By Diane Wailes
Ever wondered who invented the kipper? Of course you haven’t – but if you knew there was a North Shields connection, would you be interested?
In the second half of the 19th century, John Woodger ran a fish curing business, with a shop on Toll Street, just east of Dockwray Square. A sign in the window proudly proclaimed ‘The Originators of the Kippered Herring’. John claimed that when he worked in Seahouses in 1843 he’d accidentally left some split salted herring in a shed where a fire had been burning overnight. His first reaction was that the fish had been ruined by the smoke, but once he tasted it he changed his mind, and the kipper was invented! Of course, he wasn’t the first person to smoke fish; kippered salmon was already a popular meal. But John claimed to be the first person to use the technique of splitting herring along its back (not along the belly) and removing the guts. The fish was then soaked in brine and smoked for up to 20 hours in one of the many smokehouses near the Fish Quay and around Clifford’s Fort. They’re the things that John said made his product unique.
To be honest, it’s impossible to prove that John was the first person in the world to produce kippered herring. But it was certainly a neat bit of marketing, and his business thrived. Consignments of kippers were sent from North Shields down to London and John bought homes in Newcastle and Great Yarmouth, where he’d go for the winter fishing season.
When John died in 1876 his obituary describes him as a kind, warm hearted man who was generous and humane and always took a great interest in the welfare of the poor. His grave in Elswick Cemetery had an impressive memorial obelisk. But over time his grave was forgotten and the memorial was completely obscured by a large holly bush. It’s only in recent years that a descendant of John’s decided to try to locate his grave and, with the help of the council, was able to remove the overgrowth to reveal a fascinating bit of north east history.
