Hoylake lifeboat rescue - Catherine Lathom November 1888
[from Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer - Thursday 08 November 1888]:
SCHOONER WRECKED AT HOYLAKE. The mild but gloomy weather which prevailed during last week over Liverpool and the northwestern counties of England changed at an early hour on Friday morning, when the wind, which was blowing from the west, increased to a gale. In the channel the squalls, which followed one another incessantly, blew with great fury, causing the sea to run very high. The Mersey was also rough, and some difficulty was experienced in landing passengers at Egremont and New Brighton, but at no time was it so bad as to compel the traffic to be stopped. At daylight, signals of distress were seen from the lifeboat station at Hilbre island, near Hoylake, from a schooner, which was seen ashore on the East Hoyle Bank, between Hilbre Island and the Point of Ayr. The waves were dashing over the vessel, her crew having to take refuge in the rigging, to which they clung with difficulty. The warning gun was fired to collect the crew of the Hoylake lifeboatt, and with admirable expedition the boat was launched, and, after a hard pull, succeeded in rescuing the whole of the crew. The vessel, which is named the Catherine Lathom, hailed from Barrow. She was laden with iron ore, and bound from Duddon to Connah's Quay. The schooner was successfully got off the bank on Saturday morning, and taken to a place of safety up the Dee.