# "The journal of William Darling" published 1886



## grahamtowa

Does anybody have a copy of the above, written by the father of Grace Darling, and would be willing to look something up in it for me? Thanks.


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## Greenlantern

There's a copy in the special collections section at Newcastle University. What do you want me to look up?


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## grahamtowa

Thank you, Green Lantern. I am trying to verify the builder of the coble used in the rescue of the Forfarshire in 1938. I beleive the coble was built in around 1928ish at either Tweedmouth or Spittal (Berwick on Tweed area). Is it possible that you could look and quote me what is recorded in the Journal on this? Thank you for your help on this, it is really appreciated.


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## Greenlantern

You're most welcome. If the information isn't in there I've got quite a few books of my own about Grace's life. Can't remember reading about who built the coble but google says it was built in the 1830s.

Google also says there was a squash court on Titanic!


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## grahamtowa

Thanx for your help. The 1828 date was given by the RNLI museum at Bamburgh. I also viewed a letter there dated 1827, saying that their previous coble was in bad repair and that somebody was visiting soon to see if it was repairable......... presumably it wasn't!


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## Greenlantern

From 'Grace Darling: Victorian Heroine' - Hugh Cunningham 2007
: "The coble was the crucial element in the campaign for a museum memorial to Grace Darling: no coble, no museum. The boat in which Grace and her father rowed out to the rescue had been made in Berwick in about 1828 and was named 'The Darlings'."

So whoever built it knew who they were building it for. I'll make an appointment to view The Journal soon. I'll also prepare for the bike ride from Gateshead to Bamburgh to continue this fascinating research. There was more than one!


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## grahamtowa

Thanx. When ya gonna be at Bamburgh?


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## Erimus

My Mother..Kathleen Horsley is a distant relative of Grace Horsley Darling.....the Horsleys were further down the coast in the Hartlepool area......

just thought I'd mention it!

geoff


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## Greenlantern

Hopefully September 7 2013 for the 175th anniversary of the deed then November 24th 2015 for the bi-centenary of her birth. Then again I'm a bit anxious about unwanted publicity!


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## grahamtowa

Have you had a chance to view the Journal yet, Greenlantern?


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## Greenlantern

I've just found it here in the local history section of Newcastle City Library. He only seems to refer to the coble as 'our boat'. Will view again tomorrow. They appear to have every book ever written about her. I appear to have struck gold!


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## grahamtowa

sounds interesting!


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## Greenlantern

The only entry for 1827 is:

Apl. 18. -- Received improved copies for the monthly accounts.

1828.

May 31. -- The pole for marking the rise and fall of the tides for Captain Edward Johnstone was put down west side of the tower, which we gave account of every hour of daylight. I likewise marked the time the different sunk rocks were covered, with rate at which the tides ran through the different guts.

This Winter got 75 M., 18 B., 14 T. -- Total 107.

The letter from the Duchess of Northumberland written on October 22 1842 to Grace's Mother reduced me to tears last night.


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## grahamtowa

Ok, Thanks, is there nothing later in 1828 about their new coble?


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## Sister Eleff

Was the letter from the Duchess of Northumberland there?


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## Greenlantern

That's the only entry for 1828. Yes, the letter is in there.


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## grahamtowa

Hmmm......... looks like it wasn't recorded bout t new coble. Shame. But thanx for looking, appreciated!


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## Sister Eleff

Thank you Greenlantern, I don't know why, but I would love to hear what the content of the letter was. Please don't go back especially for that but if you were going for another reason ... !


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## Greenlantern

I think the letter is too personal to post on a public forum. October 20 2012 is the 170th anniversary of her passing. She was only 26. It really is one of the saddest things I've ever read.


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## Sister Eleff

Fair enough Greenlantern. I hadn't realised that she had died so young and of the awful TB.


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## Greenlantern

Found some more information about the coble. Henry Hewitson, the uncle of the Curator of Entomology at Newcastle Museum had known the Darlings since the 1820s. He helped to get a new boat for the lighthouse. Spotted in 'Grace Darling, Victorian Heroine' - Hugh Cunningham 2007. I wonder if there are any plans to mark the 175th anniversary of the rescue as part of the Festival of the North East 2013?


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## grahamtowa

Am giving this another try, as am still trying to find out the builder of the coble used in the famous rescue. Anybody help? Thanks.


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## amble

berwick


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## Gareth Jones

I have an old stereoscopic photograph of William Darling - perhaps I should send it to the Grace Darling museum.


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## Sister Eleff

That would be a lovely thing to do Gareth. Can you take a picture of it and post it on SN?


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## Gareth Jones

Sister Eleff said:


> That would be a lovely thing to do Gareth. Can you take a picture of it and post it on SN?


certainly - I'll scan it later and post it.


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## Gareth Jones

Ooops - just checked and my photo is of Robert Darling and I've posted it in the gallery as "robert darling". Since Grace's father was william my photo aint her dad.
When i looked it all up it became obvious that william and grace lived before photography. But I was puzzled - who was my robert darling ? his atire and depiction in the photo obviously gave him a nautical background. on the internet I found an excellent family tree for the Darlings a distinguished line of lighthouse keepers.


http://freespace.virgin.net/john.elkin/darling001.htm


and I draw the conclusion that my Robert Darling was the nephew of Grace Darling and indeed a lighthouse keeper himself.

Sorry to have misled everyone.


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## Sister Eleff

Thanks for posting the picture. You could always ask the museum if they would be interested in it.


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