Joseph Ray Hodgson

By the age of 10, he was working with a gang of riggers on the ships but spent his spare time painting and carving wood; perhaps the former was less successful as he was proved to be colour blind.

Hodgson made his first recorded rescue in 1844, at the age of 14, jumping into the River Wear to save three-year-old John Snowdon, who later became a renowned ship's captain.

However, he continued to save lives, including that of an interpreter during a voyage to Africa and as a volunteer fireman stationed at Walworth.

He travelled the world, working on harbour-related projects, and claimed to have saved lives wherever he was, from Australia to Mogador, but also to have escaped death after being shot and stabbed by a Moor in Africa.

A description of his daring rescue of the crew of Les Trois Soeurs appeared in the Penny Illustrated Paper (1864).

The local records of events (pub July 1866)[11] report that on 16 January 1856 "Joseph Hodgson, carver, Sunderland, received the silver medal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in testimony of his extraordinary exertions at saving life, extending over a period of twelve years.

But, despite his fame due to his many rescues, he died a poor man – forced to pawn his 8 bravery medals to survive.

Crooks visited the old man in 1908, and wrote to the Carnegie Hero Fund on his behalf;[14] but in vain, as "The Stormy Petrel" died of pneumonia later that same year.

A new headstone was installed by a relative in 2006 with the following inscription: The Everyday Hero - JOSEPH RAY HODGSON (STORMY PETREL)- Born 3.10 1829 Sunderland.