Dora Walker

[2] Her father was a blanket manufacturer, she was one of a large family, including brother Sir Ronald Walker, sisters artist Hilda and Kathleen – who became secretary to Ramsay MacDonald.

Location: West Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire At the outbreak of war in 1914, she joined the British Red Cross but as they were not prepared to allow V.A.D's Voluntary Aid Detachment to nurse behind the front line she applied to join a Belgian Hospital run by Dr Antoine Depage and was accepted – working alongside Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of the Belgians.

She later transferred to the Duchess of Sutherland Hospital founded and run by Millicent Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland in Calais[4] on her return to Yorkshire she set up a boys' and men's club in Dewsbury After the war, Walker suffered from bronchial problems and was recommended by her doctors to seek some sea air.

She had her own boat (Good Faith) built and fished as Skipper with Laurie Murfield as her crew who despite the adverse reaction of his fellow Whitby fisherman came to respect and admire her capabilities.

[7] Adept in handing long lines and crab pots and with fine navigational skills she became known as Skipper Dora and was accepted and respected in the fishing community.