Lifeboatmen
Based on a true story, a riveting novel of a deadly hurricane, a dramatic rescue attempt, and a quest for redemption in a nineteenth-century English town . . .
 
Dorset, England, 1866: The worst hurricane in over a century is devastating the south coast of England. In the town of Poole, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity—but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors drown as a result.
 
In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice are expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries, creating a serious rift in a close-knit community. It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team that will be ready for the next maritime emergency.
 
By recognizing the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavors to take the sometimes-painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested. When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to venture into violent seas to the site of a treacherously unstable wreck—in an attempt to redeem themselves, and to save forty-six souls trapped on board . . .
 
This fast-paced historical novel based on a true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a seafaring community on the brink of great change.</The worst hurricane for over a century devastated the south coast of England in 1866, during a period when emergency services were in their infancy.In the town of Poole, Dorset, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors are drowned as a result. In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice were expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries creating a serious rift in a close-knit community.It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself, tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team which will be ready for the next maritime emergency. By recognising the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavours to take the sometimes painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested in dramatic style.When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to put all their plans into action and present a courageous front. In violent seas, they are called to a treacherously unstable wreck with forty-six men trapped on board. Will the coxswain and his men be able to save all souls on board and redeem past mistakes, or will this be yet another opportunity for the community to blast their efforts and deem their services dangerously insufficient?This fast paced true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a nineteenth century seafaring community on the brink of great change.As featured on BBC Radio Solent and in the Bournemouth Echo
1117484042
Lifeboatmen
Based on a true story, a riveting novel of a deadly hurricane, a dramatic rescue attempt, and a quest for redemption in a nineteenth-century English town . . .
 
Dorset, England, 1866: The worst hurricane in over a century is devastating the south coast of England. In the town of Poole, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity—but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors drown as a result.
 
In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice are expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries, creating a serious rift in a close-knit community. It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team that will be ready for the next maritime emergency.
 
By recognizing the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavors to take the sometimes-painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested. When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to venture into violent seas to the site of a treacherously unstable wreck—in an attempt to redeem themselves, and to save forty-six souls trapped on board . . .
 
This fast-paced historical novel based on a true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a seafaring community on the brink of great change.</The worst hurricane for over a century devastated the south coast of England in 1866, during a period when emergency services were in their infancy.In the town of Poole, Dorset, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors are drowned as a result. In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice were expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries creating a serious rift in a close-knit community.It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself, tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team which will be ready for the next maritime emergency. By recognising the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavours to take the sometimes painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested in dramatic style.When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to put all their plans into action and present a courageous front. In violent seas, they are called to a treacherously unstable wreck with forty-six men trapped on board. Will the coxswain and his men be able to save all souls on board and redeem past mistakes, or will this be yet another opportunity for the community to blast their efforts and deem their services dangerously insufficient?This fast paced true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a nineteenth century seafaring community on the brink of great change.As featured on BBC Radio Solent and in the Bournemouth Echo
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Lifeboatmen

Lifeboatmen

by Simon Wills
Lifeboatmen

Lifeboatmen

by Simon Wills

eBook

$2.99 

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Overview

Based on a true story, a riveting novel of a deadly hurricane, a dramatic rescue attempt, and a quest for redemption in a nineteenth-century English town . . .
 
Dorset, England, 1866: The worst hurricane in over a century is devastating the south coast of England. In the town of Poole, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity—but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors drown as a result.
 
In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice are expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries, creating a serious rift in a close-knit community. It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team that will be ready for the next maritime emergency.
 
By recognizing the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavors to take the sometimes-painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested. When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to venture into violent seas to the site of a treacherously unstable wreck—in an attempt to redeem themselves, and to save forty-six souls trapped on board . . .
 
This fast-paced historical novel based on a true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a seafaring community on the brink of great change.</The worst hurricane for over a century devastated the south coast of England in 1866, during a period when emergency services were in their infancy.In the town of Poole, Dorset, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors are drowned as a result. In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice were expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries creating a serious rift in a close-knit community.It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself, tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team which will be ready for the next maritime emergency. By recognising the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavours to take the sometimes painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested in dramatic style.When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to put all their plans into action and present a courageous front. In violent seas, they are called to a treacherously unstable wreck with forty-six men trapped on board. Will the coxswain and his men be able to save all souls on board and redeem past mistakes, or will this be yet another opportunity for the community to blast their efforts and deem their services dangerously insufficient?This fast paced true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a nineteenth century seafaring community on the brink of great change.As featured on BBC Radio Solent and in the Bournemouth Echo

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781473834866
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date: 01/31/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 390
File size: 691 KB

About the Author

Simon Wills is a history journalist and genealogist who writes regularly for magazines such as _Family Tree_ and _Discover your Ancestors_. He advises and has appeared in the TV programme Who Do You Think You Are? and contributes to the magazine of the same name. Simon gives history presentations and interviews at national and local events all around the UK for organisations such as The National Archives, Chalke Valley History Festival, National Trust, and the BBC. He is also a dedicated wildlife and nature photographer, and all the photographs in this book were taken by him.
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