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The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Revealed: the blood and guts tales of Scottish whalers
But as the converted Second World War Royal Navy corvette dipped and swayed in the pounding South Atlantic waves, his first challenge would not be with whales, but with the sea itself. 'It was a lively ship,' he remembers. 'She could roll pretty well, almost lifeboat to lifeboat. 'It was frightening to begin with, but you learned to cope.' Whale catcher vessel, Southern Jester, brings home its catch (Image: South Georgia Museum) The next challenge would be the gruesome sight of a factory ship's deck, swimming with blood and its crew smeared head to toe in guts. It was 1958, and the Shetland lad was among a stream of Scots who would make the long journey to a world of icy beauty where pristine seas bubbled with blood and the sickening stench of boiling whale meat lingered in the air. Over three years, he grew from boy to man chasing whales in the sub-Antarctic, one of thousands of mainly Scots employed to hunt and process vast numbers of whales to near oblivion. Brutal as it was, from seasickness to the nauseating sight of crews waist deep in entrails, blood and sludge, there would be excitement and a unique bond between men who, perhaps surprisingly given the environment, would go on to show tenderness and care for each other. Read more by Sandra Dick: Now their memories of living, working and bonding in the Southern Hemisphere's long-gone whaling industry have been gathered for a new digital archive that explores the reality of the British whaling industry. The Whalers' Memory Bank, including previously untold stories from former whalers, their families and communities from all corners of Scotland, will be unveiled by historian Dan Snow in Dundee on Friday. Its launch brings to a climax two years of work with former whaling communities by the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the South Georgia Museum to shine light on an uncomfortable chapter of Scotland's industrial heritage. A whale undergoes processing on the Flensing Plan at Grytviken Whaling Station on South Georgia (Image: South Georgia Museum) Whale numbers in the northern hemisphere had already been seriously depleted when attention in the early 1900s turned to bountiful numbers in the south. Britain became the world's leading whaling country, home to whaling companies that earned fortunes from whale meat, byproducts and oil. With largely Scottish workforces, they established huge whaling stations and ran fishing fleets and factory ships to handle their catch. Despite the violent seas and logistical challenges of the South Atlantic, whaling fleets would leave species there tottering on the brink. It came to an end in 1965, by which time whale numbers had slumped and the manufacture of items such as margarine, soap and cosmetics had shifted from using whale products to vegetable alternatives. Whalers take a break over a drink (Image: South Georgia Museum/Eric Stevenson) As well as highlighting whalers' stories, the archive explores the wider social and environmental impacts of the industry, including how whale produce became an essential ingredient in British life. While in some cases, the industry played a vital role in sustaining remote communities that might otherwise have dwindled. For Gibbie, now 83, whaling offered adventure and opportunity when there were few jobs for young men like him. 'We were living in a backwater, where nothing had really changed from the 1930s,' he recalls. 'Work was hard to come by and you had to leave to go to sea or move away for work. 'This was a fantastic adventure. Life on a whale catcher was to me a boy's adventure, a dream.' Grytviken Whaling Station on South Georgia (Image: South Georgia Museum) Once in South Georgia, he was thrown into the role of deck mess boy keeping the whale catcher ship clean, serving food, washing and scrubbing. Although the youngest on board and one of only four Scots among a crew of mainly Norwegians, he was quickly treated as one of the men. Within days and despite no experience, he was given the wheel of the ship only to rapidly wander wildly off course. Other times, he'd be at the helm peering into the darkness, trying to avoid ice floes while the crew played cards below deck. The violent and stormy seas left some whalers dangerously ill - conditions could test even the toughest sailor. Read more by Sandra Dick: But, he adds: 'It was fantastic and exciting. And we were wild and free.' While his whale catcher hunted down its prey, factory ships processed the carcasses, gutting their enormous bulk on board and leaving decks and water around blood red. It left an unforgettable impression. 'The factory ship was a vision of hell,' says Gibbie, who is chair of the Shetland ex-Whalers Association. 'I could see the deck and it was red with blood and meat, people cutting up whales and big holes in the deck leading to cookers down below. 