A second application was made to the Royal Humane Society, in 1852, when the following reply was returned:—
Royal Humane Society,
Office No. 3, Trafalgar Square,
28th September, 1852.
Dear Sir,—In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, I beg to inform you that the cases alluded to in the statement of John Ellerthorpe are all out of date for any reward from this Society. Perhaps you are not aware that he has already received the Silver Medal of this Institution for the case in 1835, which was laid before the committee at the proper period, viz., within one month after the occurrence.
I therefore beg to return you the statements, and remain, dear Sir, yours obediently,
J. CHARLIER,
Jas. R. Pease, Esq., Hesslewood, Hull. Sec.
LARGE CONGRATULATORY MEETING IN HULL.
In the year 1861, and soon after our friend had rescued John Eaby from a watery grave, the people of Hull made an effort to reward their brave and gallant townsman, who had rescued from their own docks and around the pier, not fewer than twenty-three persons. A committee was formed, under the presidentship of Mr. John Symons, a member of the Town Council, and a man of untiring energy and philanthropic disposition. Mr. Symons thus states the origin and success of this movement:—
'Hull, Sept 13th, 1867,
72, Queen Street.
Dear Sir,—I must apologise for my seeming neglect in not complying earlier with your request respecting Mr. Ellerthorpe: the fact is, my public duties allow me but little leisure for writing. However, I will try to refresh my memory as to the way in which that kind, humane, undaunted man, received recognition. In July, 1861, the local papers contained an account of a young man named Eaby, who, while in an apoplectic fit, fell into the dock basin; the tide was running down rapidly and the wind was blowing strong. Mr. Ellerthorpe, while on duty at the dock gates, saw the man struggling and beating the water into foam; he immediately plunged from the wall, and after a fearful struggle between the two, the young man being violently affected, both were saved. This act was witnessed by several people, amongst whom were two warm-hearted working men, named Steadman and Turner. The following day they called upon me, with a written list of twenty-nine lives saved by Mr. Ellerthorpe. The account savoured of romance, but then it was signed by living witnesses, who corroborated the truth of the statements made. The men asked me to assist them in getting up some public demonstration in favour of Mr. Ellerthorpe. I told them I would lend my humble aid, but they must obtain some man of mark for their chairman, to take the initiative. They applied to several gentlemen, but in vain, all refused. They pleaded hard that I would act as chairman, and sooner than allow the thing to die away, I consented, although, at the time, entirely unused to address large public audiences. The mayor, W. Hodge, Esq., granted us the use of a large room at the Town Hall, and then we issued large placards calling upon the people to attend and publicly congratulate Mr. Ellerthorpe on his recent narrow escape, and likewise to open a subscription for presenting him with a testimonial. The meeting was a crowded one, but principally composed of working men. I was not in the least disheartened by this; for long before I had got through the list of persons saved by John Ellerthorpe, the large county-court room rang with cheer after cheer pealing forth ever and anon. When, for the first time, was enrolled the long, distinguished list of lives saved from drowning by the hitherto obscure and humble servant of the Humber Dock Company, such heroism and bravery 'touched' the souls of a few present who could afford to subscribe.
COUNCILLOR SYMON'S ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING.