By Rachel Chapman
Two North Shields sisters have once again arranged a display of poppies on Clifford’s Fort in memory of lives lost during world wars.
For Margaret Sturmey and Sue Myers, the poppies have a special meaning. After looking into their family history, they realised that they lost two grandfathers at sea during WW1 and WW2.
Their grandmother Hannah Hutchinson’s first husband, a steward on a merchant ship, was torpedoed in 1918 and lost at sea. Her second husband was a fisherman. Many fishing boats and small crafts were requisitioned by the Royal Navy during WW2. Like many fishermen, Hannah’s second husband was seconded to the Royal Navy and his boat was mined on Dec 23, 1939, with the entire crew of 13 lost.
Last year Margaret and Sue appealed to knitters and craftspeople to help them create a sea of poppies on railings outside the Old Low Light Heritage Centre and were inundated with bags of beautiful handmade poppies.
Sue explained: “Last year we had a wonderful response to our appeal for poppies, which has allowed us to do another display. For Margaret and myself it is a lovely way to remember our grandfathers, but it is also a tribute to the many others whose lives came to a similar end during past conflicts.”
The display can be seen on the railings outside the Old Low Light Heritage Centre on Clifford’s Fort, North Shields Fish Quay.
