The Fisherman of Beadnell

The Harbour c1955
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As a child we owned Rose Cottage and would visit often. Our neighbour was a fisherman, these were fishermen's cottages. Once, as a boy, I was taken to meet the catch as it came in, possibly as early as 5.00 am. Crabs, lobsters, herring, mackerel, cod ... The stench of the harbour mud, the frotting waves against the harbour wall, fishing for minnows and sometime diving from the pier, rock-pooling along the point ... and cousins, second-cousins, aunts, great uncles and friends from school. This was Gosforth by the Sea in the 1960s. Returning in 2005 I found it surprisingly quiet and unspoilt, though the fishing boats have gone and few yachts anchor off - but the Long Nanny is there and the same seaweed and gulls.