Graces, Julia and Gierdina

9th February 1861

In February 1861 a storm ravaged the East Coast causing the loss of many lives and much damage, shipping being particularly affected. Admiral Robert Fitzroy, formally the HMS Beagle, issued the first storm warnings for shipping. The Whitby Lifeboat was capsized in this storm, drowning twelve of the thirteen crew. She was on the fourth launch of the day to the schooner "Merchant", after saving the crews of the schooner "Gamma", the barque "Clara", the brig "Utility" and the schooner "Roe". The surviver, Henry Freeman was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal and continued to serve on Whitby Lifeboats for a further forty years.

In the morning at Robin Hood’s Bay two brigs the "Graces" and the "Julia" were driven ashore, fishermen in cobles saved both of their crews. The two brigs became wrecks as the storm worsened.

During the afternoon a Dutch galliot was seen coming for the beach, labouring very hard. Before it made the shore a tremendous sea capsized it and all of the four crew were drowned. She was the "Gierdina Harmina" of Noorhorn, sailing from Sunderland to Harwich with a cargo of coal. The wreck rapidly broke up and was strewn along the beach.

One of the bodies from the Dutch vessel was found washed ashore on the following Wednesday. An inquest was held and Coroner John Buchannan recorded a verdict of drowning.

On the Thursday men in a coble reported seeing a vessels masts standing in deep water.

14^th March 1861 The badly decomposed body of a man was found washed up at Mill Beck. He was wearing a red flannel shirt, dark trousers and sea boots. It was belived that he was one of the crew of the Dutch galliot which was wrecked in the Bay. An inquest was held at the New Inn, Robin Hood’s Bay and Deputy Coroner Mr. Robert Gray recorded a verdict of "found drowned on beach".