AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. As it's the 50th Anniversary of the Triple Trawler Tragedy this year and I'll be attending the service in March, I seriously hope this succeeds)
The last remaining Headscarf Revolutionary, Yvonne Blenkinsop, says she is overwhelmed by the gesture
One of the Headscarf Revolutionaries who successfully campaigned for safety improvements in the fishing industry says her "heart would burst" if she was honoured by the Queen.
A petition has been launched by Hull resident Ian Cuthbert to recognise the women of Hessle Roadin the Queen’s birthday honours list.
Since it was set up at change.org on Tuesday evening a staggering 2,500 people have already signed it.
The original picture was taken in 1968
Yvonne Blenkinsop is the last surviving member of the Headscarf Revolutionaries and admits she is overwhelmed by the gesture.
She said: “It is wonderful to hear the petition has been set up. I have always loved the Queen and it would be fabulous to be recognised by her.
“When I was a little girl I always imagined the Queen and Princess Anne were my sisters. I have always adored her.
“It would mean a lot to me to be recognised and my heart would burst if that happened.”
The women of Hessle Road sprang into action following the devastating Triple Trawler Tragedy of 1968.
In all, 58 men lost their lives as news filtered through that the St Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland had all sank between January 11 and February 5.
The three vessels that sank during the Triple Trawler Tragedy
They believed companies were cutting corners to save cash and demanded a series of safety improvements be made.
Led by fish factory worker Lilian Bilocca, the campaign in the wake of the tragedy took wives, daughters, sisters and mothers from Hessle Road to the House of Commons.
But while Big Lil became the poster girl for the campaign, other wives including Yvonne Blenkinsop, Mary Denness and Christine Smallbone, later Jensen, played an equally vital role.
They headed down to Parliament and successfully campaigned for radio operators on all ships, better weather forecasting, training for young deckhands, more safety equipment and a mothership with hospital facilities to patrol with the fleet.
Mrs Blenkinsop said: “Despite all plays and television programmes recently, I never expected anything like this.
“Everyone has been so supportive and I am overwhelmed by this latest gesture.”
Mr Cuthbert had campaigned for three years to have the women recognised in the Pride of Britain Awards.
But he was inspired to go a step further after watching the BBC 4 documentary Hull’s Headscarf Heroes.
He said: “I cannot believe how many people have signed the petition already, It is going up all the time.
Police hold back Lillian Bilocca on the quayside at Hull. She is held back as the 717-ton St Keverne nosed out of St Andrew's Dock (Image: Mirrorpix)
“It was the documentary the other night that inspired me. I have campaigned unsuccessfully for three years to have them recognised on the Pride of Britain Awards but I feel they deserve even more.
“I have known Yvonne for years but the women hardly received any notoriety until recently.
“People locally knew who Lil Bilocca was but no one knew about the safety measures they helped bring in and it was the biggest civil action campaign in the UK of the 20th century.
“They turned an industry on its head and made changes which have saved countless lives and still do to this day.”
Christine Jensen is the only one of the four women to have been recognised after she received an MBE, having also been a founder member of the fishing heritage group Stand.
Mr Cuthbert said: “I don’t know if people can receive an honour posthumously but, if not, Yvonne could receive on and collect it on behalf of the others.
“With the 50th anniversary of the Triple Trawler Tragedy, this would be the perfect time for the women to be recognised.”
The birthday honours will be announced in June and Mr Cuthbert hopes to submit his petition soon.
He said: “I would like to get to 10,000 signatures and more if possible and I will send it to the UK Government and Theresa May. Fingers crossed they will listen.”
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/uk-governm...onaries-on-2018-queen-s-birthday-honours-list
Story of the Triple Trawler Tragedy: Triple Trawler Tragedy
Documentary: Hull's Headscarf Heroes: Hull's Headscarf Heroes
Source Article: 2,500 sign petition for Queen to honour Headscarf Revolutionaries
The last remaining Headscarf Revolutionary, Yvonne Blenkinsop, says she is overwhelmed by the gesture
One of the Headscarf Revolutionaries who successfully campaigned for safety improvements in the fishing industry says her "heart would burst" if she was honoured by the Queen.
A petition has been launched by Hull resident Ian Cuthbert to recognise the women of Hessle Roadin the Queen’s birthday honours list.
Since it was set up at change.org on Tuesday evening a staggering 2,500 people have already signed it.
The original picture was taken in 1968
Yvonne Blenkinsop is the last surviving member of the Headscarf Revolutionaries and admits she is overwhelmed by the gesture.
She said: “It is wonderful to hear the petition has been set up. I have always loved the Queen and it would be fabulous to be recognised by her.
“When I was a little girl I always imagined the Queen and Princess Anne were my sisters. I have always adored her.
“It would mean a lot to me to be recognised and my heart would burst if that happened.”
The women of Hessle Road sprang into action following the devastating Triple Trawler Tragedy of 1968.
In all, 58 men lost their lives as news filtered through that the St Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland had all sank between January 11 and February 5.
The three vessels that sank during the Triple Trawler Tragedy
They believed companies were cutting corners to save cash and demanded a series of safety improvements be made.
Led by fish factory worker Lilian Bilocca, the campaign in the wake of the tragedy took wives, daughters, sisters and mothers from Hessle Road to the House of Commons.
But while Big Lil became the poster girl for the campaign, other wives including Yvonne Blenkinsop, Mary Denness and Christine Smallbone, later Jensen, played an equally vital role.
They headed down to Parliament and successfully campaigned for radio operators on all ships, better weather forecasting, training for young deckhands, more safety equipment and a mothership with hospital facilities to patrol with the fleet.
Mrs Blenkinsop said: “Despite all plays and television programmes recently, I never expected anything like this.
“Everyone has been so supportive and I am overwhelmed by this latest gesture.”
Mr Cuthbert had campaigned for three years to have the women recognised in the Pride of Britain Awards.
But he was inspired to go a step further after watching the BBC 4 documentary Hull’s Headscarf Heroes.
He said: “I cannot believe how many people have signed the petition already, It is going up all the time.
Police hold back Lillian Bilocca on the quayside at Hull. She is held back as the 717-ton St Keverne nosed out of St Andrew's Dock (Image: Mirrorpix)
“It was the documentary the other night that inspired me. I have campaigned unsuccessfully for three years to have them recognised on the Pride of Britain Awards but I feel they deserve even more.
“I have known Yvonne for years but the women hardly received any notoriety until recently.
“People locally knew who Lil Bilocca was but no one knew about the safety measures they helped bring in and it was the biggest civil action campaign in the UK of the 20th century.
“They turned an industry on its head and made changes which have saved countless lives and still do to this day.”
Christine Jensen is the only one of the four women to have been recognised after she received an MBE, having also been a founder member of the fishing heritage group Stand.
Mr Cuthbert said: “I don’t know if people can receive an honour posthumously but, if not, Yvonne could receive on and collect it on behalf of the others.
“With the 50th anniversary of the Triple Trawler Tragedy, this would be the perfect time for the women to be recognised.”
The birthday honours will be announced in June and Mr Cuthbert hopes to submit his petition soon.
He said: “I would like to get to 10,000 signatures and more if possible and I will send it to the UK Government and Theresa May. Fingers crossed they will listen.”
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/uk-governm...onaries-on-2018-queen-s-birthday-honours-list
Story of the Triple Trawler Tragedy: Triple Trawler Tragedy
Documentary: Hull's Headscarf Heroes: Hull's Headscarf Heroes
Source Article: 2,500 sign petition for Queen to honour Headscarf Revolutionaries
