The New Hand-Book to Lowestoft and its Environs Part 2

"On the 26th of January, 1842, about one P.M., a vessel was observed to be in great distress, on the sand called the Inner Newcome, the wind at the time blowing a hurricane, and the sea running "mountains high." The Lowestoft life-boat with a crew of nineteen men, commanded by Lieut. T. S. Carter, R.N., a.s.sisted by Mr. H. B. Disney, Trinity pilot, was most promptly launched, and proceeded to her relief. By the greatest exertion and skill, a communication, by means of a life line was established with the distressed men, who had fled to the rigging for safety; the sea at the time making quite over the life-boat, and filling her with water. Mr. Disney was washed overboard, but providentially did not loose his hold of the safety line, and was again drawn into the boat. Seven out of the eight men on board the wreck were hauled through the surf into the life-boat, a distance of perhaps twenty yards. At this time, the anchor of the life-boat came home, and with great difficulty and danger, the boat was sheered under the bowsprit of the wreck, when the cable was cut, and she then proceeded to the sh.o.r.e full of water, landing her own crew and the rescued men in safety. Lieut. Carter was carried in a very exhausted state to a house near, where the usual means having been resorted to, he was, after a few hours, so far restored as to be able to return to his residence in a chaise.

"Meantime, the Pakefield life-boat, manned by a crew endowed with the same high courage and good seamanship, which had characterized their neighbours, made further effort to save the poor fellow who was left on the wreck, and had the happiness of rescuing him from a watery grave. {29}

"Our Society, a.s.sisted by our brave seamen, has again the high satisfaction of being made the means of saving the lives of eight fellow creatures; and at a Committee meeting summoned for that purpose, on the morning of the following day, gave its "mite" of reward to the crews of the boats engaged in the perilous service, and their hearty thanks to Lieut. Carter and Mr. Disney. The Lowestoft life-boat sustained damage to a considerable amount.

"The Suffolk Humane Society (President, Sir T. S. Gooch, Bart.,) maintains and keeps in repair the two life-boats, and gives a stated sum to the crews whenever called into service, out of funds raised entirely by private subscriptions from Lowestoft and its neighbourhood, but which cannot afford adequate reward to the men for their intrepid service."

The preceding quotations have sufficiently shewn the value of the Life-boat, and of that society by which it is maintained; no other eloquence, than that of such facts, is needed to commend the society to the kind consideration of the generous and humane.

Connected with the life-boat there are other contrivances, the object of which is, to render a.s.sistance to the shipwrecked mariner, when boats cannot approach sufficiently near: they are known as

CAPTAIN MANBY'S APPARATUS.

In a note in his 69th page, Gillingwater says: "The most probable method of rescuing seamen from those unfortunate situations, that I can think of, is that of a kite. When the storm is so abated that a boat is able to approach pretty near the wreck, let a line (which may soon after easily convey a strong rope) be carried by the kite over the vessel, and then let fall. Thus a communication may be obtained between the wreck and the boat, and by that means, the seaman may be drawn through the water from the ship to the boat." Now, that which the kind hearted man threw out as a possibility, has been shewn to be practicable; a communication is obtained by means of this apparatus; a rope is attached to a ball which is projected from a mortar, and thrown over the vessel in distress: the apparatus is kept in the boat house, which is situated on the beach, near the lower part of the town. During the summer season, visiters are sometimes gratified by a sight of the method in which this apparatus effects its object.

We now direct attention to various improvements and benevolent devices.-The Light-houses, Harbour, etc.

THE LIGHT-HOUSES

are at once highly useful, and present striking objects of interest to the visiter.

The Upper Light-house is a neat and ornamental building, situated at the northern extremity of the High street, on a commanding eminence, and may be seen to advantage by a person entering the town from the Yarmouth side. It was erected in 1676, by the Brethren of the Trinity House, and subsequently repaired and improved in the years 1778, 1825, and 1840. It is fitted up with large plated reflectors in a lantern of plate gla.s.s.

