People are invited to a special open day this weekend where you can discover more about an historic life-saving Southport landmark which is undergoing restoration ahead of its opening as a new micro museum.
The Marshside Fogbell open Day takes place at the Marshside Fogbell between 11am and 4pm this Saturday (28th October 2023), all welcome.
The Fogbell was originally built in 1869, before being rebuilt by John Geddes in 1896.
Its purpose was to prevent a similar disaster to that which occurred on 26th january 1869 when seven local men were drowned whilst shrimping having become disorientated in think fog off the coast.
Peter Aughton (53), William Hesketh (39), John Rimmer (43), John Wright (18), Peter Wright (18), Robert Wright (41), Peter Wright (20) all perished.
The shrimpers were buried at St Cuthbert’s Church in nearby Churchtown.
The first phase of restoration works at one of the hidden gems of North Meols, The Marshside Fogbell is nearing completion.
The Marshside Fog Bell in Southport is being restored by NW Heritage and other supporters
It has been funded by public donations, with work carried out by local organisations and people including NW Heritage CIC, led by Paul Sherman, who is also a crew member of Southport Lifeboat.
At the Open day there will be a marquee displaying material on the theme of the fogbell micro museum with the theme of ‘Life Along The Coast, Saving Lives Along The Coast’.
The display is part of a project undertaken by local groups and funded by an Everyday Heritage grant from Historic England.
The display material and more besides will soon feature on the online museum at: The Fogbell
New signage has recently been installed, which includes a verser dedicated to the seven who lost their lives.
Paul Sherman said: “Lots of people have been asking about the wording on the new signs at the Marshside Fogbell.
“The rhyming verse on the blue sign is from the funeral card of one of the seven men drowned in the 1869 calamity whilst ‘Our ship is afloat on the broad flowing wave’ is a line from the Methodist hymn ‘The teetotal ship’ a favourite of the Marshside Fishermen’s Choir and also a well used local phrase in its own right.
The Marshside Fog Bell in Southport is being restored by NW Heritage and other supporters
“It was a particular favourite of John Wright, who died earlier this year aged 92. John was a direct descendant of John Marshall Rimmer, one of the seven men lost in 1869.
“John was also the last person to ring the bell when a shrimper was caught out in the fog, back in 1945 when he was aged just 15.”
Around £2,000 has been raised to help bring The Marshside Fogbell to life as a micro museum dedicated to saving lives at sea, with people able to donate via a Go Fund Me page here.
The building work is being led by Paul Sherman and the team at the NW Heritage CIC.
He is being supported by local roofer David Rawsthorne and local historian and builder David Walshe among others.
They are grateful for any support which makes the project possible.
The scheme has delighted local campaigner Gladys Armstrong, who has spent the past 20 years campaigning for its revival but feared she would never see it happen during her lifetime.
The Marshside Fog Bell in Southport is being restored by NW Heritage and other supporters. Paul Sherman from NW Heritage with Gladys Armstrong
As a result of the disaster in 1869, a wooden fog bell building was erected on the shore to prevent a similar catastrophe occurring.
In 1896 a more substantial brick building for the fog bell was constructed on its present site.
Paul Sherman said: “Today, the Marshside Fog Bell stands as both a memorial to those seven men lost at sea 154 years ago and also as a reminder of the perils of our coastline.
“Earlier this year, myself and Gladys Armstrong placed a wreath at the fog bell kindly donated by Tom Hodge florists in Churchtown and we remembered all those who have lost their lives along this coast. On Sunday, 29th January, Rev Rebecca Clarke led a brief service at St Cuthbert’s Church to remember all those lost and to give thanks to those who save lives at sea. The short service started in the churchyard at the shrimpers’ graves.
“In 1869, following the tragic loss of seven shrimpers in fog, the community needed a fog bell to help guide the fisherman back to safety. Just over 150 years later, the fog bell needs the community!
“Having negotiated the transfer of this iconic piece of local history, funds are desperately needed to carry out restoration work and open it up to the public as a community heritage asset.
“It is intended that the building will be a micro museum themed around the history of saving lives along our coast as well as Southport’s rich fishing heritage.
The Marshside Fogbell in Southport
“It will tell the stories of those who have worked and lived on the Ribble estuary and of the rich history of saving lives along our coast.
“From the very first lifeboat station at Formby, the Marshside calamity of 1869, the worst lifeboat disaster of 1886 to the service provided by Southport Lifeboat.
“Please help ensure this iconic building remains a focal point in the community. All donations, however small, would be greatly appreciated.”
The fog bell has not been used since 1945.
Back then, John Wright rang it for eight hours to save the life of a local shrimper.
Volunteers from Southport Lifeboat were among those paying their respects when the funeral for the heroic 92-year-old took place in February this year.
He was a 15 year old boy during a thick fog back in 1945 when local shrimper Tom Bet was caught up in it.
Tributes have been paid to John Wright, the last person to use the Fog Bell in Marshside in Southport
John recently died and his family requested that his funeral procession could stop outside the Marshside Fog Bell so the bell could be rung for him.
Members of Southport Lifeboat lined up to pay their respects.
Earlier this year Paul and his team started the first phase of fog bell restoration work.
Paul said: “This has only been made possible by your generous donations and our volunteers giving their time freely to the project. We still have a long way to go and with the current economic climate we know this will not be easy.
“However we are determined to see this through.”
Paul is thankful for all the support – one well wisher donated £175 – and for all the tradesmen who have chipped in to help.
It has been emotional for local campaigner Gladys Armstrong to see the work taking place.
Paul said: “Gladys Armstrong started the campaign to get this building restored 20 years ago.
“She has been trying and trying to make this happen for years.
“It was an emotional moment to be able to show her inside. She told me ‘I have been campaigning for 20 years, I wanted to get inside the building before I died’.
“When we negotiated with One Vision Housing to be able to carry out this project they were really supportive and said they would do everything they could to help us.
“This is a very iconic building. It is a real local landmark.”
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