The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2888   Message #4063976
Posted By: Jack Campin
13-Jul-20 - 05:33 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Eyemouth Disaster / Eyemouth Tragedy
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eyemouth Disaster / Eyemouth Tragedy
She sings "Guiding Star". Which is a confusing choice because two boats of that name were lost, one from Eyemouth and the other from Burnmouth.

The biggest group of fatalities were on the boats that tried to get back into Eyemouth harbour, and were wrecked just outside the entrance, with their families watching. Staying out at sea was a bad option (several boats went down out there) but heading for home was worse.

The reason they couldn't get in was ultimately because the Church of Scotland had been siphoning off tithed funds that would otherwise have been spent on upgrading the harbour - the issue had come to an all-out riot not long before the disaster. This kind of thing is probably why so many Scottish fisherfolk went over to the Brethren, who weren't as exploitative. That song would have been much better if it had taken on the political/religious/economic dimensions.