b'The development of Grimsby as a fishing port began with the building of the fish dock in 1856 when the railway lines linking Grimsby with London and the Midlands were completed.The Dock Tower was completed in 1851, followed by the Royal Dock, No.1 Fish Dock and No.2 Fish Dock. During this period, the fishing fleet was greatly expanded. In a rare reversal of the usual trends, large numbers of fishermen from the South-East and Devon travelled North to join the Grimsby fleet. Rail links direct to London and the Billingsgate Fish Market allowed for fresh Grimsby Fish to gain nationwide renown. The demand for fish from Grimsby grew to such an extent that, at its peak in the 1950s, Grimsby laid claim to the title of the largest fishing port in the world.These images of Grimsby Fish Docks were taken in 1969 over a period of one week. They show an industry in its heyday ~ a bustling, busy fish market and port, before the start of the Cod Wars of the 1970s. Following the pressures placed on the industry during this war, many Grimsby firms decided to cease trawling operations from the town. The sudden demise of the Grimsby fishing industry brought to an end a way of life and community that had existed for generations. Huge numbers of men became redundant, highly skilled in jobs that no longer existed. However, Grimsby is still home to the largest fish market in the UK, although most fish is now brought overland to the market. Page 5'