The Hero of the Humber

ELLERTHORP

ottom, a depth of sixteen feet, for when he came up he was covered with mud. We came up close to the boat's side, and, making a tremendous spring, I got hold of the boat's gunnel, and after a few moments my father also got hold of it with both his hands. He was a heavy man, weighing about fifteen stones, and could not swim. I said to him, 'Now, father, can you keep hold while I fetch the Hull horse-boatmen?' whom we had left at the water-side house, when he replied, 'Yes, but be very sharp, my lad.' I then swam to the house, and called out, 'My father is overboard;' and when I returned with the men, I was glad to hear him shout, 'I'm here.' John Thrush, captain of the horse-boat, and Luke Dixon, soon got him into the boat, while Mr. Wood, the landlord, brought him a glass of brandy, which he drank. We could not persuade him to leave the boat, so we again started for home, and as a brisk wind was blowing at the time, in about fifteen minutes, we were safe in Hessle harbour. My mother met us there, and I said, 'Mother, my father has been overboard, fetch somebody to help him out of the boat.' He was stiff and cold, but with the aid of Mr. Wright we got him

cases for which Mr. Ellerthorpe received th

day since my poor (but I trust now rich) mother was buried at Hessle. The Lord knows I was her darling son; but, alas! for many years I was no comfo

LIAM EARNSH

nged into the drain and swam to my young friend's rescue. His brother was weeping, and said, 'All is over with him,' and I thought so too. I could but just see the hair of his head, when I darted at him and gave him a great push, but he was too far gone to take hold of me, so I shoved him on and on, until his brother could reach him, when we put him on the bank and thought he was dead; but he soon began to breathe, and, after a while, came round. At that time I was in great disgrace with Mrs. Earnshaw, and afraid lest, if we told of William's narrow escape, she would never let us go together again, we vowed to keep the affair a profound secret. Soon after this the two brothers were taken ill, and poor Willia

RT PINCHBEC

d gone down thrice, and was quite exhausted when I got to him, and he was saved, as it were, by the skin of his teeth. I feared he might seize me, and, therefore, I did not take hold of him, but pushed him before until he reached the long grass on the harbour bank. He could not use his limbs, and I thought he was dead, but he soon revived a little. We took him to my father's house and sent for his mother and a do

NRY IBOTSO

n I rescued, says: 'You may have forgotten, but I well remember, that a few days previous to your saving my life, you saved the life of H. Ibotson. It had well-nigh cost you your life, as he closed in upon you, and took you to the bottom.' A few days after Henry came and thanked me most sincerely for what I had done, and wished me to teach him to swim. I began at once, and he soon got that he could swim across the drain; but it was a long time before he durst venture to swim across the harbour, in which he had so nearl

ORGE BOOT

for many years, and had forgotten the circumstance altogether, until I met him at the funeral of R. Pease, Esq., when he said, 'I'm glad to see you once more, Mr. Ellerthorpe. Don't you remember when you leaped into the drain forty years ago, and saved my life?' And in a note I got from him, dated July 31st, 1867, he says

BERT CLEG

od, and was then rapidly rising, and had it risen a foot and a half higher, he must have been drowned, as nothing could have saved him. I struggled with him for three quarters of an hour, and after great exertions, I got him fairly on the bank. We were then a mile and a half from our vessel, and did not get on board until three o'clock next morning. A doctor had to be got, and soon the captain began to recover. But the keel was delayed two days. He was afr

ME NOT KNOW

COAC

thes. After I had changed my clothes, and drank a glass of whisky, I returned to the vessel, and the ladies and gentlemen gave me a thousand thanks. The captain's name was Nisbet, and ever afterwards he would have given me almost anything; whenever I met him in London, he used to call the attention of his passengers to me, and tell them what I had done. Many a time has he sent for me on board his vessel, and given me as much drin

