THE St IVES LIFEBOAT DISASTER - 23 JANUARY 1939 скачать в хорошем качестве

THE St IVES LIFEBOAT DISASTER - 23 JANUARY 1939

The outbreak of war 7 months later saw this become a largely forgotten lifeboat disaster. Not here, not ever. Coxswain THOMAS COCKING (64), JOHN (a.k.a. JACK) COCKING (38), EDGAR BASSETT (30), JOHN THOMAS (42), RICHARD STEVENS (36), MATTHEW BARBER (30) and WILLIAM BARBER (37) were laid to rest in Barnoon Cemetery. Sole survivor WILLIAM FREEMAN (36 at the time) never went to sea again, passing away on the 39th anniversary of the tragedy in 1978 aged 75. He was buried in Longstone Cemetery, Carbis Bay. All were awarded Bronze Medals for Gallantry by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Pat Hodge's award-winning poem 'The Ballad of the St Ives Lifeboat John and Sarah Eliza Stych' and Katrina Geraghty's vocal and musical arrangement, recorded at the Cube Recording Studio in May 2024 accompany press cuttings and images from the St Ives Archive and artist Paul Geraghty of that terrible night, the immediate aftermath and the doomed boat's successors. Wreckage of SS Wilton, in distress off Cape Cornwall in a Force 10 gale and believed to be the subject of the rescue attempt, was found ashore at Wicca Pool near Zennor. There were no survivors from its crew of 30. The catastrophe occurred 357 days after Caroline Parsons was wrecked at Porthmeor beach in the rescue of the Alba, making St Ives the only RNLI station to lose 2 boats in service. Full story here    • THE ALBA @ 80   Thomas and John Cocking, Matthew and William Barber and John Thomas were among the crew that night, only to lose their lives within a year aboard the replacement lifeboat on loan from Padstow. Published at 3.00 a.m. on 23 January 2026, the 87th anniversary of the disaster. THE BALLAD OF THE St IVES LIFEBOAT JOHN AND SARAH ELIZA STYCH ‘Twas 1939 on a wild winter’s night when the maroons went off and began the fight. Wild the weather and brave the crew Launchers, women and children too. "Tis wicked weather Cap'n, don't 'ee go" But the call had come and go they'd go. The sea it raged and the wind it roared And those at home prayed to the Lord. Morning broke on a restless town. Word went out the boat had gone down Then came the news, one man found Please God that all were safe and sound But not to be, the rest had drowned ! Families wept, wives were numbed Fathers, brothers, friends and sons Gone, gone. All were lost on that terrible night Hard they'd fought and lost the fight. The wreck washed up on the eastern shore Here's one lifeboat would sail no more. Tradition ruled such boats must burn No eye was dry as she took her turn. And as long as there are lives to save and souls to snatch from a watery grave Then there'll be men who'll put to sea Whatever the outcome is destined to be. And years roll by, boys are men New crews fill new boats again. And ever will we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea. Written by PAT HODGE (1936 - 2017)