There are songs that entertain, songs that comfort, and then there are songs that carry history on their shoulders. With their new release The Mary Stanford (Eternal Father Strong To Save), Hastings-based alternative folk outfit 23 Fields have crafted a piece of music that does all three. More than just a track, it is a tribute—a haunting and heartfelt homage to the greatest tragedy in the history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
On November 15, 1928, the Mary Stanford lifeboat launched from Rye Harbour into hurricane-force seas in response to a distress call. The mission ended in disaster: all 17 crew members perished, marking the single largest loss of life in the RNLI’s history. Nearly a century later, the story is still etched into the collective memory of the south coast community. For 23 Fields, whose violinist Louise has volunteered with the RNLI for over 20 years, this song is not just history—it’s personal.
Musically, the track leans into the band’s signature style: an alternative folk sound that balances intimacy with intensity. Step’s songwriting has always drawn on his wide-ranging influences—from the grunge grit of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden to the storytelling traditions of the Levellers—and here those threads weave into something timeless. The arrangement is stripped back yet powerful, with Jason M Smith’s percussion giving it weight, while Louise’s violin carves out moments of aching beauty. The choice to tie the piece to Eternal Father Strong To Save, the hymn still sung by RNLI crews today, roots it in both tradition and spiritual resonance.
The result is a song that feels deeply lived-in, not polished for radio but carried on breath and blood. It’s not hard to imagine it performed live in a coastal church, or on the windswept shores where the Mary Stanford crew set out on their final mission. Lyrically and emotionally, it speaks to sacrifice, grief, and the strange beauty of selfless courage.
23 Fields have been on a compelling journey of their own over the past three years. Step, once an emergency nurse, was persuaded by his partner Paula to return to music after a long hiatus. Since then, the band has grown into a formidable folk collective, with releases like The World is Raining (2023) and To Follow This Year’s Fashion (2024) showcasing their ability to merge personal vulnerability with social commentary. Their music spans from politically charged anger to intimate reflections on family and loss. The Mary Stanford feels like a culmination of that approach—a song at once deeply personal and universally moving.
In an age when folk music can sometimes feel like a museum piece, 23 Fields show how it can still carry raw immediacy. By anchoring their song in real history, while layering it with heartfelt performance, they ensure the story of the Mary Stanford crew will not be forgotten. It’s a song that lingers, not just for its melodies, but for the reminder of what it means to risk everything for others.
The Mary Stanford (Eternal Father Strong To Save) is a testament to courage, to community, and to the power of song to keep memory alive.
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