50 years ago this year, the fishing trawler Gaul vanished off the coast of Norway, taking the lives of all 36 men aboard.
On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 of September, the devastating tragedy will be remembered with a weekend of memorial events honouring the six crew members from North Shields and the 30 crew members from Hull.
Events took place in Hull in February this year, and now the focus is on North Shields in September.
Peter Dade, North Shields Mission Officer, said: “The loss of the Gaul was absolutely monumental. It was a massive tragedy and a stark reminder that fishing remains one of the most dangerous of peacetime occupations.
“The positive in this is the link between the families in North Shields and Hull. This weekend will be a time of remembrance and coming together.”
Hull’s Fishing Heritage Centre will be sending a delegation of 80 from Hull’s fishing community, to take part in the North Shield’s events.
Chairman of the Hull Fishing Heritage Centre, Jerry Thompson said: “Hull send a delegation every year to North Shields but there is added poignancy given that this is North Shields 50th Anniversary event for the loss of the Gaul. Hull’s fishing community stands shoulder to shoulder with its brothers and sisters in Shields in remembering the tragic loss of these 36 brave fisherman, and all those others who set sail from our ports never to return.”
To this day, our officers are still visiting those who were affected by the tragedy and others just like it. Since the Fishermen’s Mission was formed in 1881, in Hull alone more than 6,000 fishermen have died at sea.
