Rescue off Parkgate Liverpool Mercury September 17 1819

On Friday night last, a poor old man in the habit of bringing vegetables from
Flint to Parkgate attempted to return home on the sands after dark, when he
unfortunately mistook the signal light down the river for one usually placed
on the Flint shore; which attracted him to a very perilous situation; for
sitting unconcerned between his panniers, his horse went down the centre of
the Dee, until he got opposite to Gayton, before the rider was aware of his
danger. He uttered the most pitiable cries of distress, which were soon heard
by the people of Parkgate, but had it not been for the most strenuous
representation of two ladies who were staying at the assembly house, not a
single waterman would have had the humanity to have rescued this poor
helpless sufferer from a watery grave.
It should be made known that Mr EDWARDS who keeps the assembly house,
immediately offered to go with lights in search of him, and did prevail upon
Mr GILL a boatman and two boys to accompany him.
These four, att he risk of their lives, after going two or three miles, and
wading through several deep gutters, formed by the coming in tide, at last
discovered the shoe marks of the horse upon the sands, and providentially
came upon the exhausted man, just before the water was beginning to float
himself and his horse. They found him with his face along the neck of the
horse, too weak to cry aloud. They siezed the bridle and soon brought him
ashore to Parkgate when with the help of cordials he was soon revived, and
was furnished with a bed for the night. A subscription was immediately very
properly suggested to reward those who had so cheerfully manifested such a
laudable willingness to rescue this poor individual: which they certainly did
at the hazard of their lives, for had they not succeeded at that critical
moment, in ten minutes the tide would have overhelmed the whole party.

Caryl Williams www.old-liverpool.co.uk Old Liverpool 1998-2009