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Grimsby fisherman Alwyn Call was jailed for piracy | Grimsby fisherman Alwyn Call was jailed for piracy |
(6 days later) | |
By Grace Parnell BBC News | By Grace Parnell BBC News |
With his steel rimmed spectacles and flat cap, Alwyn Call does not cut a likely figure as a pirate. | With his steel rimmed spectacles and flat cap, Alwyn Call does not cut a likely figure as a pirate. |
But do not be deceived by appearances - Mr Call received notoriety when he became what was believed to be the first person in about 200 years to be convicted of piracy charges. | But do not be deceived by appearances - Mr Call received notoriety when he became what was believed to be the first person in about 200 years to be convicted of piracy charges. |
Together with four other Grimsby fishermen, he took over a trawler for more than 24 hours. | Together with four other Grimsby fishermen, he took over a trawler for more than 24 hours. |
At the time, Mr Call - whose nickname is Olly - described the caper as little more than drunken high spirits. | At the time, Mr Call - whose nickname is Olly - described the caper as little more than drunken high spirits. |
But the judge at the 1966 trial actually said Mr Call and his pals were lucky not to face the death penalty. | But the judge at the 1966 trial actually said Mr Call and his pals were lucky not to face the death penalty. |
Of course, that was a different age and now "Olly" is reliving the time by telling his story in Grimsby as part of an oral history project. | Of course, that was a different age and now "Olly" is reliving the time by telling his story in Grimsby as part of an oral history project. |
Mr Call, now 71 and the last surviving member of the pirates, was one of the crew of the Loveden who had been drinking on board for some time. | Mr Call, now 71 and the last surviving member of the pirates, was one of the crew of the Loveden who had been drinking on board for some time. |
'High spirits' | 'High spirits' |
He recalls: "We took beer and wine and rum with us, and carried on drinking. | He recalls: "We took beer and wine and rum with us, and carried on drinking. |
"Of course in high spirits we all sat in the mess room... and I just said: 'Shall we take this ship over?' | "Of course in high spirits we all sat in the mess room... and I just said: 'Shall we take this ship over?' |
"And jokingly another crew member went: 'Yeah shall we?' It was all jokingly. | "And jokingly another crew member went: 'Yeah shall we?' It was all jokingly. |
"We went on the bridge and in the skipper's berth and said: 'We've got bad news for you, skipper - we're taking the ship over.' | "We went on the bridge and in the skipper's berth and said: 'We've got bad news for you, skipper - we're taking the ship over.' |
"He said: 'Oh don't be daft lads' so we tied him up and then went down and tied the mate up and the cook, and carried on with the drinking." | "He said: 'Oh don't be daft lads' so we tied him up and then went down and tied the mate up and the cook, and carried on with the drinking." |
An account of the piracy, published in The Times on July 13, 1966, quotes the skipper: "We were six hours out of Grimsby when the mate, myself and the cook were seized by five men, bound and locked up. The men took a boat and started to row towards the German coast. After they had left we were released by the engineer." | An account of the piracy, published in The Times on July 13, 1966, quotes the skipper: "We were six hours out of Grimsby when the mate, myself and the cook were seized by five men, bound and locked up. The men took a boat and started to row towards the German coast. After they had left we were released by the engineer." |
According to The Times, the trawler then sent out an SOS message and was found off the German coast on 10 July, 1966. | According to The Times, the trawler then sent out an SOS message and was found off the German coast on 10 July, 1966. |
Mr Call, who was 26 at the time, served five years in jail. One man was released without charge and the other men were given sentences of five, three and two years. | Mr Call, who was 26 at the time, served five years in jail. One man was released without charge and the other men were given sentences of five, three and two years. |
Mr Call said it was not until they sobered up that they realised the gravity of their situation: "It came to us later what we'd actually done and there was no turning back. It was only after we got caught that we realised how serious it was." | Mr Call said it was not until they sobered up that they realised the gravity of their situation: "It came to us later what we'd actually done and there was no turning back. It was only after we got caught that we realised how serious it was." |
Now a respected skipper, Mr Call said he would not consider himself to be a pirate. | Now a respected skipper, Mr Call said he would not consider himself to be a pirate. |
"People have joked for the last 40 years about it - the only person who didn't see it as a joke was the judge because he wouldn't accept that it was a drunken escapade." | "People have joked for the last 40 years about it - the only person who didn't see it as a joke was the judge because he wouldn't accept that it was a drunken escapade." |
He said his family were among the victims of the prank. | He said his family were among the victims of the prank. |
"When that May Day went out, and then silence - my mother, my brothers, they were all: 'What's happened to Alwyn?' | "When that May Day went out, and then silence - my mother, my brothers, they were all: 'What's happened to Alwyn?' |
"It wasn't a nice thing to do - [I'm] full of regrets, full of regrets." | "It wasn't a nice thing to do - [I'm] full of regrets, full of regrets." |
North East Lincolnshire Council, Young's Seafood, the Fishmerchant's Association and Grimsby Fishing Vessel Owners' Association provided funding for the oral history interviews with Mr Call. | |
Librarian Jenny Mooney said as well as the recording they were hoping to produce a booklet with photos and newspaper cuttings. | Librarian Jenny Mooney said as well as the recording they were hoping to produce a booklet with photos and newspaper cuttings. |
"We'll have a lasting legacy of Olly's story... It's very unusual," she said. | "We'll have a lasting legacy of Olly's story... It's very unusual," she said. |
"The local history library has an awful lot of information about the fishing industry but I've never ever come across a story about piracy. | "The local history library has an awful lot of information about the fishing industry but I've never ever come across a story about piracy. |
"To have the last pirate here in Grimsby is absolutely unique - it's a real catch for us." | "To have the last pirate here in Grimsby is absolutely unique - it's a real catch for us." |
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