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Of Tragedy and Valor
Lionel Toleman Rumbelow
1925 - 1960
Painter: Alfred Engel
Private Commission
Descendant of Malen Rumbelow 2nd
Lionel Toleman Rumbelow was born at Victor Harbor on 9th December 1903 and married Ivy Lottie Doreen Chilton on 17th June 1925.
In his younger days he was a prominent footballer for the Encounter Bay team and was also a good athlete. He became a stalwart of the Encounter Bay Football Club as a player, official, goal umpire and supporter for all of his life. Lionel was a good boatman and fisherman, and was known to hundreds of visitors and he often took parties to the schnapper grounds in his cutter.
In 1925 received a bravery award from the Royal Humane Society for rescuing Abraham Solomon from drowning at Encounter Bay.
Lionel was the soul survivor of the tragic sinking of The Ferret on December 23rd 1932 as they returned from Kangaroo Island with a load of fish on board destined for the Christmas market. His brother David and cousin Walter were tragically drowned when The Ferrett wrecked off Waitpinga Beach, SA, in a storm.
Lionel described that the boat, heavily laden with fish, was struck by a wave and overturned. Lionel was struck by the boat injuring his back. It is believed that David pushed Lionel up the beach when they were washed ashore. David was then swept back out to sea by a wave. Lionel advised when the boat capsized Walter was below attending to the engine. He last saw David knee-deep in water.
Lionel struggled over the sandhills to the residence of Mr and Mrs Honeyman to raise the alarm.
Lionel and Ivy had one son, Graham.
"MUST GO BACK"
Delirious Man's Plea For Lost Mates
ADELAIDE, Saturday.
"I must go back to the beach to get my cobbers," was the pleading cry of Lionel Rumbelow throughout the night as he lay in a half deliri-
ous state in the South Coast Hospital at Victor Harbor. He is the sole survivor of the boating tragedy near Victor Harbor on Thursday night in which his brother David and his cousin Walter Rumbelow were drowned. Townspeople last night had a difficult task to restrain Eric Rumbelow, another member of the family, from swimming out to the rocky ledge upon which portion of the cutter is hard and fast. He wanted to tie a rope to his waist, and try and reach the cutter. Wreckage from the boat is being washed up on the beach. Some are of the opinion that Walter Rumbelow, who was attending the engine, is tangled up in a fishing net which was on board when the cutter overturned, and is being held on the ledge.
VICTOR HARBOR TRAGEDY
Survivor Suffering From Shock
2 STILL MISSING
VICTOR HARBOR, Saturday.
The search was continued to-day for the bodies of the two men, Messrs. David Malin Rumbelow (40), and Walter Malin Rumbelow (42), who are believed to have been drowned shortly after midnight on Thursday when the fishing cutter Ferret overturned in a squall in rag-ing seas about a mile off Waitpinga Beach.
The condition of Lionel Rumbelow (9), the survivor of the wreck, was reported to-day to have improved. He is suffering from shock and exposure and battering by the heavy seas. "I must get back to the beach to get my cobbers" was his pleading cry right through the night in his half delirious state in the South Coast Hospital at
Victor Harbor.
Local fishermen and townspeople are of the opinion that if the bodies of the two men are not found to-day there is littlo hope of their recovery. The waters in the area where the men lost their lives are shark infested.
It was all that the townspeople could do last night to restrain Eric Rumbelow, another member of the family, from swimming out to the rocky ledge upon which portion of the cutter is stuck hard and fast. With "Sully" Vohr, well known footballer, he wanted to tie a rope to his waste (sic) and try to reach the cutter. Wreck-age from the boat is being washed up on to the beach in pieces.
Some are of the opinion that the body of Walter Rumbelow, who was attending to the engine of the cutter when it overturned, is tangled up in the fishing nets which were on board and is being held on that part of the boat which is on the ledge.
Death of L.T. Rumbelow
Death of L.T. Rumbelow
The death occurred suddenly on Tuesday night of Mr. Lionel Toleman Rumbelow, 56, well known fisherman, of Encounter Bay.
The Rumbelow family came to the South Coast 106 years ago when the whaling industry was flourishing, and fishing has been the pursuit of the Rumbelow families since the early days of the colony.
A good boatman, Mr. Rumbelow was known to hundreds of visitors and he often took parties to the schnapper grounds in his cutter.
In his younger days he was a prominent footballer for the Encounter Bay team and was also a good athlete.
He is survived by his widow and a son, Mr. Graham Rumbelow, of Encounter Bay.
Given names LIONEL TOLEMAN
Cemetery name
Cemetery section
GENERAL
Grave row
ROW 29
Plot
3278
Date of death
28/06/1960
Date of burial
30/06/1960
Grave depth
DOUBLE
Type of interment
Burial
Permit number
461
Burial number
1490
RESCUED FROM DROWNING. COURAGEOUS ACT AT ENCOUNTER BAY
VICTOR HARBOUR, January 27.— The courageous action of Mr. Lionel Rumbe-low, aged 22 years, of Encounter Bay, was responsible for the saving of the life of Mr. Solomon, of Glenelg, on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Solomon went out fishing in a small boat, and encountered a strong northerly wind with the result that the boat was capsized, and the occupant thrown on to a reef, and his position was perilous,
as a heavy sea was running. Mr. Rum-below, who was on the beach, noticed Mr. Solomon in difficulties. He secured a boat and pulled out to the distressed man. For some time Mr. Solomon was obscured from view until a huge breaker tossed him into sight, and Mr. Rumbelow man-aged to get him into his boat. Despite the heavy sea and the helpless position of Mr. Solomon, the rescuer rendered first aid in the boat, and then brought him to the shore, where, fortunately, a doctor was among the visitors on the beach. Dr. C. J. Shipway arrived shortly afterwards. Mr. Solomon is now making a fast re-covery. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Mr. Rumbelow for his heroic action, as in a few moments, Mr. Solomon would have lost his life. The matter will probably be brought under the notice of the Royal Humane Society.
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