NEW SHORT FILM AT SCOTTISH MARITIME MUSEUM CAPTURES POIGNANT REUNION
A moving new short film capturing the emotional reunion between a fisherman and the lifeboat which saved him and his 14 crewmates in the treacherous Pentland Firth nearly 60 years ago, is now on show at the Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside.
The 20-minute film follows 83 year old Dennis Avery as he touches the RNLI lifeboat TGB one final time and pays tribute to the lifeboat crew who came to the rescue of the Grimsby trawlerRoss Puma in April 1968.
The dramatic rescue was TGB’s final mission before the lifeboat and all eight crew members were lost in the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster less than a year later.
At 2:56am, TGB launched from Longhope Lifeboat Station on Hoy under Coxswain Daniel Kirkpatrick. Dennis recollects his relief on seeing TGB round the headland and the “brilliant seamanship” of Coxswain Kirkpatrick as he positioned the lifeboat, “dropping his anchor and backing in as close to reef as he could”. He believes TGB may have even briefly grounded on the approach.
The film was directed by Museum volunteer Amber-Louise Thornborrow, whose great-grandfather was related to Coxswain Kirkpatrick. It also honours Coxswain Kirkpatrick’s legacy as the most decorated lifeboatman of his time.
The documentary can now be viewed in front of TGB alongside an exhibition also produced by Amber.
We’ve been honoured to work with the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre to make Dennis’ visit possible and we look forward to future initiatives together.
Dennis’ story gives a deeply human voice to TGB’s incredible service and reminds us of the bravery behind every lifeboat mission and commercial fishing trip. It’s also a moving addition to the oral histories that animate the historic vessels and objects in our nationally significant heritage collection.
We’re also very grateful to Amber, whose personal connection to TGB played a key role in shaping the film and exhibition. It has been a pleasure to watch Amber’s involvement flourish – from the blog she wrote during her MLitt in Creative Writing research placement with us to her decision to stay on as a volunteer when the opportunity arose for Dennis to visit TGB. She generously devoted her time and passion to producing the short film in collaboration with our Museum team, Dennis, Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and Ayrshire Film Company and curating the TGB exhibition.”
We were thrilled to hear about Dennis’ visit to the Scottish Maritime Museum.
This film shows just how dangerous being a fisherman could be. To reunite Dennis with the lifeboat that saved his life is incredibly emotional and I’m so glad that he has achieved his life dream of coming face to face with it once more.
I would like to thank the Scottish Maritime Museum and everyone else involved for making this happen.”
David Ornsby, Operations Manager at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, adds:
This was a huge moment for Dennis and we are delighted that funding from the Humber Museums Partnership and the generosity and support of the Scottish Maritime Museum has allowed this to happen. Our Education Officer, funded through the Humber Museum’s Partnership, will now be able to develop further learning activities based on the project.
Dennis has had a growing desire to re-connect with TGB for some years and to help him achieve this at such a perfect time to co-inside with Amber and Claire’s work, to develop the interpretation around TGB, now means that both museums can present and preserve a very special story. This will highlight the bravery of RNLI crews that served in vessels like TGB and the fishermen that worked aboard vessels like Ross Puma and our preserved Ross Tiger.
We are thrilled to have fostered this relationship with the Scottish Maritime Museum and grateful to be part of this project, ensuring these poignant stories are told to generations to come. We hope that the connections that we’ve made with our new friends in Scotland will continue to benefit both our special museums.”
“It was very, very emotional. Without this lifeboat and crew, my grandchildren wouldn’t have known me. They’d have seen a photo and been told ‘that’s your grandad who was lost on the Ross Puma so I owe a lot to this lifeboat and the brave men in it. You don’t realise until such time as you need them, just what lifeboat crews do.
We don’t want people to look at a bit of fish on a plate and just think ‘oh that’s a nice bit of fish’. We want them to think what it could have cost to put that fish on that plate – In our case it could have cost 15 lives.”
· Built in 1962 on the Isle of Wight, TGB was a 47ft twin-screw motor lifeboat built to carry up to 95 people. Like other Watson-class boats, however, it was not self-righting, a design flaw that led to the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster and one of the RNLI’s darkest days.
· It is believed TGB capsized after being hit by a freak 100 foot wav
e near the Pentland Skerries. All eight crew members were lost, including Coxswain Dan Kirkpatrick (59) and two of his sons.
· Altogether, TGB was launched 75 times and the crews saved 55 lives.
