Journal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Volume 53 Number 52S The Lifeboat Summer 1994 Outstanding Lifeboat Services Fundraisers Nationwide The Annual Meetings
ILJH-AEEh JJ Last year, legacies helped us launch over 5.000 times
Isn't that worth remembering? As a voluntary organisation, we rely on your generosity to launch our rescue missions and help bring our lifeboat crews safely home. Last year, legacies funded over 60% of the RNLI's income. Providing our courageous volunteers with a vital lifeline of lifeboats, equipment and protective clothing. As a result over 1,300 lives were saved. We certainly think that's something to remember
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
If you would like more information about leaving a legacy to the RNL1 (including our recommended wording), please contact: Mr Anthony Oliver, Dept. CFRL42, RNLI West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH 1 5 1 HZ.
lcrrd Chanl> No. :cWMH The Summer 1994 Lifeboat
Royal National RNLI News 182 What's happening in and around the Institution Lifeboat Services 184 Lifeboat Notable launches around the coast Institution Ceremonies 189 Contents New all-weather and inshore lifeboats named and dedicated Volume 53 Past and Present 191 From THE LIFEBOAT of 1959 and one of today's lifeboatmen Number 528 Your Letters -__ 192 Chairman: Your views on all aspects of lifeboats and related subjects MICHAEL VERNON The Annual Meetings 194 Director and Secretary: Reporting from London's South Bank on the AGM and LT CDR BRIAN MILES CBE RD FNI RNR Presentation of Awards The Scottish AGM 201 The Scottish Lifeboat Council's annual meeting Editor: MIKE FLOYD Editorial Assistant: MARY GYOPARI Bookshelf 202 Books of RNLI and maritime interest reviewed
Advertisement Manager: Lifeboat Services 204 BARBARA TROUSDELL November and December 1993, January and February 1994 Classified Advertisements: MARION BARDSLEY Membership News 2O6 for Shoreline, Governors and Storm Force members The Fundraisers 207 Headquarters: How some of the money is raised Royal National Lifeboat Institution, West Quay Road. People and Places 211 Poole, Around and about the RNLI Dorset BH15 1HZ. Telephone Poole (0202) 671133 Telex 41328. Registered Charity No. 209603
Next Issue: The Autumn issue of THE THE LIFEBOAT: THE LIFEBOAT is pub- COVER PICTURE LIFEBOAT will appear in October 1994, and lished four times a year and is sent free of news items should be received by 19 August charge to RNLI members and Governors. by Maggie Murray 1994, but earlier if possible. For further information on how to join the All material submitted for consideration Institution as a Member or Governor contact The four Bronze Medallists arrive at with a view to publication should be ad- the Membership section at RNLI Headquar- the Festival Pier before the Annual dressed to the Editor, THE LIFEBOAT, Royal ters, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 General Meeting and Presentation National Lifeboat Institution, West Quay 1HZ. Subscriptions are also available - con- tact the Editor at the same address for details. of Awards. Full details in the report Road, Poole, Dorset BH 15 1 HZ. Photographs intended for return should be on page 194 in this issue. accompanied by a stamped, addressed enve- Printed by the Friary Press, Bridport Road, lope. Dorchester, Dorset
181 NEWS NEWS
NEWSPOINT Royal visits Few can complain at the amount of exposure the In- On the LLeyn... stitution has received on tel- Over a period of two days in evision recently. April HRH the Duchess of Kent Hardly had the Salcombe- visited the four lifeboat stations Dased documentary left our on the Lleyn Peninsual - TV screens than BBC's 'Blue Absersoch, Pwllheli, Peter' took up the cudgels; Porthdinllaen and Criccieth and and even before that suc- attended a coffee morning with ;essf ul appeal had ended the drama The Lifeboat' kept up the ladies' guild. awareness ably supported by On Tuesday 19 April the reconstructions of service on Duchess arrived by helicopter almost every episode of '999'. and was greeted by the Lord There can be little doubt that Lieutenant for Gwynedd, Mr television publicity is self Meurig Rees. She went to the sustaining! station at Abersoch, which is still under con- station branch committee and ladies' guild. What has been particu- struction, and met the lifeboat crew, wives The Duchess then moved on to Pwllheli and arly interesting over the past and children and representatives from the again met crew, wives, station branch committee few weeks has been the con- and representatives of the la- rast between '999' and The dies' guild and had lunch in Lifeboat' - one reconstruct- the new crew room. She then ng real-life events and the Agency status for Coastguard other with its imaginary went for a short trip around Her Majesty's Coastguard has long had the responsibility for the area on the Mersey class events against a lifeboat co-ordinating civil maritime search and rescue around the background. lifeboat and then moved on to coast of the UK, with the RNLI's fleet of lifeboats just one of the Porthdinllaen lifeboat station The contrast between the operational assets available to it. Other resources it can call on quiet understatement of the where again she met the sta- include its own helicopters and those of the RAF and RN, its real coxswains and the dra- tion personnel. mas surrounding the fictional own cliff rescue teams and HM Coastguard The following day she vis- Penrys lifeboat station and general purpose rigid ited Criccieth lifeboat station crew is marked, yet both are inflatables and other merchant *HM Coastguard maintains a and inspected the newly ex- equally important in keeping shipping and aircraft which tended lifeboat house and :he word 'Lifeboat' in the are in a position to give help. 24-hour watch on the mari- : time radio distress frequen- souvenir shop after which she orefront of the public mind. HM Coastguard and the Ma- met the 80 members of the Without awareness there can cies and can also be con tacted rine Pollution Control Unit South Caernarfonshire ladies' be no funds, and without (MPCU) together formed the by dialling 999. unds there can be no life- • In some locations the Coast- guild at a coffee morning at DoT's Marine Emergencies the Mynydd Ednyfed Hotel. boats. Organisation. guard operates the lifeboat The RNLI co-operated in However as from 1 April crew's radio pagers after :he making of both series al- (Top) HRH The Duchess of Kent talks this year the two bodies have consulting the Honorary to crew and station personnel at Pwllheli hough in the drama the main become a single agency under Secretary. lifeboat station during her tour. concern was to ensure as ' Most SAR operations are Photo Peter Westley Photography accurate a portrayal as pos- the name 'Coastguard', but sible of the RNLI in action. with each retaining its indi- initiated and co-ordinated by Surprisingly perhaps there vidual name and responsibili- the Coastguard. ...and in the Scillies are those who seem to think ties. » HM Coastguard is divided While visiting the Scilly Isles hat the incidents are real, or Although both remain in into six SAR Regions, each in March to open the new air- with a large Maritime Res- hatthe RNLI wrote the scripts the public sector the aim is to port the Duchess of Kent found - to the extent that the Public make the service 'as respon- cue Co-ordination Centre time to visit St Mary's lifeboat Relations office braces itself sive as possible to the needs of (MRCC). station - a planned visit last or a busy Thursday when a the citizen by setting it chal- ' The Regions are subdivided ictitious shore helper mur- September having to be can- lenging targets - relating both into three or four Districts, celled at the last minute as the ders his fictitious wife before to quality of service and effi- each under a District Con- letting out on a fictitious life- island was shrouded in fog. ciency.' troller either in a Maritime After being introduced to boat on a Wednesday Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) evening! The RNLI works very the crew and their wives and or in the MRCC. The series is to lifeboats closely, and has excellent re- partners, the station commit- • Each District is is in turn /vhat 'London's Burning' is to lations, with HM Coastguard tee and the ladies' guild com- he fire service - an exciting - the great majority of lifeboat divided into a number od mittee the Duchess then invironment in which to set a services are initiated and co- Sectors, with Sector Officers boarded the lifeboat which who manage the Auxiliary drama series. It can only do ordinated by them - and it is took her to St Agnes, where good in making more people unlikely that the changes will Coastguard Centres provided she carried out an engagement. awareof the Institution's work have any marked effect on the with rescue vehicles and She later returned to St Mary's - and is well worth the busy equipment. way in which the two organi- by lifeboat. phones on Thursday! i sations work together. 