Britain’s Herring Girls

Herring girls were groups of women who traveled along the east coast of Britain, from as far north as Aberdeen to as far south as Great Yarmouth, following the herring as they migrated throughout the year.

These women played a pivotal role in the fishing industry by gutting, curing, and packing the herring catches that arrived in coastal towns each season.

They were more than just labourers; they were the backbone of the herring trade, vital to the economy of many coastal towns, and their work defined a unique chapter in Britain’s maritime heritage.

The herring trade began to rise in prominence during the 19th century, driven by high demand for herring across Europe.

In Britain, especially in Scotland and northern England, the herring became known as the ‘silver darlings’ due to their silvery appearance and the economic prosperity they brought to fishing communities.

This industry blossomed along the eastern coasts of Scotland and England, where shoals of herring migrated during the summer and autumn, drawing hundreds of fishing boats to the waters.

By the late 1800s, towns like Great Yarmouth in England and Fraserburgh in Scotland became focal points for the herring trade, hosting thousands of seasonal workers who followed the herring’s path along the coast.

These “herring girls” were often recruited from small villages across Scotland, the Hebrides, and Northern Ireland, coming together in bustling communities that would migrate along the coast throughout the fishing season.

Herring girls were generally young women from fishing or rural families.

The life of a herring girl was tough, but the wages they earned were vital for supporting their families.

Many were in their teens or early twenties, and some even began working at the age of 14.

Despite the harsh conditions, the job offered freedom and independence that was rare for women at the time.

With their boxes packed, these young women would set off on foot, by train, or by boat, moving from town to town as the herring season progressed, from Scotland’s Orkney Islands and Shetland to the Yorkshire coast, and as far south as Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

Working in three-person teams called “crews,” the herring girls gutted, salted, and packed the fish.

Each crew typically consisted of two gutters and a packer.

The gutters would gut and clean the fish in a quick, rhythmic motion, while the packer salted and layered them in barrels.

Their speed and skill were remarkable, with experienced herring girls able to gut and pack hundreds of herring in an hour.

Dressed in heavy skirts, aprons, and headscarves, the herring girls wore layers of clothing to protect themselves from the fish oils and harsh weather.

They wrapped their fingers with bandages and cloths, but cuts and blisters were still common, and the constant exposure to saltwater and fish oils left their hands cracked and raw.

They worked long hours, sometimes from dawn till dusk, standing in outdoor curing yards or on piers, often in freezing or rainy weather.

The women endured the physically demanding work for a season that could last several months, making them some of the most resilient workers in the fishing industry.

The process of curing herring involved gutting, salting, and packing, which preserved the fish for months and made them suitable for export to continental Europe.

The packer layered the gutted fish in barrels, sprinkling salt between layers to prevent spoilage.

This method of preservation made herring a staple food, especially in Eastern Europe, where salted herring was considered a delicacy.

Curing yards, where the fish were processed, often filled the air with the pungent smell of fish and salt, a distinct atmosphere unique to herring towns.

Here, the herring girls’ skill and speed directly influenced the quality of the cured fish.

Barrels of herring were loaded onto ships and exported, bringing wealth to local economies and establishing the UK as a significant player in the international herring trade.

The seasonal migration of the herring girls was a unique aspect of their lives.

Following the herring, they traveled from the northern coasts of Scotland down the east coast to ports like Great Yarmouth, where the fishing season peaked.

For many, this seasonal movement became a lifestyle, one that fostered a sense of community among the women.

They lived in shared lodging houses, often sleeping in cramped conditions and pooling their wages to cover expenses.

Their journeys were not without hardships. Living conditions were often poor, with cold, damp rooms and limited facilities.

The women supported each other through illness, accidents, and the exhaustion that came with such physically demanding work.

Despite these challenges, a spirit of friendship, resilience, and even adventure defined the herring girls’ community.

Away from home and the restrictions of rural life, the herring girls developed strong bonds with their fellow workers, creating a sisterhood that transcended their individual backgrounds.

During the evenings, they would gather to sing, dance, and share stories.

The songs they sang often revolved around the sea, their work, and the lives they left behind in their home villages.

This communal life provided them with a sense of camaraderie and support, and the friendships they forged often lasted a lifetime.

The First and Second World Wars, however, had a profound impact on the herring trade, disrupting fishing and export markets.

After the Second World War, changes in the fishing industry, technological advancements, and changing consumer tastes led to the gradual decline of the herring industry.

The development of refrigeration, which made it easier to store fresh fish, and the rise of other protein sources, also contributed to the decline in demand for cured herring.

By the mid 20th century, the once-thriving herring industry and the community of herring girls had largely disappeared.

The seasonal migration, the bustling curing yards, and the crews of skilled women were all fading into history.

The last of the herring girls worked in the 1950s and 1960s, leaving behind a legacy of hard work and resilience that still resonates today.

Today, lots of herring girl statues can be seem across the coast.

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