Fish fingers are a quintessential dinnertime staple for families up and down the country.

Whether you prefer them with a side of peas, soaked in baked beans or between two thick slices of bread, they are a treat that is adored by every generation.

But the tale of their creation is often forgotten.

Lorries unloading outside the factoryLorries unloading outside the factory (Image: Newsquest)

Clarence Birdseye first thought up the fish finger in the 1920s.

READ MORE: 7 pubs in Norfolk that have been turned into houses

The prototype fish finger was made with herring but trial shoppers in South Wales and Southampton much preferred the cod option. 

Teams working in 1959Teams working hard in 1959 (Image: Newsquest)

Once the concept had been perfected, their official production began at the Birds Eye factory in South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth, in 1955.

READ MORE: 5 historical figures who have links to Norfolk

It was a group of the factory's female employees that penned the name "fish finger" - a step up from their far less catchy original title of "battered cod pieces".

Birds Eye employees in the 1960sBirds Eye employees in the 1960s (Image: Newsquest)

Since its creation, Birds Eye has sold more than 15 billion fish fingers worldwide. 

The brand has played into its popularity, even launching the Fish Finger Sandwich Awards in 2016.

Locals remain proud of their part in the story and have long called for a blue plaque to be commissioned in its honour.