The joint meeting with our Friends from Burlington Probus was a well-attended lunch.
Chairman Len welcomed all and after the meal introduced the Speaker, Mike Wilson the local author.
Mike was talking about 'The Great Gale of 1871' or, as he put it, it should have been the ‘Great Storm’.
The story for Mike and his wife started in 1995 when he had the opportunity to play Kit Brown in a play at Leisure World called 'Come Hell or High Water', and they both found they started living the parts and the story came to life.
Mike told us that a mild and sunny day in 1871 turned overnight into a nightmare for 400 vessels heading from the North East to Southern Britain with a destination of Paris laden with coal. As the wind strengthened, the boats sheltered off Bridlington Bay. The situation worsened as the wind turned South Easterly, and several vessels got into difficulty and some headed for the Harbour. The first one hit the sea wall in front of the Esplanade and the crew took to the rigging. The Robert Whitworth Lifeboat was launched and the crew taken to safety.
Ship after ship headed for the shore in the hope of some escape from those terrible conditions and the Lifeboat was launched again and again. The Harbinger, a privately funded lifeboat, could not be launched, and was manhandled by fishermen and onlookers to the landing strip on the south bay. Both lifeboat crews were becoming exhausted as the drama unfolded, and replacements were hard to find. Eventually the Robert Whitworth was forced to concede to the Storm, and the Harbinger, which had a flat bottom, and more ability to ride the waves, was left to face the challenge alone. By the evening the remaining ships were beyond help and many lives lost.
The morning broke, and the beach was littered with wood, coal, personal belongings, and a terrible reminder of what had occurred the day before.
So far as records show, during this fearful storm 30 ships were wrecked and upwards of 70 sailors lost their lives. In the Priory Churchyard a monument was erected by public subscription, and placed near to where forty-three of the bodies were interred, so as to perpetuate to future generations this melancholy event. The monument bears the following inscription, with the names of the vessels lost:-
"In lasting memory of a great company of seamen who perished in the fearful gale which swept over Bridlington Bay, on February 10th, 1871 The waves of the sea are mighty and rage horribly, but the Lord who dwelleth on high is mightier."
Mike spoke throughout his talk with a passion, and some emotion, and Bruce Allison expressed the appreciation of both Clubs.
Chairman Len welcomed all and after the meal introduced the Speaker, Mike Wilson the local author.
Mike was talking about 'The Great Gale of 1871' or, as he put it, it should have been the ‘Great Storm’.
The story for Mike and his wife started in 1995 when he had the opportunity to play Kit Brown in a play at Leisure World called 'Come Hell or High Water', and they both found they started living the parts and the story came to life.
Mike told us that a mild and sunny day in 1871 turned overnight into a nightmare for 400 vessels heading from the North East to Southern Britain with a destination of Paris laden with coal. As the wind strengthened, the boats sheltered off Bridlington Bay. The situation worsened as the wind turned South Easterly, and several vessels got into difficulty and some headed for the Harbour. The first one hit the sea wall in front of the Esplanade and the crew took to the rigging. The Robert Whitworth Lifeboat was launched and the crew taken to safety.
Ship after ship headed for the shore in the hope of some escape from those terrible conditions and the Lifeboat was launched again and again. The Harbinger, a privately funded lifeboat, could not be launched, and was manhandled by fishermen and onlookers to the landing strip on the south bay. Both lifeboat crews were becoming exhausted as the drama unfolded, and replacements were hard to find. Eventually the Robert Whitworth was forced to concede to the Storm, and the Harbinger, which had a flat bottom, and more ability to ride the waves, was left to face the challenge alone. By the evening the remaining ships were beyond help and many lives lost.
The morning broke, and the beach was littered with wood, coal, personal belongings, and a terrible reminder of what had occurred the day before.
So far as records show, during this fearful storm 30 ships were wrecked and upwards of 70 sailors lost their lives. In the Priory Churchyard a monument was erected by public subscription, and placed near to where forty-three of the bodies were interred, so as to perpetuate to future generations this melancholy event. The monument bears the following inscription, with the names of the vessels lost:-
"In lasting memory of a great company of seamen who perished in the fearful gale which swept over Bridlington Bay, on February 10th, 1871 The waves of the sea are mighty and rage horribly, but the Lord who dwelleth on high is mightier."
Mike spoke throughout his talk with a passion, and some emotion, and Bruce Allison expressed the appreciation of both Clubs.