described in chapter V. On the easternmost point of the headland is The Rocket House, or Fog Signal Station. Signals are fired every ten minutes in foggy weather. Beyond the Lighthouse The Stacks, with a splendid view of Bridlington Bay, are worth seeing. The Fishing Industry is thus described by Mr. John Duke, of Flamborough:-"In spite of natural disadvantages owing to the rocky nature of the coast, the fishermen of Flamborough continue their dangerous pursuit, and sea fishing is the chief occupation of the people. The winter fishing begins about the middle of October. There are 120 fishermen thus employed during the winter, who own at the North and South Landings about eighty boats (cobles). These boats vary in length from sixteen to nineteen feet. In south winds the men fish from the North Landing, but with north winds from the South Landing, and go from half-a-mile to seven or eight miles out to sea. The usual plan is to start at night and return in the morning. Each boat is manned by three men, and carries three lines, each of which is 1080 yards long or more and has on it eighteen score of hooks three yards apart, which are baited with mussels, whelks, etc. The mode of fishing is as follows:-The line is fastened to an anchor, and the "shooting of the line" is commenced by throwing the anchor overboard, a large float or "dan" being attached to it to mark its position. The boat then sails away, paying out the line; the second line is joined to the first, and the third in its turn to the second, until there is a total length of line, with hooks, of over 3,200 yards. The catch, of course, varies immensely, but the fishermen consider thirty stone a fairly good one. During last winter the catch in a single boat once amounted to as much as 200 stone. The fish caught are chiefly cod, with some skate, ling, haddock, cat-fish, and occasionally halibut. Every fisherman sells his own fish on the beach, by auction, to the local dealers. The fish are then packed in hampers, and carried up the very steep ascent of the North Landing on donkeys. It is then re-packed in boxes or barrels (very rarely hampers), and is carted to the station. The fish must be at the station by two p.m., or the fish train is gone for that day. This journey by road is a serious hindrance to the fishing industry at Flamborough. It adds greatly to the cost of putting the fish on the market, and sometimes there is not time to get it fresh into the market at all. The fishermen of Flamborough long for a line of railway. The winter fishing season ends on Good Friday. At that time the men, if so inclined, change partners for the crab-fishing which now comes in, though long-line fishing is also continued. Most of the larger boats are now laid up, and the men use the sixteen or sixteen and a-half feet boats, two men in a boat. A crab-pot is a cage, made of hazel rods covered with netting, ballasted with iron, and about sixteen inches square. Each boat works from thirty to forty of these crab-pots. They put the pots in the sea at the beginning of the season, and go to haul them up every morning as the weather permits. This goes on until the end of the season, about the end of July. In a severe storm two years ago, more than 1,000 of these crab-pots were lost. These men also work the long-line fishing; two lines to each boat. The fish caught are the same kind as before, though very much less in quantity. Although I said the crab season ended in July, some go on crabbing until the October fishing begins again; but, this being the breeding season for crabs, it is a very destructive practice, and ought not to be allowed. The herring-fishing begins on August ist. The Flamborough herring fishing has decreased on account of herrings fetching such low prices. There used to be thirty boats in the herring-fishing, but now only fifteen are in use. These are large boats, thirty feet or more long, and carry four men each. These men start at the beginning of the season from home, but owing to there being no harbour at Flamborough, they generally leave their boats at Scarborough (occasionally at Bridlington) from Saturday till Monday, for the Flamborough fishermen will never fish on Sunday. The catch of herrings is never brought in at Flamborough, it would be impossible to get it away by train soon enough. The Flamborough men generally take it to Scarborough or Bridlington." To emphasize the desire of the Flamborough fishermen for a railway, expressed above by Mr. Duke, there is added here the following resolution unanimously passed at the last quarterly meeting of the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee, on the proposal of Mr. J. V. Mainprize, County Councillor for the Flamborough Division: |