Page 36 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"
P. 36
CHAPTER 6
BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET
In an effort to increase my income in the early ECYB days I advertised in the local press
for work for my little Volkswagen truck. I was collecting complaint commercial tyres most
days of the week and filling in with work from neighbours “Rundles” from time to time.
THE BOAT
My next client brought in by the adverts was Brian Walden a local fisherman.
Brian had his own boat the “Freda and Nora” an ancient traditionally built local “smack”.
These boats were basically prawn and shrimp trawlers and had been fishing the Wash and
associated coastal waters for 100 years or more. Brian’s boat was about 80 years old and
like its contemporaries originally designed for sail power.
(Picture below of traditional wooden fishing smack similar to Freda and Nora.
The mast still remained but no sails, the boat was powered by an ex WW2 tank engine.)
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