Marine archaeologists help us to understand the geography of the North Sea and our region’s physical connections with mainland Europe. Offshore workers tell us how their jobs are changing with the development of new industries like wind farms.

Fishermen reveal how their work has been affected by declining fish stocks and port workers and ferry captains reminisce about their working lives.

Alongside their testimonies, maritime objects, ‘tools of the trade’, paintings, photographs, maps, and letters bring their stories to life. Whilst ancient objects like the amazing prehistoric North Sea hand axes, a Mesolithic harpoon head and fossil bones found under the sea, remind us of the long and fascinating history of these two shores.

TWO SHORES & ORAL HISTORY

An important part of the Two Shores project has been the collecting of oral histories. Over the course of the project, more than 40 people have been interviewed about their working lives and their relationship with the North Sea. These people have spent their lives working in various industries on the North Sea coast, in East Anglia and in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. Their recordings reveal the similarities and differences of working coastal life in our region and in continental Europe. You can listen to clips from these recordings throughout the exhibition.

Oral history aims to capture the memories and first-hand experiences of people whose  stories may not be recorded in traditional history books. Through collecting together many individual stories, a collective memory is created, in which common themes and patterns of experience can emerge.

The process of sharing oral histories creates a public platform for memories and stories which otherwise may only be told within an individual’s family.  Several of our interviewees have commented that they have found it an empowering process, giving them a voice and a sense of pride in adding their memories to the North Sea heritage.

We would like to thank the following people, who have all been interviewed as part of the Two Shores Oral History project:

Jan Albregtse, fisherman, Breskens, Netherlands

Arthur Anderson, herring industry, Great Yarmouth

Stuart Bacon, marine archaeologist, diver, Orford

Marcel Baey, seafood curing industry, Boulogne-sur-Mer

John Burrell, fishing enthusiast, Great Yarmouth

Bryan Clarke, Punch & Judy entertainer, Lowestoft

Marc de Cocker, KNRM Dutch lifeboat service, Breskens, Netherlands

Anne Debruyne, seaside historian, Le Touquet

Steven Drew, docker, Great Yarmouth

Frank Drew, docker, Great Yarmouth

Mike Emery, boat building, Sheringham

Graham Fearn, lighthouse keeper, Sheringham

Alison Foxon, lifeboat crew, Aldeburgh

Vanessa Haig, offshore survival trainer, Norwich

Dick Harman, tourism, Clacton-on-Sea

Jerry & Unity Heath, seaside leisure, Southend-on-Sea

Adam Jarratt, offshore survival trainer, Norwich

Mary Kent, shipping industry, Great Yarmouth

Foort Lokerse, fish auctioneer, Breskens,

Frans Maas, boat builder & fastnet racer, Breskens, Netherlands

Malcolm MacGregor, oyster fisheries, Brightlingsea

Charles Manning, amusement parks, Felixstowe (courtesy Coastnet)

Jean-Claude Marseille, lifeboat historian, Cayeaux-sur-Mer

Christina Martyn, coastguard watch manager, Great Yarmouth

Tom Mellors, ferry captain, Felixstowe

Frank Muirhead, lifeboat crew, Cromer

Nick Pownall, diver, offshore industry, Great Yarmouth

Adrie Provoost, Dutch waterboard & dyke management, Breskens, Netherlands

Steven Saint, coxswain, lifeboat crew, Aldeburgh

Gaston Sampson, lifeguard, Blankenberge

Fred Simeons, offshore industry, Great Yarmouth

Ailsa Spindler, boat builder, Oulton Broad

Ronald Steenacker, ferry captain, Oostende

Stuart Thompson, lifeguard, Cromer

Johan Vandendriessche, fisherman, Oostduinkerke

Andre Van Torre, sea pilot, Oostende

Andre Vermoote, fisherman, Oostduinkerke

Charles Walker, coastguard, Aldeburgh

Leonard West,  fisherman, Sheringham

Claire Wooderson, lifeboat crew, Aldeburgh