The Incredible Story Of Grace Darling, The Heroic Lighthouse Keeper

The Vital Actions Of One

Some are enshrined in history through many, many acts of bravery. But some earn their place after only one. Grace Darling’s life wasn’t long enough for her to perform several different deeds, but she still left a mark on the world through one important choice.

An Unsuspecting Beginning

Grace Darling was born on November 24, 1815, to an English lighthouse keeper, William Darling. Amazingly, she was one of the youngest of nine children. The family lived on Brownsman Island in the Farne Islands, in a small house attached to a lighthouse. For running the lighthouse, Grace’s father earned a modest salary of £70 a year—enough for a garden and a few animals. But they didn’t live in luxury.

 Thomas Musgrave Joy, Wikimedia Commons

New Horizons And New Arrangements 

The lighthouse wasn’t well-located, and it was hard to get to. Not only that, but the lighthouse wasn’t very helpful in guiding ships. In 1826, Grace’s life changed. The family moved to a new lighthouse, newly constructed on Longstone Island. This lighthouse had far nicer living conditions, but even so, they faced hardship.

 GermanOle, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Making Things Work

Longstone Island was less hospitable, and they weren’t able to sustain themselves with its soil. Grace’s father often had to take their rowboat back to Brownsman Island to farm in their former garden and take care of their animals.

 Pontificalibus, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

A Helping Hand

Grace contributed to most things that happened around the island. She aided her mother in housework and also helped her father with his lighthouse duties—but that didn’t mean she didn’t get into shenanigans with her siblings.

 BBC, Horrible Histories (2009-2014)

An Atypical Childhood Environment

Being raised primarily in the outdoors among rowboats and islands, Grace and her siblings often found entertainment on the sea. By her twenties, Grace knew how to maneuver a rowboat with ease. This knowledge would come in handy in a surprising way.

 Farne Islands : Clove Car by Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Lightning Struck

In 1838, the unexpected happened. A storm consumed the Farne Islands. Driving rain and huge waves raged against the islands and the lighthouse, and that wasn’t all the storm brought.

 Carmichael, John Wilson, Wikimedia Commons

A Boneyard Of Ships

The Farne Islands consist of about 20 islands, some of which are completely covered at high tide. This spelled disaster for 42 ships that were recorded to have run aground in these treacherous waters. Unfortunately, that’s also what happened to the Forfarshire.

 Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

A World-Shaking Accident

The storm dragged tragedy in its wake. After enduring the horrible weather for as long as it could, a ship named Forfarshire had struck a rocky outcropping—known as Big Harcar—on a nearby island.

 Barbara Carr, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Pre-Existing Conditions

The Forfarshire was already facing difficulties prior to striking the rocks. Its engine had given out, and the ship was relying solely on auxiliary sails only meant for use during emergencies. And this was one such emergency.

 Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Stranded In The Farne Islands

The ship split in half on impact. Of the 62 people aboard the ship, only 11 clung to the wreck as waves beat against the hull. Eventually, the tide receded enough for them to climb down onto the island.

 William Bell Scott, Wikimedia Commons

Horrible Conditions, Worse Weather

From there, the surviving passengers fought against the cold and the rain. They called for help from the rocky island, the chance of rescue feeling further and further away by the moment. Fortunately, someone saw them.

 Malcolm Neal, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keen Sighted

Grace was watching the storm from a window in her home. With this vantage point, she was able to spot the stranded passengers in the early morning light and take action. At the age of 22, she would make a decision that would change her life.

 Ivan Aivazovsky, Wikimedia Commons

The Call To Action

She notified her family, particularly her father, of her discovery. The survivors of the ship needed saving, and she couldn’t stand idly by. But danger made her consider her next steps.

 A24, The Lighthouse (2019)

She Wasn’t Struck Down By Nerves

Grace later wrote, “I was very anxious and did render every assistance that lay in my power, but my father was equally so and needed not to be urged by me…” Thankfully, Grace and her father were on the same page about the urgent need for rescue.

 British Museum, Wikimedia Commons

No Other Hope

Of the incident, Grace’s father said they had “no idea of a possibility of a boat coming from North Sunderland”. With the possibility that no one else would come to the Forfarshire’s aid, Grace and her father were the survivors’ only hope.

 Phil Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Accepting The Call

The conditions outside were horrendous. They’d have to be for a ship to crash ashore so intensely. This meant that Grace needed to decide whether she’d put her own life at risk to save others.

 Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons

A Team Of Two Take To The Seas

She and her father decided they would face peril together; they wouldn’t be able to do it alone. 

