In this 1935 oil painting by Charles Padday (1868-1954) we can see fishermen cleaning dogfish, before packing them in wooden barrels at Folkestone Fish Market.
The barrels were then sent to inland towns and cities by train.
What do you think it was like to do this job? Imagine the sounds and the smell! What would your hands and clothes have been like at the end of the day?
Fascinating fact
Salted dried dogfish steaks were a staple diet of Folkestone fishermen and were known as ‘Folkestone Beef.’ When grilled they tasted like veal chops and were eaten by the poorer classes, with relish for breakfast.
