The tale of Stanley Gough - Part 2

This blog posts makes up the second part on my story on Stanley Gough, to find out the background as to how this post came about please read my previous blog.

Recently someone posted on Twitter that everyone has an interesting story to tell, this struck a chord with me as I am always curious about people's stories and adventures. Living or not, often the most unassuming person has the most fascinating tales to tell.  In this case an etched headstone and a surviving brother relate the history of a short but heroic life lived to the full.

The following story is mainly told in the words of Winston Gough, the 92 year old surviving brother of Stanley Gough.  I've tried to edit his words as little as possible and only add a few extra details from my own research.

This is a shortened version of his letter to me.  What came across over the carefully handwritten pages is that despite 73 years that have passed, Winston is still very proud of what his brother achieved and his emotion over his loss transcends the decades of time.

'Stanley was always keen to join the Merchant Navy and go to sea.  He left school at the age of 14 which was normal at that time and had to wait another two years before he could enrol in the Gravesend Sea Training School.
In the meantime he worked locally until he reached 16 and had his first posting at sea.  His family did not see him for the following two years and when he returned home the boy that had left had grown into a young man.

Stanley was later to be paid off after a voyage on the cruise liner The Empress of Australia, a time when the Wall Street crash caused a great depression in the 1930s.  This affected many men like Stanley who were involved in sea borne trade and shipbuilding, hit hard by the financial crisis.

Stanley Gough was determined to find work and could teach our generation a thing or two about perseverance to find a job.  He cycled every day to local ports including Cardiff and Barry but the competition with locals who were first to hear of opportunities made it impossible to find anything suitable.
At the time officers were even taking jobs as deckhands just to get a berth.

After 6 months of trying to obtain work at sea he had to enrol on a government training scheme instead and qualified as a carpenter at a training centre in Letchworth, Herts.  Stanley decided to settle in the new town of Letchworth Garden City and succeeded in his new profession.  He became a sub contractor in his own right, married a local girl and went on to have two children.

With the outbreak of war and previous sea going experience Stanley joined the Royal Navy and completed a gunnery course in Bristol and on qualifying took ship on a defensively equipped merchant ship.

In June 1940 while on passage as part of a convoy carrying power station coal from Newcastle to the Thames estuary and the south coast, they were attacked by German torpedo boats and sunk but fortunately he survived.

Stanley was subsequently assigned to MV Fishpool, a brand new ship on it's maiden voyage, sailing alone in ballast for Canada.  After suffering engine failure it was discovered by a German Focke-Wulf Condor maritime recce plane out of Brest and bombed.  Seven out of the eight incendiary bombs struck the ship killing all the crew on deck, including Stanley Gough, and setting the ship on fire.

A life boat with 2 crew members made it to the north west of Ireland, nothing was found of the other lifeboat.

MV Fishpool did not sink and the fire went out and two weeks later it was spotted and towed to Rothesay Bay on the Isle of Bute.  The remains of the crew on board were interred in a double sized grave in Rothesay cemetery and a headstone erected by the Poole fishing company.'

In his letter Winston explains that he was unaware of his older brother's fate until on retirement he had the time to carry out the necessary research.  By this time Winston was the only remaining direct family member and he regrets that his parents and Stanley's widow never discovered the outcome of his research.

I'm so glad I came across the original request for photographs as I feel it is important to remember those that have given their lives so I can now sit and freely type this blog.  I am also glad to find out the story of one of my island neighbours and how they came to be resident on this Scottish west coast Isle.  I will be sure to visit Stanley and his comrades from time to time just to let them know they are not forgotten.

As for Winston Gough, he states in his letter that he would like to visit Rothesay for a holiday and if he ever does I would very much like to meet this remarkable man.  I'm sure after 92 years he has many of his own fascinating stories to tell...

The tale of Stanley Gough, forever resting in Rothesay

This post tells an emotional story that came about by chance, which began with a quest for photographs that connected me with a remarkable 92 year old gentleman in Wales and reveals the history behind a war grave in Rothesay and the bond of brothers that lives on past death.
This blog post is told over 2 parts, firstly because I think it is an important tale to tell and editing it to single blog size would be an injustice and secondly because the story is still ongoing and I would like to finish it with a happy and complete conclusion.

When I first started writing a blog I quickly realised promotion was essential if anyone was to find it among the world of a million bloggers and an overload of cyber information.
Twitter seemed the easiest way to locate an audience that might be interested in my stories and I proceeded to take the social media plunge.  Despite being an initial cynic I have found Twitter has opened my eyes to interesting people and places and every day my mind is expanded and delighted by the informative posts and photographs from those I 'follow'.

Every now and again I have come across tweets that intrigue me and the following simple request from the Scottish Military Research Group did exactly this.  "Rothesay folk please help.  A relative of man listed on this headstone would like to see whole stone and surroundings."