182 NEWS NEWS The right lines for Blue US Coast Guard visit Peter lifeboat The first all-weather lifeboat erately capsized with the aid to be funded from the pro- of a large crane, the strops be- ceeds of the 1993 Blue Peter ing released when she was Appeal underwent self-right- completely inverted. ing trials at Cowes on 8 April. The lifeboat righted herself, The new Trent class life- as designed, in just six sec- boat is to be called Blue Peter onds. VII and will be stationed at She is pictured here just a Fishguard, going on service little over half-way through there later this summer. the righting procedure, water As with all new all-weather streaming from her decks and lifeboats the Trent was delib- upper steering position
A helicopter from the US Coast Guard cutter Dallas carried out an air-sea rescue demonstra- tion with Poole's Brede class Fast lifeboat lifeboat Inner Wheel in Poole harbour on 2 June 1994. allocations Veterans being accommo- dated on the cutter for the D- announced Day commemorations in Dor- Several more of the stations set were among a large crowd to receive new Severn and which watched the display Trent class lifeboats within from Poole quay. the next two or three years The'display was part of a were announced recently. two-day courtesy visit to the Lerwick's Arun and Is- Key players for car RNLI by the US Coast Guard lay's Thames classes will 'Emmerdale' star Frank Tate, rogate Volvo dealers Lex Har- whilst Dallas was in the area. each be replaced by a new in real life actor Norman rogate on 3 March. Vice Admiral Paul Welling, Severn and Whitby's Tyne, Bowler, handed over the keys Mrs Hullah's winning ticket commander, US Coast Guard Dunbar's Waveney, of a brand new Volvo 460Li to had been drawn by actress and Atlantic Area, and Captain Oban's Brede and Sheer- Muriel Hullah, the winner of keen lifeboat supporter Hull, commanding officer of ness Waveney will all be the RNLI's 64th draw, at Har- Wendy Craig on 31 January. Dallas also visited headquar- replaced by Trents. ters and entertained RNLI staff RNLI Director receives CBE on board the cutter. Irish Awards Maureen Potter presented the the RNLI in Ireland, in par- annual awards to RNLI vol- ticular the opening of new unteers from all over Ireland lifeboat stations on the west in the Oak Room of Dublin's coast at Bundoran, Kilrush and Mansion House on 18 May Fenit. 1994. 'The provision of a new 25 The Lord Mayor in wel- knot Trent class lifeboat at Dun coming the assembled guests Laoghaire later this year will spoke of his amazement that be a major improvement in such vital work as the lifeboat search and rescue in Dublin service was carried out by vol- Bay'. unteers and that all income Mr Colie Hernon, retired was raised by voluntary con- coxswain and secretary of tributions. Gal way Bay lifeboat, presided As reported in the Spring issue of The Lifeboat the RNLI's Director, Lt Cdr The deputy director, Ray over the evening. Brian Miles, was awarded the CBE in the New Years Honours List. Kipling, who had travelled Maureen Potter then enter- Lt Cdr Miles is pictured at Buckingham Palace with his award accompanied by Mrs Anne Miles and their son Martin and daughter Amanda. from Poole headquarters out- tained the gathering before photo Charles Green lined the developments within presenting the awards. 183 LIFE ES...LIFEBOAT SERVIC Lifeboat - J Blyth North Division
Services J TIME OF THE ESSENCE AS TOW IS PASSED Eight saved from yacht dismasted and close to rocks in onshore gale The coxswain of Blyth lifeboat, Keith Barnard, has been awarded the RNLI's Thanks of the Institution on Vellum for saving the lives of eight head to sea, clear of the casualty's stern. A people from a dismasted yacht in gale force winds off Curry Point near heaving line was thrown and caught by a survivor on the stern of the yacht, but he Blyth. Divisional Inspector for the RNLI's Northern Division, Tom dropped it while taking it forward. Nutman, said The teamwork and speed in both thought and action of The lifeboat was cleared ahead and the lifeboat crew were instrumental in saving eight lives.' then made a second run in. Another at- The 38ft yacht Eau de Vie had been tempt was made with the heaving line, taking part in a race from the Royal but the yacht was hit by a large breaking Northumberland YC on Sunday 26 Sep- sea. As she slid down the face of it, almost tember when her problems began. By Thanks on capsizing, the line was let go. chance an auxiliary coastguard was Coxswain Barnard realised time was watching through binoculars from an Vellum running out, and decided to go in close MRSC some three miles to the south and enough to pass the tow line direct. He saw Eau de Vie capsize and the crew kept the bow of the lifeboat into the wind clinging to the upturned hull. She was off off the survivors from the seaward side as and seas and watched ahead while Second Curry Point, near the disused St Mary's the rigging lying in the water and the Coxswain/Mechanic John Scott shouted lighthouse, just over three miles SSE of heavy confused seas would have meant a directions from the aft deck. The survivor the lifeboat station. 'touch and go' operation, picking up one on the bow of the casualty took the tow At 1312 Ely th's honorary secretary was or two survivors at a time. There was no line on a near approach and this time contacted by the Coastguard and the 44ft longer any sea room to even contemplate managed to make it fast to the yacht. Waveney class The William and Jane an approach from the lee side. Danger launched at 1321 in a NNW Force 8. The coxswain decided the only option Easing out the tow line the lifeboat Dismasted was to put a towline aboard the yacht took up the strain. As the bow of the Setting a course towards St Mary's quickly, and attempt to pull her clear. casualty was held up into the wind, her light the yacht could be seen ahead, very The lifeboat was run in from the north, stern blew down wind, bringing her head close to offlying rocks and being driven down wind and sea, and then turned to sea and the lifeboat was able to ease her towards them by the wind and sea. She out to sea and out of immediate danger. It had now righted herself but was Blyth was now around 1400. Wind dismasted and lying with heavy seas on NNW The tow back to Blyth was slow, into her port quarter with the remains of her Force 8 the gale force winds and heavy seas, but mast and rigging overboard to port. She by keeping close to the shore around was shipping water and rolling heavily Blyth Bay for maximum shelter the in the very steep broken seas as she was casualty was brought safely alongside at driven quickly downwind and tide into a 1440. maze of rocks near the old lighthouse. In his report the RNLI's divisional Luckily she passed between two of the inspector, North, Tom Nutman, said that outermost outcrops but to leeward was a the speed and brevity of the service in no rocky shelf where a very heavy breaking way detracted from the great seamanship sea about 12ft high was running. and awareness displayed by Coxswain Time was of the essence and although Barnard. two liferafts had been brought onto the Second coxswain/mechanic John yacht's deck ready to abandon her the Nautical Miles St Mary's Scott, assistant mechanic Ronald Hatcher lifeboat crew realised her crew would lighthouse and crew members Peter Morton and have little change in an inflatable among John Orrick have been awarded Vellum Chart of the service to the yacht Eau de Vie. The the rocks. lifeboat's return track took her close inshore to Service Certificates for their part in the There was no time to run in and take obtain maximum shelter from the NNW Force 8. service.
