Collapsed houses at King's Lynn

A cabinet card showing partially collapsed houses at King's Lynn in Norfolk.

A newspaper clipping pasted to the back of the mount reads: 'A BRAVE CURATE - The Rev. W.B. Weighell, curate of St Margaret's, King's Lynn, was publicly presented on Friday, in that town, with the Royal Humane Society's medal, in recognition of his bravery in rescuing a Mrs Bailey, whose life was endangered by the inundation caused by the high-tide on the night of Sunday, March 11.'

A lengthy report on the presentation appeared in the Lynn Advertiser (28 April 1883):

'it will be remembered that when the whole of the brickwork forming the south side of Messrs Eye and Co's malting fell into Millfleet, a portion of a house adjoining, occupied by Mrs Crowe, at the corner of Nelson street and Bridge street, gave way also; and an old lady named Bailey, aunt of Mrs Crowe, was carried with the fallen debris into the fleet. Her shrieks attracted attention, and Mr Weighell courageously plunged into the water and swam to the assistance of Mrs Bailey, whom he found lying upon some of the fallen rubbish. He extricated her from her dangerous position, and she was conveyed to Mr Carpenter's house close by. Several gentlemen in the town represented Mr Weighell's praiseworthy act to the Board of the Royal Humane Society, who, without hesitation, considered it a case deserving of recognition on their part.'

In accepting the award, Reverend Weighell made a speech in which he assured all present that he received the society's medal with 'the greatest possible pleasure and pride. [...] Whilst I am pleased to receive the medal for my humble effort in the cause of humanity, I am still more pleased because of the tangible proof it affords me of the esteem in which my fellow townsmen regard me.'

William Bartholomew Weighell went on to become the Vicar of Shilton in Oxfordshire. He died there, aged 59, on 29 October 1905.

Photographed by T. Smith and Sons of King's Lynn.