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Old photos show Folkestone's fishing industry past

12:35, 09 October 2020

updated: 12:43, 09 October 2020

A collection of old photographs allow a step-back in time exploring Folkestone's fishing industry.

More than 200 illustrations of the harbour, the boats and the fishermen who worked on them from decades past have been collated for a new book.

A record catch of mackerel in fish shed no.3, circa 1910. All images from new book, Folkestone's Fishing Industry Past & Present
A record catch of mackerel in fish shed no.3, circa 1910. All images from new book, Folkestone's Fishing Industry Past & Present

One photo, from 1910, shows a record-breaking catch of mackerel, while another image shows the harbour as early as 1829.

The black and white photos also show the many boats that would have transited through the harbour.

The limited edition hardback has been put together by Alan Taylor, John Gale and Frank Bond, curators of the town's Fishing and History Museum .

Mr Taylor, who has published many books about Folkestone, said: "It has been a long ambition of John Gale's to write a book on Folkestone's fishing.

"He comes from a fishing family of nine generations, has been fishing himself and then manager of Folkestone Trawlers for 30 years.

Folkestone has long been a fishing town
Folkestone has long been a fishing town
Launching Pride of Folkestone circa 1930
Launching Pride of Folkestone circa 1930

"He was also on the Kent & Essex Sea Fishing Committee representing Folkestone for 14 years, so John had a lot of unpublished information.

"I have always been interested in fishing.

"My father had boats for pleasure and I went out fishing with him from the age of nine.

"I would have gone fishing for a living when I left school but my father said I must learn a trade.

"I spent 14 years part-time fishing mainly catching lobsters and crabs and taking out fishing parties, and five years full time fishing owning my own boat."

Folkestone harbour in 1829
Folkestone harbour in 1829
The harbour
The harbour

It took the trio six months to complete the project.

The book, Folkestone's Fishing Industry Past & Present will be on sale for £16.95 tomorrow (Saturday) at the fishing museum, in Radnor Street, between 10am-12pm.

In August, KentOnline unveiled more archived photos of Folkestone, taken from another of Mr Taylor's new books.

To view the images, which include people queueing for former The Star Bingo and Social Club on opening night in 1967 and the Orient Express at the Harbour Station in the 1980s, click here .

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone

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