Skinningrove.

Photographs by Chris Killip.

STANLEY/BARKER, 2024. English,

The village of Skinningrove lies on the North-East coast of England, hidden in a steep valley it veers away from the main road and faces out onto the North Sea. The genre defining photographs that Chris Killip made of its fiercely independent working-class community, between 1982 and 1984 are possibly Killip’s most intimate work.

“Like a lot of tight-knit fishing communities, it could be hostile to strangers, especially one with a camera. “Now Then” is the standard greeting in Skinningrove; a challenging substitute for the more usual, “Hello.” The place had a definite edge and it took time for this stranger to be tolerated. My greatest ally in gaining acceptance was Leso (Leslie Holliday), the most outgoing of the younger fishermen. Leso and I never talked about what I was doing there, but when someone questioned my presence he would intercede and vouch for me with, “He’s OK.” This simple endorsement was enough.

“I last photographed in Skinningrove in 1984 and didn’t return for thirty years. When I did I was shocked by how it had changed, as only one boat was still fishing. For me Skinningrove’s sense of purpose was bound up in its collective obsession with the sea. Skinningrove fishermen believed that the sea in front of them was their private territory, theirs alone. Without the competitive energy that came from fishing, the place seemed like a pale reflection of its former self.” - Chris Killip

Ordering Information

This item is currently unavailable from photo-eye, Amazon and Amazon Marketplace.

Other recent books by Chris Killip

Our customers who bought this also purchased

Masonry OFF