Former town trawlerman sharing his memories to ‘preserve our heritage’
FISHERMAN ‘AMAZED’ BY THE RESPONSE TO TWO BOOKS
A FORMER Grimsby trawlerman said d he is “amazed” at the response to the e two books he wrote in a bid to preserve e the memories of what was once the e biggest fishing port in the world. Ronald Telford, 75, was inspired to o put pen to paper through his experi- ences working as a Ross Tiger trawler r guide at the Grimsby Fishing Heritage e Centre, in which he gives groups of f people a fascinating insight into what life was life working as a trawlerman in the town’s fishing heyday.
It was when Ron started writing a blog on the “imaginary” sailing of the Ross Tiger, his 60-year career as a fisherman and all the people he met over the years, that his wife asked him, “why don’t you write a book?”. Speaking to Grimsby Live, the grandad-of-nine said: “Being on the Ross Tiger, you’re reliving your memories, and you get loads of ex-trawlermen on board with stories. I started to write a blog about me and all the people I’ve met, and my wife said, ‘why don’t you write a book?’.
“So I started typing my first one, Middle Waters, and I’d nearly finished it and my wife suggested writing another book about my early experiences working in the fishing industry, so I wrote Northern Waters.” Northern Waters was released last May and Middle Waters came out in November. Both are available to purchase in Waterstones, the Fishing Heritage Centre and Ocean Fish Bar on St Peter’s Avenue.
Ron’s third book, Deep Waters, will be released in due course.
Each book runs chronologically and are first-person accounts of Ron’s experiences out at sea – including his
account of a terrifying accident in which he lost the end of his finger. He continued: “Sometimes I can’t remember what I did yesterday, but I remember my fishing days so vividly, and I wanted to put my memories into books.
“The books aren’t about the money for me – they’re about keeping our industry alive and preserving our heritage.
“Grimsby was the biggest fishing port in the world and many people don’t realise that. When I was fishing there were about 7,000 fishermen, but there’s only about 300 people on the docks now.
“By doing the tours on the Ross Tiger, I’m teaching the general public about Grimsby’s fishing industry. But I thought, if I don’t write about my experiences, so many people won’t learn about their heritage.”
Ron said the response to his books has left him “amazed”.
“I’m just amazed, I’m just a normal, working-class guy. I’ve always worked, and I just wanted to share my memories,” he said.
Ron’s books can be purchased in person at the Fishing Heritage Centre and Ocean Fish Bar, and can be purchased online on Amazon.