Herring Boats

Curious, would all those boats be fishing that close to shore? It would seem their nets would be fouled. Also, where the beach houses moved by horses?
 
Curious, would all those boats be fishing that close to shore? It would seem their nets would be fouled. Also, where the beach houses moved by horses?

I have no further information - maybe coming in to land their catch, maybe a regatta?

Those are changing huts so that the ladies did not show an ankle and were typically towed into shallow water by a horse. The ladies would then descend the steps (just visible) into the water.
 
Actually I am as intrigued by the by the bathing wagons as I am the herring boats. I wonder if there are any still extant in a museum somewhere... That might be a cool model to build...
 
I think from the direction they are going they have just left the harbour for the fishing grounds in the North Sea. I guess the harbour is away to the left of the picture. The Herring would appear at the Northern part of the North Sea and then as the season progressed would come southerly. On the UK side the ladies who gutted the fish would work their way down the coast as the season progressed.
The Dogger Bank was very well stocked but this part of the sea has only been there for 11,500 years as the land mass that joined UK to Europe was inundated with water after the Ice age. This area has become known as Doggerland and was inhabited as odd items like combs etc are often found in the nets.

These are trawlers, so the large sails were used to tow the nets as fishing progressed. The method of fishing determined the fish being caught. The herring were known as the 'Silver Darlings' but the stocks were eventually exhausted. What were bad times for us in the second world war were a lifeline for the fish who had 5 years to regenerate, but they are still way below the numbers of 100 years ago. The photo dates to mid Victorian times and before steam driven boats.

Roy
 
Curious, would all those boats be fishing that close to shore? It would seem their nets would be fouled. Also, where the beach houses moved by horses?
The harbour at Scarborough is pretty large and can take a large fishing fleet (it still does). The beach is south of the harbour so the photo is the fleet heading out. (Incidently, the Yorkshire fishing ports serve the best fish and chips in the country!! I ordered a cod and chips in a harbour front chip shop, the owner said 'can you wait 20 minutes?' I said OK, so he pointed to some cod being unloaded from a coble and said 'One of those is your fish'! You don't get much fresher than that!)
A coble at Scarborough (pronounced cobble) Some still sailing under a standing lug rig.
Scarborough.jpg
 
Actually I am as intrigued by the by the bathing wagons as I am the herring boats. I wonder if there are any still extant in a museum somewhere... That might be a cool model to build...

One exists on the beach of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. The house was Queen Victoria's country retreat and the hut is said to have been used by her - although much restored. The house is managed by English Heritage who I am sure could assist with any further questions you may have. Regards.

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Actually I am as intrigued by the by the bathing wagons as I am the herring boats. I wonder if there are any still extant in a museum somewhere... That might be a cool model to build...
They were actually called 'bathing machines'. A couple of useful photos here.

 
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