REDCAR – Narrow Escape from drowning at Redcar and Gallant Rescue
Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-on-Sea Gazette 27/06/1879
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING AT
REDCAR AND GALLANT RESCUE
Yesterday morning (26th), a young gentleman named Fryer, a native of Stockton, who has for a few weeks been staying at Redcar along with some other members of his family, had a very narrow escape from drowning. He was bathing along with a friend named Fisk, when he ventured too far out, and got beyond his depth. Fisk, who is a good swimmer, tried to reach him, but was unable to do so, and shouted for help. Fryer’s perilous position had, however, been noticed by some persons on shore, and Mr. R. P. Skinner, bathing machine proprietor, and Mr. Michael Burnicle, second coxswain of the Royal National Lifeboat, had got a boat down and were just putting off to the drowning man’s assistance when Fisk shouted. They succeeded in reaching Fryer just as he was disappearing under the surface of the water for the third time, when Burnicle managed to get one of the oars belonging the boat under him, and also held him by the hair of his head until Skinner got the boat round so that he could be got into it. When taken out of the water he was quite insensible, and he was got ashore as quickly as possible and taken to the Swan Hotel, where Dr, Bennett was awaiting them, under whose direction means were successfully used to restore life, though fully an hour had elapsed before Mr. Fryer recovered consciousness. This narrow escape should serve to warn bathers who cannot swim of the danger of venturing out too far when there is a strong tide running, mas was the case yesterday morning, for it was evident that if there had been the slightest delay in launching a boat the result would have been fatal.
dean August 10, 2011 Redcar