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Founded in 1786  for "Extending the Fisheries, and Improving the Sea-Coasts of this Kingdom".  This Society was responsible for the management of the Pulteneytown Harbour until 1879, when a local trust, the Wick Harbour Trust was established.
(NB: the Wick Harbour Trust archive is also in NHA and is very extensive, listing is not yet complete but staff should be able to assist on request)

Description

1819.  Printed booklet, alphabetically listing members of the Society.  Denotes county of residence for each individual.  Includes number of shares held by each individual.  Annotated in ink.

1874.  Printed booklet, alphabetically listing members of the Society.  (As above).

27 February 1879.  MS. draft unsigned letter regarding an article in the John O'Groats Journal where a Mr Reid has "...publicly declared you to be the holder of more shares of the British Fisheries Society than any held in Caithness...".

Include details of AGM. and a brief retrospective account of the major works of the previous year. Statement of Accounts includes details of capital authorised and created by the Society, statement of the Societies financial position and a general balance sheet. Includes accounts for Pulteneytown Harbour until 1979, when a local trust was established. Each annual report usually 3pp.

Description

1873.  Includes report on the Harbour Works in Wick Bay.  Also includes Engineers Report on the securing of the end of the breakwater in Pulteneytown Harbour.

1874.  Includes report on the removal of 6,000 tons of stones which were removed from Wick Bay.

1875.  Includes report on the reduction in the amount of Harbour Dues received being attributed to the operation of the Caithness and Sutherland Railway. This has resulted in a reduction in the number of vessels frequenting Wick Harbour.

1876.  Includes preliminary report on a breach to the North Pier of the old harbour of Pulteneytown, caused by "...an unusually stormy season...".

1878.  Includes proposal for transferring the management of the Pulteneytown Harbour to a local trust. Also includes statement of accounts "...as between the British Fisheries Society and its Harbours and Breakwater in the Bay of Wick, from 1809 to the end of 1878".

1879.  Includes brief details of the Act of Parliament, passed on 21 July 1879, which transferred the management of the Pulteneytown Harbour to local trustees.

1885.  Includes mention that complaints have been made due to the inconvenience caused by the use of public thoroughfares in Pulteneytown for herring curing purposes.

1887.  Includes decision by the Society to sell property and dividing the proceeds among the shareholders.

1888.  Includes comment that "The year 1888 has been more favourable to the fishing industry, on which the welfare of the Pulteney Town Estate so largely depends, than immediately preceding seasons".

1892.  Includes details of the sale of the Society's whole estates and property to Mr. John Usher, of  Norton, for the sum of �20,000.

1893.  Final Report of the Directors.  Society dissolved in June 1893.