The Lost Fishing Community
This film is a 60-minute social history documentary and tells the story of the unique fishing community of North End, unique because of the people who lived within its confines. People who knew about endurance, peril, suffering and poverty, but also the people who built a community on kindness and loyalty. The programme will be made up from old archive footage, B/W photos, interviews and dramatized sequences.
A community of families linked to the fishing industry collected around the mouth of the port and became known as the Fishers End and finally North End. Relationships between, families, kin and friends were very strong. And the community is thought to have existed for 1000 years.
The community was based in the North of Lynn and was located within a few streets and yards, in less than 1/8 of a square mile. It was entirely self contained with its own shops and 14 pubs and at the centre of its community St Nicholas Chapel. It also had only one entrance, down Pilot Street for many years, increasing its sense of isolation
It was within the confines of these streets that the fishing industry developed. Life revolved around the sea. Most North Enders made their livings from the fishing industry there being fish dealers, sail makers, twine Spinners, sailors, Pilots and Master mariners.
Their relationships were built around the times of the tides and their culture based on the superstitions and traditions of the sea.
The Housing acts of the 1930's and 50's were the beginning of the end for the North End community. Fishing was already in decline and it was becoming harder to make a living from the sea. But the families still lived together and kept their sense of community and uniqueness. Housing Inspectors decided that the properties within the North End were unfit for human habitation and should be torn down and cleared.
All that is left of the North End and the North End fishing community are a few houses in Pilot Street and two cottages within True's Yard. Narrated by Nigel Havers.
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