Packing Fish

Grit, sea air and honest work on the Cornish coast

This evocative photograph from around 1900 captures a group of fishermen in St Ives, Cornwall, packing freshly landed fish—likely pilchards or mackerel—into wicker baskets and barrels. With sleeves rolled up and hands busy, these men worked at the heart of one of Cornwall’s most important industries, providing food for homes across Britain.

Behind them, a blur of crates, carts and wooden sheds forms a backdrop of hard coastal labour, where fishing was not just a job but a way of life passed down through generations. The scene reflects a time when St Ives was still a thriving fishing port, long before it became an artists’ haven and holiday destination.

🗓️ Did you know? In the early 1900s, St Ives was one of Cornwall’s busiest fishing towns, exporting salted pilchards to markets as far as Italy and Spain.

📍 St Ives, Cornwall, England 📷 Photograph circa 1900

📸 Do you have vintage photos of fishing, markets or Cornish coastal life? Upload them now to Oldpik.com and help preserve the working heritage of Britain’s seaside towns.