Who Was William Jackman?

One daring man, one desperate moment, and deeds that would echo through legend and history.

William Jackman (20 May 1837 – 25 February 1877) was a Newfoundland sealing captain and sailing master noted for both his professional skill and personal courage. He was born at Renews, Newfoundland, the eldest child of Captain Thomas Jackman, whose family traced its Newfoundland roots to an ancestor from the Isle of Wight who survived a shipwreck on the Avalon Peninsula. William married Bridget Burbage, and together they had four children.

Like his well-known brother, Arthur “Viking Arthur” Jackman, William began working in the cod and seal fisheries at a young age alongside his father. Over time, he rose to command sailing vessels operating along the Labrador coast and in the seal hunt. From 1867 to 1876, he served as master of the sealing steamers Hawk and Eagle, owned by Bowring Brothers. He was widely respected for his physical strength, determination, and tireless work ethic.

Jackman gained lasting recognition for an extraordinary act of bravery on 9 October 1867 at Spotted Islands, Labrador. Seeking shelter from severe storms, he anchored nearby when he witnessed the fishing schooner Sea Clipper, carrying 27 people, strike a reef roughly 600 feet offshore. Knowing that they wouldn’t be able to get a lifeboat out in the weather, Jackman stripped off his clothes and jumped into the freezing water. With limited time before conditions worsened, Jackman repeatedly swam through violent seas. Without assistance, he carried 11 people to shore on his back. Afterward, secured by a rope tied around his waist, he made 16 additional trips to rescue the remaining passengers. Worn out and shaking from the cold, Jackman was convinced everyone had been rescued. He had just begun to rest and regain warmth when he learned that a woman—the Loon’s cook—was still stranded on the ship. Defying exhaustion and the freezing water, he swam back once more and brought her safely to shore. Accounts differ about what happened to the cook afterward. Some reports claim she passed away days later, while others say she lived just long enough to give her rescuer a single kiss before dying from her injuries.

William Jackman died in St. John’s at just 39 years of age, ending a sealing career that held great promise. Beyond his work at sea, he was deeply committed to social causes, serving as president of the Star of the Sea Society, where he worked vigorously to advance the welfare and standing of Roman Catholic fishermen and sailors.