988) was a Scottish fashion designer who became renowned in the 1960s and 70s for his unusual and flattering designs.
Early life and education
Gibb was born near New Pitsligo, a small ...
(1943–1988): born near Fraserburgh; became international fashion designer.
*
Thomas Blake Glover
Thomas Blake Glover (6 June 1838 – 16 December 1911) was a Scottish merchant in the Bakumatsu and Meiji period in Japan.
Early life (1838–1858)
Thomas Blake Glover was born at 15 Commerce Street, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire (council area), ...
(1838–1911): born in Fraserburgh, where his father worked for the coastguard, moved to Japan and assisted in the introduction of modern industries. He remained in the country as a consultant to the Mitsubishi Company and died in Tokyo, a legend in his time.
*
Sir William Henderson (1826 –1904) was a
Scottish merchant
A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...
, Lord Provost of Aberdeen, and
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
.
* Alice Irvine (1935- )Giving the town of Fraserburgh 40 years of voluntary services to the community with her work with Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society and other groups over the past 40 years.
*
Charles Jarvis (VC) (1881–1948): Recipient of the Victoria Cross.
*
Archibald Russell Johnstone (known as Archie Johnstone) (1896 - 1963): Scottish journalist, hotelier and humanitarian, who defected to the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
.
*
Finlay Kennedy (1892 - 1925): Scottish International Rugby Union Player.
*
Patrick "Pat" King (1944-2022): a
Scottish bassist, best known for his association with
Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band are an English rock band formed by South African musician Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann. Their hits include covers of Bruce Springsteen's "For You (Bruce Springsteen song), For You", "Blinded by the Light" an ...
.
*
Robertson Macaulay (1833–1915): one-time president of
Sun Life
Sun Life Financial Inc. is a Canadian financial services company. It is primarily known as a life insurance company.
Sun Life has a presence in investment management with over CAD$1.3 trillion in assets under management operating in a number ...
Assurance Company of Canada.
*Colonel
William McConnachie of Knowsie, JP (1848–1932): businessman, local politician and Provost of Fraserburgh.
*
Charles Rawden Maclean
Charles Rawden Maclean, also known as "John Ross", was born on 17 August 1815 in Fraserburgh and died 13 August 1880 at sea on the RMS ''Larne'' while en route to Southampton. In a tribute to him during the re-dedication of his grave in Southamp ...
(1815–1880), alias "John Ross" opponent of slavery, was born in Fraserburgh.
*Sandra Malley (1947-2018), psychologist and Gaelic scholar
*
Jamie Masson (born 1993): Scottish semi-professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who has played for
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
,
Formartine United
Formartine United Football Club are a Scottish senior association football club from Pitmedden, Aberdeenshire currently playing in the Highland Football League. They joined the Highland League for the 2009–10 season, having been accepted ...
,
Elgin City
Elgin City Football Club (also known as City or The Black and Whites) is a professional senior football club based in Elgin, Moray.
Elgin was founded in 1893 and originally played their football in the Highland Football League. The club was g ...
,
Brechin City
Brechin City Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the townDespite the name of the football club, Brechin is not an official city. Brechin was historically known as a city because it has a cathedral. of Brechin in Angus. The club ...
and other clubs.
*
George Fowlie Merson FRSE
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...
FPS FCS (1866–1959):
Scottish pharmacist
A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...
who produced an artificial surgical
catgut
Catgut (also known as gut) is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fiber found in the walls of animal Gut (anatomy), intestines. Catgut makers usually use sheep or goat intestines, but occasionally use the intestines of cattle, Domest ...
called Mersuture.
*Major
Harold J. Milne
Major Harold James Milne, OBE, MC, DL, JP (10 March 1889 – 15 April 1963) was a figure in local government in the north east of Scotland, and a recipient of the Military Cross.
Born in Fraserburgh, he was the son of a prominent local solicit ...
OBE MC DL JP (1889–1963): Provost of Fraserburgh, First Freeman of the Burgh of Fraserburgh.
*Stanley Watt Morrice (born 1963), MBE
*David Donald Murison (1913 - 1997): Lexicographer, Editor of the Scottish National Dictionary.
*
John Murray (1879 - 1964): Educationalist, Liberal Politician.
*
Dennis Nilsen
Dennis Andrew Nilsen (23 November 1945 – 12 May 2018) was a Scottish serial killer and necrophile who murdered at least twelve young men and boys between 1978 and 1983 in London. Convicted at the Old Bailey of six counts of murder and two o ...
(1945–2018): serial killer; born at Academy Road, Fraserburgh; committed his murders in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in the five years leading up to his arrest in 1983.
*
James Ramsay (1733–89): born in Fraserburgh; anti-slavery campaigner.
*Reid, John
seudonym David Toulmin(1913–1998): Author of novels, short stories and journalism, many based on North East farming life.
*Sir
Lewis Duthie Ritchie OBE FRCOG FRSE FRCGP FFPH FBCS FRSA (1952-) Born in Fraserburgh. Medical doctor and researcher, and James McKenzie Professor of General Practice at the
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
.
*Frederick Stewart (1836–1889): educationist and colonial administrator in Hong Kong.
*
Sir George Strahan (1838–87): British colonial governor.
*Robert Tindall (1820-1918): founded Tindall's ironmongery in Fraserburgh in 1841 before expanding the business to Buckie where the company had an engineering shop and a buoy and oilskin factory. Buoys were distributed from there all over England and exported to Norway. The business finally expanded to new premises in Forres. He was the last surviving elder in Scotland of the 1843 Disruption of the Kirk.
*
Craig Watson (born 1995): Scottish professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who plays as a
defender or
midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for
Airdrieonians.
*
Christian Watt
Christian Watt (24 February 1833 – 20 June 1923) was a fisherwoman and memoirist.
Early life
Christian Watt was born in 1833 in Broadsea, in the fishertown of Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire. She was the seventh of eight children of her parent ...
(1833–1923): author of "The Christian Watt Papers"
*Alexander Webster (1841-1913, active 1875-1888): artist, specialising in local views a number of which are on display in Fraserburgh Library. He frequently had paintings hung in the Royal Scottish Academy. He was found drowned in Fraserburgh harbour in 1913 aged 72.
*Marion Katherine Wilberforce
ée Ogilvie-Forbes(1902–1995): Aviator. Flew Hurricanes, Spitfires and other aircraft for the Air Transport Auxiliary; one of only eleven women qualified to fly the four-engine Lancaster and Stirling bombers.
Twin towns
*
Bressuire
Bressuire (; la, Berceorium; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''Beurseure'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Deux-Sèvres, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The town is situated on an eminence overlooki ...
, France
References
External links
Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society
Fraserburgh: Scotland's leading lightFraserburgh Heritage CentreBanff and Buchan CollegeCairness HouseHistorian's pages on the fishing villages of the North EastFraserburgh Leisure Centre — featuring local cuisine, bar, and family entertainmentMuseum of Scottish lighthouses — the first lighthouse built on mainland ScotlandAlexander Carrick, sculptor of war memorialFraserburgh Photographic Society
{{Authority control
Towns in Aberdeenshire
Ports and harbours of Scotland
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Fishing communities in Scotland
Populated coastal places in Scotland