East Coast Fishing Disaster Memorial

Along with “Widows and Bairns”, this is one of four bronze sculptures crafted by artist Jill Watson to memorialize the 1881 tragedy known as both the Eyemouth and East Coast Fishing Disaster. This naming is due to a majority of the 189 fishermen that perished during the late 19th-century disaster coming from Eyemouth, where the largest of Watson’s memorials is located.

The other three smaller memorials represent the share of dead fishermen that originated in the towns of Cove, Burnmouth, and in this case, St Abbs. All four memorials represent the widows and fatherless children left behind by the storm.

The figures are portrayed in agony and are emotionally striking, especially with the Scottish Southeast coast as its background.