LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Services of the Life-Boats of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution

WEXFORD.—At about 6 o'clock on the morning of the 18th October, 1889, the Life-boat Ethel Eveleen was launched, intelligence having been received that a vessel was aground on the Dogger Bank.

A strong gale was blowing from the S., and there was a heavy sea running at the time. The boat proceeded under sail to the stranded vessel, which was the schooner Star of Hope, of and for Wexford from Liverpool, with a cargo of coal, and which was found to have stranded on the south side of Wexford Bar. Some difficulty was experienced in getting alongside, but eventually this was accomplished. The Life-boatmen then rendered assistance in getting the vessel afloat, and, with the help of a steam tug, she was taken safely into Wexford Harbour, with her crew of five men.

GROOMSPORT, Co. DOWN.—During a strong E. wind and a heavy swell on the morning of the 19th October, the barque Biwcklay Castle, of Aberdeen, was observed to be in a very dangerous position in Crawfordsburn Bay. The Life-boat George Pooley put off to her assistance at 9.15, and found that she had anchored daring the night, and dragged her anchors until she struck on an outlying reef. The boat remained by her until 4 o'clock, when a Liverpool tug arrived and towed her afloat, the Life-boatmen assisting to get her anchors up.

DONNA NOOK.—The Swedish barque InfatigaUe, laden with deals and boards for Hall, was seen flying distress signals, having lost her fore and main masts during squally weather and in a rough sea on the 22nd October. The signal gun having been fired, the crew of the Life-boat Richard promptly responded to the call, and at 7.15 A.M. the boat was launched, and rescued the crew of eleven men from the vessel, which afterwards became a total wreck.

ALDBOROUGH.—The steamer Alcedo, of and for Bilbao, laden with cement and coke from Newcastle, and having a crew of twenty-one men, stranded on the Shipwash Sand while a strong S.W. wind was blowing on the 30th October, and broke her propeller. In response to signals the Life-boat George Hounsfield was launched at 3 P.M., remained by the vessel for some time, and then took the master to Harwich to obtain a steamer. A tng having been procured, the Life-boat returned in tow of her to the vessel, two anchors were put out; the crew of a smack were engaged to assist in throwing overboard part of the cargo in order to lighten the ship, and at 3.30 on the following afternoon she floated, and was towed to Harwich.

SHOREHAM,—On the 1st November a French schooner, the Charles Elisa, of Paimpol, bound from Bordeaux for Shoreham with empty casks, was driven by the force of wind and sea into the bay, and was compelled to drop her anchor to prevent being stranded, as a gale of wind was blowing from the S.S.W., in the direction of the shore. The steam-tug Stella attempted to approach the vessel, but was unable to get near her, and therefore returned to the harbour. The crew of the Life-boat Bamonet was then summoned, and at 5 A.M. the boat was launched, being taken in tow by the Stella, went alongside the schooner, which was about half a mile W. of the harbour's mouth, put the end of a line on board, and then pulled to the steam-tug, thus enabling a hawser to be conveyed, and the vessel to be towed into the harbour.

The schooner, which carried a crew of six men, would, in the absence of this help, have probably become a total wreck.

TROON.—A terrific gale of wind from W. to N.W. suddenly sprung] up on the morning of the 1st November, and while the storm was at its height the schooner B.W Cliff, of Skene, bound from Porsgrund, Norway, for Troon, with a cargo of deals and battens, in attempting to take the harbour in tow of a steam-tug failed, and the tow-rope breaking and the vessel's anchors not holding she drifted on to the North Beach. The Life-boat Alexander Munnock put off to her assistance at about 12 noon, in a tremendous sea, and after strenuous efforts on the part of her crew succeeded in rescuing the vessel's crew, consisting of six men.

DUNGARVAN.—At 6.50 P.M. on the 1st | November the Life-boat William Dunville was launched in response to signals of distress which were shown from the S.S. flanmire, of Cork, with a general cargo, crew of twenty-four men, and six passengers, which was in a sinking condition, tree and a half miles S. of Helvick Head, her propeller having made a large hole nder her port quarter. The passengers were taken into the Life-boat from the ship's boats, and, under the guidance of the Life-boat men, the vessel was beached on Whitehonse Bank, where she remained in safety until the tide ebbed, and the damage was then sufficiently repaired to enable the steamer to proceed into harbour.

