Every time James went to sea you never knew if they were going to come home... This statue is keeping them alive and they deserve it
FIANCEE OF KILLED FISHERMAN TELLS OF MEMORIAL’S IMPORTANCE
The fishermen work so hard and it is a dangerous job... I am overwhelmed by it all. It is fabulous
Julie Myhill
THE heartbroken fiancée of tragic James Noble says the legacy of fishermen lost at sea will live on through a new memorial.
Hundreds of people gathered for the unveiling of the Fiddler’s Green sculpture at Clifford’s Fort on the Fish Quay in North Shields on Sunday.
The 10ft 6ins memorial was created by sculptor Ray Lonsdale to honour fishermen who were killed doing their job after leaving the port.
James, 45, died when his trawler, the Ocean Way, sank 100 miles off the Northumberland coast in November in 2014.
Two of his Filipino crew - Janito Antonio Jr and Michael Pulpul - also lost their lives, while Romulo Roche and Nixon Ocon survived after rescuers pulled them from the water.
Julie Myhill, still devastated by the loss of the man she hoped to spend the rest of her life with, was overcome with emotion as the sculpture was unveiled.
She said: “When I met James, he turned my life around and he would tell me how dangerous fishing was.
“The fishermen work so hard and it is a dangerous job. Every time James went to sea it was our last goodbye as you never knew if they were going to come home.”
The couple were engaged and ready to start the next chapter of their lives together before tragedy struck.
When asked about the importance of the statue, Julie said: “I am overwhelmed by it all. It is fabulous. This is keeping them alive and they deserve it.”
After the memorial was unveiled, it was blessed and then the crowd joined in with a rendition of the song Fiddler’s Green.
The plaque on the base reads: “To the fishermen lost in the cold North Sea, and the ones who will be so, I’ll be seeing you all on Fiddler’s Green, be steady as you go.
“For Fiddler’s Green is a place I’ve heard tell, though no one really knows, where the fishermen go if they don’t go to hell, and no Arctic wind will blow.”
Bouquets of flowers and wreaths in the shape of anchors were also left at the memorial by loved ones. The North Shields Fishermen’s Heritage Project started a fundraising campaign for the sculpture last year and managed to raise the £75,000 needed in less than 12 months.
Mr Lonsdale, the man behind the famous Tommy statue in Seaham, was chosen to create the new piece following a public vote.
In 19th Century maritime folklore, Fiddler’s Green was a kind of afterlife for sailors and was a place where there was never-ending merriment.