A little-known connection between Lynn and a small fishing village in Scotland has been remembered.

On November 19, 1875, a terrible storm resulted in 37 fishermen travelling from the Scottish village of St Monans tragically losing their lives.

A total of eight bodies were recovered near Lynn and were taken and held in The Mariners Arms pub in town temporarily. This was where the bodies of seamen were stored at the time.

It was a shocking event for people in the town, which saw residents pull together to pay for two funerals for the eight men, held on December 1 and 3, 1875.

A year later, the people of Lynn fundraised even further to create a monument in their honour.

Some 150 years on, the lives of William, Robert and Paterson, David Allen, David Davidson, Alexander Duncan, Thomas Lowrie, Thomas Fyall and Skipper James Paterson are still remembered in the town where they were laid to rest.

However, in their home patch, there has been no memorial for descendants and Scottish residents to visit until now.

A memorial garden was opened in St Monans last weekend, with West Norfolk mayor Andy Bullen being invited as a special guest.

Cllr Bullen was joined by Lynn historian Dr Paul Richards, alongside his wife Alison Gifford, chair of Lynn’s Civic Society.

In this feature, we take a look back at this enormous tragedy, as well as more recent events that have taken place to mark 150 years since the Great Gale of 1875…

‘Everyone was related and depended on the sea’

To gain a proper insight into the lives of fishermen 150 years ago, I sat down with Lynn-based historian Dr Paul Richards at True’s Yard Fisherfolk museum, which currently has an in-depth exhibition on the Great Gale of 1875.

It was a true family effort for those living in the Fife area of Scotland when it came to the fishing industry.

While men went out to sea to chase and catch herring, women and children waited at home.

Dr Richards painted a clear picture of what Fife communities look and feel like, saying that they have not changed that much to this day.

“Their whole existence is fishing. Not much has changed on St Monans, it still has a small harbour,” Dr Richards said.

“You can imagine their families waving them off, but they never made it back.

“Fishermen would have brought back Christmas presents for their children, but instead, families received this horrendous news.”

On Monday, September 27, 1875, around 80 boats from Fife set off on a mission to catch herring.

These vessels were known as “Fifies” and were small, twin-masted boats, renowned for their speed.

Each boat had a crew of around six to seven men, and many were from the same families.

It was a tricky time to navigate the sea, and a previous storm had taken place before the Great Gale.

On November 19, fierce gales blew, forcing some boats to return to land, while others sought refuge in a nearby port.

Once the storm had passed, five boats were still unaccounted for. These included the Beautiful Star, the Thane and the Quest.

On Friday, November 26, the Beautiful Star was spotted by the Sea Nymph from Lynn, and the vessel was towed to a harbour.

Out of the eight bodies recovered, five had been on board the Beautiful Star, and the other three were from the Thane.

Dr Richards described how, after the tragedy, the people of Lynn pulled together to fund two funerals for the men. He said around 1,000 people showed up to each funeral.

“Any money left over was sent to St Monans to assist widows and their children,” he said.

“In 1876, the Lynn people organised events to remember them. They treated their men with honour and dignity.”

He said at the time, the Lynn area was “buzzing”.

“You can imagine people going up to the pub to talk about it,” he said.

“They showed great empathy because they shared the grief. How they worked together was amazing. “

How is the tragedy marked in Lynn?

Anybody who has visited the Hardwick Road Cemetery in Lynn may have seen the large boat monument.

This is a replica of the Beautiful Star, which was paid for by the people of Lynn in 1876.

The monument has significantly aged and weathered over the years, but has been looked after by the Friends of Hardwick Road Cemetery and West Norfolk Council.

Until the end of January, True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum has an in-depth exhibition on the fishing disaster.

The exhibition gives visitors the chance to learn more about what happened 150 years ago, as well as the chance to see replicas of the Beautiful Star.

The anniversary has been marked in previous years, but in 2025, their legacy has been celebrated even more…

‘I did not realise how much intensity there is in Fife about this event’

More than 385 miles away from Lynn, the tragedy still means a lot to the people of St Monans.

Last weekend, a service was held there to remember the lives lost in the Great Gale of 1875.

And 150 years after the tragedy, the village opened a memorial garden to remember all the lives lost in the fishing industry.

The garden was opened by the Earl and Countess of Crawford and Balcarres.

Invited to the event were West Norfolk mayor Andy Bullen, as well as Dr Paul Richards and Alison Gifford.

“When I got the invite to go up, it did not take any time at all for me to say yes,” Cllr Bullen said.

Cllr Bullen said he was supported by the leader of West Norfolk Council, Alistair Beales and the council’s chief executive, Kate Blakemore.

“I think there was an overarching feeling that people in St Monans are still grateful for what the residents of Lynn did for the fishermen and what we do now to remember them,” the mayor added.

“Descendants of these people were very pleased to see representation from Lynn and to see myself, Paul and Alison.”

Cllr Bullen read a speech before the garden was opened, and he and Dr Richards believe that this marks a long and continued relationship between St Monans and Lynn.

“We played an important part in the commemorations,” he said.

“Everyone was very warm and friendly. I was taken aback by the warmth of the reception.

“The memorial is not only for the lost fisherman, but for others who lost their lives in the fishing industry. It is a dangerous occupation.”

After the ceremony, the Lynn trio were invited back to the local scout hut for lunch at St Monans Parish Church Hall.

Dr Richards added: “The gratitude for the people of Lynn was mentioned a lot.

“It was quite an emotional event to attend. It made me, Alison, and the mayor proud. It was very thought-provoking. We have reconnected with Fife.

“The feeling of Lynn in Scotland is something I did not know about. People were coming up to me and thanking us for coming. There was a natural, warm welcome.

“I think the relationship with Lynn and True’s Yard and St Monans will continue. It is something we can link up with, and I am sure we can keep that link.”

Dr Richards took up 25 copies of a children’s book, detailing the history of Lynn, to give to youngsters at St Monan’s local school.

He also handed over £374, which went towards the Scottish memorial garden, which he raised through a guided walk of the North End of Lynn.

Over in Lynn, another service is being held to remember the lives lost in the Great Gale of 1875 at Lynn’s St Nicholas Chapel.

The event is taking place on Wednesday, December 3, and wreaths will be laid at the Hardwick Road Cemetery by dignitaries.

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