Widows and Bairns, Eyemouth

Today marks the 140th anniversary of Black Friday. The day when the East coast fishing fleets from Eyemouth, Burnmouth, Coldingham and several other fishing villages was almost wiped out by a horrific European windstorm. Many of the men were drowned or smashed onto rocks within sight of their distraught womenfolk and bairns on the shore. 189 fishermen died, 129 of them from Eyemouth
A poignant memorial sculpture depicting the 78 Widows and 182 fatherless Bairns can be found on Eyemouth Bantry. Another memorial stands in Burnmouth
Although the records state 182 children were made fatherless that day, it's now known there were many many more that went unrecorded.


Scotland's worst fishing disaster

This isn't my photo - I've "borrowed" it