- I'm Alice Loxton, and
I present documentaries over on History Hit TV. If you're passionate
about all things history, sign up to History Hit TV. It's like Netflix, but just for history. We've got hours of ad-free documentaries about all aspects of the past. You can get a huge discount
from History Hit TV. Make sure you check out the details below, and use the code ABSOLUTEHISTORY, all one word, when you sign up. Now, on with the show. (seagulls squawking) - [Narrator] In the early 1900s, our sailing boats traded across the globe. - Dead ahead, 18 yards. - [Narrator] And our fishing
fleets fed the nation. (ropes creaking) (triumphal orchestral music) - [Narrator] It's a time that we often look back on with nostalgia. - In it comes, in it comes, quickly. Herring, brilliant, boys. - [Narrator] But what was it
like for everyday communities who made their living from the sea? - Whoa. (Lydia laughing) - [Narrator] Four modern day
families are heading back over 100 years to the
start of the 20th century. - Oh gosh, look. - [Narrator] To live for a month at a small fishing community on the wild, exposed coast of Anglesey. - We're about to embark on
the adventure of a lifetime. (jaunty orchestral music) - Look after each other. - [Child] Daddy. - [Narrator] As the families enter their third week on the island. - One, two, three, lift. - [Narrator] The women get their first experience of fishing. - [Kate] Oh, there's a lobster, wow. - [Cheryl] Oh, my God,
look at the size of that. - [Narrator] But with food running short, and hungry mouths to feed. - [Fisherman] Keep coming, keep coming. - [Narrator] The men are forced to set out on their toughest trip yet. - Gav, this was snagged in there. - It's caught. Rip it. Rip it. - I'm not too concerned
what kind of fish we catch. Let's just catch loads of them. - [Narrator] Will they
fall in love with the past, or will they fall apart
on The 1900 Island? - We smashed it. (jaunty orchestral music) - Right, brush your tongue, then. I know, I know, really bitter. - All right, you going off to play? - Going to play. - [Narrator] It's early morning in the village's third week on
the tidal island of Llandwyn, off the west coast of Anglesey. - I'd say you need quite a
bit of stones there, boys. - [Narrator] Professional fisherman with over 40 years experience, Mickey Beechy is teaching
the men a new technique, preparing lobster pots
to be set out to sea. - [Mickey] I need six good
pieces bait from the shed. It's in the barrel. - Very strong smell going on,
'cause we've got rotting fish. - [Narrator] The men
are using traditional, hand-woven lobster pots. A piece of fish bait is fixed inside, and the pots placed out at sea. Hopefully the lobsters will
smell the bait, and climb in through the top, becoming trapped inside. - There was no supermarket on the corner. They're selling the produce
what they're catching. We've had dribs and drabs
of fish or whatever, so it's a bit important for
them to catch some lobsters so that they could sell it, get
a few more, a bit more money in their pockets to be
able to feed the families. - [Narrator] Just like
today, lobsters were a highly-prized catch at the
beginning of the 20th century, proving popular with the upper classes. - Oh, that's perfect. - Bit of weight in there. - So what, if we make a success of this over the next few days, we're going to go into our last week, we've got a bit of money on our hip. - [Narrator] With five
young children to feed, out of all the families, the success of the lobster potting is most
important for Gavin Davies. - I want this to be really
good, because if we have a good catch, we could
eat really, really well. You can get by being hungry,
but it'd be nice just to have that big lift in the community, and have a successful couple of days. (whimsical music) - Have a seat, Yannick. - [Yannick] Thank you. - [Narrator] Student Yannick
Martines has moved in with Clive and Cheryl Barker as a lodger. - It's working really well. He's very, very easy
company, very helpful. Does a lot of collecting of the water. Yes, it's good, all good, and the extra money is really useful. - [Narrator] But to cover has
costs, Yannick needs to work. - [Joe] Morning. - [Yannick] Morning. - [Joe] Morning. - [Yannick] Morning, Joe. Thank you. See you later. - [Cheryl] Bye. - [Yannick] Bye bye. - [Narrator] He's managed to
secure a job as an apprentice with Joe Ormond, the island shipwright. - [Joe] Come on in, Yannick. - [Yannick] Thank you. - [Joe] Whereabouts were you born? - [Yannick] I was born in Spain, and my father's a (indistinct). - [Joe] Okay. - My mother's Spanish. Most of my life I've been in England, so I'm kind of more used to the
people and the way they are. - [Joe] Where would you
ultimately settle, do you think? - I think anywhere close
to the sea would be- - [Joe] Here would be
quite nice, wouldn't it? - Yeah, this place is beautiful, so ancient. - [Joe] 'Tis, yeah. It is. - So long as the weather stays warm, and I can jump into the sea. (chuckles) (waves lapping) - [Narrator] As an apprentice
in 1900, Yannick's work, and even his personal life would have been strictly controlled by the contract between him and his employer, Joe. - The said apprentice
will serve his master, and obey his lawful commands. (Yannick laughing) He will not embezzle or waste
the goods of his master, nor frequent taverns or ale houses. - Can we read the terms
and conditions on the back? (both chuckling) - [Narrator] Apprenticeships
go back to medieval times. By the late 19th century, there were over 340,000 apprentices across Britain. - So the cut happens as it,
