Scottish Post Office directories

Sun, moon, tides and weather

For coastal towns, tidal schedules formed a crucial part of the Post Office directories, listing each day's times of 'high water'.

Often the schedules are given as part of annual calendars, and include details on sunrise and sunset as well as the phases of the moon.

Signals telling the depth of water

Some tidal schedules are accompanied by a table of signals hoisted at the end of piers to indicate the current depth of water.

In 1832, the signals for the Water of Leith start at a depth of nine feet. The table also explains that there would always be the feet more water in the fairway than shown by the signals.

Predicting the weather

In the 'Bute county directory' for 1889-1890 we find an attempt to predict the weather by using the phases of the moon, based on 'many years' careful observations'.

Depending on the exact time of changes of the moon, the weather could range from 'mild and fair' to 'very wet' in summer and from 'dry frost' to 'high winds and snow' in winter.

 

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