The fishing fleet was an ironical reference to the shipping of unmarried young women from the UK to India during the middle and latter years of the Raj, for the purposes of becoming married to colonial administrators, officers and plantation spervisors.,,
Famous quotes containing the words fishing and/or fleet:
“The only sure way of avoiding these evils [vanity and boasting] is never to speak of yourself at all. But when, historically, you are obliged to mention yourself, take care not to drop one single word that can directly or indirectly be construed as fishing for applause.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“They ... fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)