as it comes towards you, not away from you. - [Narrator] Yannick will
be helping Joe to build a new dingey for the community. - Make it look real easy. - [Narrator] If he can
make a good impression. With potentially higher earnings at stake, Mickey would rather not rely
on a novice when it comes to the difficult job of setting
the lobster pots at sea. Clive Barker from Kent
used to fish for a living in his early thirties. - We're rigging the pots with
obviously, a buoy and a line. They're weighted. They're going to be put
over the side of the boat. All you'll see is the buoy
floating, and then you just them there baited, waiting
for a big beetle to crawl in. - [Narrator] Since Clive
arrived on the island, he's been unable to sail and earn money, because of a bad case of gout. It's been a testing time
for him and his wife Cheryl. - Is that you struggling? - It's all right. It's okay. - [Narrator] But today
has seen an improvement in his mobility. (upbeat music) - [Cheryl] He's been chomping at the bit. Found it very difficult
having to stay shore-bound while everyone else goes, and that's why he really
needs to get out there. - Okay. Here we go. - I was getting a bit
disappointed by not being able to get out on the water. I'm going fishing now, by the looks of it. Looking forward to it very much. - [Narrator] Clive and Mickey are wearing modern life jackets,
alongside traditional oilskins made from waxed cotton,
protecting them from the elements. - [Mickey] We don't want to
end up on the boulders, do we? - [Clive] No. - [Narrator] The baited
lobster pots need to be dropped close to the rocks around the island. - [Mickey] I'm struggling
a bit to get around. - [Narrator] Tricky job,
as the swell's picking up. - [Mickey] Okay, go drop that pot, Clive. (water splashing) - She's gone. Lovely to be out on the sea. Don't mind the rough water at all. - [Narrator] In the boat shed, Joe's got Yannick started on a set
of oars for the new boat. - Never plane off the edge like that, 'cause that will just split. - [Yannick] Oh, yeah. - [Joe] So you've always
got to go into it. - [Yannick] Okay. - [Joe] Yeah? - [Yannick] Yeah. - [Narrator] Small, remote
communities like this relied on their own skills to make and repair all their fishing equipment. - On this island, constantly
thinking about surviving, and what I'm going to
eat for my next meal. But here, when I'm sort
of working on the wood, and on the horse, I sort of
forget about everything else. It's like meditation. Yeah, it's like I'm diving
into a little world, where only I and the oar exist. (chuckling) So it's nice. (children chattering) - [Narrator] Natalie
Davies is also adjusting to life on the island. - It sounds weird to say it, but it seems enjoyable
to do the wash outside. It's just sort of outside
it's gorgeous weather, and like, everybody else is
doing theirs, so you can chat. Everyone's milling around, just lovely. - Oh, come on, Daf, jump in. You're going to get your
feet wet in the sea there. - There's a shark! - There's a shark? Bunker down, bunker down, bunker down. I'm going to do like this, and you do what I'm doing and go. (grunting) - I would definitely say we're
learning as the weeks go by. Getting to grips with
the routine of things. It has very quickly become
like our normal life. - [Narrator] For Lydia
Power, life back home in Cardiff seems far away. - We've got so much to be
grateful for modern day, but if a lady from this era
came into the 21st century, I think they'd be completely overwhelmed by the pace, expectations
of modern society. (children chattering) It's hard to beat the simplicity
of life that we have here. (chickens clucking) - Wee! - Wee! - Get it up. Get it up. - [Narrator] With all the
pots set, it's a waiting game to find out if they've caught anything. Until then, they've no
choice but to eke out what's left in their store cupboards. - [Gavin] I want to see clear plates. (children chattering) - [Narrator] None more so than family of seven, the Davieses. - Have we got anything for after, Mum? - [Natalie] Apple. (Lily groans) (Gavin laughing) - [Gavin] Give my apple to these. - [Natalie] Yeah, that
was excluding me and you. - [Gavin] The truth is
you're not eating enough. - [Natalie] I am. - You're not. I know you're not. - [Lily] You've had breakfast
today, and that's it. How is that enough? - [Natalie] You know,
they're not complaining. They're just like, "We'd love
another bowl of porridge." We can't have porridge three times a day. There's just nothing
worse than that feeling of not being able to feed your kids. (somber music) - [Narrator] Two doors down, Lydia and her husband
Gareth run the village shop from their front room. - So we have three, six, 18. I'm in a position I suppose,
with the shop, and see what people are buying,
how well the people eating. Cheryl and Clive are fine,
Kate and Arwell are fine, but I am a bit concerned
about the Davieses. - Their greatest need right now is food. Right. (praying in Welsh) - [Narrator] As devout Christians, the Powers are a charity-minded family. - [Lydia] When you think
of, well, the Bible said they shared everything in common, especially in small communities
like this on the island, and at the moment I just feel
there's need in our community. - [Gareth] Yeah, and I think
this is where as a community, we need to pull together. - [Narrator] With no
social security safety net, it was down to local
charities, institutions, and individuals to help those in need. - We were thinking, you know,
the Davieses are struggling a bit financially, struggling to put food quite literally on the table. We were thinking of putting
together like, a food hamper essentially, and then we
