THE BALLAD OF THE St IVES LIFEBOAT JOHN AND SARAH ELIZA STYCH

On the 85th anniversary of the St Ives Lifeboat disaster (23 January 1939) and 6 weeks before the bicentenary of the formation of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (4 March 2024), Pat Hodge’s award-winning ode to the courage of not just the seven who perished and the one that survived, but ALL lifeboat crews, to the present day.
Written in the late 1970s and read here by Brian Stevens on 4 December 2023, it complements Johnny Barber’s poignant summary of the event • 'SAME BOYS - SAME SEA'...
The crew that fateful night appear at 56 seconds (L-R from top) Thomas Cocking (64), John Cocking (38), Edgar Bassett (30), John Thomas (42), Richard Stevens (36), Matthew Barber (30), William Barber (37) and sole survivor William Freeman (36). Mr Freeman never went to sea again, passing away on the 39th anniversary of the tragedy in 1978 aged 75. The inquest returned a verdict of ‘Death by misadventure’ for all the lost lives.
With this catastrophe, after the loss of the Caroline Parsons 357 days earlier (31 January 1938), St Ives became and, thankfully, remains the only RNLI station to have lost 2 boats in service.
THE BALLAD OF THE St IVES LIFEBOAT JOHN AND SARAH ELIZA STYCH
‘Twas 1939 on a wild winter’s night
when the maroons went off and began the fight.
Wild the weather and brave the crew
Launchers, women and children too.
"Tis wicked weather Cap'n, don't 'ee go"
But the call had come and go they'd go.
The sea it raged and the wind it roared
And those at home prayed to the Lord.
Morning broke on a restless town.
Word went out the boat had gone down
Then came the news, one man found
Please God that all were safe and sound
But not to be, the rest had drowned !
Families wept, wives were numbed
Fathers, brothers, friends and sons
Gone, gone.
All were lost on that terrible night
Hard they'd fought and lost the fight.
The wreck washed up on the eastern shore
Here's one lifeboat would sail no more.
Tradition ruled such boats must burn
No eye was dry as she took her turn.
And as long as there are lives to save
and souls to snatch from a watery grave
Then there'll be men who'll put to sea
Whatever the outcome is destined to be.
And years roll by, boys are men
New crews fill new boats again.
And ever will we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
Written by PAT HODGE (1936 - 2017)

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