Ian Cuthbert 4 or Nothing: The Hull Headscarf Revolutionaries

Hull, North East England, Winter 1968… And three fishing trawlers sink within four weeks of each other, with the loss of 58 lives. Dubbed by the press as the ‘Triple Trawler Tragedy’, it was a time when health and safety laws on land, did not apply at sea… and the wives, sisters and mothers of the fishermen had had enough. Four women led the way and with a ten thousand signature petition, they not only met with government ministers but got all health and safety demands implemented. Were these four women ever remembered for saving countless lives..?

Our story moves on to recent times as we meet up with Ian Cuthbert, who has made it his mission to get a statue to commemorate these long forgotten women, a man whose work and passion has helped keep alive the legacy of the ‘Headscarf Revolutionaries’. An account of resilience, remembrance and what it means to carry forward a story of tragedy and courage…. and the voices that fought for change when no one else would. ‘As long as their story is told they’re never truly forgotten.’

 

Producer, Writer, Editor and Presenter: Douglas Pye

Executive Producer and Editor: Paul Cook

Contributors: The Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP, Peter Levy, Cllr Tracey Henry, Sam Barlow and Eric Armstrong.

Music: Paul Anthony Cook.

Thanks to Helen at The Vauxhall Tavern.

Thanks to Tony Cook.

 

 

Published: November 2025