25cS THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



theory may agree with me, that this ])lucl<y man probably only existed in people's 

 imagination. Is it not a fact that the lower animals are more discriminating than 

 average man as to what is and what is not wholesome to eat, and is it not more 

 than likely that man inherited his taste for oysters from that type of being from 

 which he was evolved ? It is, at any rate, ceitain that oyster shells may be found 

 amongst the kitchen refuse near the ancient British camp, the Roman villa, or 

 the modern house There is not only no doubt that from earliest times the oyster 

 has been esteemed a luxury by men, but also that the special qualities of Colchester 

 03-sters were fully appreciated, for in the remains of ancient Rome itself the shells 

 of undoubted Colchester Natives are to be found. 



The first documentary evidence of the Colchester Native is in the charter 

 passed by Richard the First, A.D. 1 189, to the borough of Colchester. This charter 

 was a confirmation of previous rights, and gives to the freemen of the borough 

 the sole right to fish from North Bridge to Westness But the fishery was much 

 neglected by the Corporation until recent times. Whilst carefully maintaining 

 the exclusive rights, shown by litigation from the time of King Edward III. 

 almost to the present date, they have in other respects left the fishery very much 

 to take care of itself. 



In 1683 the fishery was leased to William Garland for ^50 per annum. In 

 1727, in an action Waldegrave versus the Corporation, its value was judged at 

 jt. 100 per year ; evidentl}' our forefathers of that date were not such good judges 

 in gastronomic matters as the ancient Roman or as the modern Briton, though of 

 course £100 then represented greater \z\\xt than it would in modern times. In 

 the year just ended the Corporation received ;^l,8i7 8s. 3d. fiom these fisheries 

 as their share in the profits. Last year the amount received was over ;^2,ooo. 



Morant states that in 1748 a p.ck of oysters is rarely obtained for less than 

 4s Recently the prices have been as high as ;<ri2 and ^14 per bushel. 



The first documentary evidence of a body of dredgernien, known as the 

 " Colne Company," appears in the deeds in the Corporation archives (in the 

 earlier part of the eighteenth century) granting to various lessees fishery rights 

 for dredging in the Colne ; and one, in 17 18, authorising the lessees to grant 

 licences at los. per dredge to the dredgers of eight parishes, and to the town of 

 Colchester only. 



Owing to disputes which arose in connection with these leases a special Act of 

 Parliament was obtained in 1870. In this Act the parishes named are those 

 bordering upon the fishery, and the control and ordering of the fishery is put 

 into the hands of a Board, formed of six members elected by the dredgermen 

 forming the company, and six members elected by the Corporation. The com- 

 pany consists of all persons to whom the Corporation granted licences in 1867-8, 

 and subsequent members are those who shall have been legally bound by inden- 

 ture of apprenticeship to a member of the compan}' for a pe iod of seven years. 



'1 he company pays a fixed rent of ;^5oo per annum to the Corporation and 

 one-fourth of the net income derived from the fisiierj' when the income exceeds 

 ^1,500 per annum. Also one-half of the net income derived f om floating fish. 

 Unite recently the Corporation has become alive to the necessity of taking 

 vigorous steps to improve and develop this fishery which was quickly deterior- 

 ating, and the alterations made will result in great benefit to the members of 

 the company and also to the Corporation of Colchester. 



The young oyster is known in its minute stage as "Spat," and when further 

 advanc;d as " Brood " ; " Ware " and " Half Ware " are terms used to describe 

 oysters still nearer the mature size. 



About June the mature oyster is said to be " sick," and a magnifier will show 

 apparently a quantity of dark sand (gritty to the touch) to be attached to the gills. 

 These grains are the infant oysters, and are familiar to the microscopist, forming 

 one of his most popular " objects." The number deposited by the parents is enor- 

 mous ; but only a small proportion survive to form mature oysters. The young 

 oyster is furnished with a large number of cilia b}^ means of which it survives 

 free for a period, until a favourable spot is found for attachment. When this is 

 accomplished the little creature never moves again untildisturbed by outside agency. 



In due time the brood is dredged up, and the young oysters carefully 



