Fishing in Gourdon - A Way of Life by Maggie Law Maritime Museum

Fishing in Gourdon – A Way of Life Fishing with 1200 hook Sma’ Line in Gourdon had a long and successful history, extending from mid 19th century on a small scale with a heyday in the late 50s/60s, to 1986 when the last boat to deploy lines, Alex Welsh’s boat, “Enterprise” ME 155, ceased to operate.

Seasonal

Throughout these years a seasonal system operated, line fishing in the winter months , creel fishing in the summer, with seine net as a summer pursuit becoming a popular alternative. Notably line fishing as an inshore activity had continued strong in Gourdon, long after its demise in other North East harbours.

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The advantages of this type of fishing earned Gourdon a reputation as a respected source of quality fish – undamaged, fresh, delicious, sold at the Gourdon daily Fish Market, wholesaled, retailed, after processing in the Fish Houses.

The Community

Fishing has shaped the way people have lived and worked in the village throughout the centuries. Family and community help and co-operation was an invaluable feature of village life and the lives of the fishing community in Gourdon.

1. Working together at home and at sea Without the vital, skilled and dedicated work of the women of Gourdon, Line Fishing could not have operated, and certainly could not have continued for so long, far longer than in other parts of the North East in Sheeling (shelling) the mussels and Baiting the 1200 hook line. This work effectively and uniquely complemented the demanding, heavy but also skilled work done by the Men working the sma’ line at sea and onshore, facilitating Sma’ Line fishing. The women concerned were wives, mothers, sisters, aunts of the fishermen, along with some nonrelated women, employed to sheel or bait by the fisherman. Rising often at 4 a.m. the women set to work to prepare for the day ahead, putting the scull, a long, cane basket for the line in place, the baiting board, the baskets containing the lines as well as the basin for the mussels among other necessary implements Sheeling the mussels came first – over 2000 which had to be swiftly opened with the sheel blade and scooped into jars, before the actual Baiting could take place.

The Cargill Family, Betty, Margaret and Nellie sheelin mussels among the garra water. (c.1970s)

Sheeling and Baiting might take 8 hours or more, with some essential breaks for getting the children ready for school, cooking the midday meal, tending to house chores. If the woman had a helper to sheel and bait at her hand the work could be completed somewhat more speedily but hold-ups were frequent – securing enough mussels from the sheeler, for example.

The result of all that work was a fully baited line, row after row of baited hooks, neatly placed in and filling the gob/top part of the long cane scull – A Work of Art – but also often resulted in sair hands from the garra water (mussel liquid).

Isabel Welsh baiting 1200 hooks, the full gob, a Work of Art. (1986)

2. A’body helped a’body – Alex Welsh, Skipper of the “Enterprise” ME 155 Both men and women of Gourdon worked amicably together and also individually to carry out the many labours involved in Sma’ Line fishing. Men worked hard at preparing and setting up the line, and at sea even harder shooting the line, hauling in the catch, boxing and landing the fish, then at home redding the back of the baited line, redding the tangled line in from the sea, into two baskets, ready for the women to bait for the next day. Women worked long hours with dedication, sheeling over 2,000 mussels, baiting the 1200 hook line. They shared preparing for the following day, and working in the Fish House. Both men and women participated in herring fishing – the men going to sea with the herring drift net but in some cases taking their boats to Yarmouth and Scarborough to fish for herring there, the women gutting, salting the herring, in Gourdon, with some travelling by train to those ports, following the herring down the coast, working the herring there. A number of the stages were shared and members of the extended family also contributed – e.g. a grandfather (the affectionate Gourdon name is “deddie”) would redd the back and assist with redding the “shot” line in from the sea : the wife might assist with redding the back and both would deal with the delivery and organisation of the mussels for the following day, delivered by lorry from the Montrose supplier, Jospeh Johnston, organised by the Gourdon Fishermen’s Association. Women would also run the household – meals, washing, cleaning for the whole family which might include a number of children.

