Black Friday - 14th October 1881
189 men lost their lives in the worst fishing disaster ever to hit Scotland. After weeks of bad weather the local fleet were becoming impatient to go to sea. Ignoring the weather warnings, the fisherman from Eyemouth and nearby ports headed out at the crack of dawn. By midday they had just began their line fishing when the whole country was hit by a severe storm.
They fled for the shelter of the port, but many failed to make it back safely. They either capsized or smashed on the Hurkar rocks at the harbour entrance. Family members watched helplessly from the pier as their husbands, brothers and fathers drowned before their eyes.
Of the 189 men who lost their lives that day, 129 were from Eyemouth. 24 men came from Burnmouth, 3 from Coldingham,11 from the Cove, 7 from Musselburgh and 15 from Newhaven.
Two days after the disaster the Ariel Gazelle, an Eyemouth boat, limped into harbour. Instead of heading home to shore they stayed at sea and rode out the storm. All the crew were safe.
Listed below are details of the 12 Fairbairns who lost their lives on Black Friday.
List of all Fairbairns who lost their lives on Black Friday
| NAME (AGE) | MARITAL STATUS | BOAT | FATHER | MOTHER James Fairbairn |
| Alexander (28) | Single | Radiant | James Fairbairn | Agnes Burgon |
| David (17) | Single | Snowdon | Christopher Fairbairn | Mary Laurie |
| David (34) | Married | Snowdon | Thomas Fairbairn | Helen Anderson |
| David (37) | Single | Radiant | James Fairbairn | Agnes Burgon |
| John (35) | Married | Radiant | James Fairbairn | Agnes Burgon |
| John (24) | Single | Snowdon | William Fairbairn | Jane Burgon |
| John Shaw (31) | Married | Renown | James Fairbairn | Jessie Paterson |
| John (32) | Married | Pearl | Thomas Fairbairn | Helen Anderson |
| John Paterson (36) | Married | Florida | David Fairbairn | Joan Paterson |
| Thomas (19) | Single | Renown | William Fairbairn | Jane Burgon |
| Thomas (21) | Single | Florida | David Fairbairn | Joan Paterson |
| Thomas (24) | Single | Snowdon | James Fairbairn | Jessie Paterson |
Alexander Fairbairn - Aged 28, no dependants noted. The Radiant was an Eyemouth boat.
David Fairbairn - Aged 17. The Snowdon was a Cove boat.
David Fairbairn - Aged 34. David was married to Janet Mathieson and they had (to my knowledge) one child, named Robert James who was 2 at the time of the disaster.
David Fairbairn - Aged 37, no dependants noted.
John Fairbairn - Aged 35. John was married to Mary Crombie and left 4 children - James who was 7, Alexander (5), John (approx 2) and Jane who was a few months old.
John Fairbairn - Aged 24
John Shaw Fairbairn - Aged 31. The Renown was a Cove boat.
John Fairbairn - Aged 32. John was married to Margaret Nicholson. John and Margaret's headstone is in Co'Path churchyard. The Pearl was a Cove boat.
John Paterson Fairbairn - Aged 36. John was married to Jane Dougal and had 3 children - Elizabeth, Joan and Margaret. The Florida was an Eyemouth boat.
Thomas Fairbairn - Aged 19.
Thomas Fairbairn - Aged 21. Was the half-brother of John Paterson-Fairbairn. No dependants noted.
Thomas Fairbairn - Aged 24.
Click an image to enlarge
