Laurence Moar
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
Laurence Moar (born 17th December 1848, died 14th February 1918 ) was a Whalsay haddock fisherman who famously brought his boat to Freefield, Lerwick about 4 am in the morning of 10th December 1887, after they had been caught in the terrible storm and blizzard which blew up the day before, while they were fishing east of Whalsay.
Despite the darkness, the skipper sailed his boat through the narrow and rock-strewn North entrance to Lerwick Harbour to reach safety.
On arrival in Lerwick, two of his crew, brothers Laurence and Andrew Anderson, were dead and the fourth man, Thomas Anderson, was unconscious.
In this amazing feat of endurance, Laurence Moar had to steer with one hand and bale out the boat with the other during the hours it took to reach land.
Subsequently, the Shipwrecked Fisherman and Mariners' Society awarded Moar £10 and the widows, both with five children, received £5 each. An aneroid barometer and £3 were given to Livister school. In all, seven Whalsay fishermen lost their lives through drowning or exposure in this storm.
A poem, entitled 'Laurence Moar', describing the event, was written by Peter Jamieson.