RLES HIMSWO

le a strong ebb tide was running. I jumped in after him, and we both went under a tier of vessels that were hung at the buoy, Battle Bridge, London. We came to the surface, but were soon carried under another tier of vessels, and had not the mate have come to our assistance we should have gone under a third tier, but he came at the last extremity and saved us. Charles belonged to a very respectable family living at Snaith, where I once called to see his mother, who was a widow. H

OHN KENT

moment I saw the man, and was surprised to find it was my friend, John Kent. I dived to a depth of twenty-five feet, and had him right above me; I soon had hold of him, and though I had to swim against the ebb tide, we were soon at the boat's side, when I said to the men, 'Never mind me, pull him into the boat,' but he had such fast hold of my arm that they had to pull us in together, and even then it was with great difficulty they broke his hold of me. He was so far gone that for a long time we did not know whether he was living or dead. At length he showed signs of life, but recovered slowly, and did not work for several days. After twenty-five years' separation, I met Kent in the streets of Hull, and he remembered, with every mark of gratitude, his wonderful deliverance. My arm was much bruised, and almost as black as a coal. I could not lift it as high as my head, and I said to the captain, 'I am af

RGE WILLIA

told Captain Knill of my refusal. So to please my captain, I went on board the 'Rankin,' when the captain shook hands with me, and said, 'Captain Knill tells me you won't take any money for saving one of my crew. I think you ought. Had you saved my life I would have given you twenty pounds, and I think you ought to take a sovereign for what you have done. Now take it, and I will make him pay me back.' He then sent for the man, who looked wretched and seemed to think I had gone for money; and when his captain said, 'Now, what are you going to give this man for saving your life,' he replied, 'I have nothing to give him.' I didn't want the poor man's money, nor would I have taken any if he had had hi

MARY ANN D

nd O, what a kiss it was. I felt myself well paid for my trouble; indeed, I made the remark at the time, that I was never better satisfied than when that child kissed me. 'It is said that Cicero had two courtiers on whom he wished to bestow favours. To one he gave a golden cup, and to the other a kiss. But the one that got the cup was very dissatisfied. He said, 'In the kiss I see something more than the cup, though that is valuable, but in the kiss there is affection, and it betokens better things.' And I am sure I felt a greater sense of delight, and higher satisfaction at the moment when that grateful child kissed me, than I did when my fellow townsmen, with their wonted generosity, presented m

NRICH JENSO

to Hull again, you may rest assured he will call and see you, and give you personal thanks.' I said I should be glad to see him, but that I should not take anything from him for the little service I had done him. This case was fully reported in the local papers at the time, and gave rise to a great deal of talk in the town of Hull, and its vicinity, as many well remember. John Barkworth, Esq., timber merchant, of Hull (who had known me from a boy), in company with some other gentlemen, met me one day, and said, 'Well John, you have saved another man,' and turning to those with him, he said, 'He

-ASHLEY TAY

oard.' I then looked more closely, and sure enough it was a man. He had on one of those old fashioned great coats, with three or four capes, and which were worn by gentlemen's coachmen and boots, forty years ago; and as the capes were blowing about in all directions, it was with great difficulty I found his head. I had to turn him up and down, to the right and left, topsy-turvey, before I could get his head clear. I took him to the 'Piles,' and held him there, until a young man, who now drives a cab in Hull, came to our assistance with a boat. We took the old man to the Humber dock watch-house, an

RICHARD CHAP

lcome to what I have done,' was my reply. He then said, 'Come in here and have something to drink,' when we went to the Minerva Hotel. Mr. Chapman pulled a handful of sovereigns from his purse and said, 'Now do take something for saving my boy,' but I again refused, though I believe to this day he would gladly have given me ￡10 if I would have taken that sum; but I never did take anything from anyone whom I have rescued, though often urged to do so. I think it was on this occasion that I received ￡1 from the Hull Royal Humane Society. Mr. Collinson, a gentleman, was on the pier when I saved Master Chapman, and he came and asked me what was my name, to what ship I belonged, where I lived, &c. Soon after, I was called by some gentlemen into the Minerva Hotel, where Dr. Wallis shook me by the hand and said, 'I have often heard of you, and it gives me great pleasure t

