Victor

The storm continued to blow with equal fierceness, and the Northumberland lifeboat was left ready to be launched at a moment's notice. Several of the fishing boats had succeeded by this time in reaching the harbour, but there was still a large number at sea, which it was feared would fare badly in the storm. About two o'clock in the morning, the Castor fired another volley of three guns to show that there were more craft in distress. The members of the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, only a few hours returned from Marsden, again ran to the beach, where large number of people, notwithstanding the terrible gale that was blowing, accompanied by torrents of rain, had congregated. A fishing boat was observed amongst the breakers a short distance to the south of the South Pier, and the fishermen's lives were in great jeopardy. In a few minutes the boat was dashed ashore, but the sea was running at such a tremendous height that it was almost next to impossible to get near it for the purpose of saving the crew. However, the brigadesmen, at the imminent risk of their own lives, succeeded landing five men. A young boy, named William Waddell, was still missing from the boat, which by this time, had transpired to be the Victor, of Eyemouth. It was thought that he had been washed overboard, but the Brigade, assisted by several of the people on the beach, made another attempt to rescue him if possible. Ultimately, the young lad was found in the bottom of the boat, underneath the sail, which had to be cut to pieces before he could be saved. The whole of the crew of the Victor had now been got on shore, and were conveyed to the Brigade House on the South Pier, where they were supplied with dry clothing and put to bed. The Brigadesmen then proceeded to save the nets and gear belonging to the Victor, and while occupied another fishing boat was observed to have come ashore in the neighbourhood of the Herd Sands.

Source Shields Daily Gazette 16 of June 1869