The Dorward (Dorrit) Family – Mary, gutting fish, Lizzie, watching, Chris, baiting, John, redding his line. Child sheltering under the scull. (c.1937)

Young fisherman, David Criggie reddin’ his line, with his baiter, Jess Freeman observing. (1962)

3. Working together in the Fish House In the Fish House the women also played a predominant part, working with the men and with the fish merchants/fish house owners, displaying a variety of skills, ranging from gutting, skinning and filleting to close smoking and cold smoking, including the unique Gourdon method of filleting, where the fish were so fresh that the skin could simply be pulled from the haddock without requiring cutting into the back. The women were swift and deft and accurate at filleting – no bones missed.

Douglas Welsh, Gavin Smith and Vally (Valerie) Craig display their skills. (1980s)

Gove’s Fish House workers taking a photo call. (1986)

4. Fishermen at Sea In addition to the Sma’ Line fishing, Gourdon fishermen also practised seine net fishing, creel fishing and in earlier days drift net fishing for herring, all requiring huge input for the Skipper and crew. The work carried out at sea and in preparations on land by the fishermen of Gourdon required strength, skill, endurance and versatility. There was also an element of danger, of risk – a sudden gale driving the boat off course, a huge sea swamping the boat, loss of boat and life, an injury, a malfunction and constantly cuts to the hands, torn flesh, cold, wet and sair hands, often in wintry conditions. It was delivered with a smile.

The Sma’ Line

For the sma’ line each fisherman needed to acquire or purchase a pair of lines to be alternated, one to be fished, one to be baited for the following day. Thereafter the line had to be set up with the attachment of hooks at regular intervals along it full length (of three quarters of a mile) With the hemp lines before the advent of synthetic fibre (couralene) the work was even more intensive, requiring the use of spun horse hair attachments (tippins). A further preparation involved cloving the line into three portions, followed by barking the line to preserve it, using hunks of a special preservative (bark), added to the hot water in the boiler, left to steep, thereafter removed and hung up to dry.

My father, Alex Craig setting up a line. (1960s)

At the Sea – Shooting the Lines

Rising very early, around 4 a.m. to catch the tide – Gourdon has a tidal harbour – the men would load the baited line on a kertie, reach the harbour, transfer the line to the boat and set out for their preferred fishing ground. The preparation for shooting the lines would begin, lining up the crew’s sculls (crews were typically of two – four men), so that each was attached and could run smoothly off the shooting funnel, over the side of the boat. The flag/buoy, anchor and chains as required, is cast away, and with the boat moving fast ahead, the lines play out, hook by hook over the top of the funnel, flowing smoothly, avoiding funnel bunches, no snarls. The end flag marks the finish. The lines would lie on the sea bottom, stretching out for miles, left to fish for around 45 minutes, then hauled in, one man hauling, a second tipping – to clean, clear and fasten the hooks in place, laying the lines as completed in their individual sculls, the third to “heuk” / unhook the fish and box them according to size. Meanwhile the Skipper would steer the boat partially into the tide. With a crew of fewer than four, these tasks would have to be skilfully timed and covered. Thereafter when they reached the harbour, the boxes of fish would be landed and set out on the pier, ready for sale at the Fish Market. Two further tasks awaited the fisherman once he had wheeled the kertie with its two baskets of tangled line home – Redding the Back of the newly baited line of next day and Redding the Line just brought in from the sea.

Synthetic fibre attachment with fastened hook

Funnel for shooting the line

Mussel shells and sheel blades

Top of funnel

Tippens,/ tippin stone/steen and splicing bone / been

Scull

Splicing bones

Photographs courtesy of Jim Swankie, The Sma’ Line Fishing on the East Coast of Scotland, Arbroath Area.

Alex Welsh, Skipper of the “Enterprise” ME 155, redding the back – the baited line. c. 1980s. (New wooden scull replaces the old cane style scull)

Redding the Back

Redding the baited line back was primarily to ensure it would all run smoothly when shot at sea on the morrow. If the baiter had coiled the line neatly into the bottom of the scull, the line might not require redding at all. If the baiter had simply flung the line into the “erse”/ bottom end of the scull, redding would be essential, requiring lifting of the line up and over into the gob/top of the scull. This was a skilled operation, involving the positioning of the original cord/ the bending which had to be carefully learned.

