Merchant navy sunday

[WG Smith]

Sunday July 9 1944 was celebrated as Merchant Navy Sunday with articles appearing in national newspapers. I cannot find any further reference to this - only the more recent references to Merchant Navy Day.

Does anyone have any background information on how often Merchant Navy Sunday was celebrated and when the practice ended?

Note this was specifically in July and not November.

[Lewis McColl]

Merchant Navy Day In 2000 the UK government declared that 3 September would be the national Merchant Navy Day each year.

[Keith at Tregenna]

#1:

Vaguely recall something happening.

There was: MERCHANT NAVY WEEK CITY HALL CELEBRITY CONCERT Artistes: Adila Fachfrl (Violin» Jelly D’Aranyl (Violin). Kathleen Ferrier ... in 1944.

Published: Friday 26 May 1944
Newspaper: Newcastle Journal
County: Northumberland, England

I will see what I can find on Merchant Navy Sunday.

Regards,

Keith.

.

[Keith at Tregenna]

#1: RE: Note this was specifically in July.

Have you any other information, source etc.
As it may have been in July, could have been
more like Sea Sunday?

Keith.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Bit early but, if the covid restrictions being lifted are both
successful and work well, it would be good to see Merchant
Navy Commemorations take place this year.

Keith.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Talks this way today, had a lot of confidence that much more could occur
this year.

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

The wraps have come off a Merchant Navy memorial which has been installed outside the Shetland Museum.

Members of the Shetland Seafarers Association gathered for a low-key unveiling on Tuesday afternoon.

An official unveiling is planned for when the Covid situation allows.

It comes at the end of a difficult and lengthy gestation period.

The Merchant Navy Association of Shetland (MNAS) formally decided to build a memorial as far back as 2015.

As part of the project MNAS applied for, and received, charitable status, and in doing so went through a name-change.

However, members of the newly-formed Shetland Seafarers Association grew frustrated as the project suffered setbacks.

But the plans gained a reboot in 2018, and proposals for a redesigned monument soon gathered momentum.

Now, a modern-looking stainless-steel design has been unveiled.

It stands in memory of those who have served at sea in both war and peace times.

https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2021...al-is-revealed

[WG Smith]

There are a number of press articles in the British Newspaper Archive which specifically refer to Royal Navy and Merchant Navy Sunday Thanksgiving Services in churches across the country.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Interested, will keep digging.

Keith.

[Nan Fookes]

A Shetlander Captain William Irvine 1867-1917 master of the Duchess of Cornwall torpedoed 11.4.1917 with loss of all hands. married to Catherine, also born Shetland, son William likewise arrived in St Anne's Brisllngton Bristol about 1909. They had a daughter Agnes born Brislington (died 1960 aged 94.) Catherine and Agnes remained in Brislington. Don't know what became of son William. Capt Irvine appears on War Memorial of St Anne's church just as initial and surname with no further details. . Research done for my book of Brislington & St Anne's in the Great War. Lest We Forget. D.P. Lindegaard