Well, being 'Rothesay folk' and having a curious nature I had to find out more.  The request was accompanied by a partial photograph of a memorial stone dedicated to the crew of MV Fishpool, killed by enemy action on the 14th November 1940.  It was also a post that I couldn't ignore, after all who could deny a request to assist someone view the forever resting place of a relative?  A task that I could easily carry out that might mean alot to this stranger.

So off I went to explore Rothesay High Street cemetery, camera in hand to seek out this important marker among the rows of mottled grey stones and carvings.
Cemeteries fascinate me, to some this might seem ghoulish, however to me headstones read like chapters in a local social history book.  You literally walk through the lives and stories of people from bygone ages, their legacy etched into stone to be discovered and remembered by future generations.

After much searching I came across the grave in question, situated near the bottom of the cemetery looking on to the trees and hills beyond.  I wondered why this stone, erected and dedicated to crewmen from England killed by enemy action during the Second World War stood proudly upright in a graveyard on this west coast Scottish island.  I also wondered which of the 9 names listed had a relative that was seeking them out 73 years later.

I wasn't sure that I would ever find out the reason for the request or the identity of the enquirer but I was still more than happy to help.  I proceeded to take a range of images, hoping that they would turn out well and that the relative would be satisfied with my results.  I e-mailed an assortment of 10 photographs that I was happy with back to the SMRG and nervously hoped that I had fulfilled the task to satisfaction.  They sent me thanks and my quest was complete.

I decided to try and research the fate of the MV Fishpool, however there was very little information that I could find online.  I discovered she was bombed on her maiden voyage in the North Atlantic, the Captain, 10 officers and 16 men were killed.  She was abandoned and eventually towed back to the Clyde, I assumed she was brought to the marine salvage in Bute, hence the connection, however I had no confirmation of this.
I also discovered that having survived this attack, she was bombed a further two times on different voyages, eventually sinking on the third occasion in July 1943.

The following day I was delighted to receive an e-mail from a Mrs Hill saying that she had sent the original request out on behalf of a Mr Winston Gough, who was the younger brother of Stanley Gough, a member of the crew of the MV Fishpool.  It transpires that Mrs Hill is the carer of Winston Gough, now aged 92.  I was very relieved to hear that he was more than happy with the photographs I had sent and they both wanted to thank me.

I could have left things there, after all I'd done my bit and everyone was satisfied but I couldn't help feeling that the most important part of the story was still untold.  The story of young Stanley Gough and the tragedy that robbed Winston Gough of his older brother. The story of a name, on a grave, in a churchyard, on a Scottish island, far from his home.  The story as to why after all these years the resting place of a brother was so important.

It was with much apprehension that I sent a reply to Mrs Hill, asking her if Mr Gough would mind me telling the story of his brother.  Two days later I received an e-mail which I nervously opened, hoping I hadn't offended or upset Mr Gough with my request.  To my surprise the e-mail was actually a series of scanned images of a handwritten letter from Mr Gough himself.  As I read the pages I must admit to shedding a few tears, firstly because I couldn't believe that this gentleman had taken such time and care to write to me personally but secondly because I could tell from his emotional writing that his brother lost to him many years before still meant so much.

This request by no coincidence was made on Remembrance weekend and a few days before the 73rd anniversary of the attack on the MV Fishpool.  'Lest we forget' seems such a fitting phrase for the story of Stanley Gough, killed aged 28, as told by his surviving younger brother Winston which makes up part 2 of this blog...

Bute, the perfect autumn romantic retreat

An island stay with some of the mildest autumns and winters in Scotland, palm trees lining the front and only a 90 minute journey from Glasgow (and the bonus of decreased autumn/winter ferry fares) might seem enough reasons to choose Bute as a short break destination.  If you're planning some time away as a couple you will most likely be looking for a place that provides something relaxing, memorable and special.

There's nothing like taking some quality time out for two away from life's stresses, so what else can this little gem of a Scottish island offer as a romantic retreat this autumn?

With the summer tourists gone you can enjoy miles of empty beaches, with long stretches of sand and stunning views across to Arran and the Kyles of Bute, perfect for watching the last orange embers of the autumn sun setting over the water and behind the mountains.

Savor an island steeped in history with atmospheric ruins, mysterious standing stones and why not complete your stay with an obligatory visit to a romantic Scottish castle.

Enjoy a place where you can take a gentle but exhilarating uphill stroll and spend time together soaking up the peace and tranquility as you take in the beauty of the surrounding scenery around and below.  Where a cycle ride along quiet roads can take you past towns, beaches, sailboats, woods, lochs and farmland to an isolated picnic spot for two.

In the evening you can taste local produce and a relax over a romantic meal or choose to cosy up to the latest movie in the intimate little cinema or enjoy some quality laidback live music

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And at the end of the day you can retire to your waterfront accommodation and ease yourself to sleep with the relaxing sound of the waves and waken the next morning to beautiful sea views from the comfort of your bed.

