Today at Mareel, the arts centre in Lerwick, we had a special meeting
with five lovely ladies from Symbister. They were all former gutters the last of the hand gutters, said to do 60 fish a minute before machinery made an appearance. They brought many photographs and a beautifully handwritten diary by Agnes, detailing the boats, names, numbers, the catch and their wages, a real piece of history. We spent the afternoon together and they shared with me their memories and experiences. After nearly 60 years the details were still vivid, as they talked the more they remembered it was being brought alive. It was living history they are the last of this moment in time and the way of life they have also been witness to so much change.
