SE09 – Cockenzie Boat Disaster

Stitcher: John Berg (Cockenzie, Scotland).

Whilst stitcher John Berg was researching his Swedish and Danish ancestors he discovered that when the James and Robert sank in a storm in 1892, three of the five men who drowned were his relatives. The names on the panel are the Cockenzie boats lost with most or all of their crew. Wives and mothers would often knit their loved ones a traditional gansey jumper to keep them warm. The pattern was usually unique to a particular port or area and was passed from mother to daughter, to help identify the deceased should the worst happen at sea, which it often did.

SE09 Mòr-thubaist Bhàtaichean Chùil Choinnich
Fhad ’s a bha an neach-fuaigheil Iain Berg a’ rannsachadh a shinnsearachd Suaineach is Dànach, fhuair e a-mach nuair a chaidh an ‘James and Robert’ fodha ann an stoirm ann an 1892, b’ e càirdean dha a bh’ ann an triùir de na fir a chaidh a bhàthadh. Is iad na h-ainmean air a’ phannal, ainmean bhàtaichean Chùil Choinnich a chaidh a chall leis a’ mhòr-chuid den chriutha no an criutha air fad. Bhiodh mnathan is màthraichean gu tric a’ fighe geansaidh traidiseanta do an luchdgaoil airson an cumail blàth. Bha am pàtran gu hàbhaisteach gun choimeas agus a’ riochdachadh port no sgìre shònraichte, agus bha e a’ dol bho mhàthair gu a nighean, a’ cuideachadh leis na mairbh a dhearbhadh nan tachradh an nì as miosa aig muir, nì a thachair glè thric.