The Light House - A 19th century construction toy sold by Albert Bazaar, 10 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh

Comment

Dave Ferguson

Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross, Scotland

Thank you to Dave Ferguson for sending me the photo above of a model of a trawler that he has built.

Dave, who used to live in Granton, Edinburgh, has written several poems about Granton which I've added to the to the Granton Recollections page.

Commenting on trawling, Dave wrote:

Trawling

"Friends have asked me if I knew what life was like for these souls of the sea and the hardships they had to put up with to help feed the nation.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of the life of a trawlerman is limited to tales I have heard from my brother, Rab, who was trawling prior to doing a season at the whaling in South Georgia, and other friends who spent their lives trawling.

Dave Ferguson, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross, Scotland: 27 December 2016

However, despite Dave's claim that he has only limited knowledge of the life of a trawlerman, he was able to write this poem:

Trawling

"Steaming into Granton laden doon wi’ fish

The trawler crew are happy their mission accomplished,

They braved the cold North Sea and waves you never dreamed of, To put some lovely haddock upon the kitchen table.

The trawler man's a hardy man, fu’ o’ grit sae true,

Bringing in a grand meal just for me and you.

The lack o’ sleep, the stress o’ work, that would make a body cry,
Is the measure o’ the trawler men, that sail the seas so high.

They tend the nets, repair the breaks tae keep the catch intact.
They gut the fish and fill the boxes, then drop them doon the hatch. In the hold below they ice and stack the harvest,

Then clear the deck o’ debris an’ batten doon the hatches.

The work all done they can relax, and rest their weerie banes
Then steaming hame tae Granton, tae their wee Scottish hame."

DF.377

Dave Ferguson, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross, Scotland: 22 November 2016