Paul Robinson
Paul belongs to: The Coble and Keelboat Society
Paul was born in Cullercoats. His family were in fishing and merchant navy. Paul got his first boat when he was 13. He has made a living from fishing and sign painting.
Paul was interviewed by Kylea Little on 1 December 2005. The interview took place at the Interviewee's workshop and lasted 38 minutes and 30 seconds.
Fishing routines
"Well, you were there everyday if you, if you could, like"
Well, you were there everyday if you, if you could, like. When the weather was decent, every day you could get. But sometimes in the wintertime, sometimes paid you to leave them a day, you know, because they were just a bit more wary, the lobsters in the winter. And you’d go away every day and you wouldn’t get much but you let your gear lie an extra day if the weather was going to be alright as well, because sometimes the weather would break very quickly. But the weather was going to be alright, you sometimes would double or treble what you would get daily, but it just depended on the conditions, you know. If there was a lot of cold fresh water coming down the river that used to put them off, because it runs closer to the shore, you know. A nice crisp frosty morning, you used to get, you know, nice day, like sometimes. You got a good price for them in the winter.
Interviewer: So you would normally go out like early on a morning or was there a specific time of day you had to go?
Used to go sharp so you could get you stuff away to the store and get bait for the next day. You always went sharp anyway, if the wind was going to get up- it normally builds through the day, you get away early, which is normally the finest part of the day, like. It depended on tide sometimes as well, like, if we get the boat launched, you know, you sometimes had to wait for the tide either ebbing or flooding, like, so it wasn’t so awkward. But it all depended, like. Normally first thing in the morning, first light.
Interviewer: Did you enjoy going out?
Oh I loved going out, like- there’s nothing to beat it.
Interviewer: What was it like?
Oh it was brilliant, just. I used to go out by myself most of the time in my own boat and there was nothing finer than going all around, a couple of tame gulls used to come every morning, I gave them their little feed.
Paul has 16 memories in the memorynet:
Paul's memories with a Traditions theme:
Growing up in a fishing community- First boat
- Learning traditional fishing skills
- The crew in the cobles and decline of the fishing industry
- Superstitions
- Leaving the sea and sign painting
- Sign Painting
- Sign painting techniques and methods
- Making and mending equipment
Paul in his workshop- A hand painted sign
- Paul's coble
- Examples of Paul's sign painting
Paul's other memories:
- Fishing routines
- Losing traditional skills
- Going out in his coble
This memory has these themes:
Lifestyles | Roles and Routines | The North East | Work
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