Audiobook: Stories of the Royal Humane Society

Established in 1774, the ‘Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned’ published information on how to save people from drowning, promoted the concept of using methods of artificial resuscitation to attempt to revive victims who had appeared to have lost their life through drowning and rewarded those people who had saved a life. Under the royal patronage of King George the Third, the Society changed its name in 1787 to ‘The Royal Humane Society’ and this organisation still exists today and is a well known and very active charity, whose aim is to recognise by the awarding of medals and certificates, the bravery of men, women and children who have saved, or who have tried to save someone else’s life. This book, Stories of the Royal Humane Society was one in a series of inspirational texts written by the Victorian author Frank Mundell and published by The Sunday School Union. The stories related here were taken from reports of actual incidents and events recorded by the Society around the turn of the last century. Each story described here, allows us to appreciate the selfless acts of courage and bravery shown by ‘ordinary’ people and their extraordinary responses in taking action without regard for the risk to their own personal safety and wellbeing when confronted with an adverse situation that suddenly develops around them. – Summary by Steve C