Redding the Line

Although the line had been partially cleared, cleaned, hooks fastened/tipped after fishing and hauling at sea, redding was a longer, more difficult process to make the raivelled/tangled line ready to be baited next day. Any remaining detritus – mussels, corse feet, had to be removed from the hooks and any missing hooks (“wints”) had to be carefully replaced and isolated over the side of the basket to make it safe for the baiter as she passed the line through her hands to bait and place each hook. Help with this task was often given by different family members.

John Cargill Snr. (Sergeant/Sarge Cargill) redding the tangled line, in from the sea. 1950s

Jimmy Dorward and John Cargill, Skipper of the “Rosaleen”, son of Sergeant Cargill, their shot lines on kerties, for redding.

Seine Net Fishing

Fishing with the seine net was traditionally practised in the summer months in Gourdon from April to August, after a hard winter at the Sma’ Lines, also providing the women folk with much needed respite. Like the Sma’ Line the seine net fishing required not just hard work but also skilful operation and manoeuvring, along with wide-ranging knowledge of the gear, the fishing grounds, the specialised winching and boat management. The net is fished on sandy or muddy sea beds: hard, rocky bottoms would damage the nets. The fish caught were mostly flat fish – plaice, lemon sole, flukes (flounders), with some bigger fish such as haddock Firstly one, maybe two nets had to be purchased by the Skipper, floats attached at intervals along the top of the net and ring leads attached at the bottom. After the net and the two sets of rope, each comprising seven coils have been loaded and the selected fishing ground is reached, maybe a mile or two from the harbour, the process of shooting, hauling and towing can begin. First one end of the rope, with a flag/dhan buoy attached is shot, then the boat steams round in a semi-circular course, shooting the first set of seven coils. Then the other set of ropes attached to the other end of the net is shot out till the boat completes the course close to the dhan, when the winching begins with both ropes on the winch. The boat is moving ahead slowly and the net is gradually closing as the winch moves up through the gears and most of the ropes are hauled in, the net at the stern where it is hauled aboard and the cod end emptied on the deck. The skill and experience of the Skipper during these manoeuvres is paramount. The crew then focus on coiling the ropes for the next shot. The net would typically be fished 7 to 9 times at sea. At Sea with the “Happy Return”, ME 149, Skipper James Ritchie (Jimmy Brimmie)

Jimmy Dorward shooting the net, throwing the bag away

Jimmy Dorward throwing out the Flag (dhan) and Buoy markers

As the bag is hauled in, the fish run into the cod end.

Lifting the catch, emptying into the cod end.

Scottish seine net fishing is viewed as a very environmentally friendly method of fishing, with minimal contact with the sea bed, unlike trawling which has damaging contact with the bottom. It also requires only low fuel consumption. Often members of the family or an older, retired fisherman would be skilled in mending any tears in the net.

The Creels

Like the seine net, creel fishing was practised in the summer months but by the smaller boats. Fishermen made their own creels, with wooden spars and woven netting, with tunnel type openings for entry but barring exit of the partans (crabs) and lobsters, weighted with flat stone on the base to sink the creels to the seabed. They were worked in fleets (sets) of 20 or innovatively 25 creels, attached with rope, 20-25 fathoms, between creels, apart from creel one. The bait of fish heads and discarded portions were tied with string, boxed ready for use at sea. Once the boat had steamed north to locate the flag, marking the location of My father, Alex Craig with some of his the fleet of creels by landmarks, the work could begin, creels stored at the gable of 16 with “cleeking in” the flag and its anchor and winching it Arbuthnott Street, Gourdon where he lived as a boy. (1970) in and catching creel number one as it came up, onto the gunnel and near the stern. The Skipper would carry out The creels are the hand- made type, with wooden spars and woven netting. the winching while the crew member would quickly open the cage, lift out the catch into a box, remove the old bait, flinging it into a box and tie in the new, closing the trap, allowing the creel to drop back into the sea and moving on to the next creel where the process of “running” the fleet continued, marked by chains at the south end. The creels remained in the same place for next day’s fishing, apart from tidal drift. The boat returns to harbour to land the catch. Partans were sent by train to Baxter’s of Billingsgate, London: lobsters were kept fresh in a box, lowered into the water of the old harbour till transported to the nearby Johnshaven shellfish merchant. “Running” the fleet required skill, dexterity and speed. The other method of “boarding” the fleet was rarely used in those early days though nowadays boats fishing for velvet crabs board all the creels but do not fish daily as in the past. They will be working 500 hundred to 800 creels.

