Grace Darling | An Unassuming Victorian Heroine

Grace Darling | An Unassuming Victorian Heroine

From Back When | History Podcast by National Trust

March 11, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

The episode explores the life and bravery of Grace Darling, a Victorian heroine known for her daring sea rescue.

The Farne Islands are a group of 28 islands off the Northumberland coast in England’s Northeast. They are home to Atlantic grey seals and a breeding colony of sea birds, but they are also the former residence of a courageous, but very modest, Victorian heroine. Grace Darling, a lighthouse keeper’s daughter is just 22 years old when she embarks on a daring sea rescue in 1838. Grace’s bravery thrusts her into the limelight, bringing well-wishers and gifts from across the nation, but the attention leads to tragic consequences. In this, the last story of the series, join Helen Antrobus as she uncovers the tale of Grace’s epic sea rescue and resulting fame and learns more about this unassuming Victorian heroine. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company. Every image you capture tells a story. Discover ideas for curating your special memories and creating gifts for loved ones. From the award-winning CEWE PHOTOBOOK to wall art made from your favourite photos. Start creating your story at www.cewe.co.uk Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production: Hosts…

People in this episode

Host: Helen Antrobus

Guests: Andrew Lewis, Nick Lewis

Topics covered

  • Victorian history
  • sea rescue
  • fame and consequences
  • courage
  • lighthouse keepers

Keywords

  • Grace Darling
  • Victorian heroine
  • sea rescue
  • Farne Islands
  • RNLI

Sponsors

CEWE

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: RNLI Grace Darling Museum, National Trust

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