176 Oyster Project | July 2025 – March 2026
My starting point for this research into the oysters of Our Big Picture has been dual stranded, to examine the historical relationship between oysters and the site. I consider both the oyster’s biological role and its function as a medium for exploring the location’s social and geographical history.
Sept 2025
Since beginning this research, 2 pieces of work have started to take shape and are being made; Filtered through time & Midden voyage. Filtered through time, reflects on the oysters’ natural filtration and how the 176 shells found on-site have filtered their own journey through history; and Midden voyage, explores the commercial transport of oysters from Grimsby, connecting this trade to the 1866 opening of the West Riding and Grimsby Railway line.
I am also focusing my inquiry on the past female residents of 17-21 Bethlehem Street, their narratives related to the local oyster trade and Grimsby female narratives in general connection to oysters.
Image – Beginning of Midden voyage
October 2025 Prepping/scrubbing the oysters that will be used for – Midden voyage
Ah my old friends … scrubbing oyster shells, it’s like I’ve never been away!
Image – scrubbed oysters (close up of pile)
Work in process – Pastports
Each of the OBP found oyster shells have worked their way through time to be with us today. The water based time lines have been created to mark the oldest shell in their shell hoard state.
Image – Pastports – watercolours – sample of these
November 2025
Admiralty chart – given courtesy of Grimsby Library
Am loving looking at the old seafood maps – this Admiralty chart is courtesy of Lincs Inspire, library services and a thank you shout out to Simon there.
Am enjoying the oyster and mussel beds sitting side by side opposite the Grimsby and Cleethorpe sands.
Image – Admiralty chart – Oyster and mussel banks – Grimsby/Cleethorpe
Work in progress – Midden voyage
Very own oyster beds aka being put to bed via bubble wrap for now until you hit your magic number.
Image – Packed up shot – bubblewrap beds – Midden voyage
People & Oysters of Bethlehem Street
The 176 oysters found in during the 2023 OBP Community Urban Dig have been the starting point and foundational base of the artistic research I am conducting for – OBP:176 Oyster Shells.
From the beginning why were these oysters deposited in this area have been of great interest to me and with this ask, who were the people who consumed or lent a helping hand in creating this oyster midden? Hence finding out as to who the previous tenants of 17-21 Bethlehem have been as important to this research as the actual oyster itself!
Image – Map close up shot of Bethlehem Street from the Grimsby (South) 1906 Old Ordnance Survey Map
Oyster book reading November Oyster reading!
Images – Book covers – Bobby Groves’ ‘Oyster Isles’, Rebecca Stott ‘Oyster’, Drew Smith ‘Oyster – A gastronomic history’
December 2025 Grimsby Archive info & thanks
One of my port of calls in finding out who has lived at Bethlehem Street over the past centuries has been Lincs Inspire – Grimsby Archive office & Grimsby Library. The wonderful Tracey Townsend at the Archive, came back to me with a trove of Grimsby people and street material from 1852 – 1935-36 – massive thank you Tracey!
Starting in 1852, the Grimsby Street Directory, lists the names of the people working/living on Bethlehem Street, but unfortunately house numbers and professions are not included at this point. This seems to kick in for Bethlehem Street by 1886 (1886 Grimsby Directory)
Images – 1852 – Grimsby Street Directory & 1886 Grimsby Directory All images courtesy of Lincs Inspire – Grimsby Archive office
(1852 – the Grimsby Street Directory & 1886 Grimsby Directory)
The people of Bethlehem Street – 1890-1936
With the street numbers and profession included, you can really start to understand a place and the families that worked and spent time in a space – 17-21 Bethlehem Street very much included! From Umbrella makers to Ladies outfitters 17-21 Bethlehem Street has played host to the people who have made these and more their profession. I wonder how many of these were kept sustained by the oyster and the shells now found?
Image – 1890 Directory & 1935-6 Directory
All images courtesy of Lincs Inspire – Grimsby Archive office
(1890 Directory & 1935-6 Directory)