Following the Fish – Stornoway

Where: Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, Stornoway

When: 18 September – 21 November 2026

Following the Fish explores the unsung stories of the herring girls who between 1850 and 1950 travelled hundreds of miles across the UK following the herring fishing fleets. The herring girls established a strong community of women undertaking back breaking work gutting and barrelling millions of fish every week. Following the Fish seeks to reveal and celebrate the herring girls’ stories, work, and their lasting contribution to the economy and community of fishing towns throughout the UK. 

The exhibition showcases a number of interesting artefacts and archives from our own collections including a kipper box from McConnachies, an Agreement between Scottish Fish Curers and Workers signed by local herring girls, and the Bye-Laws for Seasonal Workers’ Accommodation, in Stornoway in 1938.

Following the Fish was a joint project run by HighLife Highland in partnership with Suffolk Archives, the Norfolk Record Office, and Tasglann nan Eilean to capture stories from across the country.