Who was Grace Darling?

This is Grace Darling.

• She lived on the Farne Islands, off the Northumberland coast.

• Grace and her father rowed across stormy seas to rescue sailors from a shipwreck on 7th September 1838.

• The ship, a paddle steamer called SS Forfarshire, had broken on Big Harcar Rock.

• In the early 19th century most ships were powered by sail. They were harder to control in storms and high winds. Many were shipwrecked off the British coastline.

Watch: Grace Darling

What did Grace Darling do?

• Grace and her family lived in Longstone Lighthouse from 1826.
• Her father was a lighthouse keeper. He was in charge of the beacon light which shone to warn ships of rocks nearby.
• One day Grace spotted a ship near the lighthouse. It was wrecked on Big Harcar Rock.
• She and her father rowed a boat on the stormy sea to rescue the survivors.
• They rowed back to Longstone Lighthouse where Grace and her mother looked after the survivors.
• Her father returned to the shipwreck to collect the last of the nine survivors.
• Grace and her father were awarded a gold medal for bravery.
• Many people sent them letters and gifts for their heroic actions.
• Queen Victoria sent them a thank you letter and £50. That was a lot of money back then!

Did you know?

• In 1843, the poet William Wordsworth wrote a poem called ‘Grace Darling’ about her rescue.
• Grace Darling died 4 years later, aged only 27, of tuberculosis.
• Today there is a museum about Grace Darling in Bamburgh. There is also a memorial to Grace in the town’s churchyard.

Activity: Grace Darling quiz