26 to 27 September 2019 10am – 4pm schools only
28 to 29 September 2019 10am - 4pm open to the public (free)

A festival in conjunction with Maryport Maritime Museum celebrating migration in Victorian Maryport

It features five men who migrated to or from Maryport in the late 1800s, including Captains Robert and Wilson Walker, the Maryport brothers who emigrated to Nagasaki in 1870s to help found the modern Japanese Navy by teaching shipbuilding techniques, including conversion from sail to steam. They also established RN Walker & Co., and the Japanese Brewery Company (Kirin Beer).

26 & 27 September
Local schools will attend to present banners produced from their projects on migration within their own families and to learn about Japan, Australia, Ireland and Scotland. The local Inshore Rescue Team will be demonstrating the differences between shipping in Victorian times and now.

28 & 29 September
The festival will be open free to the public to come and learn about our famous sons and the countries they went to or came from. Maryport Maritime Museum will have an exhibition of sailing equipment and there will be an exhibition of paintings by William Mitchell from private collections. There will be free historic guided tours of the town and harbour. Local band Herdus will play sea shanties on Saturday evening (tickets only). On Sunday 29th the Cumbria Family History Society will be giving a talk on how to trace ancestors, and forming a new local group... Refreshments provided.