Archibald Greig

   Cause of his death was Drowned.

  General Notes:

Alexander suffered that all-too-common fate of Cockenzie fisherman, he drowned at sea. The following newspaper article from the East Lothian Courier, 3rd Nov 1871, explains the circumstances.

FISHERMAN DROWNED, - On Wednesday afternoon, as the boat "Bounty", of this place was returning from the fishing ground, while off Ibris, the rope attaching the jib-boom to the main mast giving way, it swung round, and striking Archibald Greig, a fine young man, carried him overboard. Two oars were immediately thrown towards him, but as the boat was running before the wind, and the foresail got foul with the boast's bow, it wa ssome time before they got her round to go towards him. He was observed to swim vigorously towards the oars for about two minutes, when he sank. On coming to the surface again, he seemed exhausted, and in about half a minute, his sea boots filling with water, he sank to rise no more. The news of the accident caused great commotion in the village, and the deepest sympathy is felt for the poor young widow and her two helpless infants. Yesterday (Thursday) morning all the available boats at home, properly manned and provided with "creepers" went out to try and rescue from the deep the remains of the poor seaman, and were rewarded for their efforts by recovering the body, which was brought ashore in the afternoon.
THE annual Fair and "Sailors Walk" takes place today, but owing to the above sad calamity the pleasures of the occasion cannot fail to be much damped, as the fishing population here are more or less connected by marriage so that anything befalling one family involves a great number in their grief and loss.

Archibald married Elizabeth Taylor on 18 Jun 1866 in Tranent, East Lothian, Scotland. (Elizabeth Taylor was born on 27 Jan 1843 in Tranent, East Lothian, Scotland, christened on 12 Feb 1843 in Tranent, East Lothian, Scotland and died on 21 Jan 1896 in Port Seton, East Lothian, Scotland.)