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Wednesday January 23, 2008 |
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The Fair Isle Disaster, 1897 Anne
Sinclair, Busta, Fair Isle Setting
the scene In
the two decades leading up to the turn of the 19th century life on Fair Isle,
never easy at the best of times, was becoming increasingly more difficult.
The mainstay of the island's economy was the line fishing - 180-200 cwt
of cured, dried white fish was exported annually - and the landing and shipping
of this harvest was controlled solely by the proprietor, at that time John
Bruce, Jnr. of Sumburgh.
He also controlled prices - in 1884 these averaged 3s. to 3s.6d. per cwt
for saithe, 6s.6d. for cod and 8s.6p. for ling.
The rental of any croft depended on the tenant's ability to go to the
fishing, and any absence was penalized.
In 1882 a notice posted in the Post Office window stated that
"fishermen must attend on receiving notice on an understood signal, and
failing this, all absent by themselves or leaving before the work is finished,
without leave from the factor .. will be charged 2/6 each ...
The factor has at liberty to allow the men, ... to arrange among
themselves for part going to the fishing, leaving a sufficient number to do the
necessary work, and in this case, the fishing for that day will be divided among
the rest".
Mr.Bruce's sentiments on tenant/landlord interconnection were well known
since he had already told the Crofter's Commission that 'All men are the better
of being ruled, " - one must assume there was, in his opinion, at least one
exception! By
1897 the price of fish had fallen to an average of ls. per cwt and some concern
was being expressed as to the future of the community.
Life, however, went on as usual, with the growing of crops and feeding of
animals, the production of hosiery and the care of children and old folk, and no
sign of any reduction in the enthusiasm of all the Isle men for trading with
passing shipping at every possible opportunity.
This is where the story begins. The
2nd of September, 1897.
It was a fine Thursday morning and good hairst weather.
The yoals were out of the water as a start was made to corn rigs all over
the Isle - a valuable day taken from the fishing to wield a corn hjuk and gather
and set up stooks.
The Pole Star called and landed
two passengers - McHugh, a telegraph engineer, and Cruikshank a telegraph
linesman - and 5 ships were sighted off the Isle sailing to the eastward.
Within 2 hours of the first ships being sighted their number had grown to
15 and with the combination of fine weather and so many potential bartering
points the temptation was too great.
4 yoals left Kirkigeo and headed out to sea, carrying the usual array of
goods to trade - eggs, vegetables, whatever fresh produce was available, and
hosiery.
The
Disaster The
yoals which left the Isle that fateful day were crewed by a mixture of men and
boys. Looking
at the crew lists now, the picture emerges of a rush to the beach and a leap for
the nearest yoal available.
The men from the east side seem to have been relatively well organized
(did they arrive last?) as Stewart Wilson of Kenaby, Andrew Eunson from North
Busta, James Wilson, South Busta and Jerome Wilson, Springfield were all in the
same boat - possibly the "Boys", owned at the time by Stewart -
Andrew's brother - but transferred a year later to Andrew.
The "Spray" left the shore with William Eunson, Stackhoull;
James Irvine, Stoneybrake ; George Stout, Schoolton and John Wilson Haa on
board, and "The Star of Hope", though she was the same size as the
others (16 feet of keel with a normal compliment of three men) was laden with
six men and a boy as she set sail (as yet, l have no details of the fourth
yoal). By
the time the yoals reached the passing ships, they were 9-12 miles from shore,
and the first vessel they hailed refused permission to come aboard.
Eventually the crew of the "Star of Hope" boarded a French ship
bound for Dunkirk, but after some time spent trading goods and general news they
became aware of a change in the weather. Setting
for home, they sailed one and a half hours with a two reefed sail but as the
wind from the North East increased, they had to take in another reef.
Taking to the oars, they pulled hard to within half a mile of the South
Light, but the string of tide and violence of the wind carried them away due
South West. Just
before darkness fell they sighted the "Spray".
The first yoal to reach the safety of the harbour held the
"east" contingent.
The two 17 year olds on board, James and Jerome were the best of friends.
Both strong and extremely fit, they had had a severe struggle reaching
the shore. At
one point Andrew had suggested broaching the brandy acquired in the afternoon's
transactions, but Kenaby Stewart had vetoed this idea ("Du can du what du
liks wi it whin we win te Kirkigeo.
Hit bides whaur it is til den!"). Can
we begin to contemplate the anxiety felt by the whole population, eased only
slightly by the arrival of a second yoal a few hours later?
The night was dark and the gale furious.
Men, women and children made their way down to Utra to keep watch and
await the return of the other two craft.
The fear and distress of all who lived through that night must have been
unforgettable.
