Herring Girl

Today's the day .................... to process fish

The idea of the women of the Hebrides forming the backbone of the fishing industry may seem strange, but for almost 100 years, from 1850 up to the Second World War, up to 3,000 of the islands women employed in the industry as 'Herring Girls'.  The women, commemorated by two statues on the harbourside in Stornoway, worked locally but also followed the fish through the summer season and travelling from Hull to Lerwick for work.

The work was relatively lucrative, although the women's work left them exposed to the worst of the weather and conditions were harsh. They crafted home-made bandages from cotton and packaging to offer some protection for their hands from the brine – but cuts and blisters were inevitable. 

The women were employed in teams of three, with two girls processing the fish and the third (the tallest of the three) packing them into barrels. They were paid by piece-work, and could spend the day on the docks waiting for fish which didn’t arrive.. . . . . ... .. . . . .