Category Archives: Lifesaving

St Edmund's Church, Southwold, Suffolk, England

Memorial at St Edmund’s Church, Southwold, Suffolk commemorating John Henry Sinclair, d. 1906

Location

St Edmund's Church, Southwold, Suffolk, England

Transcript

'John Henry Sinclair, Retired Chief Officer of Coastguard and for many years Hon Sec of Southwold Branch RNLI who passed peacefully away 9th October 1906 aged 87 years. Rebecca his wife died 28 Nov 1879 aged 58 years'

Details

Position: Churchyard

People

Sinclair, John Henry
Age: 87
Date of Death: 9/10/1906
Cause of Death: Unknown
Rank / Occupation: Coastguard
Organisation: HM Coastguard

Extra

Recorder: Reverend William Henry Donnan 1967
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St John's Church, Edinburgh, Scotland

Wall tablet in St John’s Church, Edinburgh commemorating Captain Archibald Sinclair RN d. 1859

Location

St John's Church, Edinburgh, Scotland

Transcript

'In memory of Captain Archibald Sinclair R.N., fourth son of the Right Honourable Sir John Sinclair, Baronet. Born 20th September, 1801; died 1st June 1859. On three occasions Captain Sinclair saved the lives of others at the immediate hazard of his own. He leaped overboard and rescued from drowning in one instance a boy; in another a seaman, and in the third an officer of his own ship. 'I know that my Redeemer Liveth' Job xix. 25'

Details

Type: Wall tablet

People

Sinclair, Archibald
Age: 58
Date of Death: 1/6/1859
Cause of Death: Unknown/None
Rank / Occupation: Captain RN
Organisation: Royal Navy

Extra

Bibliography: Rev. Charles Rogers 'Monuments and Monumental Inscriptions in Scotland' (vol i, 1871) p. 76
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All Saints' and St Margaret’s Church, Pakefield, Suffolk, England

Gravestone in All Saints’ and St Margaret’s Church, Pakefield, Suffolk commemorating Albert Chapman, d.1917

Location

All Saints' and St Margaret’s Church, Pakefield, Suffolk, England

Transcript

'Albert Edward CHAPMAN, born 29 Jan 1866 died 20 Novr 1917 second coxswain of the Pakefield Lifeboat'

Details

Position: Churchyard

People

Chapman, Albert Edward
Age: 51
Date of Death: 20/11/1919
Cause of Death: Unknown
Rank / Occupation: Lifeboat coxswain
Organisation: Unknown

Extra

Recorder: Rev. William Henry Donnan 1967
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St Akeveranus's Church, St Keverne, Cornwall, England

Plaque in St Keverne, Cornwall dedicated to James Hill d. 1919

Location

St Akeveranus's Church, St Keverne, Cornwall, England

Transcript

'In memory of James Hill for 30 years coxswain of Porthoustock Lifeboat who died 23 March 1919 aged 84 years'

Details

Type: Plaque

People

Hill, James
Age: 84
Date of Death: 23/3/1919
Cause of Death: Unknown/None
Rank / Occupation: Lifeboat coxswain
Organisation:

Extra

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Memorial hall, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Plaque in St Davids Memorial Hall, commemorating the crew of the lifeboat ‘Gem’ lost in 1910

Location

Memorial hall, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Transcript

'This tablet is to commemorate the bravery of the crew of the lifeboat Gem who rescued the men from the ketch Democrat in Romsey Sound 13 October 1910 during a fierce storm when the lifeboat became a total wreck. Lost their lives, John Stephens, Coxswain, Henry Rowlands, James Price. Survivors, George Martin Second Coxswain, Thomas Evans Bowman, William Banner, David Lewis, Michael Moriarty, Tilston J. Morse, William T. Parry, Francis Rowlands, James Thomas, William H. Thomas, James Williams'

Details

Type: Plaque
Vessel: Gem

People

Price, James
Age:
Date of Death: 13/10/1910
Cause of Death: Vessel Loss
Rank / Occupation:
Organisation:
Rowlands, Henry
Age:
Date of Death: 13/10/1910
Cause of Death: Vessel Loss
Rank / Occupation:
Organisation:
Stephens, John
Age:
Date of Death: 13/10/1910
Cause of Death: Vessel Loss
Rank / Occupation: Coxswain
Organisation:

Extra

Bibliography: Bill Fevyer and John Wilson 'The wrecks of the Gem and Democrat', 'The Life Saving Awards Research Society Journal' no. 44, pp. 22-30 (February 2002).
Recorder: David Saunders
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Dunbar Parish Church, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland

Headstone at Dunbar Parish Church, Dunbar commemorating Robert Harkes d.  1877, lifeboatman

Location

Dunbar Parish Church, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland

Transcript

'SACRED / TO THE MEMORY OF / ROBERT HARKES / WHO WAS DROWNED BY THE CAPSIZING / OF THE LIFEBOAT 13TH OCTOBER 1877 / AGED 36 YEARS / THE SEA SHALL GIVE UP THE DEAD THAT ARE IN IT / ALSO HIS WIFE / ELIZABETH DOBSON WHO DIED / 18TH MARCH 1896 AGED 59 YEARS / ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY / OF OUR DEAR PARENTS / WILLIAM ALEXANDER HARKESS / YOUNGEST SON OF THE ABOVE / WHO DIED 18th JAN. 1941 AGED 64 / AND HIS BELOVED WIFE / MARION TEAR HARKES / WHO DIED 5th JAN 1950 AGED 72 / ALSO OF JANE McKINLAY HARKESS / BELOVED WIFE OF ALEXr DOUGLAS LAING / AND DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE / WHO DIED 11th APRIL 1954 AGED 82 YEARS / AND OF THE ABOVE / ALEXANDER DOUGLAS LAING / WHO DIED 28th DECEMBER 1960 AGED 89 YEARS / AND OF THOMAS TEAR HARKESS / BELOVED YOUNGEST SON OF THE ABOVE WILLIAM & MARION / DIED 5th MAY 1976 AGED 56 YEARS'

