PROVIDENCE: Archibald Ferguson 1976 (Scotland)

Providence on the slip at Goat Island

God’s Providence is our Inheritance  (Motto on Stornoway Coat of Arms.)

This is a rare, lost, 9mm colour film – unseen for 36 years – of a working trip on the famous Stornoway fishing boat, Providence.  Although the film is silent, live commentary will be provided by former crew member and son of the original owner, Don Neil Mackenzie.

Crew: ‘Doudle’, ‘Dolan’, Iain Peter, Coinneach Mackenzie, Iain ‘Mhast’ Kennedy; Photo Bill Lucas

Providence, SY345, was built in 1963 by boat-builder Watts in Banff and delivered in August of that year to brothers Donald and Kenneth Mackenzie as a whitefish/prawn trawler.  She was the 12th and last boat of an HIDB scheme that had commenced in 1959/60 to provide employment and new vessels capable of pursuing the developing prawn fishery.

‘Lazy Corner’, Stornoway, 1960s

 

The length of the boat was 57 feet and gross tonnage of 31gt.  Powered by a 150 horse power Gardner engine the boat had a crew of 5 and fished the North and South Minches on trips of 1 to 3 days  landing her catches depending on area being fished, into Stornoway, Gairloch, Lochinver, Mallaig, Oban or Castlebay.

Leaving for Sea Angling Competition