Speaker at the meeting of 21st October was Richard Wemyss. Richard manages the local food bank and commenced by providing an update on its work - with 1400 food bags being distributed over the last twelve months.

However Richard’s main topic was about a local team of volunteers who are working to ‘Bring Back the Beauty’ - the Beauty being one of the last remaining 1930’s ring-net fishing boats in existence. Manx Beauty PL 35 was launched into Cellardyke harbour along with her sistership Manx Fairy PL 43 on 11 June, 1937. Together with two other boats, Manx Lad and Manx Lass, the ring-netters were ordered as part of a Manx government initiative to revive the Isle of Man fishing industry.

Manx Beauty and Manx Fairy were built at Cellardyke as a result of provost Willie Carstairs, a successful local businessman, who had previously commissioned several new builds for the boatyard just east of the harbour. A model of the Beauty can be seen in the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther.

Manx Beauty is now lying at Liverpool and in poor condition; the immediate aim of the team is to raise £5000 to cover the cost of a low loader and transport back to Cellardyke. It is expected that it will then be a three year project to bring the boat up to MCA standards, so she will be able to take passengers.

Richard went on to speak most interestingly of the history and working life of the Beauty - and of the crew and their families, for whom ring-net fishing became their way of life. Interestingly the boats were used during WW 2 on inspection duties.

Richard’s talk generated much interest and following discussions a vote of thanks was proposed by Eric Dewhirst.

The team can be contacted at bringbackthebeauty35@gmail.com  

Manx Beauty on her launch day in Cellardyke harbour in June 1937.