Jane Bewick and the Invention of the Lifeboat

 You may remember Robin Adam’s article, You cannot be serious, Mr Reay? The Bewicks Argue Intellectual Property published in Cherryburn Times Volume 7 Number 5, Autumn 2019

Robin’s paper refers to a pamphlet called The Sportsman’s Friend illustrated by Thomas Bewick. The publication touches on the invention of the lifeboat at South Shields and there is a copy in the Natural History Society of Northumbria’s archive which is annotated by his daughter, Jane Bewick.

Jane Bewick’s  manuscript notes vehemently dispute Henry Greathead’s claim to fame as the inventor of the first Lifeboat. Jane favoured a lowly parish clerk called William Wouldhave.


 

'Note by Jane Bewick – that Wm Wouldhave, of South Shields an ingenious and rather eccentric man, was the Inventor of the Life Boat. Greathead built the boat from Greathead’s model and took the credit, the profit and the rings, - and Wouldhave died a poor parish clerk.

A pamphlet was published in Newcastle in his defence by – Hailes a schoolmaster.
All the intelligent people and others of South Shields knew this to be the fact.
 
I have seen Greathead in the street sticking out his fingers with the
ring — he was a great fool ! J Bewick'
 
I was browsing through Twitter this week and found a nice account of the Lifeboat story on YouTube by Tynemouth Lifeboat Coxswain Martin Kenny
I think you may find this as interesting as I did
A brief history of Lifeboats on the Tyne with Martin Kenny (CC) - YouTube 

June Holmes