The Sea
Barrel making from J. T. Findlay's History of Peterhead, 1933
In 1815 there were only 50 to 60 coopers in Peterhead; in 1896, with
74 master fishcurers having an average of six coopers each, there were
as many as 444 hands employed in the trade, without taking into account
those engaged in the Barrel Factory. There is a very large trade in barrel
staves, and for the year ending 29th February 1896, 5,160,690 superficial
feet were imported into Peterhead from Norway and Sweden. Comparatively
few “made” barrels were formerly imported; and the year 1893
was signalised by a riot in the town of the arrival of a vessel laden
with foreign-made barrels. The vessel was not allowed to discharge its
cargo, and for some days a rabble held the street. They had to take the
staves from abroad, but would have nothing to do with coopered barrels.
Norma
Wilson reads from "A Stranger on The Bars", memoirs of
Broadsea fisher, Christian Watt Marshal
