Local MSP Rachael Hamilton has praised the Eyemouth Museum as a “great insight into history” after visiting to commemorate and learn about the historic Eyemouth fishing disaster.
The anniversary of the fishing disaster, where 189 fishermen drowned in a severe windstorm off the South-East coast of Scotland, fell last week on 14 October.
The fishermen who lost their lives were from coastal villages across the Scottish Borders, including Eyemouth, Burnmouth, Newhaven, Cove, Fisherrow and Coldingham.
The museum tells the story of Eyemouth through the years, highlighting important milestones including the building of Eyemouth Fort in 1547 and the creation of the lifeboat station in 1876.
An Eyemouth Tapestry made by the people of the coastal town to remember the fishing disaster also sits on display in the museum, with the names of all those who lost their lives on the day stitched into the fabric.
Creating the Tapestry took two years. The name panels which remember each boat and crew that perished took over 1,100 hours of needlework to complete.
Mrs Hamilton said the museum was doing ‘vital’ work in remembering those who lost their lives in the accident.
Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton said: “It was incredibly interesting to visit Eyemouth Museum to learn more about the fishing disaster of 1881.
“The vital work the museum is doing to remember those who lost their lives on the 14th of October is extraordinary.
“It offers a great insight into history, and I would recommend a visit to anyone with a keen interest in how our local area was shaped.
“Thank you to the volunteers on the board of trustees who took the time to show me around and who do a fantastic job of commemorating an important part of local history.
“I highly recommend a visit to the museum to learn about the remarkable history of this fishing town and the Eyemouth Tapestry.”
Lynne Dougall, from Eyemouth Museum Trust said: “With the anniversary of the fishing disaster coming up, we were delighted to host Rachael at Eyemouth Museum and very much appreciated her willingness to learn more about the Eyemouth fishing disaster of 1881 and other key points in the history of the town through the years.
“It was very useful to discuss with her the opportunities and challenges facing the Museum in the current economic climate, especially post-pandemic.
“The Museum will remain open until the end of October for anyone interested in coming to learn about the history of our fishing town.”