ROBERT LEES

left me sixpence with which to get a glass of rum, which I hastily swallowed. My captain was provoked by (what he thought) this man's niggardly gift, and said, 'John, why did you drink it? I would have given you a glass of rum without your being indebted to him.' I am told that this gentleman is often in Hu

JOSEPH CRAB

ail,' and as this plank had fallen down, I thought it was its fall I had heard and nothing else. I got a boat hook and pulled the plank on board our vessel. But after a few moments I thought I heard something stir, and on taking a light I saw Crabtree, who was engineer of the 'Ann Scarborough,' stuck in the mud, for the vessels were dry. I put down a ladder and went to help him, but he was so fast in the mud that I could do nothing with him. So I

th.-WILSO

ho crowded the deck, rushed to see us, and gave the packet such a 'lurch over' that we were again dipped overhead in the water. I was never nearer being drowned than at this moment; but 'mercy to my rescue flew,' for the captain, who had been asleep in the cabin, rushed on deck, and seeing our peril, called out, 'You are drowning them,' and got them to stand on the other side of the vessel, which lifted us right out of the water. A man then came into the paddle-wheel and took us both out. I was then completely exhausted and quite insensible. When I came to myself I was in the watch-house of the Humber Dock Company, and a doctor was watching over me and administering suitable medical treatmen

-SARAH HARL

ast me, for I ran as fast as I could, and yet when I got there he was overboard.' I seized this woman with a firm grip, and bore her to the pier, amid the applause of crowds of people who witnessed the whole occurrence. Some of them said I swam as fast with this big woman in my arms as I did when I went towards her; this I think was impossible, seeing I was but a little man, and that she was such a big heavy woman. Isaac

-ROBERT BRO

emed as if he didn't care about me; I was quite exhausted, and had to hold by the railings for several minutes before I could recover my breath. I then sat down on one of the steps and felt very ill, and I thought I should have died on the spot. I remember seeing the lights, and hearing the music from the shore, but there was no one near to render me any help. Bye-and-bye I recovered a little and crept to the top of the steps, where I found poor Brown, crying most piteously. Two men, Joseph Crabtree and John Young, came from Lawson's tap-room, and I asked them to get some drink for the youth, who was in a distressing state, and I would pay for it. They then took him to Mr. Lawson's, while I tried to make my way home; but scarcely had I started, when a great trouble stared me in the face, it was this: Around the circus were thousands of people, and I thought,-what shall I do? I cannot get through that crowd, and if I once fall, I shall never get up again, and I felt that I had not strength to walk round the other way, and I didn't know what to do. However, I had not gone far when, who should I meet, but Joseph Spyby, our engineer. I said, 'O Joe,

ROBERT TETH

rd on the Humber bank. By some means or other a check rope belonging to the vessel broke, and dragged me into the water. There was no means of my being saved but by the noble "Hero," who immediately jumped into the water, with all his clothes on, and brought me to the shore, which was done a

-second.-GEORGE EMERSON

s as great as ever, and I thought,-surely there is some one else overboard! The fact was, the people could not see the woman holding by the iron, and in my efforts to save the man, they thought I had forgotten her; hence their wild shouts. The engineer came to the vessel's side and shouted, 'There is the woman yet,' when I replied, 'She's all right, come down to the paddle and take hold of her.' He came and took her out, when she had a basket on her arm and a pair of pattens in her hand, just as when she dropped into the water. She suddenly disappeared from the crowd, and I heard no more of her for seven years. Mr. G. Lee, editor of the 'Rockingham, advertised the case in his paper for several weeks, asking the woman, from sheer gratitude, to let him know her name; but there was no response. When I was master of the 'Ann Scarborough,' sailing between Barton and Hessle, I had to fetch (one Sunday afternoon) a gentleman's carriage from Barton to Hessle. We had scarcely started, when a

d.-JOHN BAI

ar the Minerva Hotel, and I at once ran to the scene of the disaster. He had been down twice, when I got there, but in a few moments I had hold of him, and brought him ashore, amid the cheers and sho