can just present to them. - If you give us some
idea of what you'd like us to contribute, we are more than happy. - Thinking of the Cheryl's home cooking, and it'd be lovely for you to cook. If you do a meal and a pudding,
I think that'd be amazing. - [Cheryl] We both really felt for them. I can't imagine the
feeling looking in the pot, and there's nothing there. - I know. - [Cheryl] So that's
fine. Consider it done. - [Gareth] Hello. - [Lydia] Hello. - [Arwell] Come in, come in, come in. - [Narrator] Next stop,
Kate Evans and her partner, Arwell John from Swansea. - [Lydia] I was going
to ask, could you put some eggs in the hamper? - [Arwell] I'd be happy
to donate four eggs. - [Lydia] I'm just thinking
as a family of seven, could I push you to seven
eggs? There weren't- - Seven eggs, uh- - One each? Too much for you guys? - Yeah, okay, seven eggs. - Thank you. Thank you so much. That'd be great. (upbeat music) (chickens clucking) - All right. (kisses) - [Child] Daddy, bye. (bell ringing) - [Narrator] Next day, and
Gavin's off with Mickey to check on the lobster pots, the potential gold at
the bottom of the sea. - (grunts) I'm going for
the off-white, neutral look. - [Narrator] Not getting out
onto the water is proving a challenge for experienced rower, Kate. In the 1900s, that were very few examples of women becoming part
of a sailboat's crew. - I would love to get
out in the fishing boats, and have a go. I started rowing when I was
about 14 in the Bristol Channel, and then when I was in my twenties, started rowing for Wales. But what I've found in the
last three weeks is that women were tied to the home, and you know, cut off from the workplace. Yeah, I just find it bit drudgery, really. (washboard scraping) - [Narrator] The fight for
women's suffrage was becoming increasingly intense at the
beginning of the 20th century, with meetings and marches
in many towns and cities, but it wasn't until 1918 that
women finally got the vote. - I don't think there's any
limitations to abilities according to your sex, because really, if you capable of doing
the work, just do the work. - [Narrator] As a man in the
1900 community for Arwell, island living has proved more satisfying. - She has been really missing
going out in the boats. Like, she's a little bit
jealous, to be honest with you. (water sloshing) - [Kate] I'm going for
muscling this instead. (whimsical music) - [Mickey] Pull it up. - No, it's empty though. Chuck it. That's disappointing, this. It's very disappointing. I'm not, I'm not giving up
for a second, not a chance. - Arwell and I were up, both of us, independently last night. - [Narrator] Overnight, Kate's
been having second thoughts about Lydia's charity hamper. - Neither of us felt
particularly easy afterwards with the idea of giving just a
demonstrative, obvious thing, and in our heads, Gavin
would be pretty crestfallen that he'd not been able to provide. And I know it's meant well, but I just, I just think we can do things on the quiet that aren't going to make
them feel such a needy case. I think it's a bit of a slap
in the face, personally. - That's how you both feel? Then you know, you're at
liberty to do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you'd rather give something small, and if you'd rather do
it yourself, go ahead. - [Cheryl] I've done the meals. (chuckles) That's set, really. I can't do a lot. I mean you didn't ask me
to do anymore, did you? - [Lydia] No, because I think
this is using your gifts. - [Cheryl] That's right. - I was also a little bit
bristled by being slightly of the feeling that we were
slightly strong-armed into, "Oh can't you give this much? Can you give this much?" I don't like that. I don't, I
don't give charity like that. - Let me start then by just
saying I'm really sorry that you felt pushed to give? (overlapping chatter) I'm sorry you felt that way. I, like I say, if you don't
want to be a part of it, you really don't, and personally, I can not stand back
and let friends starve. Give me a (indistinct) please, Cher? - [Cheryl] Okay, so you
don't want a pot of tea? I have the kettle on. - No, I'm fine, thanks. - [Cheryl] Okay. (somber music) - I hope I didn't upset her. - [Cheryl] What's that? - I hope I didn't upset her,
but I think I may have done. (somber music) - [Cheryl] Kate can be
a bit confrontational. I'm sure she doesn't mean to be, but come across as a
little bit confrontational. We'd gone to bed so chuffed to
bits that we were all coming together to meet this
need to do something. - Whilst the hamper is
lovely idea, you're giving people a care package that'll last a day. It's not about giving people handouts. It's about giving them the
means to maintain self-respect, and dignity, and work their
own way out of those problems. - There's two, there's
two sources of meat there, protein with the corned
beef and the bacon. We tried to do something that
would gather the community. So yeah, I was really disappointed. - The way we try and do that is by giving our time, giving what we can
with our skills, teaching. I spent yesterday
teaching the kids to sew. So yeah, it's just a
different way of doing it. - So I'm going to get this. It's going to come on the starboard here. - [Joe] Perfect. Bloody perfect. Good boy. It's spot on. In you go. Right. Pull it in, let's have
a look, see what we got. Grab hold it up. Keep it, keep it coming out
past the back of the boat. - (groaning) There's nothing in it. - [Narrator] It's another
disappointment for the families. - As of about an hour
ago, we ran out of money. It's all been spent. (somber music) - Careful, Phoebes. Knock, knock. Hello. - [Natalie] Oh my goodness. What is this? - [Lydia] These are a few little gifts, and we just wanted to
