Search is on for families of 1900s fishermen and net braiders

The search is on for the families of seven people who worked in Grimsby during its fishing heyday.

The memories and stories of these fishermen and net-braiders, who worked in the town from the early 1900s, feature in a new attraction at Grimsby’s Fishing Heritage Centre.

Their interviews are all stored in the museum’s archive section and have been turned into a soundtrack to welcome visitors aboard the attraction’s Ross Tiger Trawler.

The soundtrack is a new addition to the museum and has been composed by Elle Osborne, a musician and sound-artist and the first artist in residence at the Fishing Heritage Centre.

Elle said: “The soundtrack is called LongLines and is a celebration of the lives of the people who made Grimsby in its heyday as an international fishing port.

“It features the stories of local people who worked in the industry in the early 1900s through to the present day.

“It would be wonderful if the families of the contributors who are no longer with us could attend the launch of this historically significant attraction.”

Those featured are Grimsby fishermen Harry Buckingham, William Clarke, Eric Hodges, and Frank Gladding and net-braiders Hilda Bennet, Alice Scarah and Betty Gladding.

A launch is being held for the project at the attraction on Thursday, July 2 and the families of those who feature in the soundtrack are all welcome to attend.

The music on the soundtrack is by Elle, Mike Waterson and John Connolly and a host of interviewees contributed to the project.

It received funding from Arts Council England and has been made in memory of Elle’s grandfather Jack Osborne.

Elle was raised in Cleethorpes, and her family has a long history of connections with the fishing trade, dating from the early 1900s.