If you've never considered Bute as a romantic destination before, now is the perfect time to explore this lovely island and enjoy a stay that will not only be memorable but also magical.

Remember for future blog updates you can follow me on twitter and now also on facebook.

Bute's struggle with tourism

It's now been over 2 months since I became an official resident of Bute, in that time there has been one issue that bothers me every day. Yes, I'm heading down that controversial path of the ongoing problem of attracting and maintaining tourists to the island.

Prior to moving here I had visited Bute for a weekend mid-winter, rented a holiday flat for a week in the spring and came over for a few day trips so I have experienced the island as a tourist under several different guises.  This along with my now local status has provided me a good varied insight into the problem.

On my first trip here I didn't have high expectations, for those that live on the nearby mainland Bute is actually Rothesay in the same way that Cumbrae is actually Millport.  Rothesay, for most of those that should provide the annual lifeblood of day trippers and weekenders think this is the place your granny went when she was wee. A rundown seaside town on the Clyde that has little to offer.

A shocking survey conducted in Glasgow revealed 78% of respondents did not know where Bute was (perhaps would have been less if you had asked them where Rothesay was), 18% had never heard of it and 28% would not consider it as a holiday destination.  I'm not surprised at the first two responses although from personal experience I would suggest more then 28% would discount it as a holiday choice.
In fact when I announced that I was moving here most people questioned why on earth? and as it turns out most of those people had never visited either.  With the Commonwealth Games headed to Glasgow next year I wonder how many visitors will be tempted to Bute, providing any of my fellow Glaswegians can give them directions!

The view of the uneducated and ignorant you might think? The view of someone who wouldn't appreciate the place anyway, so no point them coming if that's what they think?
Until recently I would also have discounted coming here and I don't consider myself uneducated.  I had explored most of Scotland and indeed many parts of the world prior to visiting this Victorian town on my doorstep. When I did eventually arrive off the Rothesay ferry, I found an island beyond that I instantly fell in love with.

I recently joined twitter as a way of promoting my blog and was disappointed at the lack of followers for VisitBute compared to our island neighbours, especially considering Bute has the largest (albeit declining) population and has recently underwent a costly rebranding effort.  While I don't in any way claim twitter popularity as the defining test for destination desirability there is no escaping that in this day and age social media is a great indicator, at least, of marketing success.

As it stands today the twitter followers (with population figures from 2011 census) are

VisitBute 282 (population approx 6500)

VisitCumbrae 286 (population approx 1800)

VisitArran 3604 (population approx 4600)

(Just as a side note the twitter account for Mount Stuart currently has 793 followers, make of that what you will.)

It comes as no surprise Arran exceeds on twitter as it exceeds in marketing itself in general.  With whisky, beer, cheese, toiletries amongst others, the Arran brand is alive and kicking before you even start on the 'Scotland in miniature' slogan.  Those people I know that have never considered a trip to Bute have made at least one if not several visits to Arran.

With the sharp population decline and a general apathy by many locals and businesses I wonder if Bute will ever turn it's reputation around.  For those that can see past the faded grandeur the island is just as beautiful as the more popular and better known Scottish choices. It has several good restaurants, pubs, visitor attractions, walking, sailing and breathtaking scenery to name a few.  In theory it should punch above it's weight.

This is why every day I feel dismayed and frustrated by poorly presented shop fronts and displays with contents catering for a generation that does not represent the future, businesses that close at lunchtimes and Sundays despite weekend tourists and a general lack of entrepreneurism.  These individuals are failing not only the businesses and individuals that do care but the island's tourism and population as a whole and continue to perpetuate Rothesay's reputation and appearance of a has been seaside resort.

Everyone knows that tourism = money = jobs = a better quality of life = everyone happy.
Tourism on Bute currently accounts for approx 40% of the economy, not an insignificant number, but one that could still improve greatly.

Don't get me wrong there are plenty of exceptions, individuals and groups that take pride in their business and their island.  Sadly, when I pass some of these same businesses they are often quiet as the number and quality of tourists they aim to attract have not yet realised Bute has so much to offer.  It would be sad if they couldn't survive due to the failure to attract the right type of tourist.

There seems to be constant debate, reports and surveys on how to rebrand the island, how to attract more tourists and what problems need to be prioritised.  I won't get into the bigger often political issues but sometimes you just need to stop talking and start doing and more importantly you need to be passionate about what you do.

As a tourist and a local I love Bute, despite it's flaws, and I think it would be a disservice to stand back and watch the erosion continue.  I don't have big solutions but spreading the word about the amazing things Bute does have to offer via twitter, blogs and any other means is my own small way of championing this underdog of an island.  However, I do believe that it is the individuals with passion and perseverance, not restrained by politics, that often make the biggest changes.

Nostalgia about the Victorian heydays is all very well but that era is over never to return.  However, with some vision and initiative it is still possible to reverse the current reputation and in turn the future prospects for this little underrated gem of an island.