Manby mortar, 1842 drawingJohn Cantiloe Joy, Going to a Vessel requiring assistance and Thereby preventing Shipwreck (undated), Norfolk Museums Collections
The Manby mortar or Manby apparatus was a maritime lifesaving device originated at the start of the 19th-Century, comprising a mortar capable of throwing a line to a foundering ship within reach of shore, such that heavier hawsers could then be pulled into place and used either to direct a rescue-boat to the ship, or, later, to mount a Breeches buoy.
The apparatus was invented by Captain George William Manby, inspired by his witnessing a ship HMS Snipe (1801) run aground off Great Yarmouth in 1807.[1]
The first recorded rescue using the Manby apparatus was on 18 February 1808, with Manby himself in charge. The crew of seven were brought to safety from the Plymouth Brig Elizabeth, stranded off the shore at Great Yarmouth. It was estimated that by the time of Manby's death nearly 1000 persons had been rescued from stranded ships by means of his apparatus.[2]
It was used by the Sea Fencibles by 1809, Waterguard, and later by H M Coastguard for many years.[3]
The Hilgay village sign features a Manby Mortar.[4]
^Gilly Pickup, What the British Invented: From the Great to the Downright Bonkers, Amberley Publishing Limited, 2015 ISBN 1445650282.
^One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Manby, George William" . New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
^"Yarmouth". Norfolk Chronicle. 27 January 1810. p. 3.
^"Hilgay". www.edp24.co.uk. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
The Manbymortar or Manby apparatus was a maritime lifesaving device originated at the start of the 19th-Century, comprising a mortar capable of throwing...
(organization), a nonprofit in Cincinnati, Ohio The Manbymortar, an invention for rescuing shipwreck survivors Mortar methods, discretization methods for partial...
Commons in June 1808. Following this tragedy, Manby experimented with mortars, and so invented the ManbyMortar, (later to be used with the breeches buoy)...
deployed from shore to ship, ship to ship, or ship to shore using a Manbymortar, rocket, kite system, or a Lyle gun, and allows evacuation of one person...
George William Manby developed the Manbymortar that same year. His device was a line fastened to a barbed shot which was fired from a mortar on the shore...
direct connection to the military hand mortars of the 17th century, rather being a hand variety of the Manbymortars which were used during the 19th century...
Waterguard station was issued with a Manbymortar, which had been invented by Captain George William Manby in 1808. The mortar fired a shot with a line attached...
barracks. The barrack-master was Captain George Manby, during his time in post he invented the Manbymortar. The premises was transferred to the NHS in 1958...
town. Cornwall portal Congreve rockets George William Manby Coastguards of Yesteryear: "ManbyMortar or Rocket Apparatus" Parl. Papers, 1810–11 vol. xi,...
including the Manbymortar. Lord Townshend arranged a position for the young Manby in the stationers of the ordnance department, but Manby dreamt of a life...
Earlier line thrower designs date back to the late 18th century, with the Manbymortar saving lives as early as 1808 when the crew of a brig was rescued at...
research facilities with small library. George William Manby (1765–1854), inventor of the Manbymortar and the first modern form of fire extinguisher, was...
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William Manby, who lived for much of his life in Hilgay, is buried in the churchyard, and his memorial celebrates his invention of the Manbymortar to send...
artist Paul Sandby (1731-1809). Captain George Manby FRS (1765-1854) author, inventor of the Manbymortar was also barrack-master of Great Yarmouth. John...
ManbyMortar when the crew of the Plymouth brig Elizabeth stranded off Great Yarmouth are hauled safely to shore under the direction of Captain Manby...
a storm, with around 200 people drowned, inspiring Captain Manby to invent the ManbyMortar. 23 February Around forty people are killed in a crush attending...
Greenland by George Manby, who wished to test a new type of harpoon for whaling, based on the same principles as his Manbymortar. Manby published his account...
comparative testing of both Dennett's rocket and Manby'smortar. It took seven men to carry the mortar and 15 minutes to set it up. But with a full load...
local portions of the Cromer Forest Bed Formation, and purchasing a ManbyMortar, an apparatus used to fire a line to a ship in peril for the town of...
1810, Sea Fencibles from Happisburgh and Winterton used newly issued Manbymortars to effect successful rescues of those on board two vessels driven ashore...
driven ashore south of Blyth, Northumberland. Her crew were rescued by ManbyMortar. She was on a voyage from Aberdeen to Sunderland. Neptune United Kingdom...
were rescued by Dennett's rocket apparatus after attempts to use the ManbyMortar were unsuccessful. She was on a voyage from Halifax, Nova Scotia, British...
rope from the shore to a shipwrecked crew. Manby had previously employed a grappling shot fired from a mortar for this purpose. Dennett's apparatus "resembled...
and was wrecked off Bude, Cornwall. Her twelve crew were rescued by ManbyMortar. She was on a voyage from Quebec City, Province of Canada, British North...
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