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The Death of Grace Darling
Following the rescue both William Darling and his daughter Grace Darling became household names. Without leaving her home on Longstone Island, Grace became a national treasure. Even William Wordsworth wrote about the rescue. Here is a poem he wrote.
"All night the storm raged, nor ceased, nor paused. When all day broke, the maid, through misty air. Espies far off a wreck, in the surf. Beating on one of those disastrous isles half of a vessel, half no more, the rest had vanished swallowed with all that there. Had for there common safety driven vain or thither. thronged for refuge with quick glance Daughter and sire though optic glass cistern Clinging about the remnant of this ship Creatures- how precious in maiden site"
A quiet end Unfortunately in 1842 grace developed tuberculosis and left her post at Longstone lighthouse to convalesce with her sister in Bambrough On the 20th of October, just short of her 27th birthday she sadly passed away in her fathers arms. Grace became the hero of Longstone light forever a woman who risked her life to save those survivors of the ill fated.