Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Fishermen's wives

not far from the fishermens memorial stands the fishermens wives memorial. "it serves as a testimonial to what wives, mothers, sisters, and children of fishermen of the world have endured because their men chose to be on the water. They had no choice but to stand on rock, to be on land." dedicated by the GFWA (gloucester fishermens wives association).
on each side she has a child, and together they are looking out over the ocean. in fact, the sculptor of the fishermens memorial made a model for a sculpture honoring the fishermens wives; a woman, holding a baby, with the inscription: "they also serve who only stand and wait." another artist made a model of "the widow of the fisherman". the GFWA didnt like either, as they did not see themselves as women doing nothing but sitting and waiting until their husbands would return from the ocean. many years later they choose for the above statue. it was unveiled in 2001, and the inscription underneath the sculpture reads: "The wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of Gloucester fishermen honor the wives and families of fishermen and mariners everywhere for their faith, diligence, and fortitude."