184 _IFEBOAT SERVICES.., ..LIFEBOAT SERVICES... ..LIFEBOAT SER
LIFEBOATS ENGINES TOUCH BOTTOM IN SURF Criccieth Injured couple rescued West Division from yacht aground in heavy surf
The Chairman of the RNLI, Michael boat on service. She reached Porthmadoc Vernon, has written a letter of congratu- Fairway Buoy in about 10 minutes in an lation to helmsman William Walker-Jones increasing wind and sea. From the Fair- of Criccieth's inshore lifeboat following way Buoy the yacht could be seen, the rescue of two people from a yacht aground on the North Bank. aground on Porthmadoc Bar. The service Lady Amanda had been trying to sail was the first he had carried out as a up the estuary to Porthmadoc, as her helmsman and was made difficult by surf, engine was not working, and the skipper shallow water, and the rolling and pitch- was below seeking pilotage advice on the ing of the grounded yacht. radio when the yacht's helmsman missed seemed heavier in this direction and he Aground the channel entrance and she grounded. decided to try an approach from dead At 1238 on Thursday 7 October 1993 The skipper had tried to sail her off, then astern. However, the bow of the C class the deputy launching authority at dropped the anchor, lowered his sails - was almost struck by the counter stern as Criccieth heard a radio Mayday call from during which he was hit on the head by it dropped on a sea and the engines struck the yacht Lady Amanda, a 36ft ketch. She the boom, causing bleeding and black the sandy bottom in the trough of a wave. was hard aground near Porthmadoc Bar eyes - and sent out a Mayday. He withdrew and attempted a port with two people on board. The call was Worsening side approach. This was more successful, also heard, and responded to, by Helmsman Walker-Jones made his and for a few vital seconds helmsman Holyhead MRSC which paged the crew. approach head to sea in worsening con- Walker-Jones managed to hold the ILB The fourth person to arrive at the ditions , the wind now SW Force 5 gusting alongside the yacht. The engines again boathouse was Paul Filby, a shore helper 6, and with a breaking sea of up to 6ft in touched the bottom, but she was held in with a small boat and seagoing experience, the shallow water. The time was 1310. position and the yacht's crew, a mature so the DLA selected him as the fourth The helmsman could see that the yacht couple, were manhandled aboard by the crew member - as he wanted the lifeboat was rolling and pitching in the surf, ob- ILB crew before she cleared the area. launched as quickly as possible. viously hard aground in the falling tide The lifeboat had taken a substantial The C class inshore lifeboat was and snatching at her anchor as she pitched amount of water while manoeuvring and launched at 1255 with a SW Force 4 and a and rolled. At times the yacht was taking with the extra people onboard she seemed slight to moderate sea with helmsman spray overall. sluggish responding to the engines so the William Walker-Jones in command - the The helmsman attempted a starboard helmsman had a difficult time working first time that he had commanded the quarter approach, but the yacht's roll clear of the yacht and the surf. Transfer The casualties needed medical atten- tion so it was decided to transfer them to a helicopter - which had arrived from RAF Valley. Once in relatively clear wa- ter the transfer began - made difficult by the motion of the ILB. The skipper of the yacht was transferred first, but it was fairly rough due to the motion, so helmsman Walker-Jones asked that the second transfer be made in deeper water with the lifeboat lying to the sea anchor, and a more comfortable transfer of the yacht's crew was made. The ILB then headed back to Criccieth, made a net recovery and was refuelled Newhaven's Arun class lifeboat Keith Anderson attempted to tow the MFV off, but found that and ready for service at 1410. closes in on the MFV Ocean Spirit after the she was being pulled into the shallows. The two casualties were flown to hos- vessel ran aground while entering Newhaven While the Arun was returning after picking pital at Bangor where they were both Harbour on 31 March 1994. upalongerlinethe casualty managed to refloat treated for mild hypothermia, the skip- Coxswain/mechanic Michael Beach had herself on the rising tide and was escorted to been about to leave the lifeboat when he saw the safety of the harbour. per for a head injury and his wife for a the MFV run aground to the east of the entrance The size of the seas kicked up by the broken finger. The yacht was refloated on channel in an onshore gale and a very heavy onshore gale can readily be appreciated from the following day's high tide and towed ground swell. this photograph, taken by a lifeboat crew to Porthmadoc. The lifeboat was soon on the scene and member 185 LIFEBOAT SERVICES...LIFEBOAT SERVICES...LIFEBOAT SER
TYNE CREW MEMBER THROWN OVERBOARD FROM CASUALTY Crew overboard for 35 minutes in darkness and heavy seas Michael Weeks, a crew member aboard rolled over on her beam ends. The time Appledore's Tyne class all-weather life- was then 2102. boat spent some 35 minutes in the water, Crew member Weeks, realising the in darkness and heavy seas, on 3 May seriousness of the situation, had already 1994 when he was thrown overboard from told the three people on board to come a casualty under tow. The coxswain of the out into the cockpit and secure them- Appledore lifeboat faced an agonising decision when selves. However as the casualty rolled it was discovered that one of the rescued crew member Weeks slipped on spilled South Division survivors needed to be put ashore ur- diesel fuel and was thrown overboard gently and the Tyne had to abandon her when the after rail he was holding gave search for her missing crew member to way. Weeks, even after firing paraflares for ensure the survivor's safety. One of the lifeboat crew members told illumination, Swansea Coastguard was At 1535 that day Swansea Coastguard the coxswain that he thought someone asked for helicopter assistance. had paged Appledore lifeboat to say that had gone overboard from the casualty. At this point one of the crew checked a powered craft had steering failure nine The tow was immediately shortened and the survivors and found one of them to be miles SSW of Hartland Point and the the three survivors taken off and put in in the first stage of hypothermia. Advis- lifeboat, the Tyne class George Gibson, was the aft cabin, with seats belted and the ing the Coastguard of the position an away 10 minutes later. door shut. ambulance was asked to meet them at the Contact It was then that they realised the man lifeboat slip and, because of the state of The lifeboat was at the scene and had overboard was Michael Weeks and so, as the tide, it was decided to launch the the casualty in tow at 1726, having put the lifeboat was near the surf and the boarding boat to meet the lifeboat and crew member Michael Weeks aboard be- casualty already swamped, the coxswain transfer the casualties ashore to the am- cause the casualty's crew were not in a fit decided to cut the tow and start searching bulance which they reached at 2128. state to secure the tow line. When the tow for the missing crew member straight Search Meanwhile a Wessex SAR helicopter started he stayed aboard to keep radio away. from RAF Chivenor was carrying out a contact with the lifeboat. The coxswain immediately asked At 2045, when the lifeboat was about Swansea Coastguard to launch search pattern from the Bar Buoy north- 50 yards outside the Bar Buoy, the seas Appledore's Atlantic class inshore life- wards off Saunton Beach and, at 2133, started to build and the Coxswain de- boat to search for the crew member. This just as they were turning at the end of cided to abort the entry to wait for calmer radio message was heard in the boat- their run some 200 yards from the shore- conditions nearer the top of the tide. house and a maroon was fired immedi- line the crew member was spotted - with the aid of night vision equipment - in the As the lifeboat went back out to sea ately. she met three particularly heavy seas and The inshore lifeboat was launched at water waving. the casualty rode one wave, then dived 2109 to help with the search, but when Much to everybody's relief he was into the trough and, with no steering, neither boat was able to locate Michael recovered by the helicopter and taken to hospital in Barnstaple, where he was placed in the intensive care unit over- night and released the next afternoon.
Crew member Michael Weeks was wearing one of the RNLI's new pat- tern oflifejackets, which are less bulky and designed to inflate automatically on contact with the water. As soon as Track of lifeboat towing casualty he entered the water it inflated im- mediately. There is a second, manually oper- ated, chamber to provide additional buoyancy but at no time did he find it necessary to inflate it.
