Tea & Sprats

The Northend fishermen of King's Lynn were never very far away from three essentials, a mug of hot sweet tea, a cigarette and some string. String is a subject for another time but for now this image brings the realisation that no matter what the task in hand, no matter how strenuous or difficult the job....a mug of tea was either in hand or at hand.

I based this image on an old black and white photograph in a magazine and the character in the middle was my grandfather. You'll notice that he has both hands full of net while the other two taunt him with their mugs of tea....life below was hard...and cruel.