Herring gutting, Ullapool

Herring gutting, Ullapool

ID: QZP99_94052_08_01 DESCRIPTION: Ullapool was developed as a fishing station in 1788 by the British Fisheries Society. Every season boats and herring gutters would arrive from all over Scotland to catch and process the 'silver darlings', as the fish were sometimes known. The herring industry declined in the 1930s and the processing became more centralized on the east coast although boats continued to fish on the west coast. 'Herring Girls' would follow the herring fleet around the coast of Britain. The women would work in teams of three, two gutting the fish and one packing them. The herring catches were unloaded into large wooden troughs called farlans. Most women could gut an average of 40 fish each minute but some were significantly faster. The packer would pack the fish in salt in barrels and the fish would be pickled in the liquid that formed Living and working conditions were rough. The working day was long, usually requiring work on the exposed quays. This photograph shows teams of herring gutters at the farlans. The small boys are probably from the village. This image comes from a collection gifted to Edinburgh Central Library by Dr Isabel F. Grant. The collection includes photographs taken by a number of different photographers. The photograph was registered with the publisher, Valentine, in around 1908, but may have been taken earlier. The major archive of monochrome topographical views by James Valentine & Co. is held by the University of St Andrews Library. PLACENAME: Ullapool DISTRICT: Lochbroom OLD COUNTY/PARISH: ROSS: Lochbroom CREATOR (AV): J Valentine & Co. DATE OF IMAGE: 1908 (c.) PERIOD: 1900s SOURCE: Edinburgh and Scottish Collection, Edinburgh Central Library COLLECTION: I F Grant Photographic Archive Asset ID: 38649 KEYWORDS: