Fifty years ago today, the fishing trawler Gaul vanished off the coast of Norway, taking the lives of all 36 men aboard. Today, Hull remembers the devastating tragedy with a weekend of memorial events honouring the thirty crew members from Hull and six from North Shields.
“The loss of the Gaul was absolutely monumental,” said Peter Dade, our North Shields Mission Area officer. “It was a massive tragedy and a stark reminder that fishing remains 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,” he emphasized.
Along the shops on Hessle Road in Hull. Children have created posters and poems based on this tragedy, kicking off a series of events honouring the lost lives.
The sinking of the Gaul remains etched in the memories of both communities, serving as a constant reminder of the risks faced by those who venture into the unforgiving seas. The news of the tragedy wasn’t confirmed until Fishermen’s Mission officers, David Saltiel and Alex Slater visited the houses of the relatives of the deceased to tell them what had happened.
To this day, our officers are still visiting those who were affected by the tragedy and others just like it. Since we started in Hull over 6000 fishermen have died.
This Sunday (11th February 2024) at the Hull Minister we will be there with many other organisations talking about what happened and remembering all those that were, and continue to be affected.
A full programme can be found here:
