30 Years ago...
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:23 pm
I remember being 11 and witnessing my Dad cry for the first time ever. Tonight marks the 30th Anniversary of the terrible tragedy that hit the small fishing village my Dad was born in. Every year the village of Mousehole switches off the Christmas Lights tonight at 8pm for one hour as a mark of respect for all the local men lost.
Many years ago I lived in the village and remember some brash tourists complaining the Christmas lights were off and what a disappointment it was for them. It was explained to them why they were off and that they would be back on at 9pm, they left without waiting to see them, saying they'd had a wasted trip
Doesn't matter to the locals though, the tradition of the lights going out for one hour to mark the anniversary will never cease.
19 December 1981..The Penlee Lifeboat The Solomon Browne was launched to aid the rescue the crew of the MV Union Star..The engines had failed in Hurricane force 12 winds with 60ft waves, sixteen people died including eight volunteer lifeboatmen..Coxswain Trevelyan Richards was posthumously awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's gold medal, while the remainder of the crew were all posthumously awarded bronze medals
Seth Lakeman : Solomon Browne
At fair Mount's Bay, on that Christmas week
Was such a raging storm, no man could speak
That lifeboat thundered through an angry sea
Was called Solomon Browne and her company
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
Now the stricken coaster called the Union Star
Her maiden voyage, she never thought that far
With Captain Moreton and his four man crew
A woman to save and her daughters two
Now, never had a lifeboat fought in vain
She could have made a dash for port but she tried again
All sixteen perished in that mighty wave
It tossed them overboard into a watery grave
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
Now back at Penlee Point, time stood still
Twelve young children cried for their fathers killed
A nation shed tears for years as the news went round
The constant courage of our Solomon Browne.
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
Seth Lakeman - Solomon Browne (montage) - YouTube
Many years ago I lived in the village and remember some brash tourists complaining the Christmas lights were off and what a disappointment it was for them. It was explained to them why they were off and that they would be back on at 9pm, they left without waiting to see them, saying they'd had a wasted trip
Doesn't matter to the locals though, the tradition of the lights going out for one hour to mark the anniversary will never cease. 19 December 1981..The Penlee Lifeboat The Solomon Browne was launched to aid the rescue the crew of the MV Union Star..The engines had failed in Hurricane force 12 winds with 60ft waves, sixteen people died including eight volunteer lifeboatmen..Coxswain Trevelyan Richards was posthumously awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's gold medal, while the remainder of the crew were all posthumously awarded bronze medals
Seth Lakeman : Solomon Browne
At fair Mount's Bay, on that Christmas week
Was such a raging storm, no man could speak
That lifeboat thundered through an angry sea
Was called Solomon Browne and her company
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
Now the stricken coaster called the Union Star
Her maiden voyage, she never thought that far
With Captain Moreton and his four man crew
A woman to save and her daughters two
Now, never had a lifeboat fought in vain
She could have made a dash for port but she tried again
All sixteen perished in that mighty wave
It tossed them overboard into a watery grave
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
Now back at Penlee Point, time stood still
Twelve young children cried for their fathers killed
A nation shed tears for years as the news went round
The constant courage of our Solomon Browne.
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
On board that night
With courage, it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
With courage, it was cold
Seth Lakeman - Solomon Browne (montage) - YouTube