Charlie Lownie on the “Celia Craig”, working a hand-made creel with plastic boughs, wooden bottoms and net. c. 2016. Shop bought creels are used for velvet crab fishing – 500+ required, usually slightly smaller than traditional creels, with two smaller entrances, one on each side.

At the Creels – Sine Bhan ME 27 Skipper: Wayne Barbour; Crewman: Michael Watson

Michael ready to shoot the creels

Creel being rebaited

Creel about to be stacked on deck

Creel coming aboard

Creels ready for re-setting

5. Trawling for fish, prawns and scallops Trawling for fish in Gourdon commenced around 1969-70, continuing into the good years for trawling in the 1980s. At first only two boats adopted this method, on a somewhat irregular/changing basis while the rest of the boats continued at the lines. By 1994 the remaining boats converted to scallop dredging, requiring costly new gear but quick payback. In 2000 two of the four boats left were scallop dredging or prawn trawling. Trawling is a complex method of fishing, basically involving dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind the boat. When the Gourdon boats started trawling in the 1970s, the sophisticated gear currently operated was not available and the fishermen had to improvise and incorporate new gear as it evolved, for example in Gourdon the replacement of Bobbins by Rock Hoppers in the 1980s, both carrying out similar functions, allowing the net to crawl over the rough and rocky seabed, causing less damage , the trawl doors holding the mouth of the net open, attached to the boat by wires called trawl warps. Pair trawling was another method of operation, one net towed --by two boats, very efficient and producing good catches, tried but dropped by the Gourdon men as uncongenial. Maintenance of gear involved net mending, usually undertaken by a skilled retired fisherman.

Charlie Lownie Concord ME 126 with the net being lowered, hauling in, with the trawl doors outside. Skipper, Alan Donaldson at the stern, Robert Cerretti at the winch, Bruce Dorward beside the wheelhouse. 1984

On Hazael ME 47. Lifting the cod end, Haul of mixed fish. 1985/86

Working a haul of mixed fish – Robert Cerretti, wearing blue hat, and Bruce Dorward in yellow oilskins on the Hazael ME 47 /1985, Skipper Alan Donaldson.

