Grace Bussell

Grace Bussell (* 1860 in Margaret River (Western Australia ); † October 7, 1935 in Guildford ) was an Australian woman who became known as the 16 -year-old by the rescue of many shipwrecked on the coast of Western Australia following the sinking of the schooner Georgette. According to her the places Gracetown (Western Australia) and Lake Grace were named later.

Life

Grace Bussel grew up on a farm near the mouth of the Margaret River in Western Australia.

On 1 December 1876, the schooner SS Georgette in distress, as in heavy seas by a water leak came penetrated into the ship and the pumps failed. Near the Bay Calgardup ​​three lifeboats were lowered into the water. The first smashed against the hull of Georgette, the second reached the coast. The third, overloaded boat was full of water. The Aboriginal Sam Isaacs, who had been watching the action from the coast, alerted the residents of the nearby farm. The 16 -year-old farmer's daughter Grace Bussel reached one of the first to the scene of the accident. According to a contemporary newspaper report that Russel made ​​known as " Grace Darling of Australia ," she drove her horse down the steep coast and through the heavy surf into the sea, until she reached the third boat. With the help of ropes and brought along Sam Isaacs dragged the shipwrecked in a four-hour rescue operation gradually ashore. 38 of 50 people survived the accident.

1882 married Grace Bussell the Surveyor General Frederick Slade Drake - Brockman. Her son Edmund Drake - Brockman (1884-1949) later became Major General of the Australian Army, her daughter was the philanthropist Deborah Vernon Hackett ( 1887-1965 ).

Honors

1878 Russell was awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Humane Society for bravery, Sam Isaacs was awarded the bronze medal.

1910 appointed surveyor Marshal Fox a lake after her, the settlement of Lake Grace gave the name later. The place Gracetown Founded in 1961, also received its name.