Plans are steaming ahead for the premiere showing of the new film “The Journey of the Louisa” – a story of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds. In 1899 during a fierce storm, the Lynmouth lifeboat ‘Louisa’ had to be hauled 13 miles, which included going over the Countisbury Hill and down the infamous 1 in 4 Porlock Hill, to launch in the more sheltered harbour of Porlock to go to the aid of a ship in distress.

This powerful new film has been produced by Ken Blakey of Lynton, using state-of-the-art computer graphics mixed with real-time footage along the route as well as narration. The premiere of the film will be shown to a full house at Lynmouth Pavilion on Friday 11 April, which coincides exactly with the 160th birthday of Jack Crocombe (coxswain of the Louisa). Copies of the film will be available to buy from Saturday 12 April.

In addition to members of the RNLI, as many descendants of the original team as possible have been invited as special guests to the evening celebration, including the great granddaughter and great grandson of Jack Crocombe, together with the re-enactment crew who dragged and pushed the sister lifeboat one hundred years later. The granddaughter of the telegraph boy who ran the message from Porlock Weir to Porlock post office for transmission to Lynmouth has just been discovered and will join the grandson of the man who received that telegram which instigated the haul.

For further information please contact Jo Backhouse on 01598 753562 or jobackhouse@btinternet.com
The event is supported by the Heritage Lottery Funded Lynmouth Pavilion Project.

In addition to this Flat-Broke Films Ltd, in association with Next Dimension Entertainment, is delighted to announce that the filming of “Louisa”, the feature film, will commence on location in Lynton & Lynmouth, Exmoor and Porlock Weir this Autumn 2014.

Directed by Simon J Miller and with Academy Award Nominated Alexandra Bekiaris and David & Maralyn Reynolds producing, this motion picture will capture the dramatic and heroic account of the 1899 “Overland Launch” of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) “Louisa” lifeboat.

For further information please visit the Flat-Broke Films Ltd website.

Captain Jack Crocombe and crew and their beloved LOUISA lifeboat at Lynmouth Lifeboat Station
in the early 1900s