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The Early Grace Darling
Grace Darling was born on the 24th November 1815. She was born in Bamburgh Northumberland, England. Her father, William Darling, was the keeper of Longstone Lighthouse. As Grace grew up her father taught her reading, writing, mathematics and geography. She also leaned duties like needlecrafts, cooking and cleaning as well as looking after the lighthouse.
Grace was the 7th of 9 children. All of her brothers went to a free school at Bamburgh Castle which was run by the crew trust but Grace did not.
There are some accounts that she went to Crawford’s bouder school at Spittle, near Berwick-Upon Tweed for a time, but this was not substantiated by Grace, who said she received her education especially in Geography, from her father.
On the 15th February 1826 the, Grace and her family moved to newly built Longstone Lighthouse. Grace was ten, but still had to tend their live stock and gardens on Brows man which was difficult in bad weather. This light house was further out to sea to protect ships from the hazards of series of rocks and small islands.