Bussell, Grace (1860-1935), heroically rode a horse into raging surf to rescue passengers on the shipwrecked steamer Georgette in December 1876. The ship, with 22 crew members and 50 passengers aboard, became disabled and drifted onto rocks near the Bussell farm at Busselton, Western Australia. Eight people drowned when a lifeboat capsized. A gig and another lifeboat reached shore with some survivors. Sam Isaacs, a stockman, and the 16-year-old Grace rode repeatedly into the surf for four hours until they had rescued the remaining passengers from the ship. Grace was awarded the Royal Humane Society medal in 1878.
Bussell was born on Sept. 23, 1860, near Busselton, Australia. She married Frederick Drake-Brockman, who later became surveyor general of Western Australia. She died on Oct. 7, 1935.
