He was a sailor on board the ship 'Rankin,' belonging, I think, to Gilmore and Rankin. He fell overboard with a timber chain round his neck, and went under a raft of timber. Some men saw him fall overboard, and called for me. I ran as fast as I could, and had to step from one piece of floating timber to another; however, I soon reached him, and brought him up with the chain round his neck. He was completely exhausted, and it was half an hour before he could walk. This man's captain sent for me to give me some money for rescuing one of his crew; but fearing he might stop the sum out of the man's wages, I refused to go; for I did not want anything for what I had done. He was offended, and when ashore told Captain Knill of my refusal. So to please my captain, I went on board the 'Rankin,' when the captain shook hands with me, and said, 'Captain Knill tells me you won't take any money for saving one of my crew. I think you ought. Had you saved my life I would have given you twenty pounds, and I think you ought to take a sovereign for what you have done. Now take it, and I will make him pay me back.' He then sent for the man, who looked wretched and seemed to think I had gone for money; and when his captain said, 'Now, what are you going to give this man for saving your life,' he replied, 'I have nothing to give him.' I didn't want the poor man's money, nor would I have taken any if he had had his pockets full. I then went forward to the crew, when the captain sent us what sailors call 'a mess pot.' I drank a great deal of rum that night, for I had to sup first with one and then with another, and each drank to my good health, and when I left they gave me a good hearty 'English cheer'—such a cheer as only 'jolly sailors' can give. Captain Knill was pleased that I had been so firm in refusing to take any money from the poor man, and it was enough for me that he was pleased. And I can declare, most solemnly, that hitherto I have not received so much as a halfpenny from any of those whom I have saved. I have got many a glass of grog, but never any money. Witnesses—Captain J. Knill, John Hickson.
Eleventh.—MARY ANN DAY.* (1833.)
She was a little girl, a native of Ulceby, in Lincolnshire, and fell from the 'Magna Charter' steamer into New Holland harbour. I sprang in after her while the paddle-wheels of the steamer were in motion, and brought her ashore, though at a great risk of losing my own life. The noise of the paddle-wheels, the screams of the girl's mother, and the confusion and shouts of the passengers, made this a very exciting scene, but it was very soon over, and the little girl, having got some dry clothes on, her mother brought her to me, and said to her, 'Now what will you give this gentleman for saving your life?' when she held out her little chin and, with a full heart, said, 'A kiss.' She gave me a kiss, and O, what a kiss it was. I felt myself well paid for my trouble; indeed, I made the remark at the time, that I was never better satisfied than when that child kissed me. 'It is said that Cicero had two courtiers on whom he wished to bestow favours. To one he gave a golden cup, and to the other a kiss. But the one that got the cup was very dissatisfied. He said, 'In the kiss I see something more than the cup, though that is valuable, but in the kiss there is affection, and it betokens better things.' And I am sure I felt a greater sense of delight, and higher satisfaction at the moment when that grateful child kissed me, than I did when my fellow townsmen, with their wonted generosity, presented me with one hundred and thirty guineas, and other mementoes of my doings; all of which I prize most highly, and which I trust will be preserved as heirlooms in my family, as long as the name of Ellerthorpe shall continue. I have been told that this girl is married and has a large family, and that she is now living between Beverly and Hull. Whether this is true I cannot say, but I know she has never paid me a visit, which I think she might have done, supposing the above statement to be correct. Should this meet her eye, it may refresh her memory, and I assure her she would meet with a hearty welcome from her former deliverer, now living at the Humber Dock-gate, Hull. Witness—Captain Oswald James Teny.
Twelfth.—HENRICH JENSON.* (1833.)
He was a foreigner, about forty years of age, and fell into the Humber Dock basin, one dark night, in the month of November. I was walking on the dock side at the time, when I heard a splash in the water, and in less time than it takes to write these few lines, I plunged in after him, and found him in a drowning state; I seized him, and with the assistance of some bystanders, soon had him safe on land. He rapidly recovered and I heard no more of him for years, when a man, a foreigner, called at my house and gave me the man's name and thanked me for saving his life. He said, 'If ever Jenson comes to Hull again, you may rest assured he will call and see you, and give you personal thanks.' I said I should be glad to see him, but that I should not take anything from him for the little service I had done him. This case was fully reported in the local papers at the time, and gave rise to a great deal of talk in the town of Hull, and its vicinity, as many well remember. John Barkworth, Esq., timber merchant, of Hull (who had known me from a boy), in company with some other gentlemen, met me one day, and said, 'Well John, you have saved another man,' and turning to those with him, he said, 'Here is a man that never stops, whatever kind of weather blows, but in he plunges and fetches the drowning person out. Look at his last case! On a dark cold night in November, he hears a splash, and in he goes and saves a man. Gentlemen, the town ought to do something handsome for him.' He gave me half-a-crown, and each of the other gentlemen gave me the same sum. As these gentlemen had plenty of money, and as none of them had any connection with the man I had saved, I accepted their gifts, and felt pleased that my services had been acknowledged in the manner I have described. Witness—James Smith.
