Historic Figurehead Restored and Displayed
The figurehead from a sailing ship that sank off Shetland over a century ago, resulting in the loss of four lives, has been restored and is now exhibited in a museum.
The German training ship Bohus was wrecked at the Ness of Queyon in Yell in April 1924. Of the crew, 35 made it ashore, with some being rescued by local residents.
Approximately six months after the wreck, the figurehead washed ashore and served as a memorial until damage caused by wet weather necessitated its removal in 2021. It was then replaced with a replica.
Restorers based in South Queensferry, West Lothian, have since refurbished the original figurehead, which has been installed at the Old Haa Museum in Burravoe, Shetland.
The figurehead depicts a woman clutching a bible to her chest and became locally known as the White Wife of Otterswick, named after a nearby hamlet.
Details of the Shipwreck
The Bohus was en route to Chile when a navigational error caused the vessel to stray 60 miles off course, leading to its wreck off Yell.
The Old Haa Museum expressed its pleasure at taking the figurehead into its care. Regarding the replica, the museum stated it would continue to serve as a memorial to those lost at sea.
"We are delighted to take the figurehead into our care," the museum said. "The replica will continue to stand as a memorial to those lost at sea."
Ship History
The ship was a three-masted barque constructed by the Grangemouth Dockyard Company in Alloa in 1892. Initially named Bertha after the daughter of its first owner, it was renamed Bohus following its sale to a Swedish owner in 1917. After World War One, ownership transferred to Hamburg.
