The famous shipwreck in Northumberland, and how Grace came to the rescue!

On the 7th September 1838, the paddle steamer SS Forfarshire was travelling from Hull to Dundee on a stormy night.

The Forfarshire was having difficulties with its engine boilers when disaster struck off the coast of the Farne Islands, Northumberland.

The ship hit the rocks! Nearly all 60 passengers died, except 4 passengers and 5 crew members who clung to nearby rocks. 9 crew members and one passenger escaped in the lifeboat.

As morning dawned, the survivors were still clinging to the rocks. A lighthouse keeper, William Darling, and his daughter, Grace, decided to row out to the survivors to rescue them.

William climbed onto the rocks to examine the injuries of the survivors, and tend to their needs, while Grace stayed in control of the boat.

In the terrible weather, Grace fought hard to stop the boat from getting too close to the rocks while her father helped the survivors.
One by one, the survivors were helped onto the boat, until all of them were safely on board.

Grace and her father took the survivors back to the Longstone lighthouse on Brownsman Island, where they tended to their wounds and cared for them for 3 days, until the storm finally passed.

Grace became a heroine, with tales of her bravery even reaching Queen Victoria. Sadly Grace died three years later aged 26 but is still remembered today.