Tribute to top Fleetwood trawler skipper Bill Rawcliffe

William Rawcliffe, known as Bill, was one of the port’s most successful trawler skippers in the days when Fleetwood was the third biggest commercial fishing port in the UK.

Later he was Second Coxswain of Fleetwood lifeboat and became a management executive for the Boston company which operated a fleet of trawlers from Fleetwood.

He also worked in the Canadian fishing industry.

In the days when the port had a Top Ten table showing which skippers and ships had earned the most in a year from their catches, Bill was always among them and often in No 1 position.

His favourite command was the Boston Phantom in which he fished Icelandic waters for years and broke records with his bumper results.

Bill was one of six brothers who all went to sea. As boys they were often out in Morecambe Bay in their uncle Herbert’s fishing boat. .

Bill came ashore to manage the fish catching operation for Boston at Fleetwood and joined the RNLI as a volunteer.

He commanded the long-serving Fleetwood lifeboat Ann Letitia Russell on her final voyage in 1975 - the vessel is currently being restored in Fleetwood.

Later Bill helped to train mariners of the future at the Fleetwood Nautical Campus and went sailing in his yachts Sea Wolf and Phantom.

The couple lived in Rossall Grange Lane, Fleetwood until Bill became a resident at the Guy’s Court care home in Fleetwood. When his health deteriorated recently he was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

His son Will, a trawler engineer and former Fleetwood RNLI crew member, said: “Dad was a real man of the sea and we’re very proud of all he achieved.”

Bill also leaves a daughter, Sharon, and sons Philip and Andrew.