South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade
THE FIRST DRILL will take place at 3 o’ clock on SATURDAY AFTERNOON, the 17th instant at the South Pier, when Members, and those intending to join are requested to be present. Several rockets will be fired.
S. MALCOLM,
Hon. Sec.
Source: Shields Daily Gazette 17 February 1866
South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade
The South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade may now be looked upon as having fairly commenced its existence, and on both sides of the Tyne the organisation for saving life in the event of a shipwreck is now complete. We have long had the lifeboat service in a state of readiness and before long the same may be said of the Life Brigades on both sides- of the Tynemouth Brigade it is true already, and there is little fear that the South Shields corps will be far behind. Since the public meeting held in the South Shields Town Hall, all the necessary steps have been taken for the official recognition of the corps, and new members have been enrolled till the list now numbers about 140 in all, about in all, and of these it would be safe to say that most of them will be found at their posts when wanted. The first drill took place on the South Pier on Saturday afternoon, and was witnessed by a large concourse of spectators amongst whom was large number of ladies. We also noticed amongst the gentlemen present, Ald. James, the Rev. Mr Anstiss, North Shields; the Rev. J. G. Murray, South Shields; the Rev. Mr Kinnaird, the Rev. J. Whitelaw, Mr H. A. Adamson, North Shields; Mr H. E. P. Adamson, North Shields; Messrs M. Cay, Sen. Joseph Crisp, J. Blialds, Richardson, Rigby, Dr Stokoe, &c., &c. The drill was under the superintendence of Mr Bryne the Coastguard Tynemouth, assisted by Mr S. Malcolm, hon sec., of the corps. Proceedings were commenced by having the corps drawn up in line two deep, then they were numbered off into sections, and their respective duties assigned to them. For the purpose of the drill, one of the large travailing cranes of the commissioners was assumed to represent a ship on shore, and five men were sent off get on the top of it to represent the distressed crew. The rocket apparatus was then got out, and a rocket fired, the line from which was got on the top of the crane and then the hawser whip line cradle drawn to it and made fast, and one of the shipwrecked mariners was drawn ashore in the cradle, amid a good deal cheering and laughter by the lookers on. The work was goes through twice, after which the apparatus was safely housed, and the practice closed by the members again forming line, and the roll over, to ascertain bow many of the members were entitled to the2s per man, now awarded by the Board of Trade to those attending drill, a fact which will very likely have a little influence upon the attendance of the members. The next drill is appointed to take place in a fortnight.
Source: Shields Daily Gazette19 February 1866