This Obelisk memorial can be found in the churchyard of St. Bridget’s in the village of Bride. The memorial was erected by the inhabitants of Ramsey and The Ramsey Volunteer Life Company. The men perished at sea on 24 October 1868.
From the contemporary newspaper reports it appears that the four men from Kirk Bride had some fishing lines set in Ramsey Bay and on the afternoon of Saturday, 24 October 1868 they had gone out in a yawl to recover these lines. The weather on that afternoon was very stormy and due to the high wind and the strong currents they unable to reach land after recovering the lines. The boat was blown out to sea.
A second boat was sent out into the bay, where a number of vessels were sheltering from the storm, to enquire about the yawl. These inquiries proved fruitless, however, and the location of the boat and the condition of the men remained a mystery.
The yawl was found on Wednesday, 28 October 1868 at Sylcroft, Cumberland in England. The bodies of two of the crew, John Joughin and John Sayle were found on the wreck.
The body of John Joughin was returned to the Island and he was interned at St. Bridget's Church on Monday, 2 November the body of John Sayle was interned on Thursday, 29 October near to the wreck site in Cumberland.
Following the discovery of the wreck a fund was launched with the intention of erecting a stone in Kirk Bride Churchyard to commemorate the sad event.
Nothing further was reported on the disaster until December when on Saturday, 5 December the Manx Sun carried the following article:
'THE LATE CATASTROPHE IN KIRK BRIDE
RECOVERY OF ANOTHER OF THE BODIES
It will be recollected that the bodies of two unfortunate young men who perished in the sad disaster during the late gale, were recovered on the coast of Cumberland, where one of them was interned, and the other brought to the Island for internment. Another of the bodies was washed up on Saturday last, within a few yards of the place where the ill-fated boat left the beach. This is regarded as a somewhat singular circumstance, and favours the theory that two of the crew of the boat perished before she had been driven very far from the land. From the long time - five weeks - which the body had been in the water, it was greatly decomposed, the head and both arms below the elbows being absent; but from the articles of dress still left, it was at once identified as the body of William Sayle, eldest son of Mr John Sayle, parish clerk. A messenger was at once despatched to the High-Bailiff of Ramsey, and also to the Coroner of the Sheading, who both promptly attended, and an inquest was held. After viewing the body on the beach, the jury adjourned to Ballaquark, where that formal inquiry took place. The only evidence adduced having reference to the finding and identification of the body. Under these circumstances the jury returned a verdict of FOUND DROWNED. The remains of the unfortunate youth were in the meantime placed in a coffin, and removed to his father's residence, and the effect of this melancholy arrival there can be more easily imagined than described. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, in the presence of a large concourse of people, many of whom were from Ramsey. Conspicuous amongst these were the Ramsey Rocket Brigade under the command of Captain Goldsmith, and attended by Dr Teare, surgeon to the Brigade. This fine body of men drove up in various vehicles to the house of mourning, and followed the coffin to its last resting-place in Kirk Bride churchyard. The funeral service was impressively read by the Rev. D. Nelson, rector of the parish. The presence of the Rocket Brigade has given great satisfaction to the relatives of the unfortunate young man, and is looked upon generally as a fitting tribute, from a noble band of volunteers whose object is to save life, to the memory of one who lost his life under such painful circumstances. Indeed the practical sympathy exhibited by the people of Ramsey, has done much to alleviate the misery of the clerk and his wife. Mr Daniel Goldsmith has especially exerted himself on the occasion. Not only did he offer to pay any expenses which might be incurred in bringing over the body of the youngest Sayle if it was desired to have him brought, but he has been chiefly instrumental in having two stones prepared, one of which is intended for the churchyard at Sylecroft, and the other - partaking more of the character of a monument - for Bride Churchyard, and on which the names of three of those who were together in death are inscribed, viz: William Sayle, John Sayle and Samuel Corkish. Of the latter nothing has been heard. - Cor.’
The Obelisk is made from redstone and has a white laurel wreath on its front face below which is a square memorial tablet which has the following inscription:
"ERECTED
BY THE INHABITANTS OF RAMSEY, AND
THE RAMSEY VOLUNTARY LIFE COMPANY.
IN MEMORY OF
SAMUEL CORKISH. AGED 71 YEARS.
JOHN JOUGHIN. AGED 18 YEARS.
WILLIAM SAYLE. AGED 18 YEARS.
AND
JOHN SAYLE. AGED 17 YEARS.
NATIVES OF THIS PARISH
WHO WERE BLOWN OFF THIS COAST
OCT. 24TH 1868.
AND PERISHED AT SEA.’
On another face of the square-base appears the following inscription:
'ERECTED
BY THE INHABITANTS OF RAMSEY, AND
THE RAMSEY VOLUNTARY LIFE COMPANY.
IN MEMORY OF
JOHN SAYLE.
OF THE PARISH OF BRIDE, ISLE OF MAN.
BORN NOV. 26TH 1851,
HE WAS BLOWN OFF THE MANX COAST
OCT. 24TH 1868.
AND PERSISHED AT SEA
ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER
AND TWO OTHERS.'
The Maritime Memorials website states that the cause of death for the four men lost was Maritime accident. Interestingly contrary to the contemporary newspaper reports the four men are stated to be Lifeboat crew and shows the date of death as 24 October 1865 whilst the inscription on the memorial records that the men were lost on 24 October 1868 which collaborated by the contemporary newspaper reports.
(
visit link)