were near him at the moment when he fell in, might have rendered him some assistance? Indeed some present said, 'We could have swam to him if we had tried.' Then I would ask, 'Why didn't they make a venture?' The conduct of these spectators I regard as being monstrous and unmanly. Englishmen are generally thought to have a

h.-RICHARD L

there, and at length I found him. A cry of joy was raised by the spectators when they saw me fetch him from a great depth, and then carry him towards the shore, on reaching which, some of them received him, and took him to his mother. I heard no more of him until he had grown to manhood; since then he has manifested the warmest gratitude, and treated me with the utmost kindness and respec

-GEORGE RICKE

, and some ladies and gentlemen, who had been watching me from the Minerva Hotel, threw out of the window, several shillings and half-crown pieces. If my memory serves me rightly, I got ￡1 10s. I thought myself handsomely rewarded; but what pleased me more was the gratitude of the boy's mother; for I have always considered gratitude the richest reward I could receive: more than grateful thanks for what I had done, this poor woman would have found it difficult to have given me, but most grateful she was, and I felt both satisfied and delighted. But let me explain: On going to see the boy, next morning, I found him very ill in bed, and his mother, thinking I had gone for som

th.-MISS H

sped her in my arm, and under the water we went. The people thought we should have been drowned, but we soon got clear of the jetty; some threw us one thing and some another; at length James Nicholson got into a boat, took us in, and landed us safe ashore. I went to a public house, where I got a glass of brandy, and borrowed the ostler's clothes, and I ailed nothing afterwards. The young woman remained at New Holland all night, and took her departure next morning, without leaving behind her even a single expression of verbal gratitude for what I had done for her. For som

h.-HANNAH WEB

he water?' 'Yes, Sir,' was my reply, when he made this strange and unaccountable remark-'If you had let her stop in I would have given you half-a-crown, but as it is, I shall not give you anything.' 'Thank you, Sir, but I'm glad she's out, notwithstanding; and I would rather save that woman than I would have all the half-crowns in Hull,' was my indignant reply. I never stood to ask whether a drowning person was rich or poor, friend or foe, drunk or sober. If a person wa

m life's

death'

to be

re, an

the w

iam Taylor, Ge

h.-MISS ELLG

, but at last I caught hold of her, and soon landed her on the wharf. A man was waiting to receive her, and they instantly walked off. A few days after, however, she called at Mr. Baker's, 'Black Swan' Inn and asked for me, and on going to the door she told me that I had saved her life, and that she was twenty-nine years of age. Now there had been some strange reports about her and the man who met her; indeed it was commonly believed, in Toronto, that

h.-JANE GOU

after her deliverance, married Mr. Shaw, a captain, and together they have brought up a family of children, in respectable circumstances. Mrs. Shaw knew me well, but I had not seen her for many years, when this strange event took place:-I was captain of the Dock Company's steamer, and on going one dark night into the Victoria Dock, I found a deep timber-laden vessel, with her

not succ

try a

vessel myself, and let go the anchor. Now, I did not know who the woman was until she offered me a sum of money, for what I had done. I told her I did not want aught, and that she was heartily welcome to the timely service I had rendered her. She then said-and I shall never forget

WILLIAM TUR

om Mr. Ellerthorpe has saved from a watery grave. In the year 1844, and during a voyage from Scarborough to Hull, in the yacht, "Gossamer," I fell overboard while crossing Burlington Bay. He sprang to my assistance and saved me, otherwise I should have been drowned. I remember also, when coming over the Humber Dock Bridge, one night, about nine o'clock, I saw an old lady fall from a height of about twenty feet, into the lock-

-JOHN ELLERTH

e got to the baths, I found the water was too warm to bathe in, so Mr. Lee and myself went into one of the adjoining rooms and had a long conversation about swimming, while the two boys were left behind. At length I went to test the temperature of the water, it was remarkably clear, and, to my horror, I saw my son prostrate at

.-THOMAS ROBI

ssel, and has been seen twice.' Instantly I dived to the bottom of the dock, but could not see him. I swam to and fro for some time, and at last saw him under the vessel; he seemed quite dead, but I seized him and brought him up. They were busy with the grappling irons, but as he was under the vessel, the probability is he would never have been got out of t

rd.-WATSON

laid him on the bank. I drank a glass of grog and smoked a pipe, and then returned to Hull, for a change of raiment. I caught a severe cold on this occasion, for I had got half way to Hessle when I saved this boy, and had on my wet clothes for nearly three hours. I have never, that I am aware of, seen that boy since. Nor

-SAMUEL DAVIS.