extend our love to you, and make sure that you
and all the kids have got food in the house. - Oh my goodness, Lydia. You're just, oh, goodness. You're so caring. (kissing) You're the loveliest. - [Lydia] You're easy to
love. You're easy to love. - Oh my gosh, it's really overwhelming. Thank you so much. - [Lydia] So Cheryl's
done all the cooking. - Oh my goodness. It's really overwhelming. It really is, but it's
just so, so thoughtful. I feel so loved. They're
just the best people. - I didn't think I'd ever be
more excited to see a leek. - You know it, oh, oh my goodness. Thank you so, so much. - [Cheryl] No, you're welcome. - [Natalie] So, so thoughtful. - We just tried to give
a little bit of love. - Thank you so much. - You're welcome. - So, so special. - Quite nice, actually. We're
eating it. (Natalie laughing) - Should we have some dinner? - Yes! - Look at that. (Gavin laughing) Look at what they've brought. - I'm a little bit speechless here. You know, isn't that so, so kind? - Look at this! - [Narrator] It's a big step for Gavin. He's turned down previous
attempts at charity within the community. - Look at this. - How lovely. We will eat tonight. - [Lily] Including Mommy. - I'm not very good at this,
but I'm gonna give you a hug. Thank you very much. - Thanks, Gav. - And you. (kissing) I'm holding it together,
so I'm just gonna do this. I'll even give you a kiss as well, mate. - Oh, there's really no,
really there's no need. - You've got very generous parents. You're very lucky. (kisses) Love you. - [Lydia] Love you too. - Oh, tell you what,
I'm going to enjoy this. - [Child] Yeah, I love it. - Yeah, you have a certain amount of pride as a so-called headed a
house, and you want to provide for your kids, and you
don't want people to think that you're struggling, but I've not, my pride hasn't
taken a knock with this, because I think it's come from
such genuine, loving people. It's not felt like charity. Just nice to be part of
a community, isn't it? - [Narrator] With the lobster
pots unproductive so far, and food supplies and savings running low, Mickey's got a new plan. - We've got a golden opportunity
to go on a bigger boat. We're going to try that then. We're doing long lining,
and we're doing hand lining. That's the good part of it. The bad part of it is
maybe a couple of nights overnight on the boat. - [Narrator] He's arranged
for them to go fishing for further and longer than ever before. It's a big challenge for
the novice fishermen, and also a greater risk, as
they head into unknown waters, using yet more new equipment. - [Mickey] It's probably one of the most dangerous
occupations you can have. It doesn't matter what
year that you're in. - [Narrator] In the 1900s, around one in 10 apprentice fishermen
were lost at sea. - 10% doesn't sound an awful lot, but if that 10% is your flesh
and blood, and your child, your blood, or your son, you know, it's a, it doesn't matter, does
it, the percentages? It's your own flesh and blood that's gone. - How you doing? - Hello. You okay? - Yeah. - [Natalie] Why have you got that face on? You're going away? - Going away. Don't worry. We'll be fine. (somber music) I've never really left my family
for more than a few nights at a time, and even then
it's very, very rare, so being away for two or three
nights is a massive deal. I think 'cause we've got
five kids and we've got a busy life, that Natalie and
I hugely rely on each other. So not being around means that everything's going to fall on Natalie. You all right? - Yeah. - Do you want a hug? - Yeah. - Yeah. (chuckling) I can see. I'll be fine. It's going to be amazing, okay? - [Natalie] Yeah. - [Gavin] Promise you
it will be brilliant. - [Narrator] As Gavin's
eldest son, it's falling on nine-year-old Jude to step
up as the man of the house. - You all right with me going
away for a couple of days? Doesn't worry you or anything? Just make sure you're a
good boy for your mom, okay? Just make sure you help
out as much as you can. - I'm going to try to
earn some money as well. - Okay, come on then,
give us a hug. (kisses) - [Narrator] The fishing trip
has implications for Kate too. While the men are away, the lobster pots will still need checking. - [Mickey] I've got a proposition here. How do you fancy a little bit of rowing? - Yeah. Yeah. - [Mickey] Good. (speaking Welsh) - [Narrator] Although women
very rarely went far out to sea, they will often to be
found fishing inshore from rowing boats. - Yay, get out on water. Been killing me just looking at it. In all honesty, it's a bit
of a game-changer for me actually, because to have
something that takes me from this strip of
houses would actually be pretty special for me, personally. (bright music) (anticipatory music) - [Narrator] It's the next
morning, and the men are heading down to board their new vessel. At 65 foot, she's a bigger
boat than they're used to, allowing them to go out
further, and for longer, hopefully catching more fish. - Yes, I'm worried about him. He's quite old now for going fishing. No communication, won't
don't know how they're doing. Won't know anything. Yes, it's a big worry, big worry. (seagulls squawking) - We'll be back before you
know it, be right busy. - [Child] Dad, how far are you going? - Don't know, but I'm coming back. - [Child] How many fish are you gonna get? - [Gavin] How many fish
do you want me to get? - Nine. - [Gavin] Nine? (child chattering) (speaking Welsh) (kissing) (speaking Welsh) - Look after each other. - [Cheryl] Don't fall in the water. - Just gonna miss him.