Thirteenth.—ASHLEY TAYLOR.* (1833.)
He was seventy-five years of age, and fell from the landing place of the Grimsby packet, opposite ——street, Hull. At that time I belonged to the New Holland steamer, and having lost my tide at four o'clock, p.m., I went down to meet the packet which arrived at seven o'clock at night. Mr. R. Curtis, Mr. Lundie, and myself, were walking near where the boat was expected to land, when we heard a great splash in the water, but could not see anything. We ran to the corner of Pier-street, and there we saw something in the water, but nothing stirred. At length Mr. Lundie said, 'I believe it is a man overboard.' I then looked more closely, and sure enough it was a man. He had on one of those old fashioned great coats, with three or four capes, and which were worn by gentlemen's coachmen and boots, forty years ago; and as the capes were blowing about in all directions, it was with great difficulty I found his head. I had to turn him up and down, to the right and left, topsy-turvey, before I could get his head clear. I took him to the 'Piles,' and held him there, until a young man, who now drives a cab in Hull, came to our assistance with a boat. We took the old man to the Humber dock watch-house, and sent for Dr. Buchan, who used the Royal Humane Society's apparatus, and also gave the old man a steam or vapour bath. I stayed with him in my wet clothes till he spoke, and then I went home and got on some dry raiment. During my absence, they took this old man to Mr. Hudson's lodging house, in Humber-street. The night was cold, and the old man had had a warm bath, and to expose him to the night air under such circumstances was enough to kill him. When I arrived from New Holland, at nine o'clock next morning, a person met me and said, 'The old man is dead.' Witnesses—Richard Curtis, Richard Lundie.
Fourteenth.—RICHARD CHAPMAN.* (1834.)
Unlike the last case, Richard was a fine boy, only seven years old: he was the son of the late Mr. Chapman, pilot, and also brother of Mr. Chapman, painter, of Hull. He fell into the water from the Hull Dock Pier. At the time, I was on the deck of my packet, smoking a pipe, when I heard some one call out, 'A boy overboard.' I sprang from the deck, ran to the spot, plunged into the water, and in a few moments I had the boy safe ashore. I then hastened home, got on some dry clothes, and in less than half an hour I had started with the packet for New Holland. When I returned, Mr. Chapman met me and said, 'John, was it you who saved my boy?' 'I can't say, but I know I saved somebody's boy, is he yours?' I replied. 'Yes,' said the rejoicing father, 'I'm glad you were there, what am I in your debt?' 'Nothing, Mr. Chapman. I am as pleased as you are, and you are quite welcome to what I have done,' was my reply. He then said, 'Come in here and have something to drink,' when we went to the Minerva Hotel. Mr. Chapman pulled a handful of sovereigns from his purse and said, 'Now do take something for saving my boy,' but I again refused, though I believe to this day he would gladly have given me £10 if I would have taken that sum; but I never did take anything from anyone whom I have rescued, though often urged to do so. I think it was on this occasion that I received £1 from the Hull Royal Humane Society. Mr. Collinson, a gentleman, was on the pier when I saved Master Chapman, and he came and asked me what was my name, to what ship I belonged, where I lived, &c. Soon after, I was called by some gentlemen into the Minerva Hotel, where Dr. Wallis shook me by the hand and said, 'I have often heard of you, and it gives me great pleasure to see your face and hear your voice.' He gave me a note to take to the Trinity House for £1, which I got, and another which I took to Watson and Harrison's bank, where I got another sovereign. I felt pleased with these acknowledgments of my services, and oftener than once after this I was sent to the same places, and got £1 each time, after I had rescued a human life. The funds of the Trinity House were soon exhausted, and several gentlemen requested me to prepare a list of the persons I had saved from drowning at Hull, New Holland, Barton, and Hessle, and to get it signed by living witnesses. The persons saved by me, for which I had received no public acknowledgment, numbered five, and they gave me £5. Altogether I have received eleven sovereigns from the Hull Humane Society for those I rescued in the Humber, and at Hull. Witnesses—William Collinson, Thomas Spence.