People across Hull have been coming together to mark 50 years since the Gaul trawler tragedy
36 trawlermen died in 1974
Last updated 8th Feb 2024
A memorial has been held today in Hull to remember the 36 trawlermen who died at sea in the Gaul trawler tragedy.
The Gaul sunk off the coast of Norway in stormy conditions in February 1974.
30 of the men on board were from Hull's fishing community.
Aubrey Bowles' brother was one of those who lost his life. Aubrey was at a memorial event this morning:
"On our parents especially it was horrendous. Our mother was devastated - no other word for it. Until the day she died there was an effect.
"He was only 22 - he had his whole life in front of him".
At today's event the community came together for a minutes silence at 11am. The Gaul bell was rung outside Hull Fishing Heritage centre. Many relatives of those taken in the tragedy attended.
While most of those who died were from Hull, six came from North Shields. Bryan Chambers travelled from the North east to represent them. He was also a trawlerman in 1974 and knew some of those who died:
"When the Gaul went died, it was bad. Nine of my mates, it's bad enough losing one of your friends never mind nine.
"And the others you knew. It tore me apart, enough that I packed it in and never went back to sea, I never went back".
Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy was at the event:
"One of the most heart wrenching parts is when they read out the names and you hear the same surnames, and you realise that people lost more than one member of their family in the tragedy.
"That must have been horrific, just awful and it might be 50 years but for many people here that' memory is still raw and you can see that in the emotion when people talk about it".
Commemorations will continue through to the weekend, with the unveiling of a memorial at the MKM stadium on Saturday ahead of Hull City’s game against Swansea.