WALTON - ON - THE - NAZE. — Guns and rockets, indicating that a vessel was in distress, having been fired on the 10th November, the Life-boat Honourable Artil- lery Company was launched at 4.38 P.M., and proceeded under oars to the Sunk Light-vessel, where information was obtained that a vessel was ashore on the Long Sand. The boat accordingly proceeded in that direction, and at about 10 o'clock found the galliot Edvard, of and from Skonevig, bound for the south of France with cod's roes, stranded S, J W. of the Long Sand. After two hours' work she was got off the sand, and was brought to anchor until 2 A.M., when she was got under weigh and taken to Harwich. Her crew consisted of two men.

NEWBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.—At daylight on the 22nd November the brig Olga, of Rb'nne, timber laden for Sunderland, was seen ashore on a sandbank a little S. of the River Ythan. The wind had blown a gale from the S.E, during the night, and a heavy sea was running, which increased as the tide advanced.

With all speed the Life-boat Mien Newman and John Bentley put off to her assistance, the strong tide and wind causing hard work for the crew. As the Life-boat got near, the vessel began to break up, and two men. were carried away on a portion of the wreckage rapidly northwards, and the boat at once turned in pursuit and rescued them. Another long and hard pull was then required to bring the boat back, and again she had to turn for three men who had left in the ship's boat; these she also rescued just in time, for immediately afterwards the boat disappeared. Three men still clung to what remained of the vessel, which by that time had quite broken up, and the cargo of timbers and battens made it a very dangerous undertaking for the Life-boat to approach her. The Life-boat men were quite exhausted by their arduous and continuous labour, and were compelled to return to the shore, where a fresh crew was obtained to man the boat, which again put off to the rescue. Another piece of wreckage came away with one man on it, who was picked up. One of the remaining two men was struck by a spar, and unhappily lost his life, but the other, the master of the vessel, was taken off and safely landed in the Life-boat.

KINGSDOWN;.—A large steamer was reported to be ashore between St. Margaret's Bay and Hope Point on the morning of the 25th November. A stronggale was blowing from the W.S.W., there was a heavy sea, and the weather was thick with rain. The Life-boat Charles Hargruve put off at 8.30, and on reaching the steamer found that she was the Cordoba, of and for Havre, in ballast from Dunkirk.

The Life-boat remained by her until she was towed off by a London tug, and then returned to her station, arriving there at 11 o'clock.

LOWESTOFT.—Flares having been seen N.E. of the Newcome Sands, during a strong N.W. wind and a rough sea, on the night-of the 25th November, the Life-boat Two Sisters Mary and Hannah went out at 10 o'clock, and found the sloop Richard and Francis, of Goole, laden with tiies, from Hull for Lowestoft, in the midst of the breakers. She had lost some of her sails, and those which were left were split, but it being the top of the tide, and an extra high one, she managed to drift over the sand, the Life-boat remaining by her, and was towed into the harbour by the steam-tug Dispatch.

THURSO.—The Life-boat Charley Lloyd was launched at 10 o'clock on the night of the 26th November, during a heavy gale from the N., snow, and a high sea, to the assistance of the schooners William Jones, of Carnarvon, and Sylph, of Beaumaris, both laden with slates, from Wales and bound for Aberdeen, which had burnt flare lights as signals of distress, as they were riding heavily at their anchors in Scrabster Roads, and were in danger of coming into collision with each other.

The Life-boat took off four men from the William Jones, and five men from the Sylph, and brought them safely ashore.

LYDD, DUNGENESS.—The crew of the Lifeboat R.A.O.B. were summoned on the 29th November, during a moderate N. breeze and hazy weather, signals of distress having been reported. The men promptly assembled, and at 1 A.M., signals being then repeatedly made in the offing, the boat was launched, and found the schooner Minnie Elkin, of Carnarvon, bound from London for Ayr, with cement, and having a crew of six men on board, stranded two miles N. of Dungeness Lighthouse. The Life-boatmen laid out an anchor, and rendered other services, and the vessel was hauled off the sand and made for Dover Harbour.

CAISTER, NORFOLK.—The brigantine Charles, of and from Great Yarmouth, for Newcastle, with scrap iron, and having a crew of six men, was seen to strike the Barber Sand at about 8 P.M. on the 30th November, during a moderate E.N.E. wind and a rough aea. She knocked over the Sand, but the Caister No. 2 Life-boat Godsend was taken down to the water in readiness for launching should that become necessary.

The vessel headed to the S., evidently with the intention of trying to get out, but in doing so she took the inside of the Sand, let go her anchor, and at once made flares as a signal for help.

The Life-boat was quickly launched, and reached the vessel at 8.45. With the help of the Life-boat men she was got afloat, and anchored with just sufficient room to swing clear of the breakers on the shore. When the tide turned a S. breeze sprung up, the anchor was weighed, sail set, and the Life-boat accompanied her clear of the Barber and Cockle Sands, and she was then enabled to resume her voyage.

TYRELLA, DUNDRUM: BAY.—Signals of distress having been shown by a vessel which was close to the Long Eocks, during a moderate gale from the S., thick weather, and a rough sea, on the morning of the 1st December, the Life-boat Louisa Burnaby was launched at about 9.30, and found the signals had been displayed by the Fly, of Preston, bound from Dublin for Dundrum in ballast, which was embayed about a mile from the Tyrella Coastguard Station. The Life-boat put a pilot on board the vessel, and she was taken safely to her destination.

CLOVELLY.—During a moderate gale from the N., squally weather, and a heavy sea, on the 7th December, the ketch Ark, of Bridgwater, bound from Lydney for Bude with a cargo of coal, showed a signal of distress while at anchor in the roadstead. The crew of the Life-boat Graham, Hughes were at once called together, and at 8.45 A.M. the boat was launched, and rescued the vessel's crew of three men from a perilous position, as the heavy seas were breaking over the •vessel at the time the men were taken off.

STAITHES, YORKSHIBE.—On the morning of the 7th December the weather, which had been wild during the night, calmed down, and at 9 o'clock the fishingcobles proceeded to sea. About 10 o'clock, however, the wind suddenly rose and veered to N.E., and in a short time there was a thorough storm on, accompanied by a heavy sea. The coxswain of the Life-boat, seeing that the landing of the boats would be attended by great danger, launched the Life-boat Wine/ride Mary Eopps, and convoyed twenty of the cobles safely ashore, the only casualty being the loss of some of the fishing lines. Three of the boats were filled by the heavy seas in coming in, and were in great danger.

At about 4 o'clock on the morning of the 31st December, a steamer was observed on shore north of Staithes. The rocket brigade were summoned, but it was found that the vessel was too far distant for the rockets to reach her, and the Life-boat Wine/ride Mary Hopps, therefore, went to her help. She proved to be the Ringwood, of London, laden with coal from Amble.

With the rising tide the vessel floated ; but as she was leaking badly, the Lifeboat remained by her and accompanied her to Hartlepool.

HAYLE, CORNWALL.—Whilst running for the harbour, on the evening of the 7th December, the ketch Minerva, of Bridgwater, bound from Hayle for Bristol with sand, and the steamer Bride, of Hayle, with coal and coke, struck on the western spit of the bar. A strong gale was blowing from the N.N.E., and there was a heavy sea running. The Life-boat New Oriental Bank proceeded to the rescue at about 4.50, and took off the crew of three men from the Minerva,, and then went to the steamer, but found that she required no assistance. The Minerva had left Hayle in the morning, but had been driven back by the stormy weather. She became a total wreck.

WORKINGTON.—At 10 P.M. on the 9th December, the Life-boat Dodo was launched, signals of distress having been shown by the s.s. Lady Eglington, of and from Cardiff for Workington, with a cargo of coke, which had stranded on the north shore, near the mouth of the river Derwent, in a strong S, W. breeze and a heavy sea. The vessel had just floated when the Life-boat arrived. One of the Lifeboat men was put on board to pilot her, and, with the assistance of the boat, she was conducted safely into dock.

NORTH DEAL—The coxswain of the Life-boat Mary Somerville was called, at about 1.30 A.M. on the 12th December, by the Coastguard, who informed him that guns and rockets were being fired by the Gull light-vessel. He at once summoned the crew, and, the Life-boat being promptly launched, proceeded to the lightship, and was informed that & vessel was in need of assistance, bearing about E.N.E. The boat steered in that direction, and, after cruising about the sand for a short time, found the barque Mandalay, of Glasgow, bound from. Middlesbrough, for the River Plate with railway chairs and sleepers, and having a crew of sixteen men on board, stranded on the off part of the North Sand Head. The Life-boat men laid out a kedge anchor, and assisted in throwing cargo overboard, BO as to lighten the barque, which was got afloat at about 3 o'clock on the following morning.

NEWBIGGIN, NORTHUMBERLAND. — At 12.80 A.M. on the 13th December, signals of distress having been shown by the brig Janet, of Peterhead, which had stranded about three hundred yards N. of Bing Head, the Life-boat Robert and Susan was launched, proceeded to her assistance, rescued her crew, consisting of eight men, and safely landed them at 2.30. The wind was blowing from the S. by E., the weather was foggy, and the sea rough.

