Skippool was once a bustling port on the River Wyre, close to the Fleetwood estuary, where ships unload their cargoes. Its popularity fell out of favour when Fleetwood’s port opened in the 1840s. A number of businesses were situated alongside the river to benefit from this trade, including Silcock’s Bone Mill and Tomlinson’s Animal Feeds Warehouse.
There was also a small shop that sold tea and sugar to the boatmen. During this time Skippool was a popular site for cock fighting, smuggling and press gangs, and the Ale Houses were infamous for their strong ale, contraband, spirits and drunken mariners.
The main feature in my video is (was) the MFV Good Hope, a once proud trawler which was first launched in 1948 from Wick. Decommissioned around 1984 before being bought, was brought to Skippool creek with a view to restore it. Sadly the trawler is now in an advanced state of decay with the wood rotted throughout and totally unsafe to board.
Paul.
