Grace Darling grew up and spent almost all of her life living in 19th century lighthouses. Up to the age of ten, on the Brownsman, then the Longstone, until her death in 1842. She became world famous when at the age of 22 yrs and with her father William, rowed out in a fierce storm to rescue 9 survivors from the steamship ‘Forfarshire’. This new musical is not an historical account of the event itself, as all the relevant facts are well documented and anyone interested can visit her museum at Bamborough.

I have written the musical as a tribute to the life of Grace Darling, as I imagined it would be for any ordinary, young hard working young woman. It was unfortunate that in her case, she was suddenly caught in the searchlight of media publicity and hype. Her world suddenly fell apart and she sadly died only 4 years later of consumption at the age of 27 yrs. Her father was quoted as saying: “Grace died because of a decline of mind brought on by an ‘anxiety of mind’. because so many ladies and gentlemen came to see her that she got no rest.”