Fishing boats, particularly those along the eastern seaboard of Britain, from Whitby northwards, have always been fundamental to my existence writes Gloria Wilson in her Introduction. … I touch upon my own story, give some account of how I have arrived at the happy and somewhat unconformable circumstance of being a writer and illustrator within the commercial fishing and boat building communities. Nevertheless, the boats themselves form the mainstay, the connective narrative throughout the book… I have chosen those which, for me, are the most likeable and pleasing, predominantly the classic, cruiser-sterned wooden-hulled seine netters and dual-purpose craft which are splendid sea boats and have such beautiful hull forms.

Gloria Wilson was born in Surrey but spent her childhood in the Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes. She studied at Durham University under Victor Pasmore and Kenneth Rowntree and gained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. This is her eleventh book on fishing craft of the British Isles, and she has written extensively for maritime journals including Classic Boat, Fishing News, and Maritime Life and Traditions. Gloria lived in Scotland for some years, but now lives and works in the north-east of England.