(Left) Sketch chart of the approaches to Appledore. The Tyne had encountered large seas on the bar and was returning to sea to wait for slack water when crew member Michael Weeks was thrown from the casualty. 186 LIFEBOAT SERVICES... LIFEBOAT SERVICES... LIFEBOAT SER\ Heavy tow for Channel Islands Tyne saves fishing boat and four crew St Heller's relief Tyne class lifeboat Owen and Ann Aisher is pictured towing the 105ft commercial fishing vessel Ross Alcedo into St Helier harbour after taking her in tow just yards away from grounding on rocks in a heavy swell. Ross Alcedo had left St Helier on the morning of 30 January 1994 with four people aboard and had developed engine problems just 15 minutes after leaving in rough seas and a Force 5 from the WSW. The lifeboat was launched at 0816 and by the time she reached the casualty at 0835 the fishing vessel was just minutes away from being swept onto rocks in a swell more than 6ft high. The Tyne was able to take her in tow, would normally do... our hearts were in but because of the size of the casualty and our mouth as we towed the vessel through St Helier the sea and wind conditions it took more the harbour mouth.' than two hours to tow her to the safety of Repairs were made to the vessel - which South St Helier harbour. The 105ft casualty was believed not to have been to sea for Division dwarfed the 47ft lifeboat and was the larg- some two years - and she left again on the est vessel the station's crew had taken in evening tide. The following day she was tow, one of the crew members telling the reported to have lost power again off the local paper '...we had to do a job that a tug French coast. St Helier
CASUALTY ANCHORED OVER DRYING REEF D class inflatable tows Lough Swilly large yacht to safety A service to a yacht by Lough Swilly's D broken down and, as the tide was now class inshore lifeboat last July has earned falling fast the helmsman of the inflatable the station a letter of congratulation from decided to try to tow her clear himself. the RNLI's chief of operations, Commo- There was still no response to the Pan dore George Cooper. During the service Pan broadcast and the lifeboat was mak- the 16ft inflatable managed to tow the ing slow progress with the 31ft yacht in Lough Swilly heavy 31ft yacht in winds up to Force 6 tow. All of the fishing boats from the until assistance arrived. nearby harbour were at sea but as they Ireland Division Reef were expected to return shortly the hon- The first indication of the service came orary secretary suggested to Malin Head at 2130 on 22 July in a phone call from the Radio that they try a Pan Pan on the ship- her ETA at the scene was only 15 minutes Garda, who had heard from a man at to-ship channel which the fleet used. away, and 14 minutes later she was along- Rockstown that a yacht was at anchor in a Freshened side the casualty enabling the inflatable to dangerous position - over a reef which Within a few minutes of the broadcast let go her tow line. By 0006 both vessels would dry out at low water. at 2250 the fishing vessel Dunaff Girl re- were underway. The man was unable to shout to the sponded and gave an ETA of 0030. The larger fishing vessel was able to yacht's crew and Malin Head Radio could A white paraflare was fired at 2305 so make much better progress with the disa- not raise them on VHP, so at 2151 the ILB that they could see their way out of the bay, bled yacht and by 0150 she had been put on was launched. but the wind had freshened to around a spare mooring in the safety of nearby While the lifeboat was on the half-hour Force 4 with a rough swell running and the Portsalon, having been escorted by the passage to the yacht Malin Head Radio lifeboat crew were concerned about their ILB. broadcast a Pan Pan message seeking a tow. North Star and the lifeboat then returned vessel capable of towing the yacht clear. However at 2340 another fishing ves- to their base, the lifeboat arriving at 0225 The ILB arrived at the casualty to dis- sel, North Star, called on the VHF saying after nearly 4 hours at sea - much of it in cover that both her engine and VHP had that she was inside Lough Swilly and that darkness.
187 LIFEBOAT SERVICES...LIFEBOAT SERVICES...LIFEBOAT SER
MASSIVE SEARCH FOR MISSING PAIR ADRIFT IN 14FT BOAT
Walton and Frinton Four lifeboats in search Sheerness, for missing anglers Whits table, Margate Lifeboats from Whitstable, Margate, Margate lifeboat landed the two occu- Sheerness and Walton and Frinton were pants, the son suffering from cold and East involved in a massive search for a man and seasickness, and they were taken to hos- his 12-year-old son after they failed to pital. Division '• Walton and Printon return in their 14ft boat following a fishing Coastguards quoted in the local press ' ?# trip. were critical of the vessel, describing it as a • ^Margate The alarm was raised at 2050 on Satur- river craft, and the lack of lights, flares, day 21 May when the boat was reported radio or back-up propulsion. overdue, having left Herne Bay at 0930. An area of more than 1,000 square miles was searched by the lifeboats, coastguards a helicopter and even a Nimrod from Kinloss in Scotland. After several hours search in the dark the operation was stood-down, resuming at 0500. After two hours of searching hope was fading but, at 0720, Margate lifeboat spotted the small boat drifting some five miles to the north west of Margate. (Left) Margate lifeboat returns The casualty had broken down the pre- for refuelling during the night vious afternoon, and although the man search. (Above) 12-year-old Timothy had been able to restart the engine they ran Irving is landed after his ordeal out of fuel off Margate just before dusk and photos Chris Davey, had been drifting since then. Whitstable Times Horrific conditions You can't park that 'ere... for two lifeboats
Clogher Head and Newcastle 's Mersey class lifeboats were launched in winds of Storm Force 10 to Hurricane Force 12 on 3 February 1994 when an 80ft trawler reported that she was taking water and required a pump. Both lifeboats were launched from a lee shore in horrific conditions within five minutes of each other around 1420, both with about 20 miles to go to the casualty. In such severe conditions both lifeboats had to reduce speed and both reported several items of equipment carried away or damaged during the service. They reached the scene at around 1550 and a helicopter lowered a pump to the casualty. Once the pump was running - and a small The Tyne class lifeboat Ethel Anne Meas- helicopter and a local pilot was put aboard fire on the trawler dealt with - the trawler made ures stationed at The Mumbles was at sea to nurse her to a place where she could her way to shelter in Carlingford Lough escorted for five hours on 28 January 1994 when safely be beached. by the Clogher head lifeboat, Doris Bleasdale. she stood by the 560ft Indian-registered A section of Mumbles Bay was chosen, By 1550 the lifeboat was stood down but could freighter Vishva Parag whose cargo had and shortly after high water Vishva Parag not return to station because the appalling sea shifted causing her to list heavily. She was put ashore without damage. As the conditions there made it impossible to recover was also taking water. tide fell and she was no longer in danger her. She remained in the Lough overnight. The casualty had reported the list to the lifeboat was stood down and back at The Newcastle lifeboat, Eleanor and Swansea Coastguard, and when it had her station by 0830. Bryant Girling, was diverted to a second casu- increased to 10°andherpumpscouldnot It was found that the casualty was not alty, where a crew member had broken his arm, cope with the leak The Mumbles lifeboat holed, the cargo having shifted and a and did not retun home until 1930. She too was launched at 0313 to stand by her. ballast tank leaking. She was later could not be recovered and was left overnight 33 of her crew of 56 were taken off by refloated and docked in Swansea. on a buoy in the harbour.
