Also
To the memory of
WILLIAM HANSFORD
aged 61 years
Who was killd on 23 of November
1824
By the sea overfolowing the village
of chissel
His leg was broken in attempting to
make his esecape afterwards the
house fell on him ..... 
.......
Farewell my wife and children dear
My death was sudden and severe
The wind and sea its fury broke
The wonderous works of god bespoke
Mans dwelling levelld with the ground
some were killed ,some were drowned
Therefore o god their souls pray take
in joys adove for Jesus sake...........
That is my 3rd great grand-father's grave! It is interesting to note that his son John Samuel James Hansford (who was only 9 years old at the time this happened to his father) went on and rescued 2 men from a shipwreck in a storm on the Chesil Bank. This is the record of that event from the family bible presented to him and now held by my cousin:
Presented by the Right Reverend
Edward
Lord Bishop of Norwich
to
John Hansford
of
Portland.
In token of admiration of his bold and generous conduct in saving the lives of two shipwrecked mariners, who without his timely aid, nobly given at the risk of his own life, must have perished when the Brig Amyntas was drived by a gale of wind on the Chesil Beach and four of her crew were lost on the morning of November 30th 1841.
Herein is love - not that we loved God but that he loved us - and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved if God so loved us - we ought to love one another (1 John 4-10,11).
The above act of bravery by John is recorded in several books on Portland and it's shipwrecks. One notable recording is in the book "Portland - an illustrated history" by Stuart Morris, page 63 records, "It would detract from Portland's general history to describe all of its shipwrecks, but this contemporary account of the wrecking of the brig Amyntas in December 1841 was typical of hundreds:
A party of Portland men were on the beach anxiously awaiting the unfortunate
vessel coming on shore, and all equally desirous of assisting in saving the
lives of the crew. Shortly after she struck, these brave fellows were to be
seen in the midst of the foaming surf, trusting only to a rope fastened around the waist which was held by their companions. Throwing a line on board for the crew to secure themselves with, the ship was at this moment struck by a most tremendous sea so violently that the foremas t on which six of the crew had sought safety was carried away, and broken in three pieces, and all were precipitated into the surf. One loud shriek was heard from those who witnessed this awful sight. In an instant John Hansford rushed into the surf and was buried amongst the white foam. After the receding of the wave he was seen struggling with a man in each hand, and although he was unable to keep on his legs he firmly kept his hold on them, and was hauled up on the be ach by his brave companions, bringing with him the two poor fellows who were with difficulty restored. Joseph Miller went in after the master but lost him when swamped by a breaker. The leg of a youth and two bodies were later washed ashore. Remarkably one of the rescued crew had been wrecked at the same spot on the "Commodore" two years before! The two Portlanders' names were added to the long list of those presented with bravery awards, and the wreck led to the formation of the Portland Marine Humane Society (still functioning today)."
He obviously wasn't put off by the storm events that took his father's life. Even more remarkable is the fact that he then boarded a ship to Australia with his wife and children in 1856. Truly a courageous act after what he had seen of ship-wrecks, the wild seas - and what they can do to ships and his father!!
Show Posts