LORD JELLICOE'S BUTLER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22068, 26 September 1933, Page 9

LORD JELLICOE'S BUTLER

DROWNED IN VAIN RESCUE ISLE OF WIGHT TRAGEDY. (From Gun Own Coueespondent.) • LONDON, August 18. Earl Jcllicoe's butler, Henry Pulley, aged about 45, lost his life in a gallant attempt to save a woman from drowning at Orchard Bay, two miles west of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, yesterday. The woman, Miss Georgina Nichol, 11, was carried out to sea and was later found dead on the beach some distance away. She was employed as under nurse by Lady Doris Blacker, and was staying at an hotel at St. Lawrence, near Ventnor. She went bathing in a rough sea with another nurse employed by Mrs Alfred Noyes, the wife of the poet, who lives at South Wold, St. Lawrence. Miss Nichol was soon in difficulties, and her fellow bather made a plucky attempt to rescue her, but Miss Nichol was washed out to sea. Two men sitting on the beach, Henry Pulley and a visitor to Ventnor, whose name is unknown, heard the girls' screams for help and launched a small pleasure boat to go to their assistance. - . In the heavy seas the boat capsized, but the two men swam out fully clothed towards Miss Nichol. They were unable to reach her, and then Mr Pulley, finding that the current was too strong for him, clung to a rock while his companion attempted to reach the drowning girl. He was unsuccessful, and returning towards the shore, found that Mr Pulley had been flung across a rock and was drowning. Mr George Theaker, of Ventnor, then entered the water and, although he injured a leg through striking a rock, he helped the visitor to bring Mr Pulley to the shore, where artificial respiration was attempted. Assistance had been called from a neighbouring hospital, and Dr Farq.uh arson continued attempts to revive Pulley, but* without success. In the meantime Miss Nichol had been carried eastwards by the strong current and was washed ashore in Steephill Cove, nearly a mile away from the place where she got into difficulties. Dr Farquharson hurried along the cliffs and attempted to revive her, but found that she was dead. The visitor, whose brave attempts at rescue were watched by a small crowd, disappeared as soon as Dr Farquharson took charge.