General Chat

How tragic father and two sons and a cousin too by looks of it.

Dear Mark

Hello

Hope you are okay.

It is about time the bravery of the lifeboat men from this area was recognised.

Commerations of acts of bravery sometimes take years to be noted and remembered.

I am so pleased this brave men are finally going to get the recognition they deserve.

Take gentle care
Very best wishes

nudge

September 1803 proved to be a significent time for the lifeboat service in Liverpool Bay. Mr. Jonathan Scott, Collector of Excise at Liverpool had a lifeboat built by Richard Bushell at his yard on the New Quay.

Mr. Scott wanted his lifeboat to be placed on the East bank of the River Mersey. The Dock Committee agreed to accept the offer of this lifeboat and ordered that the Bushell lifeboat be placed in the Liverpool Lifeboat Station and that the Henry Greathead Lifeboat be taken from Liverpool to Hoylake and a Lifeboat Station be established there. Thus the first Liverpool Lifeboat became the first Hoylake Lifeboat, where she served until about 1825, when the Liverpool Docks Committee replaced all their lifeboats.

It was this lifeboat that on 22nd December 1810, under the command of Captain Bennett, launched in a westerly storm to go to the aid of the vessel 'Traveller'. On route the lifeboat was capsized by huge seas with the loss of all eight lifeboatmen. The lifeboat was later washed up on the beach. It was reported that she was righted and placed back in her boathouse and within a few days a new crew were formed.

On the 25th and 26th December 1810, seven Hoylake fishermen were buried in St. Bridget's Churchyard, West Kirby. They were;

John Bird Senior

John Bird Junior (son of John Bird Snr)

Henry Bird (son of John Bird Snr)

Henry Bird (son of William Bird)

Richard Hughes

Thomas Hughes (son of Richard Hughes)

Joseph Hughes (brother of Richard Hughes) My 5x Great Grandfather

A memorial plaque is being put in place in December 22nd