One of the advantages of being a relative interloper is that I still enjoy playing tourist when friends come to stay, and the Farne Islands are one of my favourite trips. The Grace Darling story has always been significant and 20 years ago I was pleased to find a book “Grace had an English Heart” by Jessica Mitford. I think it’s out of print now, but it’s an affectionate re-telling of the fact and the myth. The title comes from “The Grace Darling song”: I’d read the lyrics in the book, but not heard them sung until the Seahouses First School performed the song excellently at the reopening of the Grace Darling museum in Bamburgh.
The ceremony was a great mix of history, respect for the RNLI and the achievements of its volunteers, and thanks to those who lead and funded the new museum. The new museum is well worth a visit: it immediately evokes the era and the lighthouse. But for me the most amazing thing is the coble Grace and her father rowed. I can’t even imagine rowing it across a quiet pond never mind a rough sea. If Grace did this with an English Heart, I don’t think there’s a lot to be said for joining Scotland, despite the recent TV poll in Berwick (or the Calcutta Cup result).
Which reminds me of the power of TV voting: when I was in hospital a family opposite was discussing Berwick joining Scotland. They were completely convinced it had just done so, that the majority in the TV poll was all that was needed and the boundaries had accordingly been redrawn. If only life were that simple. Politicians do make things seem hard, I know. But it really isn’t that simple.
One other postscript: if you missed Seahouses First School singing the song and want to hear the Grace Darling song then, as the New York Times article said in the link above, the folk group, the Limeliters, recorded the song in the early 60s; it’s available on itunes amongst other places. They don’t take it quite as seriously as the School did, though.
The ceremony was a great mix of history, respect for the RNLI and the achievements of its volunteers, and thanks to those who lead and funded the new museum. The new museum is well worth a visit: it immediately evokes the era and the lighthouse. But for me the most amazing thing is the coble Grace and her father rowed. I can’t even imagine rowing it across a quiet pond never mind a rough sea. If Grace did this with an English Heart, I don’t think there’s a lot to be said for joining Scotland, despite the recent TV poll in Berwick (or the Calcutta Cup result).
Which reminds me of the power of TV voting: when I was in hospital a family opposite was discussing Berwick joining Scotland. They were completely convinced it had just done so, that the majority in the TV poll was all that was needed and the boundaries had accordingly been redrawn. If only life were that simple. Politicians do make things seem hard, I know. But it really isn’t that simple.
One other postscript: if you missed Seahouses First School singing the song and want to hear the Grace Darling song then, as the New York Times article said in the link above, the folk group, the Limeliters, recorded the song in the early 60s; it’s available on itunes amongst other places. They don’t take it quite as seriously as the School did, though.
2 comments:
It was sad that Grace died so young. The New York Times article writer tells of her "succumbing, oddly enough, to a chill". Yes, it seems very odd that someone in Northumberland should succumb to chill.
Grace Darling is indeed an amazing woman, I am so glad Bamburgh have chosen to remember her this way.
Crystal xx
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