Nearly-Midnight The genealogy website relating to the family. A tangled web of people all related to one another, explore!
Robert Clark The Father of Henry Martyn-Clark - A missionary out in the North-West Frontier of India. One of the first Europeans to set foot in Afganistan
Affetside Census
A small village north of Bury, Lancashire, I can trace many of my immediate ancestors from there. On the Roman Road, Watling Street
Andrew Martyn-Clark My Father and his part in my World. Also my mother and his parents too.
Henry Martyn-Clark My Great Grandfather, his roots and his achievements. Discusses malaria but also his confrontations with Islam.

Update!


Many photographs have been added! LazylikeSunday.net home page lists them Please copy and reuse them - a link to LazylikeSunday will be much appreciated!

Friday 8 July 2011

Fleetwood Fishermens' Memorial

Fleetwood is at the north end of the Fylde Coast. Many years ago it was the largest fishing port on the West coast of the UK. Certainly fishing into the Arctic. Fishing being a precarious business, there were many losses. These pictures bear homage to those brave men who fished. The inscriptions go a long way to explaining the hardship and sometimes large rewards - alas no longer!

Stone post next to the statue

Looking out to sea - the hotel in the background is the North Euston


"Welcome home is erected as a tribute to the families of Fleetwood fishermen who have down the years shared the dangers and uncertainties of the industry. Around this spot families have gathered for generations to 'welcome home' their menfolk from the sea.
Welcome Home is provided by Fisherman's Friend with the assistance of Wyre Borough Council. It was designed and sculpted by Anita Lafford"

Out to Sea

Close up


Very close to the statue is a memorial to the fishermen. Painted blue, there are three inscriptions. The first two are here. The list of boats lost will be in the datastore.
" Past this place, the fishermen of Fleetwood have sailed for generations while their families have watched from the shore. Their courage and comradeship under hardship is a living legend. This memorial depicting equipment from a trawler, was placed here in recognition of the great contribution which the men and women of the fishing community have made to the life of Fleetwood"

" This memorial was devised by
DAVID PEARCE
and designed by
RICHARD GILLINGHAM 
with research by 
COUNCILLOR BEN JACKSON. 
It was donated by 
ROBERTSONS of FLEETWOOD 
and the site was prepared by 
WYRE COMMUNITY SERVICES 
with the assistance of 
WYRE BOROUGH COUNCIL. 
Unveiled by 
COUNCILLOR ANTOON VINK MAYOR of WYRE
Decmber 1987

The final inscription is is a transcription. The picture is below but the information is on the in the Datastore

The losses of Fleetwood Fishermen since 1913
There are two other Sea Memorials (at lest) in Fleetwood and they are both in the gardens in front of the North Euston Hotel.
The major one is an obelisk dedicated to two men
ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
TO THE MEMORY OF
JAMES ABRAM
AND
GEORGE GREENHALL
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
IN THE STORM OF NOVEMBER 1890
WHILST TRAGICALLY ENDEAVORING
TO SAVE OTHERS

This is a copy from "Lancashire Lantern" I copy it because I feel it is significant, 
During the Great Storm of November 7thth 1890 both the main lifeboat and the no. 2 boat had been launched. The two men were part of the crew of the local fishing smack the Osprey under the command of James Fogg. The Osprey was struggling to reach Fleetwood when the crew sighted the schooner 'Jean Campbell' in distress. Mr Fogg took the Osprey as close as he could and then under his guidance a small boat was launched manned by George Wilkinson, James Abram, and George Greenall. They succeeded in reaching the schooner and got the crew of three in the boat, but as they headed back to the Osprey it was swamped and sank. The only survivor was George Wilkinson who was hauled to safety by James Fogg and the smack's cook.

For their efforts to save the crew of the 'Jean Campbell' James Abram and George Greenall were each awarded the Silver Medal by the RNLI. A fund was set up for their dependents and the drinking fountain was installed in their memory, however it was felt that that was insufficient and the monument was erected as a more suitable memorial to their courage.

In response to comments below I post a link to a photograph and description of the same monument by Lawrence Chard. I had the pleasure of meeting him at his business when I had some work done. Fine research Mr. Chard.
 
North Euston Gardens

The Inscription

Nestling at the base of this obelisk is another small granite memorial erected in 1985. Although it appears insignificant, it has been dedicated by one of Britain's foremost Naval Officers, formally Second Sealord, Admiral Sir Desmond Cassini GCB, more about him here. It really seems like an afterthought! The writing has faded and the memorial needs some care and attention. It reads
IN MEMORY OF
THOSE WHO HAVE LOST
THEIR LIVES AT SEA
DEDICATED ON THE 19TH MAY 1985
BY ADMIRAL
SIR DESMOND CASSINI G.C.B.

The inscription

The rock in front of the obelisk has the inscription
The Pharos Lighthouse is behind in the distance
the North Euston Hotel is to the right



The drinking fountain has been mentioned and there is a cannon close by. Pictures here
Many Fleetwood men served in the Merchant Navy during the war. I suspect that many of the local churches also have memorials inside too.There is a memorial park at the south end of the town which has a fine statue by Tyson Smith and a list of the Fleetwood fallen.








4 comments:

  1. There is a plaque memorial to the WWI poet Wilfred Owen situated on 111 Bold Street, Fleetwood, where he was billeted for a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Joan! I have not seen this. Something to add. Ironically some of my students are studying war poetry. I will have to tell them. They have plenty of difficulty identifying with the horrors of war - hopefully as it is on their doorstep they will take an interest.

      Delete
  2. I have the RNLI silver medal to Captain Fogg, and the Fleetwood Humane Society gold medal to John Robert Thomason the cook mentioned in the article above in my medal collection. I can not find any information regarding the Fleetwood Humane society.

    ReplyDelete
  3. According to our Family stories we are related to James Abram
    we are the Preston Abrams but my Grandfather was initially from Fleetwood
    so nice to see depicted.

    ReplyDelete