A tale recounted by Fred Mew in Back of the Wight...
I had a talk with a noted Brook man, Phil Jacobs, who showed me with pride, a certificate from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution,...

A tale recounted by Fred Mew in Back of the Wight

I had a talk with a noted Brook man, Phil Jacobs, who showed me with pride, and justifiable pride, too, a certificate from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, awarded for over 40 years’ continuous service with the Brook Lifeboat...

Phil laughed heartily as he told me the tale of a cargo of tubs sunk just east of where he lives (Sudmore).

It came on to blow and the tubs began to break loose and wash ashore during the day, and, to make matters worse, the coastguard had wind of the fact that there had been a cargo in the vicinity. What was to be done? They could not be lost without an effort. Someone had a brainwave; there were large heaps of seaweed lying along the shore, and it would be a good plan to get a few loads for the garden. A pair-horse wagon was got from the farm and was soon returning with a heaped-up load of weed. So far, so good, but the coastguard officer is seen coming along to them; has he smelt a rat? No, he merely looks and passes on, intent on his job of trying to find tubs, and away that load went to safety.