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Illustrated with 150 photographs, all of which were taken by the author, this informative and evocative book tells the story of fisherfolk, boats, and boatbuilders along the North Yorkshire and Cleveland coast between the rivers Tees and Esk in the mid- to late 20th century. Bordering on the North York Moors National Park, the coastline displays a remarkable diversity of character from wide sandy beaches at Redcar and Marske to precipitous high cliffs and deep ravines and the historic settlements of Skinningrove, Staithes, Runswick Bay, and Whitby. Many places have supported small-scale fisheries, with emphasis on catch quality rather than quantity, and boats have evolved to cope with a variety of fishing techniques and environmental conditions.
About the author
Gloria Wilson has had a lifelong involvement with the sea and with fishing boats. Growing up in the Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes, she was Scotland correspondent for
Fishing News from 1969-1982 and has written a number of books and articles on fishing craft, including
Kindly Folk and Bonny Boats,
Steadfast Boats and Fisher People, and
An Eye on the Coast. Her research has been carried out in fishing ports and boat-building yards, during trips to sea with fishing vessels, and during long conversations with people in all sectors of the industry.
Summary
With dramatically diverse terrain and spectacular scenery, the Cleveland and North Yorkshire area has long had a strong fishing industry, and marine employment and pastimes remain common in the locality.
