Chips from a St Ives chippy.

Two Mousehole videos from the 1920s.

A Through the Gaps blog reader very kindly pointed us in the direction of these two short films from the 1920s looking at the tiny fishing village of Mousehole.


The films are part of the South West Film and Television archive - they are always keen to add material to their growing collection - contact them if you can help or would like more information. "We hold nearly 130,000 films and tapes, dating from the start of film making in the 1880's to the present day and covering every aspect of life in the South West of England.

We want as many people as possible to see and enjoy the unique moving images that we safeguard, and we work with a number of partner organisations to make this happen.

At the moment, the database of SWFTA's collection is only searchable in-house. If you are looking for films on a specific subject, date or place, please get in touch, and our staff will advise on availability. We are working towards providing this facility online in the future.

We can also provide advice about films and tapes that you own."

Files subsequently removed owing to © Copyright issues.

Plymouth beamer Admiral Blake run down by container ship.

The sister ship Admiral Gordon in Newlyn.

Plymouth based beam trawler, Admiral Blake was involved in a collision with the container vessel Boxford 30 miles off Start Point in Devon at 145 Friday evening.


In the collision, two members of the beamer's crew were knocked overboard. Although one was pulled back aboard the Admiral Blake immediately, a huge search involving shipping in the area, including the luxury cruise ship, Oriana and the second crewman was located after spending over an hour in the water. He was then flown to Exeter hospital by Rescue 104 where he is being treated for acute hypothermia.


Culdrose's Rescue 193 flew a pump out to the damaged beamer as she was taking water while being towed back to Plymouth first by Salcombe and then Plymouth lifeboat.

Tunny fishing aboard the Petite Marie Claude from Douarnenez.

 Tunny boats on landing day in Douarnenez......

Robert George holding his first tuna of the trip caught by line and pole ........

Looking every inch the movie star, skipper Xavier Quennec.

In the summer of 1967, Robert George (ex-skipper of the top Newlyn seiner Dew-Genen-Ny) filmed his voyage aboard a pole and line tuna boat from Douarnenez in Brittany. The boat, Petite Marie Claude DZ185081, was built in 1959 by Chantier Naval, Douarnenez for skipper by Xavier Quennec.

More information provided by Alain Gourett:

The boat Petite Marie Claude was a wooden hulled vessel built in 1954

The owner called Xavier QUEINNEC
Registration: DZ3886 then DZ 185081
Length 16.78 m
Beam 5.62 m
Draught (Draughts) 2.80 m
Gross tonnage  48.15 tx
Speed 7 kts
Engine: 128 hp / engine MAN

Robert used 8mm cine film which was subsequently converted to digital by 3S Films in Penzance.

•  Tunny fishing part I.

• Tunny fishing part I.

• Tunny fishing part III.

• Tunny fishing part IV.  Look out for a fully laden 'Langoustier' - an example of the huge wooden pot boats that fished thousands of miles from Douarnenez as far as Mauritania and filled their vivier tanks with crayfish or langouste. The last of these boats sailed from Douarnenez in the early 1980s with a few surviving examples still to be sen at the Musée de Pêche.

Opportunities in the Marine world.

SOME 200 job vacancies have been created for young unemployed people after a Government contract was awarded to Cornwall Marine Network.

The Future Jobs Fund scheme is a great opportunity for both employers and jobseekers. Young people can gain experience in an exciting marine and education setting, which could then lead to an apprenticeship or a permanent position. And marine employers can take on 18-24 year olds who are claiming Jobseekers Allowance for six months, with their salary and relevant training fully funded.

Contact CMN on 01326 211382, fjf@cornwallmarine.net or visit www.future-jobs-fund.org.uk

Falmouth boat Rosemarie during the Second World War.

Can blog readers help provide more information for Shauna Osborne-Dowle from Falmouth who is undertaking a research project to record the history of the Rosemarie through old photographs and interviews with people who knew of, worked or lived aboard the boat. Here is her request: 

I saw your fascinating blog on the Free French and thought I'd contact you because I've currently researching the history of a 42' Falmouth built boat called Rosemarie. She was stationed at Penzance (Newly) during the war and was requisitioned in 1940, served until 1948, she was skippered by a man called Frankie Peters.

I'm making a no-budget film about the whole life-story of this boat, and have been looking for wartime photos of Penzance Harbour or any information about what the Rosemaries duties would have been. Ideally I'd like to find some-one who remembers her in service. Have you any useful suggestions for me?

Shauna's website is www.houseboat-tv.com where you can see some interviews from the boats later history as a houseboat.

Email here for more information.

Coming soon! - Painting Party on the Old Quay

Painting Party on the Quay

Luggers at Newlyn's Old Harbour - for the first time in generations

Saturday, March 12, 2011, 10am~5pm.

Free entry.

A day of boats, painters, heritage and activities in the Old Harbour to mark the start of British Tourism Week.  Luggers and other traditional boats getting a fresh coat of paint for the new season.  Artists on the Quay painting the scene. A Newlyn Archive photographic display of the harbour and luggers in their heyday. All are welcome. Bring your camera, canvas and brushes or sketch pad or just come along and enjoy this rare sight.

View The Old Quay in a larger map

The Old Harbour is situated within Newlyn Harbour.

For more information call: 01736 366868

The Fish Sale exhibition held recently produced a helpful guide for educators on the subject of Newlyn School artists and the harbour.