A Fascinating account of Seaham. I never knew the story behind the lifeboat crew. But recall the statue vividly, the Great War soldier’s horror, was beyond my imagination!
Thanks Mark - I summarised the story of the lifeboat tragedy quite a bit and in reading the full account what heightened the tragedy for me was how close to safety they were and when the lifeboat was found it was pretty much undamaged and even the engine fired up.
Lovely piece. The Londonderrys were/are an odd lot. The 2nd Marquess was, of course, for all but the last 16 months before his death, much more famous as Lord Castlereagh. And the 7th Marquess, as well as a pioneering aviator and Secretary of State for Air, was dodgily Nazi-adjacent in the 1930s to the point he was nicknamed "the Londonderry Herr". (His wife, the Marchioness of Londonderry, was a society hostess and close friend of Ramsay MacDonald, leading to the jibe that the Marquess had "catered his way into the cabinet"; MacDonald was MP for Seaham 1929-35.) And Lady Annabel Goldsmith, mother of Zac and after whom the nightclub Annabel's was named, was born Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, daughter of the 8th Marquess.
Yes, he was Leader of the House of Commons under the Earl of Liverpool, so had to oversee all the reactionary legislation around the time of the Peterloo massacre. Killed himself in August 1822.
Enjoyed reading this and seeing the images. We travelled to Durham last year so it was especially interesting to read about the Marquis. I remember the statue clearly but didn’t know the history.
A Fascinating account of Seaham. I never knew the story behind the lifeboat crew. But recall the statue vividly, the Great War soldier’s horror, was beyond my imagination!
Thanks Mark - I summarised the story of the lifeboat tragedy quite a bit and in reading the full account what heightened the tragedy for me was how close to safety they were and when the lifeboat was found it was pretty much undamaged and even the engine fired up.
I really enjoyed reading this story about Seaham. It’s not an area of the country that I have yet visited.
You must Roland - you won’t be disappointed.
Another lovely slice of history, Harry.
Thanks Matt
Lovely piece. The Londonderrys were/are an odd lot. The 2nd Marquess was, of course, for all but the last 16 months before his death, much more famous as Lord Castlereagh. And the 7th Marquess, as well as a pioneering aviator and Secretary of State for Air, was dodgily Nazi-adjacent in the 1930s to the point he was nicknamed "the Londonderry Herr". (His wife, the Marchioness of Londonderry, was a society hostess and close friend of Ramsay MacDonald, leading to the jibe that the Marquess had "catered his way into the cabinet"; MacDonald was MP for Seaham 1929-35.) And Lady Annabel Goldsmith, mother of Zac and after whom the nightclub Annabel's was named, was born Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, daughter of the 8th Marquess.
Thanks Eliot - all in all an 'interesting' family and I guess the Castlereagh you mention is that featured in Shelley's 'Masque of Anarchy'..
"I met Murder on the way –
He had a mask like Castlereagh –
Very smooth he looked, yet grim;
Seven blood-hounds followed him:"
Yes, he was Leader of the House of Commons under the Earl of Liverpool, so had to oversee all the reactionary legislation around the time of the Peterloo massacre. Killed himself in August 1822.
Enjoyed reading this and seeing the images. We travelled to Durham last year so it was especially interesting to read about the Marquis. I remember the statue clearly but didn’t know the history.
Thanks Nicola and glad to be able to give you the statue's 'back-story'.