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The Penlee Disaster

December 19th this year will be the 36th anniversary of this disaster. Eight brave men from the village of Mousehole, Cornwall gave their lives in an heroic attempt to save the crew and Captain's family in a storm which had crippled their ship and driven it near rocks. I heard the story at a 60 plus meeting. It was the most moving account I've heard and given by a man from Mousehole, who was no doubt a relative of some if not all who died on the Solomon Browne. Apparently the captain of the Union Star had previously refused help from a tug, presumably because the tug could then claim salvage.  He might well have been saved by such a move but he refused only to lose his life, the lives of his crew and family and even more tragically the lives of brave men trying to save him against the odds.  The captain of the Solomon Browne obviously realized the danger of the situation as he refused to take one young crewman because his father was already on board and it was his policy not to take two men from a family on a very dangerous shout. The Solomon Browne reached the Union Star and with great difficulty; four people were got on board, but almost immediately the Solomon Browne was tossed on top of the Union Star.  The radio went dead.
  The press do not come well out of this story.  They harassed family members with promises of large sums of money if they would tell their story.  What a way to treat the bereaved. If you are ever in the village of Mousehole remember eight brave men who gave their lives to help others, knowing how high were the stakes. Think of the brave families waiting at home in fear. Think of the men there today still doing the same thing and their coxswain  today is the son of the man who went to sea that night, the young man who was told he could not go.  These Cornish men are made of tough stuff. By all means give a donation.  The Penlee station stands empty but their new station is at Newlyn.

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