WILLIAM BROOKS

From Grace Darling Website

William Brooks, George Alexander’s twin brother, was 19 years old and ashore at Seahouses on the night of the Forfarshire rescue. He led the lifeboat men five miles out into the storm to look for survivors. They found none but soon discovered that William's father and Grace had already rescued them.

William Brooks was appointed assistant lighthouse keeper at Longstone. He married Jane Downey in October 1840 and moved to Longstone, having a new house built there for his expanding family. William and Jane had nine children, seven boys and two girls, but few survived to adulthood; several died in their early teens.

After his father retired William Brooks became official lighthouse keeper at Longstone.