MV Derbyshire Memorial Garden and Sculpture

At a special service at on Saturday 15 September a memorial was unveiled to commemorate the 44 lives lost on the MV Derbyshire when it sank in the South China Seas on 9 September 1980. The Derbyshire was a Liverpool ship, crewed by Liverpool seafarers, and owned by Bibby Line. She remains the biggest British registered merchant ship ever to have been lost at sea. The Garden was opened by Lord Prescott of Hull and dedicated by the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool. Lord Prescott of Kingston-upon-Hull said, “The loss of the MV Derbyshire and her crew caused great grief to the relatives and the community. The remarkable 20 year campaign by the Derbyshire Family Association for the ‘real’ truth is commemorated in this wonderful Memorial Garden and its sculpture.” The Revd Dr Crispin Pailing, Rector of Liverpool, said, “The loss of the MV Derbyshire has had a profound effect on maritime shipping across the world, but for the last 38 years we have supported the families, where the effect of the sinking made a tragic impact on households across Liverpool. The sculpture is a fitting tribute to the men and women lost on that day.”