'It was a terrible place; the smell was something else.' Humpback whale lunge feeding in the waters around South Georgia (Image: British Antarctic Survey) Whaling began in Cumberland Bay in December 1904 when whales were plentiful. In the first season 183 whales were caught. But demand soared for whale produce that could be used for lubricants, in food production and nitro-glycerine for explosives. By 1925, some 8,000 whales were processed at the Leith Harbour works, many weighing up to 90 tons. For Edinburgh-based whale company Salvesen, there were handsome profits of £300,000 profit a year - equivalent to £100 million today. Shetland man James (Jeemie) Balfour was among hundreds of Scots whalers (Image: Balfour Family) Over 1,000 workers were employed on South Georgia whaling ships and land-based processing stations, staying from May until October. Before the industry came to a halt, a staggering 176,000 whales had been processed island-wide. Although Gibbie recalls awful sights, there were also remarkable acts of compassion among the whalers. When one burly Norwegian fell ill with what Gibbie now suspects may have been aggressive motor neurone disease, men rallied to build a makeshift iron lung to help his breathing during his final days. Another, who sustained a dreadful fall from a ship's mast to its deck, was tenderly cared for at Leith Harbour hospital by a doctor carrying out delicate surgery aided by a mess boy. By October, most men returned home with pockets stuffed with wages to see them and their families through the winter months. A blue whale is hauled into position, ready to be processed (Image: According to Shetland native Helen Balfour, whose grandfathers both worked as whalers and who is Assistant Curator of South Georgia Museum at the former whaling station at Grytviken, whaling was a vital component that helped keep fragile island communities intact. The experiences left a mark on both of them, she says. 'My grandad Jimmy Balfour was there for ten seasons with mostly Norwegian crews. He could speak fluent Norwegian with the same accent that they had. 'My other grandfather, Alan Leask, came from Yell. A lot of men went whaling from there because there were so few jobs. Read more by Sandra Dick: 'Whaling was very helpful for the Shetland economy,' she adds. 'Quite a few men came home with enough money to invest in fishing boats or other businesses, and it meant they didn't have to find work at sea or move away.' Alongside insights into what life was like for whalers on South Georgia, the digital memory bank includes a 3D tour of a whaling station on South Georgia. The Whalers' Memory Bank has been backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and supported by the Scottish Fisheries Museum, the Scottish Maritime Museum, the Shetland Museum & Archives and Dundee Heritage Trust's Verdant Works. The Whalers' Memory Bank brings together whalers' stories, photographs and other material for the first time (Image: South Georgia Museum) The Salvesen Ex-Whalers Club and the Shetland ex-Whalers Association have also been instrumental in sharing their experiences and memories. Its launch is the centrepiece of a three-day festival organised by the South Georgia Heritage Trust in Dundee which includes interactive exhibitions, activities, talks from world-renowned polar explorers and scientists, and the unveiling of a new artwork, Commensalis, by Scottish sculpture Michael Visocchi which reflects on the whaling industry.
Scotsman
19-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
New project capturing memories of Scottish whaling communities launched by historian Dan Snow
The Whalers' Memory Bank brings together new and lost stories of Scottish whalers and their intrepid adventures on South Georgia island. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Over the last two years, the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the South Georgia Museum have been working alongside former whaling communities in Scotland to create The Whalers' Memory Bank. Launching on June 27 in Dundee, with help from historian Dan Snow, the Whalers' Memory Bank is a brand-new living, growing digital time capsule where veterans of the whaling industry, their families and communities have come together to share their stories with a wider audience. The project has been made possible by National Lottery players with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It tells the story of modern whaling (between 1904-1965) in the Southern Hemisphere. British companies played a key role in the industry and had a largely Scottish workforce, attracting many working-class men with the promise of adventure and competitive wages. Whalers' Memory Bank montage. The Memory Bank enables visitors to the platform to better understand how whale products (which ranged from margarine to the production of soap and cosmetics) were such a vital resource during the 20th century, and an essential ingredient to how we not only fed and armed ourselves as a nation, but how they literally kept the wheels of Britain turning. It looks at whaling through the lens of the time rather than with hindsight, as it is something we simply can't imagine with whale preservation a cornerstone of worldwide conservation efforts today. Our shared memory of what was once an essential industry, and an integral part of Scottish social history, is fading. Importantly, The Whalers' Memory Bank has combined new and existing material, now captured in one place for the first time. To watch a short film (1 min 30) about the project, visit: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Since the project launched in June 2023 the South Georgia Museum has run a number of workshops with whaling veterans where they shared their stories, knowledge and personal collections. The museum has also worked with other Scottish museums and has received several hundred items that also now form part of the Memory Bank. Whalers on South Georgia. As a result, the Memory Bank can provide insights into what