John Nelson
Memories
email jsnelson at mountaincable.net
My Grandfather Samuel Nelson emigrated from Tayport to Canada in 1905. Soon after, his sisters Georgina and Annie followed, then his parents George and Mary. After little or no family contact since 1935, I have recently visited Tayport twice and met many fine Nelson relatives (Angy and Jean, Bobbie and Lynda, Ally and Debbie and their son Ryan, Irene, and more).
Sam Nelson was born in 1882 in the centre of town at # 5 Tay Street - his brother James lived up Dalgliesh Street where there is a little lay-by today just past the rounded top stone garage that used to be (I think) an ice house. Maybe Sam remembered looking down at the old quay from there. Sam’s fater was a mussel dredger, and Sam was at various times a shepherd on Tayport common, a fisherman, a coal miner, and a plumber’s apprentice working at Scotscraig. He studied art under some Fife artist, and when he came to Canada he became a craftsman making lighting fixtures, chandeliers, lanterns and so on for churches and public buildings. My father took up that trade, as has my brother to this very day. I well remember seeing that painting - it is huge - about 4 feet wide - in my grandparents house from the time I was a little boy (I’m 50 yrs old now).