Ramsgate Fishermen
The late 1800s saw the Ramsgate fleet at its peak. At that time 185 boats were registered at the port. Add to that the boats that came from the Devon ports, Rye, Deal and Lowestoft. In total over 300 fished from here.

Even as far back as 1556, when Ramsgate consisted of just 25 inhabited houses, there was already a small fleet of 14 vessels engaged in the transportation of grain and fishing. The boats they used were small two or three masted craft called luggers. It was when the boats from the west country started to operate from our harbour that this would change. They brought with them smacks. These were larger canvassed ketch rigged trawlers.

So why did they come to fish at Ramsgate? First, there were no fishing dues at that time, also it was a time of prosperity for the town and that meant there were plenty of buyers for their catch. Efficient reliable horse drawn vans were capable of getting the fish to market as soon as possible.

The early 1900's saw a slight decline in the industry, but the real turning point was with the advent of the war of 1914. It had little effect to begin with, until Ramsgate became a navel base in 1915. Many of the crews entered military service. Because of the considerable risk of being attacked still more smack owners left for safer ports. On march 24th 1917 six of our boats were lost. Just a few weeks later a zeppelin bombed the fish market. In total some 51 boats were sunk. Of those that had left most never returned. Ramsgate would never regain her once mighty fishing fleet.