The weather threatened to thwart Grace’s efforts, but she and her father made a tactical choice. Rather than take a lifeboat, they boarded the much more stable rowboat. Next, they had to get to the island.

 Wellcome Images, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Strategizing Their Approach

They knew the lee side of the island—the side most protected from the storm—would be the easiest to get to. They set their oars in motion and paddled through the rough seas.

 Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Ensuring Safety Where Possible

The route was less direct, but they were able to row nearly a mile-long distance to the island. They fended off waves that threatened to topple them and endured the harsh rain. Once they got there, Grace and her father faced another dilemma.

 Frederick Whymper, Wikimedia Commons

Saving The Marooned Passengers

There were more survivors than there was space in the boat. They would have to make two trips to rescue everyone. Not only that, but the seas were too rough to leave the rowboat unattended on the rocky shoreline.

 Charles Achille d'Hardiviller, Wikimedia Commons

Grace Displayed Confidence In Her Abilities 

Grace wasn’t intimidated by the issue. While her father set off to gather the first half of the stranded passengers, Grace held the boat steady while everyone boarded. That left only one more task to complete.

 Thomas Musgrave Joy, Wikimedia Commons

A Long Way Home

Grace and her father rowed the survivors back to Longstone Lighthouse. The second crossing was just as long and arduous as the first, but this time, it was more than Grace’s and her father’s lives hanging in the balance. They risked losing everything at this momentous juncture.

 Mark McNestry, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

An Outstretched Hand Of Support

They made it. While her father and three of Forfarshire’s rescued crew went back for the remaining passengers, Grace comforted the only woman to survive the accident: Sarah Dawson.

 Touchstone, The Light Between Oceans (2016)

Those Grace Couldn’t Save

Grace and her father had found Sarah clinging to her two children on the island, though both had already passed from exposure. This tragedy served to emphasize the insistent need for rescue, and the fraught journey Grace and her father took to save the wreck survivors.

 Touchstone, The Light Between Oceans (2016)

Staying Put To Endure The Worst

Once the rescue was complete, they all hunkered down in the lighthouse to wait out the storm. Even though resources were limited, the weather was too perilous to risk getting more. All they could do was hope the storm would calm.

 A24, The Lighthouse (2019)

Recognition For Her Efforts

After the weather cleared up and the survivors were returned to the mainland, news of Grace’s endeavors quickly spread. Being a young woman, such an act of bravery was unexpected, and she received many rewards for her actions—including one from a very important person.

 Benjobanjo23, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

A Worthy Prize

Word had found its way to Buckingham Palace and wowed its inhabitants. Queen Victoria donated £50 to Grace for her deeds. This came in addition to another award.

 Heinrich von Angeli, Wikimedia Commons

Rewards Abound

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution awarded her the Silver Medal for Gallantry and Grace received a gold medal from the Royal Humane Society. Her accolades racked up more than awards, too.

 Geof Sheppard, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

A Religious-Like Following

Grace gained a bit of a following from admirers. These fans took it a bit far, though, and often worshipped objects associated with Grace, so much so that they became relics.

 Stephencdickson, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Commemorated In Song

Fantasy films always talk about heroic acts becoming the songs of bards, but that really happened to Grace. Ballads were written about her, and she was even incorporated into local folk tradition. That wasn’t all.

 Peter Church, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Immortalized In Art

Over 12 painters made the journey to Longstone Island to document her likeness, and many marriage proposals were given to her. One dangerous deed garnered Grace fame and fortune that she hadn’t expected.

 Lithographic Power Press Co., Wikimedia Commons

Tragedy Struck Again—Even Closer To Home

Unfortunately, four years later, while she was visiting the mainland, Grace became ill with tuberculosis. Despite trying many things to cure her ailment, her condition didn’t improve. The Duchess of Northumberland came to her aid with the ducal family physician. But even such a well-financed doctor wasn’t able to save her.

 Restoredprints, Wikimedia Commons

Returning To Her Origins

Grace traveled back to her birthplace in Bamburgh and passed in October 1842 of consumption. She was only 26 and was buried in the St Aidan’s Church churchyard, where a monument to her still stands to this day.

 Andrew Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Commemorated And Preserved In The Minds Of Many

Her bravery during the storm in 1838 had cemented her into legend, not only for those she saved but for everyone at the time. She became a symbol of peace and prosperity in Britain, and her legacy is upheld by those who hold her story close to their hearts. 

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 Bill Harrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sources: 1, 2, 3