Introduction to TAMH

Tayside, on the East Coast of Scotland, has a rich maritime heritage. Trade with Baltic ports goes back five centuries and the port records of Dundee are some of the oldest in Europe. Many whalers sailed from Dundee and whalers rescued Scott's ship, Discovery, built in Dundee, when it stuck in Antarctic ice.

Arbroath built an industry exporting barrels of herring to Königsberg and the town's fishy delicacy, the Arbroath Smokie is still sent worldwide. Through Arbroath harbour stones were shipped from Carmyllie quarry for the Forth Rail Bridge and Cologne Cathedral. Auchmithie, a small fishing village, and like Arbroath, used as a setting in Sir Walter Scott's 'The Antiquary', exported some fisherfolk to Arbroath resulting in a famous court case.

Richard Clark, who commanded the 5 Swedish ships which captured Riga in 1612, was the founder of the Swedish noble family of Klerck. From further down the coast, in Inverkeithing, comes Admiral Greig, a Russian naval hero who led Catherine the Great's navy and is buried in Tallinn.

TAMH, is a virtual museum telling these and many other stories of Tayside's maritime past.

Many of the photographs used on this site were provided by the Arbroath Herald.