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Event Details:

The Forgotten St Ives Lifeboat Disaster 23rd January 1939 PLEASE READ

This is not an 'Event' but the story of The John Sarah Eliza Stych, lost on 23rd January 1939, with the loss of : Thomas COCKING (Coxswain),Messrs. M. BARBER and W. BARBER; Mr. R.Q. STEVENS,(1st Mechanic),Mr. J.B. COCKING,(2nd Mechanic) Mr. J. THOMAS (Signalman)and Messrs. E. BASSETT and W. FREEMAN, both volunteers. All were fishermen by trade. PLEASE READ & REMEMBER.

Starts: 23rd January 2010

Ends: 31st December 2012

Details: In the early hours of that never-to-be-forgotten day, a message was received at St. Ives saying that a vessel was in need of assistance off Cape Cornwall. A tremendous gale was then blowing with mountainous seas bearing down upon the coast. It seemed impossible that the lifeboat could be launched under such appalling conditions; but the lifeboatmen did not hesitate. Somewhere, in the blackness of the night, a ship lay in danger. Amongst those who helped to man the lifeboat on that occasion was Mr. William FREEMAN, a volunteer, who came forward at the last moment to make up the full complement required.He was destined to be the only man to return alive. With the help of some ninety volunteers, the John Sarah Eliza Stych was launched. Leaving the harbour, she headed west along the coastline in the direction of Pendeen. Some distance off Clodgy Point a tremendous wave, struck the boat on the starboard bow and capsized her, hurling four of the crew into the sea. They were never seen alive again. The lifeboat herself was now in serious difficulties. The engine was restarted, but a rope had fouled the propeller. An anchor was dropped, but the rope parted, and the doomed vessel began to drift helplessly before the storm. The surviviors on board sent up distress flares, which were seen and answered by a rocket from the coastguards on shore. But no help could be given to the lifeboatmen who were now utterly at the mercy of the wind and waves. The vessel capsized a second time, and another man was thrown out and lost. With only three of the crew now remaining on board, the lifeboat began to approach Godrevy Point, having drifted right away across the entrance to St. Ives Bay. It began to look as if these men might all reach the doubtful safety of the shore, but the lifeboat overturned for the third time, and when she righted herself, William FREEMAN was the only man still holding on. A few minutes later, the boat was hurled up high and dry on the rocks at Gwithian and Mr. FREEMAN clambered out to safety. He never went to sea again and died on the 39th anniversary of the tragedy in 1978, aged 75. The lifeboat crew included several men who had been involved in the SS Alba disaster off Porthmeor Beach on 31st January 1938. On that occasion all the passengers were saved but 2 of the Alba's crew drowned helping save them. What added to the poignancy of the tragedy was the fact that some members of the crew were closely related to each other. The two BARBERs were brothers, whilst J.B. COCKING was the son of the Coxswain. Several left widows and small children to mourn their loss. In its long and bitter experience of the sea, St. Ives had never known such a catastrophe as this. World-wide sympathy was immediately expressed for the relatives. A sum exceeding £10,000 came by public subscription, and the R.N.L.I. awarded generous pensions to the widows and dependents of the drowned lifeboatmen. No one living here at the time will ever forget the nightmare horror of the days which succeeded the tragedy. While the storm continued to rage, men kept watch along the coast for the bodies of the lifeboat crew. These were found but other bodies also began to wash in. It was evident that a second great disaster had occurred that same dreadful night, but for some days uncertainty continued to reign, as the tremendous waves made it impossible to undertake a thorough examination of the coastline at Tregarthen Point, where it was believed a ship had gone ashore. Eventually suspicion became certainty. The wrecked ship proved to be the S.S. Wilston, from Glasgow, bound with a cargo of coal for the Mediterranean, and having a crew of 32 on board. There were no survivors; and the vessel herself was pounded into an unrecognizable mass of scrap iron by the mountainous waves that hurled themselves, day after day, upon this savage and exposed coastline. To the little village of Zennor came a pathetic group of enquirers, hoping and fearing to identify their kinsfolk amongst the shattered remains. RNLI Bronze Medals were awarded to William Freeman and posthumously to Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Matthew Barber, William Barber, Richard Stevens, John Cocking, John Thomas, and Edgar Bassett.Every year flags over the Lifeboat House are lowered to half mast on 23rd January.

Time: :00:0 hrs

Venue: The Lifeboat House in the Harbour