The scene was described by Crulkshank - "Everybody had flocked down
to the Post Office and the landing place and the scene was of the most
distressing description, all moaning and weeping.
No one went to bed and the night of suspense that was passed was
awful. Look-outs
were posted on vantage points, and the lighthouse beamed its beacon of hope into
the darkness. Out
in the maelstrom of wind and sea that surrounded the Isle, the situation was
indeed desperate.
In the "Star of Hope" George Stout from Stoneybrake had been
pulling at the mid-starboard oar for hours.
The men had been the whole day without food.
None of them had their normal sea going cloths so they were saturated
with salt water, repeatedly drenched with the driving rain and breaking seas. Andrew
Wilson of Haa was the first to collapse into the bottom of' the boat. (Age 52,
his son John and brother in law James were in the "Spray").
Alexander Eunson had been set to the tiller of the "Star...."
when it left the French vessel.
An able scholar, he was only 14 years old, and he died before midnight,
still at his post with the tiller in his hand.
(His steadfastness in the face of adversity and acceptance of his fate
touched Victorian hearts - was in fact the Victorian ideal - and before a week
had passed he had become known the length and breadth of Britain as "the
Boy Hero".)
Ere that long night was over, Thomas Wilson of Lough was to witness the
death of his 20 year old son James, beside him in the yoal. There
was no respite for the survivors.
When, at last light crept into the eastern sky they were miles from land.
To the desperate watchers on the shore daybreak was the only hope, and
when a speck on the horizon was sighted hope ran high.
A rescue crew immediately set for the scene.
The four remaining crew of the stricken yoal exhausted and grieving, were
still at the oars but, as the rescuers drew close, John Leslie turned in the
boat and collapsed when he saw their approach.
To the groups waiting at Kirkigeo expectation turned to despair as the
"Star of Hope" was brought in with her sombre cargo.
The teenage daughter of Haa Andra turned from the sight and walked away,
never to recover.
McLean, the teacher, and Wallace, the principal lightkeeper, worked over
John Leslie's body for an hour in the hope that they could revive him, but to no
avail. He
was 22 years old.
They carried his body up to Barkland on a door, and his sister Janet
never forgot the cry her father gave as they came into view over the hill at
Stoneybrake. Now
the search for the "Spray" was intensified.
The "Pole Star", with Dr. Duncan from Stromness joined the
searchers. Isle
folk who could be spared from the care of the bereaved and exhausted scoured the
coastline in the hope of a sighting.
As the day wore on Alexander Eunson's mother, Wilhamina, would not be
comforted. Her
son had perished but she could not leave the shore to be with the rest of her
children, the youngest, Isabella, only 17 months old.
Her husband William was still missing, as was her uncle, George Stout.
Nellie Wilson from Haa had laid out her husband and was now waiting with
ever-increasing dread for news of both her son and her brother. There
was hope that the crew of the missing yoal had been picked up by one of the
vessels visited the day before.
(On 3rd April 1788, eight fishermen and two yoals from Fair Isle had been
picked up during a" hard gale" by Captain Robert Smith and the
"Ann" of Liverpool.
They were put into Elsinore at the end of April, but did not get home
till well through the summer, by which time they were thought to be lost.)
This hope was short-lived as in 1897 the conveyance of news was easy and
quick with the use of telegraphy.
The "Spray" had been sighted near the Isle before darkness fell
on the night of the 2nd - after that she was never seen again.
It was known that she was in need of some repair and the consensus of
opinion was that she had been swamped and broken up by the severity of the seas
- the four men must be counted lost.
The
Aftermath "Fair Isle Mission. 6th Sept. Sir, I appeal to all readers . on behalf of the destitute sufferers from the recent boat disaster here. Four widows, 24 children, and two aged grandmothers to be provided for. I am cabling this short appeal. MACLEAN, Missionary. Funeral of the victims is taking place today." News
of the disaster spread quickly.
Donald McLean, the teacher/missionary on the Isle was well aquainted with
those lost and the circumstances which faced their dependants.
He was deeply concerned.
With the falling of fish prices and no possibility of putting the
purchase of basic supplies against any future fish sales, cupboards were bare.
(Mr. Bruce had closed down this practice, commonly known as the Truck
system, in March 1897, having allowed no other over the preceding 30 years).
The hairst had only just begun, girnals (meal chests) were empty, and
grief was "paralyzing the people, rendering them almost physically
helpless".
When word reached Lerwick the possibility of relief from the Shetland
Fishermen's Widows and Orphans fund, set up after a fishing disaster in 1881,
was discussed, but there were doubts expressed as to the validity of such a
claim, as the Fair Isle men had not been fishing at the time of the tragedy.