Gonna miss him a lot. (speaking Welsh) - [Child] Daddy. - [Narrator] It will
be the longest the men and women have been apart since
they arrived on the island, and the stakes are high. - We just need some bloody fish. You know, I think it's
got to the point now where I'm not too concerned
what kind of fish we catch. Let's just catch a loads of them. - [Narrator] The men will
be using every technique they've learned so far, but crucially, Mickey is also going to
teach them to use a net, their best chance of getting a big catch. - Come on boys, let's get the fish in. (jaunty music) - [Narrator] While the men are away, Kate and Cheryl are
checking the lobster pots. - It feels nice to do
what I know I can do, but I haven't been able to this far, and the truth is villages
like this lost a lot of guys. Someone has to keep bringing stuff in. - [Narrator] Many women in
these coastal communities were often as skilled at
inshore fishing as the men. - [Cheryl] Nearly there, nearly there. - Here she comes, here
she comes, here she comes, she comes, she comes. (grunting) Oh, hello, that was a
resounding plop. (grunting) Got it? One two, three. (grunting) Come on. Nothing in the first one. - [Cheryl] Disappointing. (water splashing) - Right, that one next. (jaunty music) - Get that one way up there. - [Narrator] Mickey wants
the men to cast a net for the first time. - [Gareth] Just rotate it a bit, yeah. - Roll it around. Get
the knots out the way. Right, go on then, hold it
down, hold it, hold it, hold it. Ideally, if I was going to shoot the net, it would be right by those
rocks in that channel there. - [Narrator] The gill net
works by snagging fish as they swim into it. It's anchored with a chain at both ends, and buoys are used to keep
it upright in the water. It's key not to tangle it. - [Mickey] Chuck your buoy out, Gav. (water splashing) Come on then. Ready to go? - [Clive] Yeah. Put it over the side? - [Mickey] Yeah, that's it. That's it. Good, boys. - [Narrator] But at 300
yards long, it's unwieldy, and could easily pull an
unsuspecting man overboard. - [Mickey] Slowly, slowly, slowly. - [Gavin] It's a bit
of a mission actually, because we're competing against the wind, and the size of the boat. There's more dangers involved. If anybody's feet are in the
way, there's only one way to go, and that's over the side. - [Mickey] That's it.
That's it. Good boys. Easy, easy, easy. Feet, feet, feet, and hands, and buttons. Watch what you're doing. Feet, Gareth. Feet, Gareth. That's good. It's heavy now boys, so
keep it away from your body. - [Narrator] The net's now
anchored to the seabed, and as the 18-ton boat
drifts away from it, the men are struggling as
the net pulls against them. (fishermen conversing indistinctly) (suspenseful music) - The wind has like, sailed it. Yeah, it's just not right. - [Crew Member] That's the
worst ever I've chucked a net. - [Narrator] With the net at full stretch, finally, the second anchor
is dropped to the seabed. - Okay, chuck it in, chuck it in. (suspenseful music) Easy, easy, easy. (water splashing) Net in. Nice over here, good boys. (suspenseful music) That's not what I was after, but it'll do. - Yeah, it was quite intense. It catches the water, catches
the wind, and it's pulling, and pulling all five
of us at the same time. - It was doing this, it
was, I'm telling you now. - [Narrator] They won't
know if they've caught anything until tomorrow. - [Cheryl] Oopsy daisy. - Lean onto me. I'm braced here, okay. - [Cheryl] These clothes
are so cumbersome. - Pain in the ass, aren't they? - [Narrator] Kate and
Cheryl are hauling in the last of the lobster pots. (seagulls squawking) - [Kate] Oh, there's a lobster! - [Cheryl] Oh my God. - [Kate] We got one. Oh! - [Cheryl] Oh, we got big daddy. - [Kate] That's a big bugger. - [Cheryl] Oh my God. - [Kate] Phew! Look at
that, we've got two! Wow, how's that? - Yee! I'm a little nervous of picking it up, but I have got on gloves. Oh my God, look at the size of that! - [Kate] He's feisty.