188 Arbroath - Mersey class Inchcape Relief - Atlantic 75 class Vera Skilton t The new boat store at the Inshore Life- boat Centre (ILC) at Cowes was the venue for the handing over and naming ceremony of the new Atlantic 75 lifeboat Vera Skilton on 19 April 1994. Alan Tate, superintendent of the ILC opened proceedings and welcomed the guests who included family and friends of the late Vera Skilton whose bequest funded the new lifeboat. Mrs Jean Williams, cousin of the late Mrs Skilton, handed over the lifeboat to the RNLI and it was accepted by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing for use in the relief fleet. Colin Williams, deputy training of- ficer (Operations) described the lifeboat and its future role before the Reverend Jenny Evans, Parish Deacon, Whippingham and East Cowes con- The Countess of Airlie takes a trip on Inchcape after her naming ceremony accompanied by The Earl of Airlie, Andrew Cubie, Capt W. A. Davidson (Station Honorary Secretary), Commodore George Cooper ducted the service of dedication. (RNLI Chief of Operations) and Lt John Caldwell (RNLI Divisional Inspector). Mrs Gillian Butcher, cousin of Mrs Skilton, stepped in at the last moment in The naming of Arbroath's new Mersey himself deputising for the chairman, Mr place of her sister Rebecca Fletcher, Mrs class lifeboat Inchcape went ahead on 22 Vernon, who could not attend due to a Skilton's goddaughter, who was pre- April 1994 despite the unfortunate acci- knee injury. vented from attending due to illness, to dent sustained by the namer, HRH Prin- Mr Cubie praised the local appeal name the lifeboat Vera Skilton. cess Alexandra, two days before the which had raised around £300,000 and ceremony. The Countess of Airlie cvo, congratulated the community for its Relief - D class Maureen Samuels wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Angus, magnificent efforts. He then handed the The naming ceremony for the D class and sister in law of HRH, graciously lifeboat over to Captain William lifeboat Maureen Samuels was held at the agreed to name the lifeboat. Davidson, station honorary secretary, RNLI's Poole depot on Wednesday 18 Upon arrival at the site, the Earl of who accepted it with gratitude and reit- May 1994. Airlie presented civic and RNLI digni- erated Arbroath lifeboat station's com- The lifeboat had been funded by Mr taries to Lady Airlie, as she made her mitment to saving life at sea. Jim Samuels and his wife Maureen who way to the platform. A service of dedication was then con- were both present at the ceremony, ac- Miss Nicola McLeod, aged seven, ducted by the station honorary chap- companied by some of their friends. Mr Samuels handed over the new D daughter of a crew member, presented lain, Reverend Guy Brownlie, during class to the RNLI and she was accepted by Lady Airlie with a posy, while she in which mention was made of the lifeboat Anthony Oliver, deputy head of return was given an inscribed bracelet disaster in 1953. Lady Airlie then named fundraising and marketing for use in the as a memento of the occasion. the lifeboat and delighted everyone by relief fleet. Four hundred invited guests attended going for a trip in the lifeboat, despite Mike Pennell, staff officer operations, the ceremony, while a splendid crowd the inclement weather. described the lifeboat and its future role watched from various vantage points Following the ceremony a reception before the Rector of Poole, the Reverend around the site, many of whom were was held at the community centre, dur- Stanley Holbrooke-Jones dedicated the lifeboat. local schoolchildren. The cold and wet ing which Lady Airlie met crew wives Mrs Maureen Samuels named the life- weather did nothing to dampen the en- and children, station branch and guild boat Maureen thusiasm of the crowd on this highly office bearers and other special guests. Samuels after memorable and enjoyable day. A celebration cake was cut by Lady Airlie which it was an- Major John Ingram, station branch and Mrs Mary Gerrard, wife of the cox- nounced that the chairman, opened the proceedings and swain. Lady Airlie was presented with lifeboat would welcomed everyone to the ceremony. In a framed photograph of the lifeboat take up relief his capacity as appeal chairman he then signed by the crew. duties at Shoreham Har- made mention of the many people who Finally, following the departure of bour as her first had given to the appeal to fund Inchcape. the Earl and Countess of Airlie, Mr Cubie duty. Major Ingram then handed the lifeboat presented Jim Wallbridge, lifeboat en- Mrs Maureen over to Andrew Cubie, vice chairman of thusiast, with a model lifeboat and con- Samuels names the Scottish Executive Committee, and gratulated him on his attendance at this, the new Relief Committee of Management member, his 150th naming ceremony. fleet D class
189 Minehead Relief continued - Re-dedication of boathouse - D class Elsie Frances I The high winds and heavy rains of the The naming ceremony for the D class Tobermory preceding weeks died away on Sunday lifeboat Elsie Frances I was held at the - dedication of new boathouse 10 April 1994 for the re-dedication and RNLI's Poole Depot on Wednesday 30 On 26 March 1994 the new crew facility re-opening ceremony of Minehead life- March 1994. at Tobermory was opened by Sir Charles boat station's enlarged and modernised Stuart Underdown, accompanied by McGrigor Bt DL, a vice president of the boathouse. his cousin Joan Wyatt, handed over the RNLI and former convener of the Scot- More than 150 guests, among them first of two D class lifeboats which he has tish Lifeboat Council. representatives of other lifeboat stations, presented to the Institution. The lifeboat The boathouse was funded as the emergency services and members of was accepted by Anthony Oliver, deputy result of a local appeal which raised fundraising branches from Somerset and head of fundraising and marketing, for more than £61,000, far surpassing the adjacent counties, were seated in the use in the relief fleet. expectations of the local lifeboat com- boathouse to be welcomed by station Mike Pennell, staff officer operations, munity. Over 400 people attended the branch chairman Bill McNab. described the lifeboat and its future role ceremony as invited guests. The history of Minehead's lifeboat before the Rector of Poole, Reverend The appeal was started in memory of station, from the building of the boat- Stanley Holbrooke-Jones dedicated the the late Bobby MacLeod, who was one of house in 1901, was described by the lifeboat. Tobermory's lifeboat's youngest crew station honorary secretary, Kevin Escott. Mr Underdown then named the life- members, joining the crew at the age of The lengthening of the boathouse now boat Elsie Frances 1 in memory of his 15 in 1941. Due to manning problems, enabled the launching tractor to be left mother. the station was closed from 1947 until connected to the carriage of the station's Within a fortnight of the ceremony 1990 when Bobby's efforts to re-establish Atlantic 21, allowing launching to be the lifeboat was carrying out relief duties a lifeboat service in Tobermory came to carried out by one man in addition to the at Minehead, and the second lifeboat, fruition. Sadly, he died only a few days boat's crew, thus reducing further the which will be a station lifeboat, will en- before the lifeboat Ralph and Joy Swann launch time. ter service in 1995. arrived on station. Much improved crew rooms for At the boathouse opening a plaque training and for the storage of dry suits Newcastle, Co Down was unveiled by Bobby's widow, Jean, were included, and a purpose-built shop - Mersey class for the sale of souvenirs. Mr Escott also while his son Robert, now station hon- Eleanor & Bryant Girling orary secretary, chaired proceedings. announced that the station had been A lifeboat station was first established in allocated an Atlantic 75 to replace the Dougie MacNeilage, station honorary Dundrum Bay at Rossglass near Killough Atlantic 21 Catherine Plumbley at the end treasurer, spoke of the appeal and the in 1825. It was closed ten years later, but of 1994. 411 individuals, companies and groups in 1856, following numerous shipwrecks After a service of re-dedication con- which had contributed to the funding of along the coast and the provision of a ducted by the vicar of Minehead, the the boathouse. boathouse by the Earl of Annesley, a Reverend G. Wrayford, the branch A service of dedication was led by new lifeboat was provided and stationed Reverend A. Taylor and Monsignor T. chairman invited the Lord Lieutenant of at Downs Road, Newcastle. Wynne, including a Gaelic blessing of Somerset, Colonel Sir Walter Luttrell, Many heroic services spanning 170 the new building. KCVO, MC, to perform the re-opening years are recorded in the history of the ceremony. A reception funded by Argyll and station with family connections being Sir Walter, whose great grandfather Bute District Council was held in the evident over all those years. The names had given the site for the boathouse in Aros Hall following the ceremony. Murphy, McClelland and Lenaghan re- 1900, then presented long service awards A commemorative book, listing the cur with regularity. and after a vote of thanks by Mr Durman names of all contributors to the appeal, On Saturday 30 April 1994 the new the afternoon was rounded off by a visit will be on permanent display in the Mersey class lifeboat at the station was from a helicopter from RAF Chivenor boathouse and a vellum telling of the named Eleanor & Bryant Girling and the extraordinary life of Bobby MacLeod and the launch of the station's Atlantic new Penza lifeboathouse was handed 21. will also hang in the building. into the care of the local lifeboat station The new boathouse at Tobermory which was opened by Sir Charles McGrigor on 26 March 1994 following a service of dedication. Mr Will Wilson chaired the proceed- ings, assisted by the honorary secretary Bob Johnston. Mr J.R. Sargent, nephew of the donor, Mrs Eleanor Girling and members of his family also attended. Mrs Sally Parry, Mrs Girling's great niece named the lifeboat. The Chairman, deputy chairman, the Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Director and deputy chief of operations represented the Commit- tee of Management and RNLI head- quarters. This Mersey class lifeboat, together with the new purpose built boathouse, ensures that the Newcastle station is prepared for the saving of life at sea well into the next century, continuing a long and proud tradition.