There was already a substantial drain on its resources.
Sheriff Shennan of Lerwick explained - "After a sum was set apart to
provide for the families . the balance was formed into a Permanent Relief
Fund designed to afford aid in the case of subsequent disasters, and thus to
obviate the necessity of constant appeals to the public on the occasion of the
numerous fatalities ... Last year the income ... was about 300, out of which
relief was given to 129 dependants through losses at sea subsequent to
1881." Clearly
there was not enough to go round. The
response to McLean's telegram - sent to several newspapers - was prompt.
Fair Isle Relief funds were set up throughout Scotland.
The Shetland News and the Shetland Times immediately began publishing
lists of moneys received and collections were made all over Shetland.
A committee was set up to administer funds, and donations came pouring
in. In
the south, funds were set up in Edinburgh, Dundee, "Journal and
Express" (Aberdeen), Ayr, "The Glasgow Herald" and the Orkney
papers. The
People's Journal, only one day after receiving the wire, dispatched one of their
reporters on the North boat from Leith along with "a quantity of potatoes
oatmeal and other provisions".
Landing from the ss St. Ninian
on Thursday 9th Sept, he formally handed over the stock of foodstuffs donated
along with boots and clothes for the bereaved children.
Also landed that day was at least one young man who had recently left the
Isle to live in Edinburgh, now returning to help where he could.
In Edinburgh the fund reached 228 - 12 - 6 in less than a fortnight and
in Dundee 143 - 5 - 3.
From Skaw to Sumburgh householders gave what they could.
A donation of 20 was received from Queen Victoria, a collection was
made from the "officials, passengers and friends" of the North of
Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company, 5 guineas were sent
by Samuel Bealey, Esq, Tunbridge Wells and 5 shillings arrived marked "A
widow's mite, Cromarty". By
mid November some doubts were publicly expressed as to the true need of the
dependants, but they were very firmly nullified by a letter written by W.Thomson
of Hoswick and published in the Shetland News on 24th November . I know
Fair Isle well ... I know the people well ... Mr. McLean is a kind and
true-hearted gentleman ... True, some of the bereaved families may have had a
few pounds.....but .... some of them had nothing." The
Fair Isle Relief Fund Benevolent Society was set up in January 1898.
.Management of the fund was in the hands of a committee composed of the
Sheriff Substitute, the Convener of the County, the Home Mission and Endowment
Deputy of the Church of Scotland, the Superintendent of the Northern Lighthouses
and H.M. Inspector of Schools for the Shetland District.
Mr. McLean was co-opted as adviser.
On 10th January the subscriptions received totalled 884 -12 - 6, the
final total was over 1400.
The following proposals were made - "To
each widow 5 per annum. To
each child under 15, one shilling per week, until the age of 15 ...... To
each child, whether above or below 15 at the time of the accident, on going to
work or entering service , a grant of 5 for outfit ...... To
each of the aged mothers, 2 - 10s per annum. This
is in addition to the necessary immediate outlay..." This
was considered to be both adequate and generous , and left a large some of money
still available to be "utilised at the discretion of the Committee .... for
the assistance of the people of Fair Isle .. relief of .. any future
disaster or accident by sea or land, contributions in aid of sick nursing, the
assistance of any who desire to emigrate."
On Fair Isle, life went on, but the humanity shown by the generosity of
rich and poor, at home and far away, must have been a considerable source of
strength and comfort to those left behind. There
are now no direct descendants of those who lost their lives living on the Isle.
The Eunson family of Stackhoull moved to Aberdeen and from there all over
the world, as did Margaret, the widow of George Stout and sister of Williain
Eunson and her six children.
James Irvine's oldest child died of hydrocephalus in November 1897, and
his widow Charlotte and surviving children left.
Most of the Wilsons from Haa stayed on, but never married.
There is no doubt that the course of Fair Isle's history was changed on
that dreadful day. The
money remaining in the relief fund was, I was once told, use to purchase the
first Good Shepherd, but it is more
likely that it was merged into the Shetland Fishermen's Widows' Relief Fund as
this course of action was laid down in the rules of the Society in the event of
dissolution. Many
of the young men who made it home had once more to face grief and fear in the
turmoil of the 1914 - 1918 War, and many of them faced both with
bravery and fortitude.
Perhaps their experiences in the September of 1897 gave them the strength
to confront and to overcome. Now,
in 1997, in memory of the men and boys lost 100 years ago, their names and their
story can be found engraved in glass in the George Waterston Memorial Centre,
Fair Isle. "Their
name liveth for evermore' |
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