Markham Starr

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Donald Spooner The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Donald Spooner is a former Navy man who has worked in a variety of jobs before finding his place in the fishing industry, where he specialized in making "doors" for trawlers. Born and raised in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, Spooner has lived in the same house all his life. His parents were originally from Boston, but his mother was from New Bedford. After his parents divorced when he was just six months old, he was raised by his great aunt in Hope Beach, a section of Fairhaven. Spooner's connection with the fishing industry began in his youth.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Ellen Schomer Fishtales

Ellen Schomer has been a commercial fisherman for over 30 years. She began shucking scallops in Provincetown, MA before crewing on scallopers. She discusses her start in the industry as well as how it is to be a woman in a man's world.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Ethan Bailey Fishtales

Mr. Bailey tells about his experience recreational fishing.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Franciso Ferreira The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Francisco Ferreira is a seasoned fisherman based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born in Portugal, Ferreira immigrated to the United States with his family in 1981 when he was still a baby. His father and grandfather were both fishermen, and Ferreira followed in their footsteps, starting his fishing career at the young age of thirteen. Over the years, he has worked on various fishing vessels and has gained a deep understanding of the fishing industry.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Galon "Skip" Barlow Fishtales

Galon "Skip" Barlow is a long time fishermen from Cape Cod. He tells about a trip he took into Buzzards Bay forty years ago. 

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Galon "Skip" Barlow Fishtales

Mr. Barlow describes a day shellfishing which did not go as he planned.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Galon “Skip” Barlow The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Galon "Skip" Barlow is a retired shellfisherman and seafood restaurant owner from Buzzards Bay Village, Bourne, Massachusetts. Born into a family with a long history dating back to the 1600s in Cape Cod, Skip's lineage includes sea captains and notorious figures. His father, a navy veteran and canal pilot, instilled in him a love for the coastal habitat and shellfishing from a young age. Skip began his career in shellfishing in his early teens, learning the trade from his father. However, after realizing the difficulty of the profession, he returned to school.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
George Edwards Fishtales

Mr. Edwards tells the story of a time his father was thought lost at sea.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Hans Davidson The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Hans Davidson is a retired commercial fisherman from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born and raised in a fishing family, Davidson began his career in the industry in 1974 and retired in 2004. He started as a shacker, a newcomer to the industry, and worked his way up to the position of captain. Throughout his career, Davidson worked on several vessels including the Florence B, the Dolphin, the Ambassador, and the Edgartown. He also spent time as a mate on the Eagle.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Herman Bruce The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Herman Bruce, a retired fisherman hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, holds a legacy of 55 years within the fishing industry. With ancestral roots tracing back to Newfoundland, Herman's family immigrated to the United States during the 1930s. Herman's father initially cast his nets in New London, CT, before eventually anchoring in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Herman's earliest memories are of the sea, as he began his journey assisting in the maintenance of his father's fishing vessel.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival