Mr John Elkin has provided me with the following genealogical data, tracing Grace Darling's family tree back to her great great grandfather Robert Darling.
I have been able to add some information from the 1881 Census Records. These additions are listed in italic below. I have also added some further comments taken from the Bamburgh Church Records (Updated 13th July, 1999.)
Robert Darling married 29 Apr 1701, in Chirnside, Berwickshire, Agnes Aitchesone.
B. Robert Darling born 11 Mar 1746, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 19 Mar 1746, Bunkle & Preston, Berwickshire, occupation: Lighthouse Keeper, married 2 Sep 1769, in Belford, Northumberland, Elizabeth Clark, born 12 Oct 1744, died 14 Aug 1813, Brownsman Light, buried: Belford, Northumberland. Robert died 25 Sep 1815, Brownsman Light, buried: Belford, Northumberland.
2. Michael Darling born 19 May 1771, Belford, Northumberland, baptised: 28 May 1771, Warenford, Northumberland, died 3 Sep 1775, buried: Belford, Northumberland.
3. George Darling born 23 Feb 1774, Belford, Northumberland, baptised: 1 Mar 1774, Warenford, Northumberland, died 30 Jul 1776, buried: Belford, Northumberland.
4. Elizabeth Darling born 7 Jun 1777, Belford, Northumberland, died 11 Nov 1790, buried: Belford, Northumberland.
5. Robert Darling born 22 Feb 1779, Belford, Northumberland, died London. Descendants include George Darling Thomsett (b. 14Nov1864, Greenwich, Kent), whose granddaughter Joanna Dessau wrote the book "Amazing Grace" published in 1980.
6. Isabella Darling born 20 Jan 1781, Belford, Northumberland.
7. Christian Darling born 12 Dec 1783, Belford, Northumberland, died 13 Oct 1841, Bamburgh, Northumberland.
8. William Darling born 7 Feb 1786, Belford, Northumberland, occupation: Lighthouse Keeper, married 1 Jul 1805, in Bamburgh, Northumberland, Thomasin Horsley, born 27 Feb 1774, Bamburgh, Northumberland, (daughter of Job Horsley and Grace) died 16 Oct 1848, Bamburgh, Northumberland, buried: 20 Oct 1848, North Sunderland, Northumberland. William died 28 May 1865, Bamburgh, Northumberland, buried: 30 May 1865, North Sunderland, Northumberland. Assistant Keeper, Brownsman Light (1812-15); Keeper, Brownsman Light (1815-1826); Keeper, Longstone Light (1826-1860).
(2) Job Horsley Darling born 1840, Alnwick, Northumberland, occupation: Seaman. Crew member of "Gloriana", at Milton in Gravesend, Kent at time of 1881 Census.
(3) Grace H. Darling born 1844, Bamburgh, Northumberland, married Thomas O. Hall, born 1839, Pembrokeshire, occupation: Lighthouse Keeper. On 1881 Census living with Ann. Described as a Light House Keeper's Wife.
(b) John W. Hall born 1870, North Sunderland, Northumberland. On 1881 Census living with his mother and grandmother
(4) James Darling born 1846, Bamburgh, Northumberland.
(5) Robert Darling born 1851, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, occupation: Lighthouse Keeper, died 1914. According to "Amazing Grace", by Joanna Dessau, Robert was the last member of the Darling family to keep the Brownsman Light
(6) William Darling born 1854, Warkworth, Northumberland, married Fanny Quin. Both William and Fanny were staying with William's mother in 1881. He is listed as a Lighthouse Keeper, Trinity House. Born Croquet Island, Northumberland.
b. Thomasin Darling born 7 Aug 1808, Bamburgh, Northumberland, baptised: 14 Aug 1808, Bamburgh, Northumberland, died 13 Aug 1886, Bamburgh, Northumberland, buried: 16 Aug 1886, North Sunderland, Northumberland. On the 1881 Census, Thomasina is shown as living at Wynding House, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England. She was unmarried and employed as a lodging keeper. Anna Anderson, born Traws, Northumberland, aged 22, was living with her as a general domestic servant. No guests shown at the time. Thomasin and Mary Ann were twins and were described as the 2nd and 3rd children and 1st and 2nd daughter.
c. Mary Ann Darling born 7 Aug 1808, Bamburgh, Northumberland, baptised: 14 Aug 1808, Bamburgh, Northumberland, married 18 Nov 1832, George Dixon Carr, born 1808, died 28 Apr 1840. Mary died 31 Aug 1843, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(2) Thomasin Carr born 14 Jun 1834, died Sep 1835.
(3) Margaret Carr born 1838.
(4) Job Darling Carr born 26 Jul 1839, died 1840.
(5) Georgiann Dixon Carr born 11 Jul 1840, Bamburgh, Northumberland, married William Dixon.
d. Job Horsley Darling born 30 Dec 1810, Bamburgh, Northumberland, baptised: 27 Jan 1811, Bamburgh, Northumberland, died 6 Dec 1830, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Described as the 4th child and 2nd son.
e. Elizabeth Grace Darling born 15 Aug 1812, Bamburgh, Northumberland, baptised: 6 Sep 1812, Bamburgh, Northumberland, married John Maule, occupation: Merchant. Elizabeth died 31 Dec 1844, buried: North Sunderland, Northumberland. 5th Child and 3rd daughter.
(2) Thomasin Maule baptised: 24 Mar 1839, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
f. Robert Darling born 29 Mar 1814, Brownsman Light, baptised: 12 Jun 1814, Bamburgh, Northumberland, occupation: Stone Mason, married 1838, Elizabeth Pye. Robert died 10 Aug 1877, Alnwick, Northumberland.
g. Grace Horsley Darling born 24 Nov 1815, Bamburgh, Northumberland, baptised: 17 Dec 1815, Bamburgh, Northumberland, died 20 Oct 1842, Bamburgh, Northumberland, buried: 24 Oct 1842, Bamburgh, Northumberland.
DARLING, GRACE HORSLEY, whose death occurred on October 20, 1842, was the daughter of William Darling, the keeper of the Longstone lighthouse, situated on a group of the Farne Islands, on the coast of Northumberland, and was born in 1815. She was only twenty-two when the incident occurred which has made her name famous. The "Forfarshire" steamer, bound from Hull to Dundee with a valuable cargo, and having on board forty-one passengers, was completely wrecked in a terrible storm, which occurred September 5, 1838, off the Farne Islands. All but nine of the crew were drowned, and these managed to cling to the wreck, hoping if they could hold out long enough that someone would come to their rescue. The Darlings could see these poor people from the lighthouse, but William Darling thought it was impossible to get any boat through such a raging sea, and it was only Grace's urgent entreaties that made him consent to start with her on their perilous journey. The difficulties of the undertaking were almost insurmountable; but father and daughter rowed on with tremendous courage and determination, and at last reached the survivors, whom they took back to the lighthouse, where, owing to the continuance of the storm, they had to remain for several days. A subscription of £700 was raised for Grace, and was invested for her benefit under the trusteeship of the Duke of Northumberland and Archdeacon Thorpe, besides which she received numerous testimonials of greater or less value from admiring strangers. She died of consumption at the house of her sister in Bamborough, in which place she is buried. [Ward, T.H.; Men of the reign of Queen Victoria; 1885]
h. George Alexander Darling born 14 Aug 1819, Brownsman Light, baptised: 18 Aug 1819, Bamburgh, Northumberland, occupation: Ships Carpenter, married (1) 1839, Catherine Ann Smith, married (2) Jane Martha Hall, born 1818, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. George died 1903, buried: North Sunderland, Northumberland. On the 1881 Census, George A. Darling is listed as a Ship's Carpenter, aged 61, born Ferne Islands, Northumberland. His Wife, Jane, is aged 62, and was born in Newcastle. With them is their grandson, George D. Smith, aged 5, born North Sunderland, presumably a relation of his first wife??
(2) William Darling (son of George Alexander Darling and Catherine Ann Smith) born 28 Feb 1841, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, occupation: Ships Carpenter, buried: 12 Oct 1884, North Sunderland, Northumberland. I have found a reference on the 1881 Census for North Sunderland for a William H. Darling. I believe this to be the same person. William H. Darling was in 1881 listed as a cooper, aged 40, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, his wife, Margaret, was born in Norham, she was aged 33. There are four children listed:
(3) Grace Horsley Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1843, baptised: 12 Mar 1843, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(4) Mary Ann Elizabeth Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1845, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 21 Feb 1845, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(5) Elisabeth Grace Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1846, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 27 Dec 1846, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(6) Jane Martha Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1848, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 10 Dec 1848, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(7) Isabella Walker Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born Feb 1851, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 2 Mar 1851, North Sunderland, Northumberland, buried: 15 Oct 1869, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(8) Georgiana Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1853, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 1 May 1853, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(9) Catharine Ann Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1853, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 1 May 1853, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(10) Margaret Horsley Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1855, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 6 Nov 1855, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(11) George Alexander Darling (son of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1857, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 28 Jun 1857, North Sunderland, Northumberland, buried: 4 Nov 1862, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(12) Robert Hall Darling (son of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born 1859, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 3 Jul 1859, North Sunderland, Northumberland, buried: 7 Feb 1867, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(13) Elizabeth Grace Darling (daughter of George Alexander Darling and Jane Martha Hall) born Nov 1861, baptised: 16 Mar 1862, North Sunderland, Northumberland, buried: 28 Dec 1862, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
i. William Brooks Darling born 14 Aug 1819, Brownsman Light, baptised: 18 Aug 1819, Bamburgh, Northumberland, occupation: Lighthouse Keeper, married 30 Oct 1840, in North Sunderland, Northumberland, Jane Downey, born 1818, Dean Bridge Gate, Northumberland, (daughter of Thomas Downey). William died 24 Dec 1870.
(2) Thomas Downey Darling born 14 Nov 1842, died 17 May 1843, North Sunderland, Northumberland, buried: 19 May 1843, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(3) Job Darling born 24 May 1844, Longstone Light, baptised: 5 Jun 1844, North Sunderland, Northumberland, died 9 Oct 1864, buried: 11 Oct 1864, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(4) Robert Darling born 1846, Longstone Light, baptised: 5 Jun 1846, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(5) William Brooks Darling born 13 Nov 1848, North Sunderland, Northumberland, baptised: 8 Dec 1848, North Sunderland, Northumberland, died 21 Aug 1864, buried: 23 Aug 1864, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(6) George Alexander Darling born 17 Apr 1851, Belford, Northumberland, died 27 Aug 1864, buried: 29 Aug 1864, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(7) Mary Jane Darling born 1851, baptised: 11 May 1851, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(8) Thomas Darling born 17 Nov 1853, baptised: 30 Nov 1853, North Sunderland, Northumberland, died 10 Jun 1859, Longstone Light, buried: 6 Jun 1859, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
(9) Thomasine Darling born 1856, baptised: 30 Mar 1856, North Sunderland, Northumberland.
C. Florence Darling born 13 Jun 1748, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 19 Jun 1748, Bunkle & Preston, Berwickshire.
D. Elizabeth Darling born 28 May 1750, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 7 Jun 1750, Bunkle & Preston, Berwickshire.
E. Margaret Darling born 17 Apr 1752, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 19 Apr 1752, Bunkle & Preston, Berwickshire.
F. Mary Darling born 31 Aug 1755, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 15 Sep 1755, Bunkle & Preston, Berwickshire.
G. Jane Darling born 25 Oct 1758, Duns, Berwickshire, baptised: 9 Nov 1758, Coldingham, Berwickshire.
Author: Julie Schofield.