I feel very lucky to of found my link back to these proud old fishing families. They have already been well researched by some of their outstanding local historians and genealogists.
I think their work on our shared history is amazing and I thank them sincerely.
As for the poor fishermen of old, yes they were considered poor by many standards. But it would appear on average they had a good life expectancy, if they didn't drown young.
Many of my great grandmother's and great aunts are recorded as living well into their 80's and 90's during times of much shorter life expectancy in the northern towns and cities.
I've read that fact was a big part in the advertising draw to the craze for sea-bathing during Georgian times. They believed it could have almost magical properties.
Ironically, I believe, it was that draw to the sea from the city and rush of wealth to the area that eventually pushed the ancient self sufficient fishing families from their homes beside the dunes.
Their tiny hamlets of South-Haws and Haws-Side were lost as the town of Southport was born and grew around them. Over the course of just a few decades almost all of the local fishermen were moved from their cottages into terrace houses well away from the prime seafront location.
My family moved to Boundary St.
I've added this link to Alice Peters (nee Wright) on a website I trust incase anyone is interested
Credit to
http://www.briangriffiths.co.uk/tng/getperson.php?personID=I16041&tree=BG_TREE