William Darling

William Grace Junior AKA Laddie

From Grace Darling Website

William Snr was living in Bamburgh and classed as a ‘labourer’ when his first child was born. He was named William after his father so he became known as ‘Laddie’ because of it. They soon moved to Brownsman Island, as William became assistant lighthouse keeper. As a child William Jnr was brought up on the island and would have helped his father. At sixteen he left Brownsman to become an apprentice joiner in Alnwick. William married Ann Cobb in Belford in 1837. They had six children. He still made visits back home - now at Longstone. On a family visit at Christmas 1834 he was involved in a sea rescue when, with his father and two of his brothers, they rescued one survivor of a wreck off Knavestone Rock at great danger to themselves.

In 1839 the Duke of Northumberland ordered the construction of a lighthouse on Coquet Island. The Duke had taken an active interest in the Darlings affairs since the Forfarshire rescue and recommended their eldest son William as the first lighthouse keeper at Coquet Island. William took up the post, moving to the island with his wife. Grace went to stay with them briefly, a few months before she died.

Between 1839 and 1854 William and Ann had six children, all presumably brought up on Coquet Island.