Mark Addy (oarsman)

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Mark Addy (c.1840–9 June 1890) was a publican and an outstanding oarsman from Manchester who saved many people from the dangerous, polluted River Irwell.

Born around 1840 near the River Irwell, Addy grew up helping his family’s boat-hire business. At age 13 he rescued a friend, John Booth, from the river—first by wading out and later by using a plank to reach him. He learned to swim at Greengate Baths and became an expert swimmer and skilled oarsman, leading what was known as the Colleen Bawn crew.

In 1860 he married Jane Laverock and moved to Ordsall, Salford, where he ran the Old Boathouse Inn close to the river. They had four children: Mary Jane, Joseph Henry, Elizabeth, and Ada. Addy continued to rescue people over the years, often risking his own life in the contaminated waters. Notable saves included a suicidal woman in the early 1870s and, during another rescue, a very heavy woman who weighed about 17 stone.

For his repeated acts of bravery, Addy received many honours. In 1878 Queen Victoria awarded him the Albert Medal (First Class) for saving lives from drowning in the Irwell. He also earned medals from local humane societies and was publicly praised in Salford. In 1879 the award was formally presented at Salford Town Hall, and the medal and a commemorative address were kept as mementos.

One more famous rescue came in 1889 when Addy pulled a boy from the river on Whit Monday. Unfortunately, the effort weakened his health, and he died of tuberculosis on 9 June 1890, aged about 50–52.

Mark Addy’s legacy lives on in Weaste Cemetery, where a granite obelisk was unveiled in 1891 to honour his life and work. The monument, now a Grade II listed structure, features a lifebuoy, his portrait, and inscriptions about his heroism. A life-size portrait was donated to the Salford Museum and Art Gallery, and nearby are reminders of his impact—The Mark Addy Footbridge and a riverfront pub named The Mark Addy. A Mark Addy Silver Cup for Salford boys and other memorials also celebrate his lifesaving work. His estate left behind was valued at about £820.