Whale strandings not a new phenomonen

There's a strong tendency for people to believe they live in unique or extreme times but whales have always been found stranded along the coast of UK and Ireland :

Article from 1903

January 1985, 30 years ago, was as bad or even worse for whale strandings than January this year :

January 1985

Before fossil fuels, whales were hunted to near extinction, due to the demand for their oil. Fossil fuels helped save the whale. 

Article from 1879