Role: Coastguard Officer
Henry Edwards Ellis was born in Devon in August 1827. He joined the Navy aged 14 and spent 16 years serving on various ships including ‘HMS Daedelus’, which once had an encounter with a supposed sea serpent!
Henry joined the Coastguard in 1857 and in May 1858, while stationed at Boscastle, was involved in a dramatic rescue. In terrible weather the ‘Defence’ was grounded just off the Cornish coast. At about 3am the ship broke free, taking with it the rocket apparatus the Coastguard had managed to get to the vessel, and tore into pieces.
The terrified crew of 17 were left clinging to a rock in a raging storm. In an amazing rescue, the Coastguard slid down the overhanging cliffs and, with the aid of a small line, formed a human chain to haul the crew to safety. One Coastguardsman was even suspended with one leg over the cliff in order to drag the crew over the ledge. Had the rope broken, they would all have fallen into the sea.
Along with his four brave colleagues, Henry was publicly commended for the rescue. He was promoted to chief boatman in 1861 and retired in July 1882. He died in April 1898, aged 69.
