Fishing Vessels in Great Yarmouth Harbour

Middle picture not fishing smacks but Thames spritsail barges what a fo par for a port authoriyty web site.

Dear Ivor, thank you for pointing out the error. Please note that this is a volunteer run website and is not linked to the Port Authority or Port Company.

Great photos of the old fishing smacks. I'm a model boat builder and would love to get some plans no matter how basic , of a Yarmouth smack. I'm an ex Yarmouth boy who has lived in Australia for 57 years, I hope someone can help. Thank you.

Hi Alan, There were different types of East Coast fishing smacks. A good reference book is 'Sailing Drifters' - The Story of the Herring Luggers of England, Scotland and the Isle of Man, by Edgar J. March ISBN 0715346792 which is out of print but available secondhand and worth seeking for its wealth of information, photographs and diagrams. I bought my copy from David Ferrow over 30 years ago when it was just £9 . Now it's a collectors' item but can be found on Amazon. Best wishes Duncan Kirkwood

Fascinating original photos. Does anyone know who currently has the originals. Yarmouth Port Authority have been taken over and their successor firm is unsure where the photos went. Maybe an archive or museum?

I am trying to find out any information about the fishing vessel the Flower of the Fleet. My great grandfather worked on her in 1881. I would like to know what fish they caught and her history.

I was born in Yarmouth & as kids (1950s) we would regularly 'cross' the river by jumping over many moored boats, & timing it so as to cross to a passing vessel in the centre channel, then again across moored boats on the other side!! This saved a walk round to the Haven bridge & on to the pleasure-beach!

My husband's great grandfather, Robert Symonds, was drowned when the smack 'The Saucy Maid' was hit my another fishing boat on 25 October 1880 off Gt Yarmouth. He was was a 'Whaleman', two 15 yr old boys also drowned that day. Robert's wife Harriet, gave birth to their daughter 4 months later. The daughter (another Harriet) later married Arthur Beckett.

I am trying to find out any information about the smack "Golden Harp", which was bought to The Faroe Islands from Yarmouth in the year of 1903 (I'm from the Faroe Islands). Pictures etc. Anyone?

Burnmouth owned 1889. BK.1063 "Star of the East", Paul Johnstone. BK.1033 "William George", Wm Martin. BK.937 "Excellent", M. Anderson. BK.1121 "Sunbeam", A. Wilson.