The Companies

The arrival of the steam trawler 'Lark' in Fleetwood in 1891 brought Fleetwood as a fishing port to the attention of a number of trawler companies and fish merchants. James Marr, his son, took over the company and in 1891 decided to change from sailing smacks to steam trawlers. In 1898 five Marr trawlers came to Fleetwood and began a long association of the Marr trawling company with Fleetwood.

Many other companies established themselves in Fleetwood from the beginning of the 1900's. Companies such as The Fleetwood Steam Fishing Co. and the Wyre Steam Trawling Co. began to increase the size of their fishing fleets. The companies brought with them ideas and expertise that helped to establish Fleetwood's fishing industry.

The 1930's saw the disappearance of many of the smaller companies via liquidation or amalgamation and the emergence of some larger companies such as the Boston Deep Sea Fishing Company, J N Ward & Son, Iago Steam Trawling Co. and the Hewett Fishing Company. Hewett's was the country's oldest fishing company dating back to 1764 and at one time operated the largest fishing fleet.