I turned my steamer astern, and by jumping from one lighter to another, I soon reached Davis. I felt confident I could save him, and having a mud scraper in my hand, I threw the end of it to him, and said, 'Now, don't be afraid, you'll soon be all right.' I did save him, but alas!-and my hand trembles while I write it-the first utterance that fell from his lips was a fearful oath, 'D-- my eyes!' O, how grieved I was to hear a man, just at the point of death, utter such an expression. We soon got him on board of our packet, and put him in some warm and dr

A BOY-NAME UNK

d. While I was busy with the packet, a man was drowned, and I felt greatly distressed on his account. So I went and sat down on the paddle-box and placed a boat hook at my side, to be ready should any one fall into the water. I had not sat many moments when I saw a youth, about seventeen years of age, fall overboard. I jumped from the paddle-box on to the dock wall, and ran as fast as I could to the spot. While the fire was blazing before me I could see the boy distinctly, but when I got past the fire it was pitchy dark, and I lost all trace of the drowning youth. Thousands of people were thronging and shouting in every

.-GEORGE PEP

but it is my opinion the boy would have been drowned had I waited for the hook. The boy's father was a good swimmer, but he has often told me that he always wanted to think a few moments before he durst leap into the water. However, I saved his son in a few moments, and without much difficulty; indeed, when his mother said to him, 'George, what did you think when you was in the water?' he replied, 'O, mother, I hadn't time to think, for Mr. El

h.-ROBERT WOO

seizing the boy as he was sinking, and placed him in such a position as enabled me to keep him above the water, when I made the best of my way to the brig's boat, a few yards off. The poor lad, in his almost insensible state, got upon my head and clung to me tightly, and in a few moments, so entwined himself around my arms as to render me almost incapable of swimming, and the probability at that time was, that both of us would be drowned. I saw and felt my perilous position, as he threatened to draw me again into the wate

orry to tell you that it is not in my power to give you anything or I would most gladly have done so. But do accept my sincere thanks; and I do hope, Sir, that if it should please God to spare my son to manhood, that he will in some way present you a proof

I went on board to see if I could find the youth, but the bird had flown, for the captain told me he had run away from his ship, and that he had no idea where he was. T

th.-ANN MAR

to which we both clung, and then a ladder, up which to ascend. But I told them I would rather have a boat, which was soon brought and we were landed in safety. While clinging to the hook, the woman, as might be expected, was full of alarm, but I knew she was safe enough, so to allay her fears, and wile away a few moments of painful, but unavoidable waiting, I jocosely said to her, 'Hold fast now, Missus. You are as safe now as though you were watching the pot boil over.' She afterwards told me that the most pleasant sensation she ever experienced in her life, was at the moment when she felt some one had hold of her in the water. This woman has manifested the liveliest gratitude for what I did for her, and she never crosses the bridge without calling at my house to enquire afte

