History of the Pilchard Works
The Pilchard Works, originally known as British Cured Pilchards built a business by supplying cured or salted pilchards to Italy. In fact, the same Italian customer had taken these cured fish since 1905.
All round the coast of Cornwall, many harbour-side dwellings were built around open courtyards in which fish were salted in bulk. Along the walls of the covered yard or 'linhay', simple beam presses were arranged using stone weights or 'bal' stones to help press the fish in wooden barrels.
In 1880 the Pilchard Works came into being in an attempt to produce better quality fish on a large scale for the valuable export market, mainly in Italy. Unlike the open 'palaces', fish were cured in huge granite tanks that contained 10 tons of fish in a salt brine. After weeks of maturing to complete the curing process, the fish were removed ready to be packed, mainly by nimble fingered women. After packing in round wooden casks or smaller coffins - all made on the premises - almost all the cured fish were then exported to Italy.
1992 - At the time, the entire building was re-developed as a working museum in order to house a considerable collection of pilchard fishing artifacts and at the same time still continued to produce salted fish. Visitors to the museum were able to see the entire process, from bulk fish in brine in 750kg tubs through to the packing and pressing of the fish in the press room.
In 2005 the museum and works were closed, thereby ending a tradition of providing for the fish-eating catholic nation of Italy after more than 600 years.
Now, the business concentrates on processing the same fish using more appropriate methods of preservation - still taking fish in prime condition and combining them with a delicious range of sauces and marinades.