Look at him go for it. - [Narrator] Two lobsters
are worth a full day's pay. - Oh, hang on. Now I can see eggs. She's a lady. She's a girl. - [Kate] Oh. - [Cheryl] She is a lady.
Yeah, definitely, both ladies. - [Kate] Are they? - Oh, no!
- No! - [Narrator] In order to
protect lobster numbers, egg-laden females are
generally no longer taken in UK waters. - Look at how beautiful she is. - She's lovely. She would
have eaten beautifully. - Sorry, lovely. - [Narrator] So both
lobsters are returned. - [Cheryl] Back you go. - [Narrator] But there's still a positive. - We beat the boys.
That's all I have to say. (both laughing) - [Cheryl] Not that we're
competitive or anything. (water lapping) (anticipatory music) - Wasn't it a day, boys? - Yep. - [Mickey] Bed early tonight now, and we'll see what tomorrow brings. - [Kate] What can you see, Evan? - I'm trying to see for Dad's boat. - I wonder how they're getting on. I hope for their sake, they'll get fish. It'd be good coming back
being able to tell the wives and the kids, "Look what we've got." Will be nice for them. Be nice for us too, mind. (chuckling) (fire crackling) (anticipatory music) - [Mickey] You on yet? - Got it, Gav? - [Mickey] Yeah, good going, Gav. - [Narrator] After 24
hours at sea, the men are about to find out if their
hard work has paid off. First, they're preparing
to bring in a long line that they set yesterday. - [Mickey] Have you still got it, Gav? - Yeah. Port side. - [Narrator] Gavin is
spotting for the small buoys that mark its position. - Off the port side. They're lost behind the sail now. Oh, I've got it. 18 yards. - [Mickey] Yeah, got 'em straight ahead. (anticipatory music) - [Gavin] Dead ahead 100 yards. - [Arwell] Got it, I've got it. - [Narrator] Mickey's pulling
up the buoy that marks one end of the 200-yard long line with a hundred hooks along its length. (Mickey grunting) It's been suspended just
above the sea bed overnight. - That's the one, boys. Two fish in every hook. Easy. - [Mickey] Okay, here it comes in, boys. - [Clive] Hooks coming
up. Hooks coming up. (anticipatory music) - Two skates! (indistinct comments) - [Clive] Well done, guys. Three new fish. We never caught anything before. - [Narrator] Gareth's using a
single blow between the eyes to quickly and humanely kill the fish. These are thornback ray,
commonly by fishermen as skate. - [Clive] Beautiful aren't they, really? - [Narrator] Despite their excitement at catching a new species, the hundred-hook long line
has only delivered three fish. - It's called it half time,
half time to cup final. It's not over yet. - [Lydia] We'll take both. - [Narrator] On the island,
the women have decided to supplement their dwindling supplies with what they can forage from the land. - [Kate] Come on ladies, let's go. - [Narrator] They're
heading for the mainland, across the tidal causeway. (whimsical music) - We don't want our skirts to get wet. (whimsical music) - Which way, Auntie Cher? - [Cheryl] Down here. - [Narrator] As an experienced
forager, Cheryl's leading the women, and will help
identify what's safe to eat, if they can find anything. (Cheryl grunting) - Going to slide down? - I don't mind my skirt,
but not my knickers. (whimsical music) You see me knickers? Not the best way to get
down the sand dune, was it? But quite fun. (chuckling) - It is lovely to be out of
the house away from the stove. It sounds awful, but away
from the kids as well, just to have that little bit of freedom, to be able to have a laugh
with the girls, it's lovely. - [Narrator] Yannick's
been left in the village, making sure the stoves don't go out, while 12-year-old Lily is looking after the younger children. Guys, could we share the blocks, please? Because I don't want
anyone to not have any. - [Narrator] In 1900, older
children were often called upon to care for their younger siblings. - I'm just going to do
the washing, so then when my mum who's back
from a hard day of work, she won't need to clean the dishes. (children chattering) - [Narrator] Out at sea,
the men are getting ready to pull in the net. Expectations are high. - I don't think we're going
to have enough time to- - [Gavin] Get it out? - Get all the fish out. - [Gavin] Yeah. So it's going to be a bloody
good, massive haul pulling it in as fast as we can. What we'll try to do is
not snag under the boat. We don't want to go to drift
over the net, that's the idea. (water splashing) - [Clive] Good shot. - Okay, I've got it. I will pull it this way now. Okay, boys, onto the deck, guys, with the wind against us again. Right, Arwell? - Yeah? - Pull that line. - The one I'm grasping? - Yeah. - [Narrator] They've got to move fast. The boat's drifting, the wind's blowing, and the net's dragging through the water, but hopefully it's full of fish. - You can get that fish
up. We've got time. Please feed it through. Feed it through. - [Narrator] At the start
of the 20th century, fishermen all along the Welsh
coast regularly pulled in hundreds of fish in a single catch. - [Mickey] Okay, reel it in,
keep pulling, keep pulling. - [Gareth] Watch your feet,
guys. More net down here. - [Mickey] Nice and
steady. Nice and steady. Get it close now. - [Narrator] But as they pull the net in, it's not looking good. - Keep coming, keep coming. - It's caught. - Feed it on to me. Gav, Gav.
