These sound files are extracts (short, edited pieces) from longer oral history interviews preserved by Northumberland Archives. These interviews were made as part of a project to collect the memories of people who lived and worked on the Northumberland coast; “Sustaining Our Coastal Heritage”, 2006-2008.

Arthur was born in the 1960s. He was the Coastal Warden for Blyth Valley Borough Council. He was interviewed 9 November 2006 by Sarah Belcher. 

Well, definitely the coal trade changed dramatically. I mean shipping in the port has actually increased in the last three years. Whereas before Blyth was principally a coal port. It would also bring in some tin now and again, paper. And now it has quite a thriving trade and we get all sorts of cargos coming into the port. But the mining I think had the biggest single affect because there was spoil dumped directly into the sea at Lynemouth. Not too far away and that did have an effect on the coastline for quite a way. Also, there was a period of time when fly ash* from Blyth power station was taken out by ships and dumped at sea. A lot of that was washed back in so all of that as well as the sewage that used to be pumped into the sea and chemical waste, industrial waste. All has to have an impact somewhere. 

*Fly ash – by-product of burning coal.

So, if you look at the different environments. So, if we start with the harbour and how it has changed with the number of boats and the fishing industry. I mean did you used to go and visit the harbour down here when you were younger as well? 

Yes, we would visit the harbour at least once a week. We would go down. And at south harbour as well. Where the fishing boats were coming in. I mean the numbers of commercial fishermen have dropped dramatically over the years. Um and now the sort of staple fishing on the NE coast is the crabbers you know that go out and pot for crabs and lobsters. We do have a few prawn trawlers out there. Um and I believe we have four licensed salmon fishermen in Blyth now. In my youth um every summer from being 13 years old I would go down to Blyth harbour at the beginning of May and get myself a little part time job working on the salmon boats. Pretty much full time in the summer holidays but learning to um set the nets up, so net repairs. If I was not actually out on the boat fishing with them, I would be sitting at the harbour doing repairs to nets and pots. And things like that to earn myself a little bit of pocket money to do whatever I wanted to do. Usually to buy new fishing gear.