TRUE AGONY ‘WE LOST OUR THREE SONS IN FIVE YEARS’
COUPLE SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT THEIR DEVASTATING LOSS
AHULL couple have spoken for the first time about the devastating loss of their three sons in five years.
Arthur and Christine Mosley are still coming to terms with losing sons Robert, Peter and Phillip, who all died in tragic circumstances.
Robert died after falling down the stairs at a friend’s house in 2015.
Last year, Peter drowned after he jumped into the sea from a boat off the coast of Withernsea, while in July this year, Phillip died after a motorcycle accident in Anlaby Road, west Hull.
Arthur and Christine, of Glencoe Street in west Hull, admit they have struggled to come to terms with the triple tragedy.
“People often ask us how we cope,” Arthur, 67, said. “We put on a brave face when out and about, but at home we struggle.
“We have our good days and bad days, but we hadn’t even got over the death of Robert, to be honest.
“Some people don’t want to talk to us because they just don’t know what to say.
“We just try to stay busy. We go to our caravan in Withernsea and also o we have been doing fundraising in n memory of our boys.
“What has helped us is the huge e amount of support we have had from family, friends and the wider r community. That has been very important to us.”
Robert, 40, died in 2015, but the circumstances around his death remain a torturous mystery to his family.
“Robert came home for the day and then went round to a friend’s house in west Hull where they had d a few drinks,” Christine said.
“Later he was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. There was an inquest but no one could determine whether he had fallen or was pushed.
“It is awful not knowing exactly what happened. He died in August t that year, but we didn’t get the body dy back until November.
“He left behind a daughter who was 17 years old at the time.”
Christine, 67, says Robert is still deeply missed by many.
“He was a lovely lad and everyone adored him,” she said. “He brought his daughter up in her early years.
“He did like a drink and had some issues, but he would do anything for me and his dad.
“He lived in Withernsea with Peter who helped him as best as he could. He would get Robert to help out at the boat compound.”
Peter, 37, was a hugely popular figure in Withernsea who had been a lobster and crab fishermen for 16 years.
On July 5 last year, he was out on the Misty Blue fishing boat, which ran into mechanical trouble off the coast of Tunstall.
While waiting for assistance Peter, who was a strong swimmer, jumped into the sea.
But he was quickly pulled out of reach of the boat and soon disappeared.
His body was found three weeks later 25 miles off the coast of Bridlington.
“Peter was a gentle giant,” Christine said. “He had a similar nature to Robert and all three were big, strong lads.
“He had two young girls. At the time Frankie was 15 months and Peggy just three months.”
Arthur explained more about Peter’s fishing background.
“He had been a fisherman for 16 years, catching lobster and crab among the coast,” he said.
“Everyone wanted to work with him because of his attitude and experience.
“He loved the job and knew everything about the sea. That’s what made what happened so difficult to understand and was such a shock.
“If anyone wanted help he would be there and would make the pots for people.
“He was my rock and we loved him to bits.”
Christine added: “Everyone recognised Peter as he could always be seen walking his Jack Russell Missy. She is with us now.” The third tragedy to hit the Mosley family happened on July 2 this year.
Their youngest son Phillip, 36, was killed after a collision in Anlaby Road in the early hours.
Phillip, 36, was riding a Lexmoto Titan 125cc motorcycle, but was thrown from it and suffered fatal injuries. Arthur has revealed Phillip only bought the motorbike a short time earlier.
“Phillip had just got a job at King George Dock,” he said. “He was living with us and we were giving him a lift in, but he wanted to buy the bike and relieve the burden on us.
“He only passed his test a couple of weeks before he died. He was off to his partner’s at the time.
“I was lying on the settee when we got a visit from the police. I thought Phillip was in bed at the
After Phillip died we have just been trying to keep ourselves going
Christine Mosley
time, but the police told me he had died.
“Phillip had never got over Peter’s death. We were doing events around Peter’s death at the time as it was a year since he passed away.
“After Phillip died, we have just been trying to keep ourselves going.”
Arthur paid tribute to Phillip, who was living with them at the time he died.
“Phillip sailed all over the world to fish,” he said. “He spent 15 months in New Zealand and also fished round Africa.
“He was really nice and popular and everyone knew him, although he could be a bit of a nuisance when he had a drink.
“He was a very good rugby player when he was younger and played for Humberside and Yorkshire.
“Phillip didn’t go back to sea after Peter died. He just couldn’t do it anymore.”
On Friday night, the family, including their sister, held an event t at Brownies Bar in Anlaby Road during which cheques for £1,115.50 were each presented to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and the Fishermen’s Mission.
The money was raised by Arthur’s sister-in-law and nephew who embarked on a sponsored cycle ride to Withernsea.
A further £195 was raised for the auction of rugby shirts, which will go towards a bench that will be installed outside the boat compound in Withernsea in memory of Robert, Peter and Phillip.