Don't fear the Reaper
By Catherine Holt - Collections Manager, Dover Museum
At the time of writing (November 2024) the Museum’s temporary stairwell exhibition is “Vessels and Voyagers”. This exhibition developed in partnership with National Historic Ships UK is a retrospective of the winning and highly commended images from their annual photography competition, which celebrates maritime heritage through stunning imagery, capturing the beauty and significance of historic vessels.
“Vessels and Voyagers” is particularly special for me as I have a personal connection both to National Historic Ships UK and to one of the remarkable historic vessels featured in the exhibition, Reaper FR958.
Reaper manoeuvring in harbour
Making everything Shipshape
My involvement with National Historic Ships began in 2014 when they launched the “Shipshape Heritage Training Partnership” to encourage the regeneration of traditional maritime skills. The Shipshape training programme came out of the long-recognised realisation that our nation’s wealth of historic vessels is at risk from an increasing scarcity of people with the experience and skills to operate them to their potential.
The ambition of this project was to create new opportunities for work-based training in the heritage sector and to enable a new generation of people to develop vanishing essential skills in maintaining, handling and interpreting historic vessels. The scheme, funded by Skills for the Future, allowed five organisations to support a 12-month placement, for two years. I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the first five apprentices to undertake this training in its first year.
Having come from a background in maritime archaeology and museums I was excited to have an opportunity to learn new skills in terms of boat building and maintenance, develop my knowledge and experience of sailing and to continue to use my curatorial and conservation knowledge and skills gained within the heritage sector.
The Real Price of Fish
Primarily based at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, the emphasis of my placement was on conservation and interpretation of historic vessels. The Scottish Fisheries Museum is a national museum telling the story of the Scottish fishing industry, its boats, harbours and communities. The museum houses a collection of static boats as well as having two operational boats Reaper a restored Fifie sailing herring drifter, built in 1902 and the Baldie White Wing.
During my time at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, I had a variety of duties including helping to maintain, sail and deliver outreach sessions on board the museum flagship Reaper under the guidance of the Museum’s boat club.
Catherine at the helm of Reaper
Part of the ship, part of the crew
The Museum's boat club was mostly comprised of retired fisherman many of whom were from long established fishing families. This meant that they had lots of knowledge and experience of maintaining and operating these boats. This was essential as until my arrival no member of the Museum team had any sailing experience. At first, I don’t think they were quite sure what to make of this young woman who was suddenly to be living and working alongside them. After a few weeks of hard graft getting Reaper shipshape and ready for the sailing season and more than a few glasses of rum in the saloon, I seemed to have passed muster and officially became a member of Reaper’s crew.
Catherine with members of the Reaper crew
For most of the year we sailed to various harbours on the East coast of Scotland and Northeast coast of England welcoming onboard schools and members of the public to learn about Reaper and the role she played in the herring fishing industry. As part of these outreach activities, I gave some demonstrations of the traditional skills I had learnt including sail making and repairs, splicing and sail makers whipping.
Catherine repairing a sail
All too soon my voyages on Reaper came to an end and it was time to embark on my next adventure. Curating this exhibition has given me the opportunity to relive my experience of working on this extraordinary vessel. Some of my tools as well as my crew uniform can be seen on display as part of the Vessels and Voyagers exhibition which is open until 18th January 2025.
Catherine demonstrating splicing