[Picture: High Light, Lowestoft]

The Lower Light situated on the beach, towards the south of the town, consists simply of a lantern, fitted with lamps and reflectors, as in the case of the upper light, elevated on a framework of wood; it has received this structure in order that it may be easily removed: it has been found necessary sometimes to change its place, as the sands-to warn against danger from which, the light-houses have been erected-are continually shifting. Mariners steering in a line with these two lights, can safely pa.s.s between the Holme and Barnard sands, the channel between which, is not more than a quarter of a mile wide.

The purposes now answered by the light-houses were, prior to 1676, imperfectly effected by two beacons, one of which stood on the site now occupied by the upper light, the other stood on the north side of the pa.s.sage going down the Swan score.

There is a Floating Light called the 'Stanford,' anch.o.r.ed upon the Stanford sand; it is fitted up with two lamps, which are suspended upon two masts raised for the purpose. This light answers a similar purpose to that of the others. In foggy weather, when the lights are not visible, a gong is beaten at short intervals, to warn vessels of their approach to the sands.

The instructions given to the persons superintending the lights are very minute. The lanterns and reflectors must be kept constantly cleaned, and the lamps must be trimmed every few hours; a book is kept in which the time when the lamps are trimmed is regularly entered. The persons who attend to the floating light are constantly on board the vessel during the time they are in charge: there are two sets of men, (six in a set) each set having remained a month is then relieved.

THE HARBOUR AND RAILWAY.

The Waveney originally emptied itself into the sea between Lowestoft and Kirkley, but being a shallow stream, could not resist the gradual formation of a mound of sand raised by the prevailing east winds, which, in time, effectually cut off the communication between the sea and Lake Lothing. At spring tides, however, the sea would frequently break over the barrier, rush into the lake and over the low lands, carrying away whatever was not sufficiently durable to resist its torrent. Mutford Bridge has been twice carried away by the waters of the sea, though at a distance of two miles from the beach. In 1831 the river and the sea were again united. The harbour was formed under the auspices of Mr. Cubitt, at the estimated cost of 87,000. This harbour and navigation afterwards fell into the hands of Government, and were purchased of the Exchequer Loan Commissioners in 1842, by Messrs. J. Cleveland, G. and W. Everitt, J. S. Lincoln, J. W. Hickling, and W. Roe. These Gentlemen made various improvements, and kept possession till October 1844, when they sold the property to S. M. Peto, Esq.

The act for improving the harbour and forming the Railway, was pa.s.sed in the early part of 1845. Messrs. Stephenson and Bidder were appointed the Engineers in chief, Mr. Hodges the resident Engineer, and Mr. Peto, the general contractor. In the enterprise of Mr. Peto originated this great work. Having purchased the harbour and navigation in 1844, he, with other gentlemen, chiefly in the neighbourhood, formed for the above purpose a company with a capital of 200,000.

The new Harbour of refuge is formed by two immense piers, extending for 1300 feet into the sea, enclosing the old harbour and an area of 20 acres. The width between the piers, and consequently of the harbour is 800 feet, and the average depth of water in it is 20 feet. The old entrance within the piers will be cleared away up to the stone work, so that there will be a s.p.a.cious basin, large enough to accommodate 600 or 700 vessels. The piers consist of a stupendous timber framework, (creasoted by Bethel's patent process to keep out the worm,) on each side of the harbour, 14 feet high above the water, and 30 feet in width, filled up with immense blocks of stone from one to six tons in weight; these sides present a solid ma.s.s of masonry. As the thousands of tons of stone required have to be brought from a great distance in vessels, and by railway, the filling in goes on slowly. When this work is completed, a platform or flooring of four-inch planking, will be made on the top of each pier.

The north pier, after extending straight out east for 700 feet, bends to the south-east for 300 feet, and then bends again to the south for 300 feet more making in all 1300 feet. This pier is intended entirely for business; a double tramway has been laid along it with a large turning table at each bend.