190 PAST...AND...PRESENT
35 years ago Today's lifeboatmen
The report of the 1959 AGM in the June 1959 issue of THE John Pearson, crew LIFEBOAT makes an interesting comparison with that of its member of Whitby's successor 35 years later, the costs may be missing all weather and in- several zeros compared with today's figures but three- shore lifeboats since and-a-half decades ago muchofthe underlying business 1987. was along similar lines. There were new boats under John was awarded development and new equipment was on trial... The a Bronze medal in 1993 then Chairman, The Earl Howe, began his address: in recognition of his high standard of sea- For the third year In succession life-boats were launched m a n s h i p , more than 700 times. That is really a remarkable thing. boathandling skills Between the wars life-boats were never launched more and bravery when he than 500 times, but since the last war the figure has took the D class life- gone up and up, and for the last three years it has boat into heavy break- exceeded 700... ing 12ft seas and res- Last year was an interesting year and might be cued a man who was considered an outstanding year, particularly in one in the water after his respect. A new life-boat was completed to an altogether rigid inflatable dinghy had capsized close to the Whitby new design produced by one of our own staff, Mr Rocks, east of the harbour. Oakley. In memory of that outstanding achievement we The lifeboat had not officially been put on service for the have called the boat after him the Oakley life-boat, and season, and she was without a radio or normal launching successive boats of the class will be known as the facilities. Oakley class. A feature of this life-boat is that she is The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum were self-righting. If she is capsized she will right herself, accorded to crew members Nick Bentley and Glenn and she does this in six seconds. As you know we have Goodberry for their outstanding contribution during this had self-righters in the service for a long period, and service and a collective framed letter of appreciation was about the middle of the last century the Institution presented to Coxswain Mechanic Peter Thomson and his started to build all its boats as self-righters. One of the crew on board the City of Sheffield for the support they gave features of those boats and the ones that succeeded their fellow crew members in the D class lifeboat. them was that they were built with rather a narrow beam, with the result that they were apt to capsize rather more easily than non-self-righting boats. We found that the crews, when we questioned them, preferred for the most part to go to sea in a non-self- Facts and Figures righter than a self-lighter... Provisional statistics as at 20 May 1994 show that so far This new boat has been through a most exhaustive during 1994: series of trials and has come through with flying The RNLI's lifeboats were launched 446 times colours, and we have sent her to Scarborough. (an average of 3 launches a day) .. .she represents a great advance in design. The self- 146 lives were saved (an average of one righting is achieved by the transfer of water ballast a day) from one compartment to another, and this is done Some 11 % of all services carried out by lifeboats quite automatically. were in winds of Force 8 and above Another thing which we have been able to do during More than 38% of all services were to pleasure the past year has been to complete our programme of craft (sail, power and manual pleasure craft) fitting the selected boats in our fleet with very-high There are 274 lifeboats on station, with a further frequency radio-telephones. The reason why we have 100 in the relief fleet. done this is to enable complete co-operation to be To 20 May 1994 1993,125,376 lives have been achieved between aircraft with fixed wings and heli- saved since the RNLI was founded in 1824. copters and life-boats... We have continued with our progress of providing more and more stations with new tractors and new carriages. You cannot do that for nothing. The tractor Costs that two years ago cost about £6,000 costs £8,000 The cost of running the RNLI in 1993 was £46m. today, and in the effort to try to keep pace with rising The approximate current cost of building a lifeboat is: prices we have to be all the more active and do all we can 16ft D class inflatable - £11,000 in order to pay the bill. 7.5m Atlantic rigid inflatable - £61,000 ... you will have noticed that receipts have reached 14m Trent - £1,025,000 an absolute record, upwards of one million pounds! 17m Severn - £1,380,000 191 © u
Charting progress I recently finished reading the Spring 1994 issue of THE LIFEBOAT and am, as always, Lifeboats and the War utterly amazed at the achievements of the Institution over the years. The accounts of the lifeboat services in particular fill me with admiration for the Wartime lifeboat memories crews, most of whom are volunteers, and their astonishing feats of seamanship Greetings from Adelaide, Australia, and courage leave me gasping, in spite of - or perhaps because of - my own where I live with my wife and two experience during 35 years in the Royal Navy, of the sometimes appalling condi- children. tions at sea. For sometime now I have been I am also awestruck every time I think of the cost of running such an organisa- writing a book; my research for this tion, and the fact that every penny is raised by voluntary donation. It is heartening work has been extensive, and much has to realise that the activities of the Institution do not appear to have suffered yet to be done prior to completion. I significantly on account of the recession, and that the year by year cost increases have approached many newspapers, have continued to be covered in this way. I am glad to be able to play a very small publications and organisations - world- part in this venture. wide - inviting people to contribute to I would like to offer a suggestion regarding the presentation of the accounts of this project. lifeboat services in THE LIFEBOAT magazine. It is helpful to have the small-scale map The book predominantly, will be a of the British Isles, showing the location of the station involved. However, the text composite of letters, written by service- usually includes towns, sand bars, channels, rock formations etc. This is all men - their family's, and war-ravaged essential to the narrative, but for the reader who does not know the scene it would civilians. I am asking these war affected help him to relate more closely to the actual event if, in addition to the small-scale people to reflect on their lives and map mentioned above, a portion of the chart of the relevant local area could also reveal how war, and its inherent after be included. I seem to recall that this has been done on occasions in some past affects, changed or influenced their issues of the magazine, and I am sure that it would make the accounts even more lives. readable and interesting if you could see your way to including this detail when Most of my childhood was spent in reporting most, if not all, lifeboat services. the small Sussex town of I hasten to add that this suggestion is intended to be helpful, and not in any Littlehampton, we lived not more than way a criticism of the magazine, which I always find most interesting. 200 yards from the sea - which I could Keep up the good work! observe from my bedroom window. Lt Cdr I. Sandeman RN (Rtd) Thus it was (in those carefree days of Unfortunately Admiralty charts are often too detailed to reproduce successfully, the 50s), that my deep respect for the particularly when reduced to the size needed for the journal, and specially-drawn ones sea and the British Lifeboat Institution are too expensive and time consuming. However the FtNLI's Rescue Records evolved. Consequently, I am very eager department has recently up-dated its Gorleston remembered to include in my book a chapter relating computer software and we hope to be to the valiant men who faced so many I was most interested to read in the able to obtain small chartlets from this formidable perils manning the lifeboats, Spring Issue of THE LIFEBOAT, a letter source. Some development work is still and saving lives, during WWII. from Mr George Bracey of Bourne- needed, but watch this space! - Editor My very best wishes to friends and mouth about the Gorleston lifeboat in members of the RNLI. the 1930s. Rodney Parr, My father used to take my brothers Information Wanted 29 Angas Crescent, Marino 5049, and myself on holiday to Gorleston Does anyone have any photos or South Australia. between 1930 and 1938, staying at information about the following either the Pier Hotel or the St Titanic survivors: Ruth Becker Lifeboats at Dunkirk Edmunds. Blanchard, Ethel Garside, Kate Buss On 30 May 1940 the Poole lifeboat I remember having trips on the Willis, Edwina Troutt Mackenzize, Thomas Kirk Wright was requested to go Gorleston lifeboat, we liked the rough Bertha Watt Marshall, Louise Kink to Dover and then on to Dunkirk to sea, and would call at the St Nicholas Pope, Agnes Sandstrom, Beatrice evacuate troops from the beaches of lightship in Yarmouth Roads, thence Sandstrom, Lillian Asplund, Eleanor Dunkirk. She was, in fact, the first to Seroly Sands. Johnson and Vera Quick? lifeboat to be sent, another eighteen My father collected a year's issue of Also the following Lusitania followed her. two magazines which he would give survivors: Alice Lines Drury, Edith Can any reader help by giving any to the crew of the Lightship and in Williams, Elsie Hook Hadland, Frank information about this lifeboat in her return, we as boys would have a Hook, George Hook, Audrey Pearl time away from the Poole station? I do marionette given by them, which they and Chrissey Barnett. believe she rescued a troop of free made themselves. If anyone does could they please French troops, but unfortunately this Perhaps Mr Bracey was on board at write to me at the address below. cannot be confirmed. the same time as we had our wonder- James Woods, Any information at all will help. ful trips. 1 Onslow Road, Southsea, Andrew Hawkes, Peter Seed, Portsmouth, Hants PO5 2NH. 99 High Street, Poole BH15 1AP Bridport, Dorset. Telephone (0705) 752895.