This one's snagged in the net. - Ah, it's one big, bloody mess. (suspenseful music) - [Narrator] To make matters worse, the net's now tangled around the bow. - [Mickey] Don't lose it. - [Narrator] If they
don't release it quickly, and the net tangles in the rudder, then the out-of-control boat could smash onto the nearby rocks. (suspenseful music) - [Crew Member] Is it good? (suspenseful music) A member of the boat
crew clambers overboard to try and free the net. - [Crew Member] Got it. - [Crew Member] I've got you. - [Mickey] Don't worry about ripping it. Just get it off there. (suspenseful music) - [Narrator] Mickey has
no choice but to call it. - [Mickey] Rip it! Rip it! (suspenseful music) - [Narrator] They have
cut the net to free it. (crew grunting) The men haul in both
halves of the damaged net. - [Mickey] Bring that side
in. Bring the side in. That's it, just haul it in. - [Narrator] It's a disaster. - Oh, hell. One bloody fish. - Well, that what you call an anticlimax. We put out through the night, and it only had one fish in it. That feels like a right kick in the teeth. - [Narrator] After two days at sea, the men I've only caught
a handful of fish. - Hook this, please. - [Narrator] Not enough
for four hungry families. (somber music) - Don't worry, we all
understand your frustration. Really not happy at the moment, and disappointed for myself. I have more disappointment for the boys, because they really wanted that to work, and I wanted it to work
for them, but I dunno. (somber music) - So what are we looking for, Cher? - You might find puffballs, or
you might find shagging caps. (Lydia laughing) - Looking for shagging caps, apparently. - Oh, look. (jaunty music) One mouthful. Won't feed an army. - [Narrator] Picking and
eating wild mushrooms is potentially very
dangerous, but Cheryl knows what she's looking for. - Cheryl? - [Cheryl] Yeah? - Have a look at this one. - Oh, my goodness. That smells mushroomy. I'm sure it's edible. - [Narrator] Foraging for mushrooms and other wild food has been
practiced for millennia, and would have been a key
part of the diet in 1900. - [Lydia] Oh, what's this? - Shagging cap. - Is it? - [Cheryl] That's an end cap, absolutely. Well done. Pop it in. (whimsical music) - [Kate] Good job. Let's go to the beach. (all laughing) (seagulls squawking) - [Narrator] On the way
back, the women stop off at the causeway to pick seaweed. - This is lava seaweed. Traditionally in Wales, this
is the seaweed that we eat, so in Welsh we call it bara lawr. I've never found it wild before myself, and there's plenty here, and it's free. Girls, I think the tide's coming in. - [Cheryl] Yeah. (whimsical music) - [Narrator] Back at
home, Lydia's busy making a traditional Welsh recipe of lava bread. The seaweed's been boiled for
hours, and now she's frying it in bacon fat with a sprinkling of oats, but it's not to everyone's taste. - [Lydia] I've added
got to just a little bit of porridge to it. (whimsical music) - Sorry, Lydia. I'm really sorry. (Lydia laughing) - [Kate] It's seaweed, Arlo. It's tasty. It's on your cheek. It's on your cheek there. Gonna try that? - It's called lava bread. - Ew. (Lydia speaking Welsh) (whimsical music) - I like that. - [Lydia] Good, I can put it on a plate. - I didn't know what it was when I was picking slime off a rock. I do really like it. - [Lydia] Lily, do you want to try? (whimsical music) - [Narrator] As the light
starts to fade, the men have one last chance to put out a long line on their remaining net. - Okay, let's go with it. Out she goes, nice and easy. Right, nice and steady. Is it going out all right? - [Clive] Yeah. Grabbing it? It will bunch
up there in a minute. - [Gavin] I'm on it. - [Clive] You got it? - Yeah, I'm all right. - [Mickey] That's it. Feed it out. Going, going, going. Right, keep the tension on the buoy. Keep the tension on the buoy. That's it. That's better, boys. That's it. Okay? - [Crew Member] Yep. - [Mickey] That's brilliant. Now go down. Hold it, hold it, and buoy away. (water splashing) That looks a bit better, doesn't it? - [Crew Member] Yeah, look at that. (anticipatory music) - [Gareth] Well, Jesus,
we want to thank you. At the end of the day, the weather turned, and the conditions changed in our favor. I ask now in the name of
Jesus that when we wake, there'll be fish on those
lines, there'll be fish in those nets, and
we'll be able to go home with fish, and a good
report for our families. In Jesus name, amen. - [Clive] Amen. - [Gareth] Amen to that. (anticipatory music) (anticipatory music) - [Narrator] As dawn breaks, there's a flurry of activity on board. - [Mickey] Right, Gareth? - [Gareth] Got it. - [Mickey] Good, good, good there. - [Clive] Be careful. - [Mickey] Clive, you want to pull it in as quick as you can. All right.