Details

Type: Headstone
Position: Churchyard 30 yards north west of church
Materials: Grey sandstone

People

Harkes, Robert
Age: 36
Date of Death: 13/10/1877
Cause of Death: Maritime accident
Rank / Occupation: Lifeboat coxswain
Organisation:

Extra

Notes: DOSSIER. Wall on right edge of print is north boundary wall of churchyard.
Bibliography: 'Scotsman' (Oct 15 1877).
Recorder: John Steele 1988
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St Nicholas Church, New Romney, Kent, England

Memorial at St Nicholas Church, New Romney, Kent commemorating lifeboatmen William Ryan and Samuel Hart d. 1891

Location

St Nicholas Church, New Romney, Kent, England

Transcript

'IN SACRED MEMORY OF WILLIAM RYAN Boatman, SAMUEL HART Boatman of St Mary's Coastguard Station who perished through capsizing of the lifeboat on the night of the 9th March 1891 in a gallant attempt to save life'

Details

Type: Plaque

People

Hart, Samuel
Age:
Date of Death: 9/3/1891
Cause of Death: Maritime accident
Rank / Occupation:
Organisation:
Ryan, William
Age:
Date of Death: 9/3/1891
Cause of Death: Maritime accident
Rank / Occupation:
Organisation:

Extra

Notes: Found in a New Romney Dyke, this plaque was later replaced on the graves of the men, buried in New Romney churchyard.
Bibliography: William Webb 'Coastguard: an official history of HM Coastguard' (London, 1976) p. 70.
Recorder: E. R. Stage
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St Asaph's Cathedral, Flint, Flintshire, Wales

Memorial at St Asaph’s Cathedral commemorating Herbert Jones d. 1881,  lifeboatman

Location

St Asaph's Cathedral, Flint, Flintshire, Wales

Transcript

'In memory of Herbert eldest son of Mr R P Jones of Craig-yr-ago. Llandulas a chorister in this Cathedral for nearly 3 years who was lost in the upsetting of a lifeboat off Douglas Head, Isle of Man 20 October 1881'

Details

People

Jones, Herbert
Age:
Date of Death: 20/10/1881
Cause of Death: Maritime accident
Rank / Occupation:
Organisation: RNLI

Extra

Recorder: David Saunders 1993
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St Lawrence's Church, Morden, London, England

Gravestone at St Lawrence’s Church, Morden, London commemorating Augustus William Louis Schermuly d. 1929

Location

St Lawrence's Church, Morden, London, England

Transcript

'HOMEWARD BOUND / IN LOVING MEMORY OF / AUGUSTUS WILLIAM LOUIS / SCHERMULY / INVENTOR OF THE PISTOL ROCKET LIFESAVING APPARATUS / WHO ENTERED INTO REST JANUARY 20TH 1929 / AGED 71 YEARS / AND HIS SON WILLIAM LOUIS / WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT SALONIKA / APRIL 8TH 1917 / AGED 32 YEARS / AND SUSAN WIFE OF / AUGUSTUS WILLIAM / SCHERMULY / WHO ENTERED INTO REST 30 MAY 1949 / AGED 86 YEARS / ALSO THEIR DAUGHTER ROSE SPARKES / WHO DIED 6TH MAY 1966 / AGED 80 YEARS / AGED 80 YEARS / ALSO THEIR GRAND-DAUGHTER ROSE MAY BANKS / WHO DIED 26TH MAY 1972'

Details

Description: Carved in relief above the inscription with a ship in full sail within a rope twist border. Lead letters.
Type: Gravestone
Position: Churchyard
Materials: Limestone

People

Schermuly, Augustus William
Age: 71
Date of Death: 20/1/1929
Cause of Death: Unknown/None
Rank / Occupation: Inventor
Organisation:

Extra

Recorder: B. Tomlinson
Photographer: B. Tomlinson
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St Mary's Church, Whitby, North Yorkshire, England

Headstone at St Mary’s Church, Whitby commemorating lifeboatman William Storr d. 1861

Location

St Mary's Church, Whitby, North Yorkshire, England

Transcript

'ERECTED / IN REMEMBRANCE OF / WILLIAM STORR / WHO WAS DROWNED / WITH ELEVEN OTHERS / BY THE UPSETTING OF THE / LIFE BOAT AT WHITBY / FEBRUARY 9TH 1861 / AND INTERRED HERE / THE 12TH... / AGED 45 YEARS / ALSO JANE HIS WIFE / WHO DIED SEPT...1856 [?]/AGED 28 [?] YEARS'

Details

Description: Headstone with a draped urn above the inscription. Worn down the right hand side. Now propped against the side of the church, its original site possibly lost due to cliff erosion.
Type: Gravestone
Position: Churchyard
Materials: Sandstone

People

Storr, William
Age: 45
Date of Death: 9/2/1861
Cause of Death: Maritime accident
Rank / Occupation: Life boat crew
Organisation:

Extra

Recorder: B. Tomlinson
Photographer: B. Tomlinson
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