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Index Narrative Crew Lists for the Avalanche Passenger Lists for the Avalanche Crew Lists for the Forrest The Inquiry The Rescuers |
The bravery of the Portland fishermen was not forgotten and when the Rector of Portland made an Appeal in the "Standard" newspaper for Testimonials to be presented to them, the public readily responded. A total of £135. 2s. 8d. was contributed: The First Boat's Crew John FlannThomas Pearce Joseph Shaddock Lewis White Thomas White J P Way TP Way The Second Boat's Crew Wm Flann SenWm Flann Jr George Byatt John Byatt John Bennett George White Shortly after the tragedy, relatives and friends of those who were lost in the Avalanche requested that a Memorial be erected on Portland, to which they wished to contribute. A suggestion was made to the Rev. J. A. Beazor, the Rector of Portland, that there was need of a church in Southwell, the small village nearest the site of the disaster. Thus arose the Public Subscription which raised £2,000 by donations in England and New Zealand and resulted in the building of the new St. Andrew's Church, a beautiful Memorial known in Portland as the Avalanche Church; the highway onto which it faced is now named Avalanche Road. The Memorial Church was consecrated, being dedicated to Saint Andrew, by the Bishop of Salisbury on the 3rd July, 1879; it was designed in the early English style by Mr. Crickmay the Diocesan surveyor. Built of Portland stone by Messrs. Lynham and Bayliss of Portland, the external walls are rock-faced random-squared stone with ashlar dressings to doors, windows and buttresses, with a two-bell turret. It is a small church with seating for approximately one hundred people; the inside length 71 ft. and the extreme breadth 24 ft. Most of the fittings are offerings and all the nave windows except one, are stained glass memorials. The six chancel windows, the lectern, the pulpit, the font and the organ were also offerings, plus many other gifts to the Church in memory of loved relatives and friends. There is a picture of the Avalanche, an artist's impression of the two Portland Lerrets coming into land after the rescue and a framed copy of the Testimonial presented to William Flann. There is also a brass tablet listing the names, and where known, the descriptions of the passengers and crew of the Avalanche. ^ back to top ^ |