Recognition at last for trawler tragedy heroes
Freedom honour fully deserved
THEIR EFFORTS to make one of the world’s most dangerous jobs safer earned them the title “Headscarf Revolutionaries”.
But it has taken 50 years for the four women who took on the Government and won, after three trawlers sank with the loss of 58 lives, to be awarded their council’s highest honour – a move deputy leader Daren Hale admitted was “long overdue”. Last surviving member Yvonne Blenkinsop was handed the Freedom of the City by Hull Council “in appreciation of the eminent and valuable service rendered by her, Lillian Bilocca, Christine Jensen and Mary Denness”. Her son, Brian Blenkinsop, said she was “over the moon” to receive the honour on behalf of the four.
Tory councillor John Abbott said people often mocked health and safety “but it is salutary to remember that 50 years ago there was no such thing”.
Coun Nadine Fudge said they had achieved in six weeks what unions had failed to do, adding: “We are not good at recognising our own heroes, especially women and the working class.”
YVONNE BLENKINSOP is only the third woman in more than 30 years to be awarded the Freedom of Hull – and she could not be a more deserving recipient of this accolade.
For it was campaigning by her and her fellow headscarf revolutionaries that changed the fishing industry for the better, bringing about enhanced trawler safety legislation for those working at sea. Their efforts are said to have saved thousands of lives.
Recognition of her tenacious pursuit is appropriate in a year that has seen pioneering female figures celebrated 100 years after women started to secure the right to vote and greater awareness about their sacrifices in the First World War.
Perhaps even more apt is that she has been lauded in the 50th anniversary year of the Triple Trawler tragedy, as it was the sinking of three vessels weeks apart in early 1968 which galvanised the Hull revolutionaries to demand action. This really is a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman.