Lives in a Landscape - Last Port of Call

Alan Dein visits an old mariners' home on the banks of the River Mersey. Mariners' Park in Wallasey is home to over 150 former Merchant Navy seamen and their wives or widows. Many of them set off on their maiden voyage as young sailors from Liverpool, passing the home on their port side as they embarked on a life of discovery, adventure and hard work at sea. Now, having "swallowed the anchor", they settled here in retirement and watch the occasional vessel pass up and down the river.

But, as Alan discovers, life on dry land has given many of these sailors a new lease of life. They track ships on the internet, take the ferry across the Mersey and throw themselves into a sports day. But he also finds a reflective side to the Park and a very strong attachment to its own history. The Merchant Navy is often overlooked in Remembrance services, but not at Mariners' Park.

Producer Neil McCarthy.

Published on Friday, 12th December 2014.

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