Salt-water fishing from Barking was mentioned as early as 1320, when its fishermen were prosecuted for using nets with too small a mesh. The industry seems to have been at that time quite small-scale. A list of the 1660s shows Barking had 14 fishing smacks, crewed by 70 men and boys. By 1814 the number had grown to 70 smacks, by 1833 there were 120, by 1845 approximately 150 and by 1850 at least 220. This phenomenal growth was due to one family, the Hewetts: Scrymgeour (1765–1850) and his son Samuel (1797-1871). In 1833 the Hewett fleet, called the Short Blue Fleet after its ensign, consisted of 10 vessels. The main type of fishing vessel used in Barking at that time was a well smack until the 1860’s, when the costs of operating such vessels rising rapidly, coupled with the fact that the increasing pollution of the London river made it increasingly difficult to store live cod in chests in Gravesend. The custom of putting each day’s catch on board one of the Well Smacks working with the fleet gave way to the use of fast cutters specially built for the purpouse

The fast Fish Carrier Ranger was a typical example of this type of vessel. She was built at Barking in 1864, was 74ft. 3 inches overall and 52 tons. These vessels could sail to wind’ard faster than any vessel then afloat. With such a perishable cargo as fish, minutes counted and the weather least desired was calm or light airs.

Those that survived into the steam age enjoyed new careers as fast yachts.

Download the instructions here: Ranger Instruction manual