THE FISHING LUGGER PERSEVERANCE: 24th November 1895The Folkestone Herald 30th November 1895Part of Story: TERRIBLE GALE Saturday 23rd November The Folkestone fishing boat 249 (Captain Carter) became disabled during the gale on Saturday, and drifted about all night at the mercy of the wind. On Sunday the Folkestone Lifeboat was launched and took off the crew, bringing them ashore in the afternoon in the presence of a large crowd.THE BARQUE AGDER OF FREDERICKSTRADT: 25 September 1896Folkestone Chronicle 3rd October 1896An interesting ceremony took place on Monday evening at the Norwegian Consular Offices at Dover, when Canon WOODWARD, the vicar of Folkestone, distributed the relief fund raised at the thanksgiving service at Folkestone on behalf of the crews of the two Norwegian vessels wrecked during Friday′s storm. MR N SCHJOTT, the Norwegian Vice Consul was amongst those present. It was mentioned that the fund raised at the church would be augmented by a subscription of 10 guineas from Colonel EVES making altogether £74 7s. This amount was apportioned amongst the officers and men of the ships according to rank. They have lost all their effects by the wrecks and expressed great appreciation of this additional act of sympathy and kindness.UNLOADING THE WRECKS – The vessels now lying on the beach have completely discharged their cargoes. The Agdar was 37 years old and The Baron Holberg 27. Some stories of thefts have been circulated, a gold watch belonging to a sailor and articles of clothing being among the things alleged to have been stolen.
THE LAUNCH OF LIFEBOAT LESLIE: 30th March 1903The Folkestone Herald 4th April 1903FOLKESTONE′S NEW LIFEBOATSUCCESSFUL LAUNCHIn half a gale from the west Folkestone′s new Lifeboat, “Leslie” was launched on Monday morning. At about 11 o′clock the loud report of a canon startled a large number of townspeople and visitors, who hurriedly wended their way to Dover Road in full anticipation of the Fire Brigade turning out to the scene of some conflagration. This, however, proved not to be the cause of the report, and the rush of fishermen towards the Lifeboat house soon explained that the new lifeboat was to be launched. With great promptitude the crew of the lifeboat had gathered and were eagerly engaged in the work of arranging gear etc. All preliminaries having been settled for the launching, the crew donned their lifebelts and sou′westers, the ropes were affixed to the Victoria pier, and the boat, amid a round of cheering, was sent down the wooden blocks into the rolling surf. There was sufficient sea on at the time to remind one of the tempestuous weather when calls of help from distressed vessels are most frequent.The launch was the quarterly one held under the auspices of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the fact that the craft was to receive its first dip in the hands of Folkestone lifeboatmen aroused much interest among the nautical section of the community. As the vessel struck the water heavy breakers were encountered, and the ropes attached to the pier not proving of much service the crew had to push themselves from the beach by means of their oars. Once out of her depth the “Leslie” made a grand start, and the jibs being hoisted. A splendid run to south east was accomplished. It was the opinion of the whole crew that the vessel behaved splendidly. In Weight it is a ton lighter than the old boat and possesses a centre keel. In length the craft is three feet shorter than the “John McConnel Hussey” (which has been removed from the port) and has 6 inches more beam. A marvellous escape from serious injury was witnessed immediately after the launching of the boat. As a shower of rain came on the crowd made their way to the lifeboat house for shelter. Here it is that the rocket as signal to the ship in distress is fired directly the boat is launched and, in accordance with the usual custom at practices the rocket was fired. A young fisherlad, running up the slipway, narrowly escaped the full discharge from the rocket falling on his knees in response to a call of the officials within a few feet of the apparatus. As it was no harm was done. Among those of the committee who witnessed the launch were Councillor G. PEDEN, the Rev. J. LAWRENCE, Commander PREDDY, Messrs WALKER, W. FOWLE, P DAWSON and W. D. FAGG. |