life was like for whalers on South Georgia who had travelled 8,000 miles from home in Scotland to find work, due to its scarcity. The whaling stations and 'factory' ships were like mini-towns and there were many different roles including processing whales on land at the whaling station or on board a factory ship, working as a radio operator, 'mess boy', blacksmith or helicopter pilot searching for whales at sea. These fascinating real-life experiences are told through film, oral histories, photographs and more. Visitors to the Memory Bank will be able to find out more about the whaling community's lives as well as taking a 3D tour of a whaling station on South Georgia where a staggering 176,000 whales were processed island wide. Jayne Pierce, Project Director and Curator at the South Georgia Museum said: 'Since we launched the project in June 2023, we have been inundated with material for the Whalers' Memory Bank which showed us we were onto something in terms of people wanting to tell this untold story. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It has really been a joint effort, bringing together former whalers, their families and their communities to hear their stories and get their help in shaping what the Memory Bank has become. It is their generosity in sharing their time and personal collections from videos, objects and photographs stored in attics, cupboards and drawers which has helped us create such a special and unique project. 'Through these personal stories, we really hope the Memory Bank will connect communities across local, national and international boundaries and dispel some of the myths around whaling by telling the story through the eyes of the people who lived and breathed it. What we have created is a richer experience than a simple online museum database - dynamic rather than static - uplifting and celebratory. 'Importantly, the Memory Bank is also underpinned by a digital database showing collections and archives from partner museums. We want the Memory Bank to become a way marker to other whaling resources – a one stop shop that is free to use and accessible – including links to other books and oral histories former whalers have produced which was really important for us to include.' Gibbie Fraser, Chair of the Shetland ex-Whalers Association said: 'On behalf of Shetland ex-Whalers Association veterans we are pleased to have helped shape the Whalers' Memory bank. We have an extensive collection of photos from the whaling years which we were at a loss as to what to do with until the Memory Bank came along and will save them for future generations to see. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'For many of us the whaling was a great adventure as well as a hard life and we really wanted to share this with the wider world. We hope people will get a better understanding of what life was like for us, our families and communities 8,000 miles away back home in Shetland.' Helen Balfour, Assistant Curator, South Georgia Museum said: 'Working on the Whalers' Memory Bank has been a real privilege, not least because it's been fascinating to learn more about my fellow Shetlanders' roles within the industry but also because of my family connections to South Georgia. Both my grandfathers and great-grandfather were whalers on South Georgia in the 1950s and 1930s, so to understand more about what they saw, what they experienced and how they, their colleagues and families back home must have felt, is incredibly special. It is amazing that over 60 years on from the whaling the camaraderie that exists between the whalers is just as strong and I hope you can see it reflected in the Whalers' Memory Bank.' Caroline Clark, Heritage Fund Director for Scotland, said: 'We take a very different view of whaling now but it was once an industry essential to the national economy and to the lives of these communities. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, the Whalers' Memory Bank team have done an incredible job working with the former whaling communities to capture the personal stories of whalers and their families, exploring this important untold part of Scottish social history. We are delighted to see the Whalers' Memory Bank launched today and thank everyone who has taken the time to share their memories and personal collections with each other and the wider world.' Creating the Whalers' Memory Bank would not have been possible without support from the Scottish Fisheries Museum (Anstruther), the Scottish Maritime Museum (Irvine), the Shetland Museum & Archives and Dundee Heritage Trust's Verdant Works. The Salvesen Ex-Whalers Club and the Shetland ex-Whalers Association have also been instrumental in sharing their experiences and memories. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Whalers' Memory Bank is being unveiled as part of the new 'Whale of a Weekend' festival by the South Georgia Heritage Trust in Dundee. This spectacular three-day free festival brings art, science and adventure to Dundee waterfront and will showcase Scotland's deep-rooted connections to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Also being unveiled for the first time is Scottish sculpture Michael Visocchi's brand-new Whale Memorial, Commensalis; a powerful tribute to the story of the whale's dark history and its resurgence in recent years. There will be interactive exhibitions, a host of family-friendly activities and exclusive talks from world-renowned polar explorers and scientists throughout the festival too.
