This Is Your Life: Madge Watson and Elsie Wood

Madge WATSON and Elsie WOOD

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Madge Watson and Elsie Wood, superintendents for the Royal National Mission of Deep Sea Fishermen, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.

Margery Watson was born in North Shields, and joined the Royal National Mission of Deep Sea Fishermen in 1922 as a general assistant at Peterhead in Scotland. In 1932 she transferred to the Milford Haven Mission and two years later became superintendent. From then until her retirement in 1963, she and her assistant, Elsie Wood, worked at missions throughout the country, including those at Grimsby and Fraserborough - having the distinction of being the first female superintendents appointed by the RNMDSF.

During the war years, she and Miss Wood ran the mission in Milford Haven, which doubled up as a naval hospital. They cared for up to 60 seamen patients but at times this number increased significantly when there were shipwrecks and sinkings. The work was in addition to the normal duties at the mission, which included scrubbing floors, cooking meals, and providing shelter for mariners, as well as offering welfare care and spiritual guidance for their families.

programme details...

Edition No: 243
Subject Nos: 242-243
Broadcast date: Thu 30 Jan 1964
Broadcast time: 8.50-9.15pm
Recorded: Mon 6 Jan 1964 8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 9
Edition: 17

on the guest list...

Rev David Sweet
Robert Buchan
Margaret Watson
Mary Craig
John MacPherson
Dora Noble
Edith Ewels
Captain Treby Heale
Miss Heale and canaries
William Tait
Helen Tait
Madame Fifi Gauthier
Mark Watson
10 skippers

production team...

Directors: Michael Goodwin, Mark Patterson
Producer: Vere Lorrimer
Executive Producer: T Leslie Jackson

related pages...

A Charitable Life

the unsung heroes

A Double Life

two's company

Photographs of Madge Watson and Elsie Wood This Is Your Life

Unknown source and date

Very Special Supers

From the Mission’s earliest days Lady Superintendents were the backbone of the work ashore, whilst Mission skippers continued the caring work at sea, in all weathers, out in the fishing grounds.

In recent history two ladies epitomised the great work among fishing families by the Mission. Even today they are remembered with great love and affection, particularly by the fishing communities of North-East Scotland.

Miss Elsie Wood and Miss Madge Watson live on in the memory of NE fishers for their devotion to duty and commitment to Christian care which stretched over several decades.

War clouds in Europe were gathering when they were serving in the Milford Haven Centre in the late 1930s. On the outbreak of hostilities the Centre was taken over by the Royal Navy to support all seafarers in need or distress. The ladies continued their service in the Centre throughout the war and it was nothing for them to serve refreshments to almost 200 in the canteen where it was standing room only. Miss Wood recalled one night with enemy action in the Irish Sea at its peak, having 120 shipwrecked men with many wounded on stretchers or on the tables until they were removed to local hospitals.

All too often the dreadful task of breaking news of those lost at sea or seriously injured fell to the ladies and their staff. One evening after a very busy day they visited the families of eleven missing men, returning at midnight to continue working in a packed Centre.

As true ‘partners in service’ Miss Wood and Miss Watson continued their service after the war, often tackling the most difficult situations which arose in the ports. Fiercely loyal to the Mission, they took over, at short notice, the Hostel at Grimsby in Riby Square – a difficult assignment for even a physically strong male Superintendent to manage – and looked after it with great accomplishment. It was here that the ladies were featured in the first ever Mission film, ‘Toilers of the Deep’.

But it will be in the ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh that they will be remembered most. During their work in the North East they served alongside fishermen and their families earning the love, gratitude and respect of the whole community.

In 1962, BBC Television’s ‘This Is Your Life’ featured this unique partnership. The then host, Eamonn Andrews, introduced the ladies to the television audience as he unveiled a remarkable record of life-long service for God and the Mission. In 1972 over 250 people gathered in the Fraserburgh Mission to celebrate their 50 years of service. After the many expressions of thanks and gratitude to them, Miss Watson, in true tradition, spoke first of their gratitude to God for the privilege of service amongst fishing folk.

As the Mission moves today into new areas of service, we still look for dedicated people like these two ladies. We need men and women who seek to serve within the ranks of the Fishermen’s Mission, building on the example, dedication, courage and Christian commitment of many generations of Mission Port Staff.

Series 9 subjects