6. Herring Fishing in Gourdon: late 19th century to c. 1908 Drift netting for herring in Gourdon began around 1837, soared in the 1881 season when over 8,000 barrels of herrings were exported from Gourdon, and continued for some time thereafter although the writing was on the wall. A herring station building was completed in 1908 but by then Gourdon herring fishing had collapsed. However, till that time Gourdon had participated in the surging Herring Boom that spread north and south, along the East Coast of Scotland and into England where the Boom peaked in 1907 though herring fishing continued for years, struggling on after WW1, towards the time of WW2, briefly thereafter. Not only men in boats followed the shoals around the coast of Britain but also curers, merchants and the herring lasses. Men of Gourdon and notably the fisher lassies of Gourdon followed suit, travelling south by boat, the men and by train, the lassies towards Lowestoft, Scarborough, Great Yarmouth, or perhaps north to Peterhead or Fraserburgh. One particular Gourdon boat, the “Morning Light exemplifies the success but also the tragedy of the fishing way of life. The boat had returned (in October1909) from a period of time with the English herring fishing in Scarborough, the most successful of the Gourdon crews. For 9 trips out of Scarborough they had grossed between £400 and £500. Only a month later while sma’ line fishing their boat was caught in a hurricane and all four members of the crew were lost, three brothers, one half - brother, leaving sorrowing parents, two widows, a prospective bride and family members, along with the whole Gourdon community. Gourdon fisher lassies gutted, salted and barrelled Gourdon-landed herring, from the farlins (trough like containers of herring), full of herring, wearing their scarves, aprons and shawls, working with deftness and skill, suffering cold, hacked, cut hands, preparing the fish for southward transport in their barrels on the Bervie-Montrose branch line and beyond to London, perhaps thereafter to eastern Europe, even Denmark and Russia where herring were prized. The coopers/barrel makers were kept busy. One old 1900 photo pictures the women at the Loading Bank and nearby Railway Goods Shed. Another photo features barrels, men and women, having finished with farlins and gutting work across from a high-windowed building, originally a grain store which later became a well- known Gourdon Fish House. In addition to working the Gourdon herring, a number of women/fisherlassies followed the herring south to Yarmouth and north to Fraserburgh. A newspaper cutting features a Gourdon herring-barrelling crew of three women – Colina Church and her aunts, Jess and Janet working at Great Yarmouth at the turn of the 19th century. They are pictured at the farlins. Such crews would have pre-organised a contract with one of the Yarmouth curers, ensuring their work there. This would have been enacted before the women arrived for the season. The contract of engagement was sealed with a token payment or “airleas” of usually 10s/ 50p. Once the airleas (usually termed arles in Gourdon) were accepted both sides honoured the contract. Thereafter the curer would might agree terms for the following season. Younger Gourdon girls, e.g. Martha Milne Ritchie) also followed the herring to Yarmouth, at the turn of the century.

The hardships endured by the fisher lassies were many from basic lodgings and hygiene, long hours worked, early morning starts, continuing into the night, the hard work itself with the injuries to hands and fingers from the salt and nicks of the gutting knives as well as the back pains from the standing and bending. One instance of Gourdon women following the herring north rather than south is provided by Mime McLeod who travelled to Fraserburgh as late as 1925, with her two young children, to work the herring. Nevertheless the women and girls were largely cheerful and easy going, enjoying their free times though their wages and rights had to be fought for.

Herring by Rail

The farlins wi herring are fu, The barrels ahint them stacked high. The weemen are ready to start, Wi their heidscarfs, aprins and shawls. For oors they’ll be gutting and sautin, Deft fing-ers and swift but hackit and sair. Syne barrels at the Loadin Bank Ready for the train. Celia Craig, April 2021

Herring Barrelling at the Railway Loading Bank, Gourdon, 1900 This old 1900 photo pictures the women at the Loading Bank and nearby Railway Goods Shed, ready to start work at the farlins

Herring Barrelling at the top of Gourdon Harbour This photo is taken near to what is now David Ritchie’s Fish House. The barrelling seems to have been completed and the farlins removed.

Following the herring to Great Yarmouth

7. For Those in Peril on the Sea: Gourdon Lifeboats and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) Over the years from the opening of the Gourdon Lifeboat Station in 1878 to 1969, Gourdon’s five RNLI Lifeboats and the inshore surf boat gave 91 years of faithful and invaluable service on Call Out, rendering assistance on numerous occasions to Gourdon fishing boats and other vessels in difficulties in the area. The high number of Call Outs bears testimony to the dangers faced so often by the Fishermen of Gourdon over these years. Sadly, many lives were lost at sea.

Launching the Lifeboat in the Gutty Harbour

The Lifeboat out of the shed

1. “Young George Irlam” The first Lifeboat placed in the Gourdon Station by the RNLI was “Young George Irlam” (1878 – 1889) bequeathed by Merchant, George Irlam of London, in 1878. “Young George Irlam” was called out on several occasions, rendering assistance, saving three lives.

