Fishing
Index
Introduction
Fishing for herring dominated the fishing along the East Coast, especially at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. But this is not the whole story. Following the coast from the Wash round to Essex, there were a number of different fishing operations, all set up to gain a living from the sea. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, whaling operated from King's Lynn, and along the north west and north norfolk coasts there was a thriving shell fishery, for mussels, cockles and whelks. At Cromer, crab fishing and longshore fishing dominated. Inland, on the Broads, freshwater catches such as eels were exploited. In Essex, at Mersea, Burnham on Crouch and Brightlingsea, whitebait and oyster fishing were of more significance.
Fishing
Page 4 of 7
Sheringham Fishermen's Ganseys
Like other fishing communities throughout maritime Britain, Sheringham fishermen wore ganseys, durable knitted sweaters/jumpers with distinctive patterns. Here are some examples of the patterns they used, and some images of the fishermen who wore them during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The gansey was standard workwear for fishermen, tight fitting and protection against damp and cold. The first photo on this page shows a well worn garment. Usually a fisherman would also have had one for "Sunday best". The photo to the left below shows a Sheringham fisherman wearing his best gansey under a smart jacket with a velvet collar. The design is very fine.
Also shown here is a gansey knitted using modern materials. The oiled wool which was used by fishermen's wives can no longer be purchased. This garment was produced using a knitting machine rather than hand knitted 'in the round' in the traditional way.
Page 4 of 7
Theme: Sailors' Crafts
Theme: Fishing
The Augusta lifeboat
The Augusta was Sheringham's first purpose built lifeboat, in service from 1838 until 1894.
Upcher Fishing and Rescue Boat
The Upcher fishing boat was built in 1826 with money loaned by Charlotte Upcher of Sheringham Hall. Being the largest fishing boat available, it was also used for rescues until a purpose built lifeboat took its place.
