Rigby’s Encyclopaedia of the Herring Rigby’s Encyclopaedia of the Herring

On the fossil origins of herring in the Sea of Tethys, on the geographical spread of the Clupeidae and, in particular, our hero Clupea harengus

The earliest kitchen middens archaeological record of herring eating and why no earlier herring bones have been found

On the C19th Scottish origins and naming of the herring drifter known as the Baldie, including a photograph of two at Pittenweem

On the Baltic herring, Clupea harengus membras, found in the eastern and northern Baltic and in the Gulf of Bothnia

On the connection between Sir John Fastolf, victor at the Battle of Herrings, and Sir John Falstaff, a large Shakespearean character

On the semi-mythical C14th Dutch fisherman who may have come up with an improved method of gutting and salting herring

On the ultra smoked and salted herring, a version of red herring, produced more for its preservation qualities than for taste or nutrition

On the original bloater, which may have evolved in the C17th, and the Yarmouth bloater, which was first produced there in 1835

A brief history of the sporadic 'herring periods' on Sweden's Bohuslän coast and whether they're caused by sunspots or food availability

An account of early underachievement, overdue triumph and eventual decline in both England and Scotland, featuring kings, economists and fishermen

On the Lowestoft-born, English composer's creative relationship with herrings, possibly spurious, certainly little commented upon

On the hot-smoked herring delicacy that is buckling and its spiritual home in the small fishing town of Gudhjem on the Danish island of Bornholm

Rigby’s Encyclopaedia of the Herring