2. “Theopilus Sidney Echalaz” “Theophilus Sidney Echalaz” (1892 – 1915) replaced “Irlam” and was called out on many occasions over those years, providing the longest period of service of the Gourdon Lifeboats and the highest number of rescues. She stood by Gourdon Fishing boats numerous times, rendered assistance or remained in attendance with the vessels, first with the Gourdon lugger, “Dauntless” in 1893, next with 20 Fishing boats, 8 boats and with the Gourdon Fleet. Non-Gourdon boats assisted include the February 1899 Call Out when the “Echalaz” assisted the fish cruiser, “Brenna” of Leith and saved 2 lives. In October 1899 ketch “Merlin” of Rochester was assisted, 4 lives saved. In 1903 the ketch “Annie” of Peterhead was assisted and in 1912 motor vessel, “Innismurray” of Glasgow was attended. A RESCUE – one of many On 26 July, 1902. “Theophilus Sidney Echalaz, assisted by the inshore Gourdon surf boat, Maggie Law, successfully saved the crew of the “Brothers” from heavy seas during a strong to gale east-south-east wind. The Lifeboat had been out assisting other boats earlier but was launched again when Skipper Andrew Lownie was seen approaching the harbour when the “Brothers” was struck on to the rocks, only 40 yards from the breakwater. “Echalaz” secured a rope to the boat, attempting to haul her off the rocks, without success. Meanwhile the surf boat came out and rescued the crew of six of the “Brothers”: the boat was a total loss. The Coastguard had alerted Coxswain Moir about the dangers. A DISASTER – one of many On 22 October, 1909, the Gourdon fishing boat, the “Morning Light” was caught in a hurricane when at the Sma’ Lines and foundered with the loss of the whole crew of four brothers. There was a moving newspaper account at the time of the tragedy and loss to the family, the community, the village (See Herring Board). The boat was far out of reach of the Lifeboat.

3. “Moss” Next to see service was the “Moss” (1915 – 1936), presented to the RNLI by Moss Enterprises. Here a new aspect emerges – several boats assisted motor powered but the Gourdon Fleet as a whole remain as before. The first Call Out was to the Schooner Zwalag of Zerneuzen, possibly Synonymous with Terneuzen in the Netherlands in Zeeland province. 19

Further Call Outs relate to individual Gourdon boats or to the Gourdon Fleet. For example the “Lily of the Valley”, motor yawl, of Gourdon was escorted to harbour in 1924, followed by 6 motor fishing boats in 1926. Again in 1926, 1927, twice in1928, twice in 1934, the “Moss” stood by the Fleet, once in 1934 standing by four boats, once in 1935 by the Fleet. In 1931 “Mary Henderson” of Gourdon was attended and in 1933, Motor Fishing Boat “Mizpah” likewise.

4. “Margaret Dawson”

The smart, sleek “Margaret Dawson” (1936 – 1952) took over from “Moss”, cost defrayed by a legacy. There is a beautiful precision model of this Lifeboat in the Maggie Law Maritime Museum. Originally she had a single petrol engine and sails, replaced towards the end of the 1930s by a twin engine version, with no sails. She was originally beach launched and hauled from the Lifeboat shed to the Gutty Harbour, by designated crewmen and others, including children. Launching of the Lifeboat for trials or for Life-Boat Gala days were always events of great interest and excitement although “Margaret Dawson” was primarily launched for serious rescue and assistance purposes. Over her16 years of service, “Margaret Dawson” frequently stood by, gave assistance or escorted to safety or into harbour individual Gourdon fishing boats, the Gourdon Fishing Fleet and also non-local vessels. An increasing number of boats were motor powered and more vessels than before came from more distant/fascinating parts. For example in 1937 the Life-Boat rendered assistance to Motor Vessel “Dr Colyn” of Delfyzel in the Netherlands; in 1938 stood by the steam trawler, “Hood” of Aberdeen, and by the trawler, “Grenada” of Aberdeen; in 1940 she landed 8 and rescued 10 crew of the SS “Bellona” of London; in 1945 she gave help to MV “Lindy” of Norway and MV “Zena” of Sweden. Among Gourdon boats she escorted to safety “May Queen”, 1938 ; “Isa Simpson” and Sunbeam, of nearby Johnshaven in 1939, a small Montrose boat, 1942; “Silver Cloud” of Gourdon, 1942, “Rosa” in 1948. Again in 1951, “Isa Simpson” of Johnshaven was given help. (A mysterious entry simply notes – Aeroplane – salved a dinghy!) A proud record of service.

