Why whaling took place on such a scale can feel really hard to understand today. We have the benefit of hindsight and increased awareness of human impact on the environment, so it is important to understand the historical context of the 20th century. In this section we set out that context to show the reasons behind this major industry and how it was able to provide such a range of jobs for so many who needed work.
Be warned… honesty is what the whalers wanted. In telling the unvarnished and raw reality of this story, the accounts and imagery can be visceral, vivid and sometimes shocking.