A Fife business that has been run by three generations of the same family is celebrating 100 years in Inverkeithing.
HS Murray Fishmongers was set up by Henry S Murray a century ago when he returned from the First World War.
Now, it is run by his grandson Douglas.
To celebrate the firm’s 100th anniversary, Mr Murray invited a number of guests to the store on Wednesday afternoon.
HS Murray: History of Fife fishmonger
The firm’s first premises in the town was on Dunlop Terrace, before relocating to its current home in Hope Street in the 1960s.
Current owner Douglas explained the history of the shop.
He said: “My grandad set up the business in the 1920s.
“He served in the First World War, at Dardanelles, and after he returned, left his native Cellardyke to move to Rosyth.
“Initially he run the shop in partnership, until his business partner left in 1925.
“After that, my grandfather was the sole proprietor.”
During the Second World War, Willie Murray was conscripted to work in mines, one of thousands of ‘Bevin Boys’.
His brother joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.
Both returned safely and Willie took over the business when his dad, the company founder, died in 1963.
Willie oversaw an expansion, with the company opening a shop in Rosyth.
When he died suddenly in 1973, his wife Elsie took over the business.
Her son, the current owner, added: “My mum was pressed into taking it on despite never having worked in the business previously.”
She ran the shop until Douglas took over in the early-1990s.
A full family effort at Fife fishmongers
It has, Douglas said, been a full family effort: “Everyone has played their part through the years.
“My gran’s sister and her son-in-law did the deliveries part-time. My dad’s cousin was in the business.”
That extends to the present day, with Douglas’ sister’s partner, former Dunfermline captain Roy Barry, running the delivery van.
One member of staff, James Herriott, worked for the business for 50 years full-time and nine part-time.
Douglas admits there have been challenges over the 40-plus years he’s been involved with the family firm.
“We’ve had ups and downs over the years, and times we thought we might not make it to 100 years, but here we are.
“We’re very proud to have been here for as long as we have.”
‘People became much more adventurous’
HS Murray has also seen many changes during its century in business.
Those include moving to metric measurements and improvements in hygiene standards, Douglas said.
But he said the biggest change was in the way people eat.
He said: “I’ve been in the business nearly 40 years and when I started it was very much haddock, sole, fish cakes and smoked fish.
“Now people aren’t afraid to cook and foreign travel and the pioneers of cooking programmes like Rick Stein opened people’s eyes.
“After that, people became much more adventurous.
“I remember the first time we sold scallops on a Tuesday and I thought ‘something has changed here’.
“Before that it was very much something you’d order for a Saturday night dinner.
“Now, everyone is familiar with seabass and langoustines – that wasn’t the case when I started.”
He said the business had thrived throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Douglas said: “People weren’t able to go on holidays, or to restaurants. We found they were treating themselves.
“It was difficult for a lot of businesses, but it was a good time for us.”
