THE great grandson of a lifeboat hero returned to his graveside to unveil a plaque commemorating his celebrated achievements.

George Edwin Hoar was awarded Albert Medal for Bravery by Queen Victoria for a heroic rescue he carried out 124 years ago today (Tuesday, October 13).

Born in 1855 in Portsea Island, on the south coast, he joined the Royal Navy in 1873 as a boy sailor and became an Ordinary Seaman in 1875 and he signed on for 10 years service.

During this period he was awarded the Indian General Service Medal 1856 with "PERAK" clasp, the Egypt Medal with "Alexandria 11th July” clasp and the Khedive Star 1882.

However, his most heroic action of note happened whilst he was stationed at Tynemouth Lifeboat Station on the night of October 13, 1891, he attended a call out to the schooner Peggy which in seeking shelter from a heavy storm had run aground on the Spanish Battery rocks.

The Northern Echo:
The wreck of the Peggy. Picture by permission of Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade

Ian Stubbs, of the Friends of Linthorpe Cemetery, said the group decided it was time that his efforts was recognised and it was as he was preparing to do a talk on his findings that the hero's great grandson David Hoar got in touch from his Sheffield home.

"It's a great honour that his great grandson wanted to come and see the plaque unveiled," he said. "After doing the work in the cemetery we thought it was time that we celebrated his heroic actions and thought this was an ideal way to do it."

As part of his research, Mr Stubbs discovered how the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade member was amongst the team who rescued all but one of Peggy's crew, however, the last man had twice fallen from the rigging in his attempt to climb to safety.

Mr Stubbs wrote: "George on hearing of the situation volunteered to be hauled back to the vessel in a further attempt to rescue the stricken crewman. Upon arrival he was unable to reach the deck of the ship due to the tension of the hawser. Signalling to be returned to shore, he then spoke with his Chief Officer and once again was hauled out to the vessel.

"When on board he signalled for the hawser to be slackened and was able to be lowered some 14 feet to the deck below. Leaving the buoy and locating the now unconscious crewman he dragged him back to the buoy, wrapped his legs around the man’s body, and his hands grabbing his coat collar signalled to be hauled to shore As the hawser had been slackened the return journey was fraught with danger. The pair were continually submersed in the heavy seas and dashed against the rocks but were eventually hauled to the safety of the shore."

For this heroic deed George received the Albert Medal Second Class for Lifesaving at Sea given to him by Queen Victoria.

He also became the first recipient of the Tynemouth Medal inaugurated by a visiting New York lawyer who was so inspired by the rescue that he established the Tynemouth Medal Trust to reward similar acts of bravery at sea.

By 1901 George and his family had settled in Middlesbrough and he worked as a slinger in the iron and steelworks. He died on October 19, 1920 and was buried in Linthorpe Cemetery.