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Grimsby heyday of the 'three-day millionaire' | Grimsby heyday of the 'three-day millionaire' |
(35 minutes later) | |
By Trevor Gibbons BBC News, Yorkshire | By Trevor Gibbons BBC News, Yorkshire |
It was easy to spot a so-called "three-day millionaire" in Grimsby in the 1950s. | It was easy to spot a so-called "three-day millionaire" in Grimsby in the 1950s. |
The moneyed men were from the town's trawling fleets and made their living working "at the hardest job in the world". | The moneyed men were from the town's trawling fleets and made their living working "at the hardest job in the world". |
After about three weeks toiling in the fishing grounds, they would return for just three days on land to spend their hard-earned cash before going back to sea. | After about three weeks toiling in the fishing grounds, they would return for just three days on land to spend their hard-earned cash before going back to sea. |
'Look at my money' | 'Look at my money' |
Their lives and other aspects of the booming Grimsby fishing industry of the 1950s are being marked in an exhibition called Fish, Ships and Rock 'n' Roll. | Their lives and other aspects of the booming Grimsby fishing industry of the 1950s are being marked in an exhibition called Fish, Ships and Rock 'n' Roll. |
Local history enthusiast Alf Ludlam, 71, said: "The men would stand out in what almost amounted to a uniform. | |
"They would wear pale grey or blue suits with lots of pleats in the back of the jackets and baggy trousers." | "They would wear pale grey or blue suits with lots of pleats in the back of the jackets and baggy trousers." |
Mr Ludlam, a museum volunteer with Grimsby Council, said the suits were a fashion statement but also a way of saying "look at my money" because the trawlermen could afford to buy a extravagant quantity of cloth. | Mr Ludlam, a museum volunteer with Grimsby Council, said the suits were a fashion statement but also a way of saying "look at my money" because the trawlermen could afford to buy a extravagant quantity of cloth. |
And the men wore open-necked shirts as "however cold it was in town, it was never as cold as on a trawler off Iceland," he added | And the men wore open-necked shirts as "however cold it was in town, it was never as cold as on a trawler off Iceland," he added |
Mr Ludlam remembers watching the men roaming his home town during the 1950s, a time when "thanks to fishing Grimsby was making more money than ever". | Mr Ludlam remembers watching the men roaming his home town during the 1950s, a time when "thanks to fishing Grimsby was making more money than ever". |
At its peak in that decade, Mr Ludlam said Grimsby was "the largest fishing port in the world". | At its peak in that decade, Mr Ludlam said Grimsby was "the largest fishing port in the world". |
The vibrancy of the fishing trade had a spin-off for the rest of the town until the mid-1970s. It was a great period to grow up in Grimsby, Mr Ludlam said, because "everything was in the melting pot". | The vibrancy of the fishing trade had a spin-off for the rest of the town until the mid-1970s. It was a great period to grow up in Grimsby, Mr Ludlam said, because "everything was in the melting pot". |
"Fishing was Grimsby's raison d'etre - no fishing, no Grimsby, " he added. | "Fishing was Grimsby's raison d'etre - no fishing, no Grimsby, " he added. |
Icelandic confrontations | Icelandic confrontations |
The heyday for the trade lasted about 20 years but the reliance on fishing proved to be a problem for the town as the trawler fleet contracted during, and after, the two decades of the Cod Wars. | The heyday for the trade lasted about 20 years but the reliance on fishing proved to be a problem for the town as the trawler fleet contracted during, and after, the two decades of the Cod Wars. |
Iceland started extending its territorial limit around the island to exclude foreign vessels from the water it claimed as its own. | Iceland started extending its territorial limit around the island to exclude foreign vessels from the water it claimed as its own. |
The limit was extended on three occasions between 1958 and 1976, each time forcing British fishing vessels further offshore. | The limit was extended on three occasions between 1958 and 1976, each time forcing British fishing vessels further offshore. |
The limit was finally extended 200 miles off Iceland. | The limit was finally extended 200 miles off Iceland. |
This led to confrontations at sea between the Icelandic coastguard and trawlers from Grimsby and Hull. | This led to confrontations at sea between the Icelandic coastguard and trawlers from Grimsby and Hull. |
Several ships were even rammed as trawlers continued to try to fish within the new limit. | Several ships were even rammed as trawlers continued to try to fish within the new limit. |
'Daggers drawn' | 'Daggers drawn' |
The neighbouring fishing ports of Grimsby and Hull vied with each other in the size and skill of their trawler fleet, and the quality and quantity of fish landed. | The neighbouring fishing ports of Grimsby and Hull vied with each other in the size and skill of their trawler fleet, and the quality and quantity of fish landed. |
Mr Ludlam said the ports had "always been at daggers drawn" and their fishing fleets were a source of civic pride. | Mr Ludlam said the ports had "always been at daggers drawn" and their fishing fleets were a source of civic pride. |
He said the collapse of the trawler industry in Grimsby mirrored the similar economic and social struggle former mining towns experienced after the pits closed. | He said the collapse of the trawler industry in Grimsby mirrored the similar economic and social struggle former mining towns experienced after the pits closed. |
The two industries of fishing and mining were also linked by the level of danger encountered. | The two industries of fishing and mining were also linked by the level of danger encountered. |
Mr Ludlam said: "Fishing was the most dangerous - when you set sail you didn't know if you were going to come back." | Mr Ludlam said: "Fishing was the most dangerous - when you set sail you didn't know if you were going to come back." |
The free exhibition Fish, Ships and Rock 'n' Roll is open until Sunday January 13 at the Fishing Heritage Centre in Grimsby | The free exhibition Fish, Ships and Rock 'n' Roll is open until Sunday January 13 at the Fishing Heritage Centre in Grimsby |
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