JOHN EABY.* (J

ized the drowning man. From the effects of the fit, the man struggled desperately. Our friend tried to get a rope round him, but could not; he got his hand into his preserver's mouth, and would have drowned him, had not Mr. Ellerthorpe had so many opportunities of trial in such cases. Eaby's first expression on coming out of his fit was, 'What are you doing here?' when his deliverer replied, 'Havn't I as much right here as you have?' then Eaby went off into another fit. By this time a boatman, named John Tickells, came to our friend's assistance, and was joined by Robert Ash, gateman, Humber Dock, who slipped the grappling rope into the boat. They then both seized Eab

nances and heard in their shouts of applause, as he struggled with this poor unfortunate man. Not only so, but it led the public to raise a subscription for Mr. Ellerthorpe. Two working men, Mr. William Turner, and Mr

le girls, fifteen youths, six women, and fourteen men, in the strength and vig

to, one; Barton, one; Castleford, one; Humber Bank, one; Burlington Ba

o; 1826, one; 1828, two; 1830, one; 1833, three; 1834, three; 1835, three; 1836, seven; 1837, t

honoured you above most men, be satisfied; remember the old adage, "the pitcher goes often to the well, but gets broken at last."' Our friend shook his head and said, 'Do you think, Sir, I could see a man overboard and not plunge in after him? No, Sir.' And though upwards of sixty-one years of age,

LOR D

l.' On Saturday evening, about eight o'clock, the deceased fell from the forecastle deck of the above-named vessel into the Humber Dock lock pit. Mr. John Ellerthorpe, the foreman at the gates, immediately jumped in after him, an

ad pronounced him dead. I never felt such a sense of distress as I did at that moment; I did my very best to save him; indeed, Mr. Lowther says, "The man died in an apoplectic fit." It was deeply distressing to see the poor widow, when her husband was pronounced dead; s

was seen by some men who were standing near at the time and they at once got some boat-hooks to draw him out. Mr. Ellerthorpe, the foreman of the Humber Dock Bridge, whose humanity and gallantry in saving people from drowning, has won for him the title of the 'Hero of the Humber,' was ready to plun

called out to a lighterman, named George Woolass and another man who were on board of the vessel, to bring a boat and get the animal out. A boat was obtained, and the splashing was found to be caused by a ma

S IN THE W

or the recovery of persons apparently drowned or dead, accompanied with directions for the proper treatment of such cases.' And there our friend stood for hours together, in his wet clothes, during the piercing cold of winter and the oppressive heat of summer, endeavouring to restore suspended animation. He says, 'I always felt very anxious about those I had rescued, and in dangerous cases

KABLE I

of his ministrations

s drowning that, without shoes on his feet, and with nothing but his night shirt to cover him, he ran down stairs, leaped over two chains, thrown across the bridge, and in a few moments he was beside the man with the 'grapplings,' who had also heard the cry but could not tell whence or from whom it had come. The surrounding waters lay calm and undisturbed by a single ripple, and there was nothing to indicate that anyone had sunk. At our friend's request, his companion sprang into a boat, and let down the grappling iron, and, strange to say, brought up Mr. Thomas Hogg, of Ulceby, Lincolnshire. They at first pronounced him dead, but after c

ON BEHALF

d himself the first and foremost in securing them on behalf of others. The following letter, received in answ

ttee of Privy C

Depar

16th Janu

that the late Charles Anderson, who lost his life in endeavouring to save the lives of others from shipwreck, has left a father and mother unprovided for, and to inf

m,

e, Esq., Your o

Gates, Hull.

TO THE BOAR

appeal to the Board of Trade, on behalf of some

Trade,

bruary

es rendered on the 4th December, by some fishermen of Hull, to the crew of the schooner 'John Thomas,' of Carnarvon, and I am to inform you in reply, that my Lords have presented the sum of five poun

instructions to pay the above-menti

m,

e, Esq., Your o

k Gates, J

on-upo

g letter exp

Lock Ga

ry 17t

y of the Royal

en to the men's watch-house close by. A similar instance took place about three years ago. I wish to know if, in a case of this kind, a surgeon is justified in pronouncing life to be extinct without having previously used the means for restoring suspended animation. We have the Royal Humane Society's apparatus always close at hand, but rarely used. Having the honour to hold the Society's silver medal, as well as its testimonial on ve

r, with

edient

ELLER

eived the foll

y, Office, No. 4, T

ry 18t

rowning, and you can place them in your room. Of course I am unable to give an opinion as to whether the medical man called in, in the case you refer to, was or was not right, as I am not cognizant of the who

fait

N J. H

erthorpe.