Nationalist
and Leinster Times, July 1897.
Hero of the Barrow
Testimonial for Bravery.
Mr Michael
Webster, Lock-Keeper, Carlow-Graigue has been awarded a medal by the
Royal Humane Society for his bravery in rescuing life from drowning. To
date Michael has saved 30 people from drowning in the river Barrow. As
his admirers who appreciate his many gallant rescues from the Barrow,
are anxious to supplement this official recognition by a purse of
sovereigns to be presented to him. A subscription list has been opened
and subscriptions will be received by Mr R. C. Langran, Athy Place,
Carlow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carlow
Sentinel, July 1897.
Royal Humane Society Awards.
Testimonials
to Michael Webster, lock-keeper, for on the 30th June 1897 he rescued
from the canal at Graigue Lock, William Connor, a lad of 13 years. The
lad while sailing on a raft, that was left by workmen, fell into the
river.
Michael
Webster who is credited with having saved 29 lives from the Barrow, was
asleep in a boat at the time, having been up the previous night on duty,
but the instant he was awakened by his daughter he took off his coat and
plunged into the river, he got hold of the lad as he was sinking under
for the third time and then rose with him to the wall where were
assisted by his wife, Mrs Webster. A local testimonial is being
organised in Carlow to present to Michael Webster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Carlow
Sentinel, Saturday, August 7th 1897.
A Compliment to Mr Michael Webster.
The last
issue of the English publication the "ILLUSTROGRAPH" contains a capital
portrait on Mr. Michael Webster, the "Hero of the Barrow" with the
notice which we append:-
"We have
much pleasure in giving to our readers the portrait of one of "Nature's
Noblemen" a man who though not privileged to belong to the higher ranks
of life, yet has on more than one occasion testified by deeds , which
speak louder than words, the possession of a truly noble
self-sacrificing nature.
Mr. Webster
is a lock-keeper in the employ of the Grand Canal Company at Carlow, and
as a life-saver has a record of which he may justly be proud. He has,
says the local paper, been the means of saving no less than 29 persons
from drowning.
Although Mr
Webster's gallant conduct has been often the talk of local circles that
has been up to the present the only appreciation of an unparalleled
record.
It is to be
hoped that the Royal Humane Society will be moved to its duty now that
Mr Webster's record has received a greater publicity and that the
recognition of the Society will be in some way commensurate with such
distinguished services".
The Carlow
Sentinel are glad to learn that the suggestion that he should be
presented with a substantial recognition for his life-saving services
meets with a hearty approval, and already several subscriptions have
been received by Robert C. Langran, Carlow Sentinel, Honorary Secretary
and Treasurer to the fund, who will thankfully receive further
subscriptions which will be duly acknowledged.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nationalist
and Leinster Times, August 7th 1897.
Honours for Heroism.
The
ILLUSTOGRAPH of last week published a portrait of Mr Michael Webster,
Lock-keeper, Carlow-Graigue whose heroism in the saving of life has been
so widely commended. Alluding to the portrait the journal states:
"We have
much pleasure in giving to our readers the portrait of one of "Nature's
Noblemen" a man who though not privileged to belong to the higher ranks
of life, yet has on more than one occasion testified by deeds , which
speak louder than words, the possession of a truly noble
self-sacrificing nature.
Mr. Webster
is a lock-keeper in the employ of the Grand Canal Company at Carlow, and
as a life-saver has a record of which he may justly be proud. He has,
says the local paper, been the means of saving no less than 29 persons
from drowning.
Although Mr
Webster's gallant conduct has been often the talk of local circles that
has been up to the present the only appreciation of an unparalleled
record.
It is to be
hoped that the Royal Humane Society will be moved to its duty now that
Mr Webster's record has received a greater publicity and that the
recognition of the Society will be in some way commensurate with such
distinguished services".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nationalist
and Leinster Times , July 1897.
Sad Drowning Case - Heartless Conduct.
An inquest
was held on the bodies of Mary Balwin, aged 16 and an infant aged three
months who were drowned in the Liffey, opposite Inchicore House. Two
little girls named Mary Dowling and Elizabeth Owens, aged about six
years, stated they were with the deceased the previous evening on the
bank of the river. Mary Baldwin's foot slipped and she fell on her back
into the water, she had the three month old child in her arms at the
time and both fell into the water together. At the time a boat in which
there were a man and two girls was going down the river, they were about
to come over, but they then went off down the river.
The Coroner
said it was a pity they did not know who the parties in the boat were,
so that their names might be published.
Mr Baldwin
the father of the deceased girl said that the conduct of the parties in
the boat was most inhuman.
The Coroner
said he was sure when those people who were in the boat should see the
report of this inquest in the papers they would feel themselves
responsible for the lives of those children. If they had come over when
the children fell into the water they would have had a very good chance
of saving their lives. Their conduct was most heartless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Carlow
Sentinel, August 1897.
Webster Testimonial Fund.
It having
been decided to present Mr Michael Webster, lock-keeper, Carlow-Graigue,
with a testimonial in recognition of his gallantry in saving from time
to time twenty-nine lives from drowning, a subscription list has been
opened for that purpose.
Mr Webster
is to be the recipient of the Royal Humane Society's honours and it is
intended that both presentations should be made at the same time.
The
following subscriptions have been received or promised:-
- Mr
H.E. Stuart, - £2.