- [Clive] Here comes the line. - [Mickey] It's coming to you. - [Narrator] First, the men
are bringing in the long line. - [Mickey] Right down the
deck. Right down the deck. - [Crew Member] Mind your fingers. - [Mickey] Mind your fingers. (anticipatory music) - [Crew Member] Bull huss. - [Clive] They're nice fish. - [Narrator] A member
of the dogfish family. - [Mickey] Look out for the fish. - [Narrator] With one swift, humane blow, the bull huss is dead. - [Mickey] Right, line in. - [Narrator] But one
fish isn't going to feed the families for long. All the men's hopes are
now resting on the net. (water lapping) - [Mickey] That's it. Good boy, Gareth. (crew member grunting) Good boy, Gav. Herring. In it comes. In it comes quickly. We've got a net full of herring, boys. In it comes. - [Crew Member] Oh,
that's what I like to see. - [Mickey] That's what I like to see. Brilliant, boys. Well done. That's what I like to see, boys. - This is what I call sweet relief. That's just proved if
you put the effort in, and you keep persisting,
nevermind your ability, sheer determination
will win out in the end. - [Mickey] That's what it's all about. That's what it's all about. (laughing) (seagulls squawking) Absolutely ecstatic. - Putting steam on the table, as they say. - We've driven out a bit of the pressure of catching naught. - [Narrator] Finally, success. - 81, 82, 83. - It's a new record. - [Arwell] 84. - 85. - [Arwell] 85. - [Gareth] That'll feed us for the week. - Good effort, boys, well done. - [Narrator] At the very last minute, the men have pulled it off. They've caught 85 herring, three mackerel, three thornback rays, and one bull huss. - [Crew Member] Heave. - [Narrator] They can return home with their heads held high. (jaunty music) (water lapping) (jaunty music) - [Crew Member] We'll get
home, give them a hug. - [Kate] They're waving! Yeah! (laughing) Give 'em a wave. Give 'em a wave. - [Child] Daddy! Daddy! - [Kate] (laughing)
Excited much? (laughing) - Daddy! - [Gavin] Evan! I can see ya! Hey! - It's Daddy, it's Daddy, it's Daddy. - [Gavin] That's the
kind of welcome you want. - [Narrator] After three
days and two nights at sea. - [Kate] Hello. (kisses) - [Narrator] It's a hero's welcome. (speaking Welsh) - I can't tell you how
glad I am to have my feet on ground that's not moving. - Daddy! - [Gavin] I've missed you so much. - Daddy! - [Gavin] Hi. I'm so glad to see you. It's nice to be back. - How many fish did you get? - Pulled out the bag the last minute. - Now's your chance. Go on. (Clive grunting) - It's only a little bit.
It's only a little bit. - How are you? Can I get
a hug first? (kissing) - [Clive] It went very well. - You were pleased to be out there? - Yeah. - I bet you were. Done what you want you to do. You've been out in that boat. - [Clive] Yeah, it was lovely. - [Kate] Show us the money then, boys. - So there's 85 herring,
mackerel in there, and pulled out the sea at what was it? - [Gareth] Six o'clock this morning. - Six o'clock this morning.
- [ Gareth[ About six, yeah. - [Kate] So what's that? That's
a thorn ray? Thornback ray. - Want to touch? - No. - Think we've come a
really, really long way. Starting to feel like a
fishermen of sorts now. - [Kate] Wow, isn't that beautiful? - We'll have a good last
week. It'll be good. - It will. It'll be smashing. - [Mickey] Good effort. Well done. (all clapping) - [Narrator] Next time, the
modern industrial age beckons, threatening their traditional livelihoods. - There's no way you
can compete with a car. - Can't stop progress, can you? - [Narrator] The community are forced to adapt to stay afloat. - Gav? - [Gavin] Yes, squire? - [Gareth] Look at the size of my mussel. - [Lydia] I'm not sure how
much of a good idea this is. Oop. (laughing) Can't get out. - [Narrator] But it's all
proves too much for one family. - This is our end now, isn't it? This is actually our end.
