The recent play by Catherine Wheels Theatre, called ‘Lifeboat’ about two young girls on the ill-fated ship ‘The City of Benares’ was performed to over 70 children in early February, from Bun-sgoil Shlèite and Broadford Primary School.  Two local connections became apparent:

Only a few days before the show SEALL learned that the late Colin MacDonald of Caligarry, Sleat was also aboard the ‘Benares’ and fortunately survived. He was a Chief Engineer of the line, on his way to pick up another ship in Canada. His great-grandson was in the audience, and his daughter, Sheena Threlfall was at the evening show, where she was able to share details of his story with the theatre company.

Of more remote connectedness was that one of the characters was Ruby Grierson, a British film maker and brother of the great John Grierson. She was traveling with the evacuated children to make a documentary, but sadly did not survive. Duncan MacInnes of SEALL was greatly interested in this link as his daughter-in-law is a neice of Ruby, and thus his grandson is Gus Grierson MacInnes.