A visit to the #GraceDarling Museum in Bamburgh #History #Photography

We had a very interesting visit to the small but very informative RNLI Grace Darling museum during our last trip to Bamburgh. Free entry, lots of historical details, exhibits and videos and friendly staff ensure a pleasant experience. Donations are welcomed but not obligatory and there’s a small shop area as you enter. There are two downstairs areas with interactive models of Longstone Lighthouse and an account of the Darlings’ life at the lighthouse. (Please click on photos if you’d like the full size)

Fascinating exhibits, including personal items and William Darling’s original headstone, which was removed before any more damage occured, surround the small rooms, filling all the wall space. 

  

A narrated video of the events surrounding the rescues, terrible weather conditions and the actual boat (coble) used in the rescue. I can’t even imagine going out to sea in this boat in a terrible storm, never mind actually rowing! Grace’s story and bravery is extraordinary. Not to take away from her father’s courage, which also was incredible. I think the fact that Grace was a young woman, doing what she did in those times, captured the public’s imagination.

The SS Forfarshire, a paddle steamship, was built to run a regular service on the North Sea route between Hull and Dundee. The ship had luxury accommodation for those who preferred a faster mode of travel, and would also carry cargo between the two ports. 

A monument was erected to Grace in the churchyard across the road from the museum, with a view of the sea and islands she loved.

16 thoughts on “A visit to the #GraceDarling Museum in Bamburgh #History #Photography”

  1. Hello. Very interesting museum. We love visiting museums. They are not similar everywhere and in small countries like mine, there are also unique museums, which are not find elsewhere. Thank you sharing your post with us.

    Have a good day!

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  2. This is a lovely post, Cathy! I was only looking up Grace Darling the other day, because she’s my daily #TTBirthdays post on Nov 24.

    btw, she was the great great aunt of an ex-boyfriend of mine, whose family name was Darling. His brother was called Julian Darling, which sounds like a 1970s sitcom hairdresser 😉 He was, thus, under pressure to come over as incredibly butch, all the time 😀

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  7. What a fascinating museum. I was pleased to see the painting on the newspaper report. A copy of it hung in one of my primary school classrooms. The image stuck in my head though I wouldn’t have been able to say who the artist was.

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