ST. ANNE'S, LANCASHIRE. — On the evening of the 17th December, signals were shown by the schooner Velin-heli, of Carnarvon, which had stranded on the Salthouse Bank while she was being towed to Preston, two days previously, during thick and foggy weather. Tie Life-boat Brothers was launched at 6.30, proceeded to the vessel, and remained by her until the tide ebbed, when all immediate danger was over. On the following evening, at 5.30, the Life-boat, at the request of the owner of the vessel, again put off and stayed by the schooner until 8.30. After the Life-boat had left, part of the cargo was thrown overboard and she floated a little before high-water the next morning, and was taken to Preston.

BURRY PORT.— Signals having been seen on the morning of the 18th December, during foggy weather, a strong S,W. wind, and a heavy sea, the Life-boat David Barclay of Tottenham was launched at 3.30, and found that the lights in question were shown by the S.B. Clutha, of Middlesbrough, which was in need of a pilot. The coxswain gave the master his course to Caldy, and the Life-boat returned to her station at noon.

DUNMORE EAST, Co. WATERFORD.— The Coastguards sighted a small vessel in distress, about four miles 8, of the Hook Lighthouse, during a strong gale from the N.W. and a heavy sea, on the morning of the 18th December. The Life-boat Henry Dodd was launched at 10 o'clock, and proceeded to the vessel, which proved to be the ketch Queen of Youghal, of and from Youghal for New Boss with bricks. All her sails had been, blown away, she was leaking badly, and one of her crew—which consisted of two men—had been disabled by a block falling from aloft, and the other man was much exhausted. The Life-boat took the two men ashore, leaving five of her own crew on board, and then returned to the vessel, taking off spars and sails, and at 8.30 P.M. brought her into Donmore Harbour.

MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.—On the night of the 21st December, during a thick fog, the schooner Isa, of Inverness, bound from Charlestown for Euncorn with a cargo of china clay, struck on the Dolas Bocks and became a total wreck. On the following morning, when the fog had slightly cleared, signals were seen, and the Life-boat Star of Hope immediately put off, and succeeded in saving the vessel's crew of four men, who had taken refuge on the rooky island.

CRESSWELL, NORTHUMBERLAND. — The Coastguard at Cresswell Point reported that a steamer was ashore about a mile S. of the Life-boat station, during a strong S.E. wind and a strong sea, on the 24th December, whereupon the Life-boat Ellen and Eliza was launched at 2 A.M., and found the s.s. Gerdic, of Newcastle-on- Tyne, bound from Christiania for New- castle in ballast, stranded on Headgate Rock, with her fore-hold fall of water.

The Life-boat laid out an anchor, and took a telegram and letter ashore, returning at once to the vessel, and remaining in attendance on her. At low-water the steamer's crew went ashore, the ship being then dry, but the master and three other officers remained on board, the Life-boat remaining in attendance until an hour after high-water. The vessel ultimately became a wreck.

GIRVAN, AYRSHIRE.—During a gale of wind from the N.W. and a rough sea, on the 24th December, the fishing-smacks Border Queen and Jane, of Annan, arrived off the harbour, and as it was evident that they would incur considerable risk in crossing the bar, the Life-boat Sir Home Popkam put off to their assistance at about 1.45 P.M., and remained by them until they gained the harbour in safety.

BOULMER, NORTHUMBERLAND. — The Life-boat Sobin Hood of Nottingham was launched at 12.30 A.M. on the 31st December, and rescued the crew, consisting of two men, from the smack Effort, of Berwick, which had stranded on the North Steel Bocks during a fresh S.E. wind, a strong sea, and hazy weather.

GREENCASTLE, LONDONDERRY.—Signals of distress having been shown by a vessel on the TODS Bank, while the wind was blowing half a gale from the S.S.W., with a heavy sea, the Life-boat temporarily placed here while the Mary Beckwith was being improved, was launched at 4 A.M. on the 31st December, and found the schooner Cwm Avon, of Swansea, stranded.

With great difficulty her crew, numbering four men, were got into the Life-boat, and were safely landed at about 9 o'clock.

PALLING, NORFOLK.—In response to signals of distress, during thick weather, a moderate breeze from the S.W., and a rough sea, the Life-boat British Workman was launched, at 8.30 A.M. on the 31st December, and proceeded to the Hasborough Sand, where she found the brig Londeslorvugh, of Faversham, coal laden from Sunderland for Portsmouth, stranded in a very perilous position, full of water, and in danger of soon becoming a total wreck. With much difficulty her crew, consisting of six men, were taken into the Life-boat, and this had not been accomplished very long when the vessel heeled over on her beam ends, and afterwards became a total wreck..