This memorial window-light for the crew of the schooner "Margaret" can be found in St. Paul's Church in Ramsey and shows Christ stilling the Storm.
The dedication below the light is as follows:
'TO THE GLORY OF GOD & IN LOVING MEMORY OF JAMES HENRY CHRISTIAN AGED 13 YEARS A CHORISTER OF THIS CHURCH WHO WITH HIS FATHER ROBERT CHRISTIAN MASTER & TWO OTHERS THE CREW OF THE SCHOONER MARGARET OF THIS PORT WAS DROWNED BY THE FOUNDERING OF THEIR VESSEL IN A GALE OFF WORKINGTON CUMBERLAND ON THE NIGHT OF FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 1885'
The Maritime Memorials website lists the memorial as Memorial:M5363
The Isle of Man Examiner newspaper published on Saturday September 1885 gives are very clear account of the events surronding the tragic loss of life:
'LOSS OF A RAMSEY SCHOONER AND
ALL HANDS
At daybreak on Saturday morning the top portion of the mast of a vessel was observed just above the surface of the water off Mossbay Point, between Harrington and Workington. The alarm was at once given, and the tug Derwent put out from Workington, towing a harbour boat in which were four men. A strong south-westerly gale was blowing at the time, and the sea was so heavy that long before the wreck was reached the harbour boat was capsized, and its occupants thrown into the sea. Three, who could swim, were rescued, but the fourth Alexander Banning, of Workington, was drowned. The Derwent was obliged to return to Workington; but another tug, the Ganges, from Harrington, which also put to sea with a view to rendering assistance, came as near to the sunken vessel as was consistent with safety. Those on board the tug could see one of the crew hanging by his feet in the rigging on the mainmast, and making frantic efforts to attract attention, but before assistance could be rendered the mainmast and its living freight were swept bodily away. Subsequently a small boat was washed ashore, with the name “Margaret of Ramsey.” painted on it.
According to statements of persons who witnessed the wreck from the shore, the whole of the crew of the doomed vessels took to the rigging as soon as she foundered in shallow water, but were unable to retain their hold in the face of the tumultuous sea which was running at the time, and were swept away one after another.
The names of the crew were – Robert Christian (master), his son James (who was with him for a holiday, William Cowle and William Kennish. One of the bodies was washed ashore on Saturday night, and another on Sunday morning. They came ashore within a few hundred yards of where the schooner went down. The shore was eagerly watched all day on Sunday by hundreds of people for other bodies. Christian and Cowle leave large families.
Our Ramsey correspondent writes:-
The master, Robert Christian, and the two hands, William Cowle and William Kennish, all belonging to Ramsey, were drowned, and their bodies soon after recovered and brought to Ramsey by the steamer from Whitehaven on Tuesday night. On Wednesday the funerals took place, and were attended by large numbers of person – chiefly of the sea-faring class – who paid their last mark of respect to the memory of their unfortunate companions. The body of the master’s son – a boy of about thirteen years, who went with his father for a holiday trip – has not yet been recovered. It is thought that lad might have been put into the cabin and the companion closed for safety, and the body still remains there. The vessel lies in about six fathoms of water, and can be easily reached by diving when the weather becomes more mild.'
The body of James was later recovered but was not returned to Ramsey.
The Workington Lifeboat Station was first established in 1886 at the request of the local inhabitants following the wreck of the Schooner Margaret of Ramsey with all hands. This Station closed in 1905.
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