Take a look at the shipwreck charts of British waters, and you will note the North East coastline has the dubious honour of having the most. The 19th Century was a time of great trade with ships laden with salt coal and glass and of course smuggled contraband such as tea, brandy and tobacco. It was becoming clear that with increasing disasters at sea, and with so many lives being lost just a stone's throw away from the safety of shore, something had to be done. At a public meeting held in North Shields' Town Hall on 5 December 1864, it was decided to raise a corps of volunteers to assist in coastal rescue.
 | | The Watch House - Rocky Island's museum |
Step up the volunteers Seaton Sluice Volunteer Life Saving Company was formed in 1876, and was issued with the all important Manby Mortar. Captain Manby (1776-1854), a lifelong friend of Admiral Horatio Nelson, developed this means by which a line could be fired from shore to off-shore wrecks. A rope was attached to a steel ball and then fired over the vessel in distress. The line was then used to pull a small boat out to the vessel. The vessel could then be pulled ashore with the casualties safely within it. This proved to be a successful method of life saving, and the Seaton Sluice Company earned many honours for their selfless endeavours. One of their most notable feats of courage came on the 28 October, 1880 when two ships were wrecked off the shores of Seaton Sluice. The Dutch galliot, "The Trebedors", had run fully into the rocks at Crag Point. The courageous rescue of some of the crew attracted awards for some of those involved, and one such honour was given to Thomas Langley in 1880 by the Royal Humane Society.
 | | The men took great pride in their team |
Hartley Hero The citation for the Royal Humane Society's Bronze medal reads: "Thomas Langley, 1.30pm 28 October 1880 off the coast of Durham near the village of Seaton Sluice. During a violent gale of wind, a Dutch Galliot was seen steering low onto a dangerous reef. Being warned by signal, she attempted to change her course, broached to and was hurled onto the rocks - but the Captain was swept from the rigging and drowned, leaving his wife and child with two seamen in a helpless condition. The saviour (Thomas Langley) volunteered to be lowered from the top of the rocks (60 or 70ft high) to the wreck by means of a whip-line. He succeeded in reaching the ships deck and with a spare line, he established the usual means of connection with the rocks and saved all hands, being last to leave the ship". The company continued to be either called into regular action or put on standby through the 1880s. They played an active role in rescue, weather watch and intelligence gathering. They also went on the win the Newcastle Chronicle Challenge Cup for drill records 11 times. But in 1966 the SSVLC became an Auxiliary Coastguard Station, and in 1982, they mustered for their equipment for the last time. So, for the SSLVC, with its motto of "Deeds not Words", the lasting memorial for their illustrious work is the museum in the Old Watch House here on Rocky Island. The museum is open on Sundays between 2.00pm and 4.30pm every Sunday from June to August, inclusive. Disabled access will be in place for the summer of 2006. We thank the Seaton Sluice & Old Hartley Local History Society for permission to publish the archive picture above. Just close to the Watch House Museum, is a unique gully called "the Cut" - walk on following the map, and find out more about its importance to the prosperity of Seaton Sluice... | 
