The 'Roll' of a Fisherman's Wife

Between 1664 and the early 19th Century, ‘press ganging’ was common along the North-East coastline. It was used by the Royal Navy, forcing people to join them as they became desperate for men to crew their boats. A group of men would go ashore and tour the streets of towns and villages, looking for potential fishermen or merchant sailors to press-gang.  The fishermen of Robin Hood’s Bay, in Yorkshire were victims of press-ganging, but many managed to escape it, by hiding in their smuggling retreats. Women were often seen chasing press-gangers off with rolling pins through the streets, waving them as they ran.

Men most commonly press-ganged were between 18 and 45 years of age. During this time conditions aboard the Navy ships weren’t pleasant, far worse than the conditions onboard the merchant ships.