Barrels of fish in Scarborough harbour, North Yorkshire

Fish has been packed into barrels of salt on the harbour-side. The salt will act as a preservative while the barrels are transported to in-land markets for sale. Before salting the herrings were gutted by women known as 'herring girls'. They travelled down the coast from town to town with the fishing boats and worked on the quayside. The lighthouse was a harbour beacon, built in 1806 on the end of Vincent's Pier: it was severely damaged by an enemy raid on 16 December 1914.

Location

North Yorkshire Scarborough

Period

Edwardian (1902 - 1913)

Tags

women work salt fish food trade worker harbour pier seaside barrel tourist middle class clothing victorian (1837 - 1901)