These banners were designed and made by Year 10 pupils from Penglais School, working with community artists Pod Clare and Jen Clare. The banners have been designed to raise awareness and to inform the public of the marine history of the town and the importance of the activity of the port. The pupils visited the Coliseum Museum, Aberystwyth, to research the subject and selected various aspects to feature in their designs.
- This banner represents the long distances travelled over the seas by boats from Aberystwyth.
- This banner is about herring fishing, an important industry in this area up until the twentieth century. They were caught in their millions from small boats and either smoked or salted before being stored and sold in barrels.
- This banner shows a sample of some of the many places around the world with which Aberystwyth traded, importing, for example, wood from Canada for mine props, and tea from Africa, while exporting lead and copper to many places as well as the Welsh community in Patagonia.
- This banner depicts the way that sailors were very superstitious and feared that there were many dangerous monsters at sea, including mermaids which they believed lured them to their deaths.
- This banner reflects the activities that sailors took up to pass the time, such as making ships in bottles or ornamental knots, when there was no wind at sea, and they were caught in ‘the doldrums’.
- Sailors could be away at sea for many years at a time, and this banner shows an extract from a letter on display at the Museum, as well as a heart shaped memento made by a sailor for his sweetheart.