- Grand Canal Company, per Mr Kirkland, - £2.
- Mr
M. Governey, - £1.
- Mr
P. Shackleton, - £1.
- Mr
J. Fishbourne, - £1.
- Mr
Wilfred Haughton, - £1.
- Rev,
J. Cullen, - £1.
- Dr.
W. O' Meara, - £1.
- Mr
Kane Smith, - £1.
- Rev.
J. Murray, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
J.D. Carthy, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
W. Haughton, - 10 shillings.
- Dr
Rawson, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
Hanlon & Sons, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
G. Black, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
D. Ross, - 10 shillings.
- Mr
R. Bell, - 5 shillings.
- Mr
C. Johnson, - 5 shillings.
- Mr
W. Fitzmaurice, - 5 shillings.
- Mr
Clarence. Cary, - 5 shillings.
- Mr
O.T. Slocock, - 5 shillings.
- "PLUCK" - 5 shillings.
- "COURAGE" - 2 shillings and 6 pence.
Further
subscriptions will be thankfully received and acknowledged by R.C.
Langran, Hon. Sec. Court Place, Carlow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nationalist
and Leinster Times. August 1897.
Webster Testimonial Fund.
- Mr
R. Norton, - £1.
- Sir
Charles Burton, Bart., - 10 shillings.
- Brown and Crosswait, - 10 shillings.
- S.
Chatterton, - 10 shillings.
- Denis Nolan, - 10 shillings.
- Robert Thorp, - 10 shillings.
- C.
Anderson, - 10 shillings.
- H.
Herring-Cooper, - 5 shillings.
- C.
Malcomson, - 5 shillings.
- C.
Hayden, - 5 shillings.
- A
Friend, - 2 shillings and six pence.
(Note added,
April 2011, - many others are named for smaller donations.)
Michael
served as a lock-keeper for over seventy years, he died in 1938. At the
time of his death it was claimed that he had rescued over 50 people from
drowning in the river Barrow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mick Webster 1845 - 1938 R.I.P.
Nationalist and Leinster Times, December 1938.
Mick
Webster, a popular and familiar figure, who reached the patriarchal age
of ninety-three, was up to a few years before his death, which occurred
on Thursday, the 8th December, alert and active. He retired a few years
ago on pension from his occupation as lock-keeper, after a service of
over seventy years, with the Grand Canal Company.
Genial and
courteous "and every man his neighbour" he won affection and esteem and
on his passing, his legion of friends, fervently prayed that he may Rest
in Peace.
Though a man
of small stature he was physically a gladiator, with the courage of a
lion and the gentleness of a lamb. He saved from drowning, often at the
risk of his own life, the lives of twenty-seven and was presented with
Medals and Certificates for bravery by the Royal Humane Society. These
deserved honours he took with the modesty of the hero – that he was.
He was a
good sportsman. His prowess with the bat in the heyday of Cricket at
Tiny Park is commemorated in "The Skipper's Oath and How He Kept It"
written by the late Paul A. Brown in collaboration with District
Inspector Hyde, (brother of Dr. Douglas Hyde, President of Ireland) who
was then living in Carlow.
Mr
Kane-Smyth, who is still happily with us, played every game and was
without rival as a Horseman at the tail of hounds or between the flags
and was adept with rod and gun. We hope to induce Mr Smyth to write his
reminiscences of the men of yesterday, of their deeds in the chase and
piscatorial pursuits. Should he ever undertake this task - Mick Webster,
his friend, will have a unique interesting and humorous chapter - "On
The Banks of the Barrow".
A day on the
river with both men was a treat. Kane's flow of wit and Mick's
reminiscences made an inimitable combination of good things, which must
remain unrecorded, as they are of the past and hard to recall. But here
is one story worthy of a place in a book of Irish Wit and Humour.
Mick Hayden,
whom God Rest his soul, was as keen a piscator
(fisherman)
as ever cast
a fly on the waters of the Barrow - Kane an admirer of Hayden said to
Mick Webster with great solemnity: "Mick, fishing on the Barrow always
reminds me of the late Mick Hayden, we should erect a monument to his
memory bearing the inscription:-
-
“Mick Hayden, Born 1828 -
Died 1894
-
Ah! Mick Webster replied, and
add
-
"He is waiting for the Rise".
-
Mick Webster - a Carlow
landmark
-
"whose like we shall not look
upon again"
-
is gone. An old "Soldier"
-
he finished the course, and
has won we pray
-
His Heavenly Crown.
-
"Good Mick the Grand Old
Patriarch is Dead.
-
And of him truly it can be
said:
-
An honest man - A Diamond in
the rough,
-
"He fought the fight" - says
Kane - Ain't that enough".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Appreciation.
"Mick" as
his friends used to call him, was a most kind and honourable man, in
fact a true nature's gentleman. I do not know if I have ever heard a man
spoken of by his own countrymen with such respect.
A great
fisherman, who worked nearly all his life as Head Water Bailiff on the
River Barrow, on the banks of which he lived. He was most courageous, as
the many lives he saved from drowning can testify. Few realised the kind
of man he was until his death.
- "I knew that ancient fisherman
- I have him in my eye;
- I'll throw it a foot in front of him
- And I'll be with him bye and bye"
-
Kane- Smyth.
Source: Michael Purcell 2011
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