Harriet Fishing Smack

The last surviving Fleetwood-built one of its kind, the Harriet fishing smack lives at Fleetwood Museum. See her there, preserved for the future in the boat hall. You can enjoy a tour of the Harriet and boat hall, generally available throughout the day (subject to availability of volunteers). Just ask at reception.

The huge volume of knowledge which the volunteer guides share is one of the outstanding features of the Museum, frequently remarked on by visitors. The Harriet tours are no exception, with a number of local fishermen amongst the guides.

The History of Harriet

Harriet is a unique example of a fishing smack, a type of boat which evolved specifically for work in the difficult waters of the Irish Sea and North West coast. Fishing smacks are sail-driven craft. They were the forerunners of the modern deep sea trawlers. Smacks, like Harriet helped to build Fleetwood’s huge fishing industry.

Harriet is a ketch rigged fishing smack. Built with pitch pine planking on an oak frame. She’s 64 feet long with a beam of 21 feet and from keel to deck level, a height of 11 feet 9 inches. Her main mast was 45 feet high, the mizzen 27 feet and her gross tonnage 80 tons. Built by the Singleton Bros. in 1893, the price tag was the sum of £1,200 – a lot of money back in those days. She made her maiden voyage on 22 September 1893.

Below is a painting of Harriet FD111 from Fleetwood Museum’s collection. It’s by R. Bradbury and dates from 1897. The artwork is a bequest from the daughter-in-law of a previous master of Harriet. Sadly he was killed in 1918, whilst serving as master onboard a converted trawler being used as a minesweeper.

The Age of Wind Power

In the 1890’s Harriet had a full set of sails – totally dependent on the wind and tide. These craft had no power, save that from a small steam boiler used mainly to operate a capstan which helped to haul the trawl gear. She towed a beam trawl, consisting of a trawl net held open by a heavy wooden beam with weighty iron shoes on each side.

A semi-diesel auxiliary engine was added to the boat in the 1930’s. Now the top speed was 6 knots. In 1942 when George Fletcher joined the crew, Harriet was still using full sails, paraffin lamps, lead line and compass. George said that she still had an open cockpit and tiller. But in 1943 a 68 horsepower Gardner engine was fitted. This led to the removal of some sails, and shortening of masts.

David Helm owned the Harriet until his death in 1969. By this time, George had come in with him as part owner as well as Skipper. In 1969, George became full owner. During thirty odd years on the Harriet, he made many improvements. They included the addition of a wheelhouse, a steering wheel, and a winch to replace the capstan.

Fishing for Sole and Hake

In 1962 the Harriet fishing smack was still sailing regularly from Fleetwood. She went to Morecambe Bay, Manx, Scottish and Irish fishing grounds in search mainly of sole and hake. A productive boat, she’s been fishing at sea almost continuously since the day she was launched.

Harriet survived many storms and groundings in her long career. Her robustness is a tribute to her sturdy construction and the “trunnel” (or tree nail) fixings which allow flexibility in the hull.

But in 1977, after over 80 years of fishing, Harriet made her final voyage. Skippered for the last time by George Fletcher she sailed to Borwick Rails near Millom. Now out of water, the Harriet Trust ran the ship and transformed it into a day centre for handicapped children.

Harriet Fishing Smack becomes a TV Star

Do you remember the BBC programme “Challenge Anneka”? In 1994, Harriet was the feature of the programme, along with another vessel, Sulwath. The boat was dramatically altered in order to provide better children’s facilities. But with the project short lived, she’s declared unsafe just a year later.

After discussion with the Harriet Trust, Lancashire County Museums Service made the decision to rescue the historically important Harriet. The Friend’s of Fleetwood Museum and museum staff worked hard to ensure her homecoming for conservation and display within the museum. The project was fraught with many obstacles, and her rescue is a testimony to those involved.

However, anyone who witnessed her return to Fleetwood on 19 August 1998 will know what she means to Fleetwood. On a floating pontoon, the Harriet fishing smack passed the Lower Lighthouse in fading light, to the sound of cheers and car horns.

Preservation of Harriet Fishing Smack

Conservator John Kearon from Liverpool supervised some of the restoration work, completed by 2009.

She’s been allowed to dry out slowly. Some of the excess ballast has been removed, as it was too heavy for the boat when out of water. The rather patchy appearance of the paintwork is due to samples having been taken, to check the firmness of the wood underneath.

Harriet is now in a stable environment. Part of the long term strategy is to find funding for more expert conservation advice, to ensure that she gets the best possible treatment.

Harriet is now on the Lancashire Historic Environment Record, PRN34997, added in April 2011.

The Historic Environment Record (HER) contains information on over 35,000 known sites across the county. It includes standing ruins, prehistoric and medieval earthworks, features identified on an aerial photograph and medieval pottery – in fact any material remains of Lancashire’s past.

Source: Fleetwood Museum / National Historic Ships