大象传媒

On the night of January 9th, 1935 the trawler Edgar Wallace capsized in the Humber, with the loss of 15 lives.

The boat was just metres away from the safety of St Andrews Dock, when it hit a sand bank and turned over. Most of the crew were drowned instantly as water engulfed the cabins. Only three men survived, swept away by the fast-moving spring tide and later rescued by passing boats.

The accident was witnessed by many people on the shore, who were waiting for their loved ones to dock. Many more crowded the harbour walls at dawn the next day, when the trawlers remains were still visible stranded on the sand bank.

In the crowd was a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Lucy Warren. She was a pupil at the Boulevard High School, which was located in the heart of the city鈥檚 fishing community.

Deeply moved by the tragedy she wrote a poem called The Six-Knot Tide.

The poem was forgotten until the 1970s, when a transcript came into the possession of maritime historian Dr Robb Robinson, whose father was Lucy鈥檚 cousin.

Dr Robinson, who works at the Hull University Maritime Historical Studies Centre, played a recording of the poem at a lecture. Despite the passage of time since the sinking, it got an emotional response: 鈥淲hen I played it recently to a group of locals recently, it really got to them.鈥�

Lucy Warren went on to become a Headmistress at a school in the Midlands. Dr Robinson said he has lost touch with her and does not know if she is still alive.

With Hull being renowned for its poets, Dr Robinson said it is fitting that the event was commemorated in verse: 鈥淚t鈥檚 part of that underlying tradition of poetry that runs right through this town, from Marvell to Larkin.鈥�

The poem was specially recorded for 大象传媒 Humberside by Alice, Bethany, Emily and Tilly, who are students at Newland School for Girls.