192 Above the call of duty... And more thanks... I am writing this letter after being rescued by the Poole lifeboat on the night of On 3 April this year while returning Saturday 16 April 1994, Cox'n Steve Vince and Crew. from Bangor, Northern Ireland, to My brother, 10 year-old-son and I had been on passage from Weymouth to Largs we were overtaken by some Chichester Yacht Basin, via Poole or Swanage, on our maiden voyage after an extremely heavy weather while extensive refit over three years on my yacht Hurlwind a fin keel Hurley 22. crossing the North Channel. We left I thought I had taken all the necessary precautions, with radio, lifejackets, Bangor at 0430 in our 25ft Motor Sailer harnesses, flares, the normal safety items, navigational instruments and so on. I Lady-O with a fair wind and tide, served in submarines for 10 years and sailed with the Royal Navy in various however, by 0800 the wind was up to yachts, completing RYA Dinghy Sailing, Competent Crew and Day Skipper Force 9 with large breaking seas of 20- Courses and felt competent for our planned passage. Over the past two years we 25ft. had gone over all the details in order to avoid accidents. At 0955 we suffered a complete Unfortunately, as you know, not everything can be covered. knockdown five miles south of Ailsa We predicted, and had, a very hard sail with N-NE winds increasing in Craig which left me with a broken strength throughout Saturday. Darkness fell and with ever increasing wind, seas arm. As there were only the two of us and current we decided to make for Swanage as soon as possible. Unfortunately, on board and Linda had not had much as we were to find out later, the tiller fitting to the top of the rudder had fractured experience in such huge following seas and subsequently broke leaving us in quite considerable danger with no steerage (come to think of it neither had I) I put at all. I put out a Pan-Pan, with, I must admit very rusty radio procedure, but out a Pan Pan call. acknowledged immediately by Portland Coastguard - who informed us that the In response to the call Girvan Poole lifeboat was being launched to our aid. What a relief! lifeboat was launched along with a Contact was made with the lifeboat via VHP. When they reached us, Cox'n helicopter from HMS Gannet at Steve Vince manoeuvred the lifeboat very close with extreme precision and a skill Prestwich. The helicopter was with us that must come from years of experience. It was absolutely incredible to witness within 25 minutes but due to the wind first hand in such difficult conditions. and sea state they could do nothing One of the crew members was transferred to us and later a paramedic to check but stand by while we continued to us, in particular my son, who had badly bruised his leg. make our own way north to the lee at The whole operation was so professional. My yacht thoroughly checked out in the north end of Ailsa Craig. case of damage and the tow and drogue put into operation. The crew member and The helicopter then was called paramedic were very cheerful and friendly and made all the difference to our away to another emergency and once morale which was very low at that point. They did a superb job and we would like again it was just us and the sea. to extend our thanks to them. However Girvan lifeboat soon con- We were towed for two hours until tacted us via VHP and reassured us Lifelong interest alongside at Poole Quayside, totally that they would be there soon (I was I read with interest the letter from C. shattered by the whole experience. The almost passing out with the pain from Williams giving the reason for his or lifeboat crew then made our yacht my arm by this time). her interest in the RNLI. secure alongside while we were Eventually we rendezvoused with I cannot say I have any memory of invited inside the station. We were the lifeboat and a transfer was made the start of my interest as I was quite offered tea and coffee and introduced with two lifeboatmen boarding Lady-O literally a babe in arms - or should I to the Cox'n and the crew who also and we were taken on board the say pram! invited us to sleep in the station for the lifeboat. We were met at the harbour I had a collecting box on my pram night. One member of the crew even by an ambulance and conveyed to later on, when sitting up, this was drove us about the town trying to find hospital where it was established that transferred to my lap - way back in somewhere for food - our thanks to my arm was broken. On returning to 1923! him. The friendliness, helpfulness and Girvan harbour later we found that As a child I looked forward to the hospitality extended to us, I am sure, not only had the lifeboatmen berthed arrival of the Journal, which was in was above and beyond their call of Lady-O, they had also removed those days, if memory serves me duty, and I have never met such a valuables fron the boat to the lifeboat correctly, a small edition with a cream group of professionals in my life. station for safekeeping. coloured cover with a sepia picture of We would like to express our I often read about rescues which a lifeboat man in full rescue outfit. sincere gratitude to Steve Vince and have been carried out and, of course, Henry Blogg was my childhood his crew and the lifeboat service and like most people I assume that it will hero. indeed everyone involved in our always happen to someone else. I have followed my mother's rescue, for all they did for us. Wrong - that day it happened to us example of a lifetime's interest in and For each of us, especially my son and I feel that if it had not been for the work for the RNLI and although I am Karl, the experience will be with us reassurance over the VHP from the not now as active as I would wish I am forever. He has now joined Storm lifeboat we may not have made it. We still very proud and happy to belong Force and I shall become a member owe our lives to the crew of the Girvan to the lifeboat 'family' as a Life also. lifeboat and for that we will be forever Governor. A special thanks from my wife Sue grateful. I am, as always, filled with admira- and daughter Emma, who were very T P Haggart, L Beattie, tion for the very brave men and worried about us. Glasgow women who crew the boats. Also, I should like to thank Steve for all the arrangements he made and Long may they continue to give THE LIFEBOAT welcomes readers' let- trouble he went to in order for a such an excellent example of service to ters on all aspects of lifeboats and temporary berth to be arranged. Many others in a world which seems, related subjects. thanks. increasingly, to be so self seeking. Write to the Editor, RNLI, West Quay Paul Custance, Joan Batty, Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ Chipping Sodbury Addlestone, Surrey.
193 The RNLI's 1994 Annual Meetings The RNLI's Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards were held once again on London's South Bank on Tuesday 10 May ' ...we are looking 1994. Once again both meetings attracted a large and interested further ahead... assembly to hear of the Institution's work in the past year and its to a 33% plans for the future and to honour lifeboatmen for their gallantry and voluntary workers for their dedication. improvement in In recent years another tradition has manifested itself - speed of response' warm spring weather, and this year 10 May obliged with pleasant conditions greeting those attending, many of whom had travelled quite considerable distances. But the RNLI cannot stand still and the Chairman went on: The relief Mersey class lifeboat Her Majesty the Queen was on 'Now we are looking further ahead. By the year 2000 our hand to provide a platform for the four medallists' photo call in aim is to be able to reach a casualty at virtually any point 50 the morning and then to lie alongside for visitors to see in more miles off the coast in two-and-a-half hours-a 33% improve- detail. A new Atlantic 75 on show outside the concourse flew ment on today's declared speed of response.' the flag for the Institution's inshore lifeboat fleet. Every new Severn and Trent class lifeboat moves the Institu- Addressing the morning's Annual General Meeting in the tion nearer that target and, if Aldeburgh witnessed the end of Queen Elizabeth Hall the Chairman, Michael Vernon, began by the eight-knot era, Alderney, as the first Trent station, heralded remarking that the year's Annual Report again made impres- the age of the 25 knot all-weather lifeboat. sive reading, showing yet another record of calls answered, at With eight Trents and three Severns currently under con- 5,568, and also a record income of £61.9m. struction, at a cost of some £12.3m, the RNLI is well on its way 'Neither of these statistics,' remarked Mr Vernon, towards the second target for the year 2000 - to have a 25 knot 'have any meaning if they cannot be related to what the replacement at half the all-weather stations where the lifeboat RNLI is basically setting out to achieve - to preserve life from lies afloat. By the same year at least half the Atlantic rigid disaster at sea by the most effective means available. The inflatable stations would have new, 34 knot Atlantic 75s - and 1,308 people whose lives were saved last year will surely two have already entered service at Sheringham and agree that our aim is being met. Flamborough, with six more scheduled for 1994. 1993's Bronze Medals and Thanks on Vellum show that The Chairman also announced that work is to begin this year whether the casualty is a factory ship, a yacht, a fishing vessel, on a design to replace the Tyne class slipway boats. The first a stranded climber or a man drowning in the surf, the RNLI has Tyne entered service in 1982 and, with a twenty year planned the boats, the technology and the crews for the situation. life for all-weather lifeboats, a successor must be ready by 2002. The Chairman stressed that this ability to cope was not The Institution is increasingly well equipped for these new achieved by accident, and that providing the most effective projects, and computer aided design is now an important tool service meant keeping abreast of casualty trends, keeping pace which will be of great value in developing Fast Slipway Boat 2. with modern technology and knowing how to raise the funds. Research and experiment continues on current designs, the All three had been in mind, he reported, when the target was Chairman went on, illustrating this with the trials aboard set to complete the introduction of fast lifeboats by the end of the prototype Severn which will lead to electrically operated 1993, a target which had been met in November when the 34th throttle controls on future Severns and Trents. Successful re- Mersey arrived at Aldeburgh. search and development depends on technicians and operators working side-by-side, and Mr Vernon referred to the new trials team - made up of experts from both disciplines. Reorganisation of divisional boundaries has given lifeboat inspectors and coastal technical staff the same areas to cover which, together with the estab- lishment of divisional workshops, was bound to lead to a more systematic approach to manning, running and maintaining a fleet of 374 high technol- ogy lifeboats. Moving on from the lifeboats to their stations Mr Vernon reported: 'Fast lifeboats are only part of the answer to being in the
Media interest after the arrival of the medallists at the Festival Pier aboard the relief Mersey Her Majesty The Queen- Mark Paterson interviewed all four medallists for BBC local television and is seen here talking to Barry Bennett of St Mary's.
