FAMILIES who lived in temporary houseboats along the Tees Estuary to fish for salmon, up until the 1980s, are to be documented by a film-maker and academic from Teesside University.
The forgotten piece of Teesside's history is to be brought to life in a documentary by Warren Harrison, a lecturer in media production.
For about a century, Greatham Creek, a tributary of the Tees near Hartlepool, was a popular destination for families who would set up temporary homes in houseboats and cabins along the river, where they fished for salmon in the summer months.
It was popular from the turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries, right up until the 1980s.
Mr Harrison is hoping to speak to speak to people who have memories of spending time at Greatham Creek or who were told stories about life there by relatives.
He said: “People were living there for nearly 100 years, but knowledge about it is very generational.
"A small handful of people will know about the Creek, but it was a unique community which deserves to be understood as an important and little known part of Teesside’s history.
"Most people didn’t live there permanently, they would spend their summer holidays there.
"Many of the houseboats and cabins remained there until the 1980s until they eventually started to fall into disrepair as they became no longer used.
“The documentary will be look at the community who lived there while also considering why they were there and how it came to an end.”
The area was documented visually during the 1970s and 1980s by photographer Ian McDonald, with photographs from that time featured in his book Images of the Tees.
Mr Harrison added: “People who lived there would fish for salmon, but it was not a commercial venture, they were simply catching fish. Most people only spent weekends or a few weeks there at a time.”
Dobbin Fletcher, who featured in Ian’s photographs, and Bill Blackwell, now aged 82, are among former Greatham Creek residents Mr Harrison has been able to track down and interview for the documentary.
Anyone who would like to share their stories about Greatham Creek can contact Mr Harrison at w.harrison@tees.ac.uk or 01642 342376.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here