The south pier extends from the sh.o.r.e for 1300 feet straight out into the sea, and is intended for a grand promenade. The head of each pier is circular, and 60 feet in diameter; Light-houses have been erected in the centre of the circle at the head of each pier, and at night a brilliant red light is exhibited.

The entrance to the harbour between the two piers is towards the south-east; it is 160 feet wide, with a depth of 21 feet at low water.

Beyond the south pier a sea wall has been built, with towers of flint and stone, and at the back of it, a broad embankment has been formed for the esplanade, which is a quarter of a mile in length, and 25 feet wide, and affords a splendid view of the sea. The fine Hotel at the northern extremity of the esplanade, presents, in its internal arrangements, a study for the lovers of the curious and the comfortable. Its contiguity to the railway station and the harbour, will cause it to be greatly frequented.

The inner harbour has been dredged to a depth of 14 feet in the channel at low water, and this dredging will be extended up to Mutford bridge. A substantial machine has lately been built, for the purpose of excavating the harbour, which, by her powerful aid, will be rendered accessible to vessels of 15 feet draught, at any state of the tide. She is of 200 tons burthen; her engines are of 20 horse power, capable of working in 20 feet of water; she is calculated to raise 1000 tons of soil per day. Her form, engines, and mode of operations, are in accordance with the latest improvements of the age.

The new wharfing, the various buildings, the offices, engine houses, machinery for sawing timber, work shops, creasote works, c.o.ke ovens, coal works, warehouses, stations, and about six lines of railway branching from the piers on the north side of the inner harbour, occupy a s.p.a.ce of about sixty acres; altogether this improvement will present one of the finest combinations of railway and sea communication in the country.

The Railway pa.s.ses from the terminus near the harbour, over Lake Lothing, and through several Villages till it joins the Norwich and Yarmouth line at Reedham. Thus, when all arrangements are completed, vessels may unlade their merchandize at the pier, it may be immediately placed in the railway carriage and transported to Norwich, London, or any part of England with the greatest facility.

THE INFIRMARY

is situated at the western extremity of the town on the road leading to the church. The society by which this building has been erected was formed in 1822, but the building itself was not erected till 1839. It comprises two s.p.a.cious wards, well ventilated and warmed, and other necessary conveniences. It has attached to it, a small museum of morbid anatomy, presented by W. C. Worthington, Esq., Surgeon to the Infirmary.

Funds are now much required for providing suitable food for the distressed inmates, whose means frequently do not allow them to procure what is necessary for them, whilst receiving the medical a.s.sistance afforded by the inst.i.tution.

THE FISHERMEN'S HOSPITAL

is a neat series of six cottages built below the town, for aged and infirm fishermen. The cost of the whole erection was 600.

ALMS-HOUSES.

The giver of two houses (formerly four, but two were destroyed by fire in 1707) in the Fair lane, originally part of the parish work-house, is unknown. The giver of a house towards the south end of the High street, is also unknown.

James Hocker, a labourer, who died in 1710, gave his _All_, about 120; with part of which, a stone and brick house in the Fair lane was bought, which is now occupied by such persons as the churchwardens appoint.

Martin Brown, merchant, of Rotterdam, left a sum of money, under the management of Mr. Wilde, sufficient to erect four houses for poor persons; with which the alms-houses at the west end of Bell lane were erected in 1716.

Before leaving this division of our history, we direct our readers to an episode or two of widely opposite characters; the first is

LOWESTOFT AND THE WITCHES.

One of the _dark_ spots resting upon the townspeople of more ancient times, is the share some of them took in the persecution of the "threescore witches" who were hanged in Suffolk. In 1663, Mr. Samuel Pacey commenced a prosecution against Rose Cullender and Amy Duny, two poor old widows, for witchcraft practised-as it was said-on his two daughters, children, respectively of the ages of eleven and nine years.