Profile

I was born into an extended family of fishermen in the village of Flookburgh in 1932.  My father was adopted by Jane and James Butler but reverted to his birth name when he married. He married his adoptive father’s cousin, Ellen Butler, hence both the maternal and paternal sides of the family were all Butlers.

Almost all the male members of the family wrested a living from the sands and channels of Morecambe Bay for at least 200 years, working with boats, with horse and cart and, since the 1950s, with tractors.

I attended the Flookburgh Infants’ School from 3½ years of age, then Holker School from the ages of 7 to 11.  In September 1944, I commenced the first of five years at Ulverston Grammar School and left in 1949 with virtually no qualifications  It was then that I went straight to work as a fisherman, following in the footsteps of at least four previous generations.  

In May 1951,  I was called up for two years of National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. After leaving the army in May 1953, I continued with the life of a fisherman until officially retiring in 1997.  I have continued to do some fishing, simply because I enjoy it - even now, at the age of  77.

Margaret and I were married on the 4th of April 1954.  We have three children - Stephen, Wendy and Lynn.  Eight grandchildren - Ryan, Timothy, Danielle, Lauren, Matthew, Charlotte,  Ben and Jack.

My main hobby  is music, having joined Flookburgh Band in 1946 and still involved with the band as chairman and occasional player/conductor.

I have given illustrated talks about the history of local fishing for over 40 years.

I started to write down some of my experiences of life and of the fishing industry just to leave for my family and particularly for the younger generations and those generations that may follow.