Model of Lifeboat of the “Margaret Dawson” type.

5. “Edith Clawson Thue”

From 1952 to the end in 1969 the “Edith Clawson Thue”, cost defrayed again by legacies, gave help, escorting largely Gourdon boats, the first being the “Emulate” in 1956, the second last MFV “Concord”, June 1965. She also gave help to a Naval Whaler in 1964. The Kincardineshire coastline is now serviced by RNLI Lifeboats from Montrose and Aberdeen.

“Maggie Law”

The Gourdon inshore surf boat, the “Maggie Law” was designed and built by Gourdon boat builder, James (Jeems) Mowatt in 1890. The clinker built boat was rowed by six men to work in and around the rocky harbour mouth. In its long period of service – 1890–1930 – 36 lives were saved. The vessel was named after the daughter of local fish merchant, Tom Law. The cost was met by the fishermen of Gourdon, each donating a penny out every pound of his gross earnings to pay for the boat and its upkeep. With the Lifeboats responding to Call Outs further out and the Maggie Law operating inshore, invaluable service was provided for Gourdon fishermen and boats.

FINALLY - the LIFEBOAT GALAS

The people of Gourdon enjoyed their high- days and holidays, concerts, dances, specially GALA DAYS AT THE HARBOUR and participated fully in raising funds for the RNLI, enjoying the boat trips, the Wheel of Fortune, the cake and candy stalls, teas served in Brimie’s Fish House, trips in the Life-Boat best of all. The women rallied round to organise and serve, those in the RNLI wearing their tartan shawls. A great day was had by all!

Pipe Band on a Gala Day in Gourdon

Fancy Dress Parade on a Gala Day in Gourdon

The Women of Gourdon supporting the RNLI

8. The Community Today Gourdon is no longer the busy, vibrant port it once was but a sense of community built around the sea persists. Today there are three full time boats, fishing for crabs, lobsters and velvet crabs, working up to 900 creels. There are also five part-timers – two fishing for crabs and lobsters, two for crabs, lobsters and velvet crabs, one for prawns and scallops. Visitors still enjoy strolling round the harbour, visiting the Maggie Law Maritime Museum and enjoying the hospitality of the restaurant and pub. The ‘Maggie’, a community-built rowing boat named in honour of the ‘Maggie Law’ can also regularly be spotted around the harbour.

Did you know?

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Gourdon used to have up to 20 shops and services – a boat builder, a blacksmith, coopers, a souter, two butchers, a baker, many smaller shoppies and a large grocery and general store, called Bannerman’s Market, as well as a public house and an inn.

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Gourdon also had 7 Fish Houses, some big, some smaller, busy gutting, filleting, smoking Gourdon fish.

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When Gourdon fishing boat, the “Happy Return”, ME 149 caught and brought in a sturgeon, the Queen chose to receive her sturgeon, that special fish, owned by the Queen! It was duly sent to her.

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During World War 1, in 1916, the Gourdon fishing boat, “Bella”, fishing off Catterline was captured by a German submarine, which blew up the boat and took the Skipper and crew prisoner, six in all. They spent the remaining years of the War till 1918 in a German Prisoner of War camp. On their return they bought a new boat and called it the “Happy Return”.

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Celebrity chef, Rick Stein visited Gourdon in August 1999. A special line was baited for him: he was taken for a trip in the Gourdon Fishing boat, the “Quest” to shoot and fish the special line. Rick was shivering in his thin windcheater on his day at sea.

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In earlier times, up until recently Gourdon women used their two names, their maiden name informally and their married name officially. My Granny was Liz Mowatt and Elizabeth Craig.

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Several non-fishing jobs were carried out by Gourdon women – knitting ganseys, (jerseys) for their menfolk, including special ones for Sundays with a row of pearl/mother-of-pearl button at the neck, also doddies (mittens), tattie picking, tattie planting, outside the sheelin and baitin seasons.