Stone Plaque from Manby Monument

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Captain George Manby

Index

Introduction
Captain George Manby
Stone Plaque from Manby Monument (current page)
Inscription from Manby Monument
Manby Model- Breeches Buoy
A Stranded Vessel

Introduction

Captain George Manby (1765-1854) was Master of the Great Yarmouth artillery barracks during the early 19th century and during his time there he designed many inventions for saving lives at sea.

He invented a system that used a mortar to fire a line onto stranded vessels. People were put into slings or breeches buoys and winched to safety along this line. This was the best known of Manby’s inventions and saved thousands of lives.

Manby was desperate for fame and recognition and toured Britain and Europe promoting himself and his inventions.

The following exhibition brings together objects in the Great Yarmouth collection which tell the story of his life and work.

Comments

Posted:Jul 7, 2010 10:38:21 AM GMT

Manby Mortar

Sunderland Volunteer Life Brigade have a replica Manby mortar on display at their Watch House Museum, go to sunderlandvlb.com

Kathleen Gill Sunderland

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Captain George Manby

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Stone Plaque from Manby Monument

Stone plaque which formed part of the Manby Monument in his garden at Pedastal House, now at Time and Tide Museum

Stone Plaque from Manby Monument

This stone plaque once formed part of the monument erected by Captain Manby in the front garden of his house in Southtown, Great Yarmouth. It shows, in carved relief, a man firing a line from a mortar to a ship foundering in heavy seas. Manby was desperate for public and official recognition of his work and inventions. Although he had many admirers abroad he felt that he never received the recognition he deserved at home. It is unclear why he did not receive more praise from the British Government- perhaps he was considered too much of an eccentric self-publicist and there were rumours of an affair between his brother and Queen Caroline.
Manby became resentful and resorted to commissioning his own monument to himself and erecting it in his garden.