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Women played an important role in the fishing industry in Scotland; some were employed to bait lines but the majority worked at gutting and curing the catches. When the herring summer season finished at home many fisher lassies travelled down south to catch the autumn herring season in fishing ports like Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft. In this audio extract, a former Caithness fisher lassie recalls some of the songs she sang in her 'kipperin' days. Her name is Chrissie Smith and she was recorded at Dalmore House Eventide Home (Alness) in 1984 as part of reminiscence classes run by the Workers Educational Association.

'Oh, Ah used'll hiv a grand time, an when we wis, we wis comin, we didnae get no conveyance till wur work in the mornin. But we got a covered wagon, Ah called it; it wis a lorry wi a hood on it, d'ye know? An we used'll always be singin songs goin in. Oh goodness me it wis grand days.

'Never mind that old-fashioned mother of yours,
What about your old-fashioned father?
He wears no fine rich clothes
His socks are cotton and they've got no toes
Never mind that old-fashioned mother of yours
In the chorus that you bawl
If it wasn't for your old-fashioned father
She would never be your mother, at all!' [Laughter]

'Oh, Charlie take it away
Oh, Charlie, do what I say
It makes me feel so funny every time we cuddle and kiss
It makes me shiver, it makes me quiver, it fills me full with bliss
Oh, Charlie take it away
Oh, Charlie do what I say
It's the little bit of hair you wear upon your upper lip
It tickles me, Charlie do take it away' [Laughter]