The maritime town of Brightlingsea on the Essex coast was an insignificant fishing hamlet at the end of the eighteenth century, until the end of the nineteenth century brought the oyster industry which transformed it into a busy town with aspirations and the hub of the oyster trade. The particular form of oyster fishing employed there was highly dangerous, involving venturing far from shore in wintry conditions in specially adapted vessels. Many lives were lost at sea and the 'Skillingers' and their families employed great bravery in their work. Essex historian Sean O'Dell has researched this little-known aspect of maritime history to reveal the hardships endured and significance of these men, who facilitated the remarkable growth and development of their community during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.