A memorial plaque will be unveiled next week to remember those who died during the sinking of warship HMS Racehorse.

The ship sank off Langness 200 years ago on December 14, 1822.

Three of the lives lost were men from Castletown who went out to rescue those on the stricken ship. After saving 98 people, their rescue boat overturned.

They were Norris Bridson, Thomas Hall and Robert Quayle.

A special ceremony will take place on the anniversary on the quay in Castletown where a memorial plaque will be unveiled, which is to be located on the Castletown Harbour Office.

The Bishop of Sodor and Man will bless the memorial and conduct a short service and the Castletown Band will play at the event.

Also attending will be the chairman of Castletown Town Commissioners along with other island dignitaries.

Many of those attending will be some of the original divers who located the wreck in the 1970s and subsequently through the 1980s recovered many artefacts, which are now held in the Manx Museum.

Former Chief Minister Tony Brown, chairman of the Commemorative Group that planned the event, said: ‘One of the guests attending will be a descendant, who lives in the UK, of Charles Keiggart who was one of the ship’s personnel lost in the incident.

‘He is buried in an unmarked grave in Malew Church.

‘Members of the public are more than welcome to join us at the unveiling ceremony event. The public are requested to be at the quay by 1.45pm.’

Another commemoration event will be a public exhibition in the Castletown Civic Hall, which will open to the public from 11am on December 15.

The exhibition will display artefacts recovered from the wreck of brig of HMS Racehorse.

Admission is free and it will be open every day from 11am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday to December 30, excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

It’s been organised by Manx National Heritage in conjunction with the Commemorative Group and is being arranged by Allison Fox, curator in archaeology at the Manx Museum.

Mr Brown said: ‘As well as the incident being a tragedy that greatly impacted on the then small town of Castletown, this is an important historic event that had repercussions around the British Isles.

‘It resulted in Sir William Hillary calling for the setting up a National Maritime Lifesaving Organisation, which was eventually set up in 1824 and evolved into what we know today as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

‘We are most grateful for the support of Manx National Heritage, the Castletown Town Commissioners, the Department of Infrastructure, Culture Vannin and the Post Office, as well as Brian King and Paul Parker, who have all helped us to organise the commemorations.’

l On Saturday, December 10, at 2.30pm, the Natural History and Antiquarian Society will hold a lecture on the subject at the Manx Museum.