A new exhibition celebrating the extraordinary life of a Glaswegian who became the first deaf man to travel solo around the world is now open at the city’s Riverside Museum.
From a young boy, Dr Gerry Hughes, struggled with basic literacy but went on to become the first deaf yauchtsman to solo circumnavigate the globe. He departed Troon on 1 September 2012 and returned to the Scottish harbour on 8 May 2013.
Born in Glasgow, Gerry was profoundly deaf from birth. His father was a skilled sailor and Gerry enjoyed boating with him from around two years old in Largs, Rhu and Inverkip.
Before turning three, he was enrolled at St Vincent’s School for the Deaf. At thirteen Gerry began his schooling at St. John’s School for the Deaf, Boston Spa, Yorkshire. He went on to attend Norfolk House College for the Deaf where he studied City and Guilds for London Institute Mechanical Engineering Part One Certificate, ‘A’ Level Technical Drawing, and ‘O’ Level Mathematics and Physics.
During his time at Norfolk House, Gerry became captain for Surbiton Football Club and in his teenage years he was involved with a group of deaf sailors in the south of England and sailed across the English Channel. He became the first deaf skipper to sail around the British Isles, in 1981.
A Quest and a Legacy explores Dr Hughes’ journey as a teacher, pioneering sailor and advocate for the deaf community.
The display also explores the role that education, British Sign Language (BSL), family support and self-belief played in shaping his life.
The display has been created by and for deaf people, with Dr Hughes working alongside members of the community to shape its content. All interpretation is available in BSL through screens, with text captions making the display accessible to hearing visitors too.
A Quest and a Legacy is now open on the first floor of Riverside Museum and is free to enter.