Daughter of Lillian Bilocca gives thumbs-up to mural

Virginia Bilocca-McKenzie, who now lives in New Zealand, visited the Hull Fishing Heritage Centre

The daughter of legendary Hull campaigner Lillian Bilocca has returned to her home city, where she viewed a mural to her mother who led the Headscarf Revolutionaries.

Big Lil, as she was known, led a group of four redoubtable women who pressed the government for law changes following the loss of three fishing trawlers in quick succession in 1968.

On Tuesday, her daughter Virginia Bilocca-McKenzie - who now lives in New Zealand - visited the Hull Fishing Heritage Centre, in Hessle Road, where she was shown a giant mural depicting her famous mother.

"I think it's beautiful," she said.

A giant mural depicting Lillian Bilocca

She said seeing images of her mother, including those on display in the centre, were "great to see".

"And it's great to see the different interpretations of the way people have portrayed my mum," she added.

Ms Bilocca launched her campaign following the deaths of 58 fishermen lost in what was dubbed the Triple Trawler Disaster.

Speaking to BBC Radio Humberside's Kofi Smiles, Ms Bilocca-McKenzie said: "I was with her when the third trawler went down, and Mum said, 'Enough is enough, Virginia'. Mum then started petitioning.

"This was before social media and everything. She got thousands and thousands of signatures by going on Hessle Road, going to the pubs... It changed history, as we know."

Ms Bilocca, along with Christine Jensen, Mary Denness and Yvonne Blenkinsop, collected 10,000 signatures, forcing the government to act.

Collectively, the four became known as the Headscarf Revolutionaries due to the fact they often wore headscarves while campaigning.

Lillian Bilocca, one of Hull's famous Headscarf Revolutionaries, fought for safety improvements for the city's fishermen

Among the measures the campaign won were safety checks before vessels left port, radio operators for all ships, improved safety equipment and a "mother ship" with medical facilities.

Ms Bilocca-McKenzie said: "She had a tough battle. Not everybody was for it. She battled through it all. She was very, very brave. Very strong. I am very proud of her."

Ms Bilocca was a "hard-worker" and "very determined", according to her daughter.

"She liked things done on time," said Ms Bilocca-McKenzie.

Tributes to Hull's fishing heritage on the city's Hessle Road and Anlaby Road

Away from the spotlight, however, she was "a normal mum" who encouraged her daughter to take up gardening, cooking and sewing and helped foster a love of music.

"She was a very good mum," said Ms Bilocca-McKenzie.

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