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This is Grace Darling.

Grace Darling portrait
  • 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.

Grace Darling portrait
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Watch: Grace Darling

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What did Grace Darling do?

Red and white Longstone Lighthouse in Northumberland.
Image caption,
Longstone Lighthouse still exists today.
  • 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 拢50. That was a lot of money back then!
Red and white Longstone Lighthouse in Northumberland.
Image caption,
Longstone Lighthouse still exists today.
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Did you know?

Portrait of Grace Darling
Image caption,
Grace Darling
  • In 1843, the poet William Wordsworth wrote a poem called 鈥楪race Darling鈥 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鈥檚 churchyard.
Portrait of Grace Darling
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Grace Darling
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Activity: Grace Darling quiz

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