On Friday 26th August, Anna Firth, Member of Parliament for Southend West, took sail on the Endeavour along the coast of Southend, with the Mayor of Southend, Kevin Robinson.
The Endeavour is an extremely notable boat within British history. The Endeavour is the only surviving example of a pre-war Leigh working fishing vessel. It was built in Leigh in 1924, and spent most of her working life cockling and fishing from her home port.
However, in 1940, she was one of the six vessels which took part in ‘Operation Dynamo’, playing a significant role in the evacuation of over 300,000 troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. The Endeavour was one of only two ships to safely return home, alongside Letitia.
The Endeavour was rescued in a derelict state in 2001, and has been painstakingly restored to her original condition by a dedicated team of volunteers. There has also been great financial support from a number of sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Cory Environmental Trust.
The Endeavour is intended to be a permanent memorial to the generations of Leigh fisherman who have sailed, and in particular to those who gave their lives at Dunkirk.
Anna Firth MP said,
“I am extremely privileged to have been able to be one of the very few fortunate people to sail on the Endeavour. This boat is an instrumental part of Southend’s, and the nation’s history, playing such a significant role in the return of hundreds of thousands of troops from Dunkirk. This boat is such a huge part of our vast culture in Southend, and will play a forefront role in our bid for UK’s City of Culture for 2029.
