Relatives of fallen join Ardrossan lifeboat plaque unveiling

The memorial will be revealed at the Hub on the Prom on the town's South Beach on Sunday, October 27 at 1.30pm.

The plaque commemorates the existence of the Ardrossan Lifeboat from 1820 to 1930, the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the 1880 Lifeboat Rescue in which 20 men survived but five lost their lives.

Douglas Gorman and his sister Fiona Martin are great-great-grandchildren of lifeboatman William Breckenridge, who died trying to save others 144 years ago.

They and other members of their family will pay tribute to their ancestor and other lifeboat personnel at the dedication ceremony.

Ardrossan Community Development Trust (ACDT) has kindly agreed to provide a plinth for the plaque and facilitate the event.

In the early hours of March 1, 1880, a sailing ship, the Matilda Hilyard, was approaching Ardrossan Harbour on a voyage from France in atrocious weather and ran aground on Horse Island.

The Ardrossan lifeboat, the Fair Maid of Perth, was launched. It was a rowing boat with 10 oars, crewed by harbour workers who were friends and, in some cases, relations. The coxswain was William Breckenridge.

Map of the Matilda Hilyard rescue off Ardrossan (Image: George McGrattan) Stormy conditions prevented the lifeboat getting direct access to the stricken ship, so the harbour tug towed the lifeboat to the opposite side of the island from where six lifeboatmen reached the Matilda Hilyard on foot.

With great effort, these brave men got a line aboard and brought the 12 crew members ashore to Horse Island where there was no shelter from the dreadful weather. Eventually, the rescuers and rescued got into the lifeboat and were towed by the tug towards the harbour.

Unfortunately, the lifeboat capsized and its occupants were tossed into the sea.

Sadly, lifeboatmen William Grier and Alexander McEwan perished and two crew members of the Matilda Hilyard also drowned. They were John Hickey from the United States and Vincent Luthemburger from Austria.

Despite having suffered for some considerable time previously with a chest infection, William Breckenridge left his sick bed to attend the joint funeral of his friends at Ardrossan Cemetery. 

Exposure in the bitterly cold water caused his condition to worsen. He died on March 28 and was buried near his fellow lifeboatmen two days later. The Matilda Hilyard crewmen were buried nearby in April.

Representatives from ACDT, the RNLI and Ardrossan and Largs Sea Cadets will attend the unveiling ceremony next weekend.

Douglas and Fiona would be delighted if descendants of the three lifeboatmen could also be present.

If you are related, please contact the Herald on 01294 464321 or editorial@ardrossanherald.co.uk and we will pass on your details.

Members of the public are very welcome to come to the unveiling.