Harbouring Voices – Capturing the voices of Whitby’s fishing industry
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A new community-led project is preserving the authentic, unfiltered voices of Whitby’s fishing industry for future generations – and although not based on the South Coast, it is helping develop ideas for Coastal Communities South.
The documentary Harbouring Voices , premiered at the Whitby Fish and Ships Festival last weekend, and captures candid oral histories from across the town’s fishing community. While the idea originated with Whitby deckhand George Lamplough, the project was significantly shaped and driven forward by our very own PhD Student, Freya Ivy Palmer, based at the Future Towns Innovation Hub.
George had long hoped to create an oral history archive, but it was his chance meeting with Freya at a Fishing into the Future event that brought the vision to life. Recognising the cultural and historical importance of documenting these stories, Freya took on a central role; designing and leading the interview process, and helping to secure both academic backing and funding through the University of Southampton, via the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, the Sustainability and Resilience Institute, and Higher Education Innovation Funding, enabling the project to move ahead at pace.
Over an intensive four-week period, Freya conducted around 20 in-depth interviews, carefully gathering voices from across the breadth of the Whitby fleet. These included fishermen from potting, trawling and netting sectors, as well as key shoreside figures such as a former auctioneer, marine engineer and kipper house representatives. Her approach prioritised open, conversational questioning, allowing participants, aged 25 to 80, to speak freely about their everyday lives and experiences.
This method ensured the documentary avoided nostalgia or imposed narratives, instead creating an honest, organic reflection of the port’s past, present and future.
George praised the opportunity to spotlight the fishing community, noting that it may be the first time Whitby fishermen have been able to speak so openly on record. Meanwhile, Freya’s contribution has ensured the work meets both academic and cultural preservation standards.