Twenty-four spratting smacks were gathered in Brightlingsea Creek at the same time when this photograph of the spratting harvest was taken. They had brought in 7,000 bushels, making the hard a scene of great activity as boats ply from the deep-laden vessels to carts, with the horses standing in the water, and men busy themselves loading up barrels for home and export trade. In former years the smacks were sailed home in this... the sprats are caught in big nets lowered beneath the keels. The process is known as "stowboating".
Newspaper cutting with caption stuck over top of photograph. No date.