Fife shipwreck search is ‘moving forward’

Kirkcaldy businessman worked on the high profile research project in the early 1990s

A Fife businessman who was involved in the search for King Charles I’s Blessing of Burntisland baggage ferry in the 1990s has revealed that the shipwreck search is still moving forward – and he has called on Historic Environment Scotland to reinstate protection of the two square mile site off Burntisland in the Firth of Forth which received Crown Estate protection in the 1990s.

Alex Kilgour, 59, of Kirkcaldy, who runs a webcam company, said Ian Archibald and the Burntisland Heritage Trust volunteers had done a “fantastic job” carrying on with the research project and he remained confident further evidence would emerge in the future.

Mr Kilgour worked on the high profile project in the early 1990s with the late historian Bob Brydon, Howard Murray (who helped conserve the Mary Rose) and Martin Rhydderch.

After years of extensive historical research by his colleagues, they helped to rewrite the history books uncovering the sinking of the Blessing of Burntisland and uncovered details of the Scottish Coronation journey of King Charles I.

Their extensive historic research earned plaudits from the Queen’s historians in Scotland and England and many other experts who specialised in the Stuart Monarchy.

The Scotland project team were joined by American group Global Explorers for two summers to try to find the vessel which sank on July 10 1633.

The shipwreck project received extensive world media coverage including a Discovery Television documentary.

When the Americans decided to leave the project after two years – following what Mr Kilgour describes as “disappointment with the support from various authorities” – Mr Kilgour and his colleagues handed over their knowledge research and expertise to the Burntisland Heritage Trust so that the project could carry on as a not for profit making basis.

The ethos of the Scottish team from day one – supported by the Global Explorers Group during their involvement – has always been that any treasure found should be retained for public display and not be sold – a view that any potential investors did not always share in a privately funded project

However, it is a spirit the Burntisland Heritage Trust retains to this day, and Mr Kilgour hopes that as many people as possible – including recent critics of the project – will visit the trust’s 25th anniversary exhibition being held from 11am to 4pm tomorrow at Burntisland Heritage Centre, to see the extensive research for themselves and get up-todate information on the progress of the shipwreck project.

The Scotland project team were joined by American group Global Explorers for two summers to try to find the vessel which sank on July 10 1633