194 right place at the right time to save life at sea. Our constant record £46.3m and the figure includes our largest single review of the disposition of lifeboat stations has led to the bequest of £6.3m from the estate of Mr Roy Barker. decision to open stations at Kilrush and at Fenit on the west 'The terms of his bequest tell an interesting story. He coast of Ireland and at Rock in Cornwall. By the same made his money over to the RNLI in the form of an endow- process of review, the infrequency of calls on the D class ment which would ensure lifeboats bearing his name would inflatable at Crimdon Dene led to the station's closure in be built for many years to come. Here was a man who wanted 1993.' his gift to provide not just for the present lifeboat service but The establishment of stations and the introduction of new for a future one as well.' classes of lifeboat, especially the carriage-launched Mersey, has The lifeboat service is certain to be required for as long as led to a huge increase in work to provide the right facilities people take to the sea, and as it is so dependent on capital ashore. Thirty capital projects were completed in 1993 with investment for its success Mr Vernon made it clear that the another 20 in progress, representing £6.3m expenditure. RNLI would be ill-advised to hold only slender reserves. The Many lifeboats are stationed in extremely attractive loca- current level, equivalent to about three years' annual expendi- tions, and a pretty place attracts more visi- ture, was by no means excessive, he said, tors, which increases the casualty potential. especially taking into account the unpre- But when a new boathouse is needed, as at ^"^ ^"^"' dictable nature of legacy income and the St Ives and Aldeburgh, the RNLI goes to Institution's substantial capital commit- enormous lengths to ensure the design is in 'New lifeboats and ment. accord with the surrounding architecture In spite of the success of our branches or landscape; even so, it is always difficult shoreworks... and guilds and the £61.8m income figure to please everyone. are tailored to for 1993, there were some warning signs in Turning to the manning of the lifeboats the accounts, added the Chairman. the Chairman said: the crews' 'Leaving out legacies, overall income was 'New lifeboats and shoreworks are the same as the year before. Expenditure was part of fulfilling our search and rescue requirements, not, it increased by about 11%. This year, be- commitment but ultimately, the re- not the other cause of the Severn and Trent building pro- sponsibility for saving lives rests with gramme, total expenditure is expected to rise by the lifeboat crews themselves. We must way round' a further 21%. Overall income is not. therefore be equally dedicated to pro- 'Obviously our plans allow for such a dis- viding the most effective equipment ^^^_ ^_^^. crepancyand as long as legacy income holds up, and training facilities for them. we can stay on course. But all our voluntary 'These have to be tailored to fit the crews' requirements, income ultimately relies upon the efforts of fundraisers and not the other way round. A small but important step in that there is clearly no let-up for them in the foreseeable future.' direction has been the successful development of a new, less Mr Vernon then drew the meeting's attention to an appar- bulky lifejacket which has proved very popular among crews ently modest entry in the Notes to the Accounts headed Value of all-weather boats.' Added Tax. In 1993 the RNLI paid nearly Elm to the govern- Mr Vernon was also encouraged that crew members gave up ment in VAT. Surely, the Chairman remarked, it was enough for precious time to attend RNLI courses in such large numbers, a RNLI supporters to be providing the nation's lifeboat service sign that the RNLI is providing what the crews want. without expecting them to contribute to the Exchequer as well. The Chairman then referred to a newspaper article which He added that the RNLI would continue to make its feelings had astonished some supporters by implying that with the known on this subject at appropriate opportunities. advent of new technology the RNLI no longer valued seaman- He then took the opportunity to thank the local branches ship as an important skill aboard a lifeboat. Mr Vernon was and guilds for their co-operation in implementing recent changes, unequivocal: and reported that the new system of branch accounting with 'This could not be further from the truth, and you only quarterly reports is working very well. Regional staff had been have to hear today's medal citations to realise how crucial equally grateful for their support in the recent boundary altera- good seamanship and local knowledge are to the success of tions, and larger regions with branches receiving better atten- sea rescue. Every lifeboat coxswain will, nevertheless, tell tion from area organisers undoubtedly improved the use of our you how important it is to understand the modern equip- resources. ment at his disposal designed to make the job that much Mr Vernon went on to say that the RNLI believes it is fairer simpler.' to review membership rates regularly, to avoid drastic rises. He However, lives can be saved without having to put to sea, said Mr Vernon, adding that the Institution had appointed a sea safety liaison officer to promote safe practices at sea in liaison with other national organisations. The RNLI's experience of seafaring accidents was a valuable resource and should be better harnessed to help prevent them - and minimise the demands on lifeboat crews. The Chairman then moved on to the fundraising aspects of the Institution: 'Judging by the accounts, our supporters are still deter- mined to see that the crews get what they deserve. Subscrip- tions and donations are up by 8% thanks substantially to the efforts of our branches and guilds. Congratulations to them for yet another splendid year. Legacies were also up to a
Shortly after their arrival at the Festival Pier prior to the meetings the four 1994 Bronze Medallists greet friends and press. From left to right - William Clark (Lerwick), Richard Davies (Cromer), Barry Bennett (St Mary's) and Ian McDowell (St Bees) 195 The 1994 Annual Meetings continued At least as many have been watching the recent '999' series, featuring two graphic reconstructions of services, and there therefore announced that in September Shoreline membership was also the BBC's current drama series, The Lifeboat'.' would increase from £9pa to £10pa, joint Shoreline from £15 to Finally, the Chairman noted that the meeting was the last to £17 and the annual governor's rate from £30 to £33. Life gover- be held on the South Bank. Next year the AGM and awards norship will remain unchanged at £500 as would the junior ceremony would be at the Barbican Centre, where facilities are membership, Storm Force, at £3. better suited to providing an enjoyable and worthwhile day, Remarking on the RNLI's effort to attract the attention of remarking that: young people, of which Storm Force was part, the Chairman 'In many ways it is a fitting time to break with tradition. referred to the boost given by the BBC's Blue Peter programme, We are at the end of an era with the passing of the double- which held another appeal on the RNLI's behalf. Besides a ended wooden boats and are now steaming proudly into the phenomenal amount of audience coverage, the appeal had future at 25 knots. If we can continue to rely upon the brought in enough 'treasure' to pay for the replacement of all six generosity of all those who support the work of the RNLI, we Blue Peter inshore lifeboats and fund at least half the cost of the can guarantee that a lifeboat suitably equipped for the job Trent for Fishguard. will launch whenever the call comes now and in the years On the subject of television coverage Mr Vernon mentioned that lie ahead.' the unprecedented exposure on television received over the The meeting closed with questions from the floor on a past year. Up to 10 million people had watched the six-part ITV variety of operational and fundraising subjects before the Gov- documentary series about Salcombe lifeboat station in which ernors were invited to view a special compilation video of some Coxswain Frank Smith and his crew did the Institution proud. of the RNLI's television coverage over the past year. Awards Presented at the Royal Festival Hall
Since the last Annual Presenta- 1971, Joint Honorary Secretary 1971- 1968-1978, President 1978-1983, Vice date tion of Awards Meeting the Com- 1972, President 1972-1993, Committee President 1983 to date Mr Jack Lewis MBE esc CENG FIMIME mittee of Management has Member 1993 to date Mrs Margaret Taylor Walmer Station Branch: Chairman Mr H Speak BEM Norton Branch: Honorary Secretary 1974-1993, President 1993 to date awarded ten Bars to the Gold Blackrod Branch: Honorary Treasurer 1959-1962, Committee Member 1962- Mr Gwyn Martin DFM Badge and forty-eight Gold 1960-1993 1966, Honorary Secretary 1966 to date Aberystwyth Station Branch: Honor- Badges. Mrs Elizabeth Downs Mrs Joan Beynon ary Secretary 1964-1981, Committee Bredbury Guild: President 1961 to date Porthcawl Guild: Honorary Secretary Member 1981-1987, President 1987 to BAR TO THE GOLD BADGE Mrs Mary Aldridge 1967 to date, Honorary Treasurer 1967 date Bromborough and Eastham Branch: to date Mr John Griffiths BEM Mrs Margaret Driscoll Honorary Secretary 1967 to date Mr John Gilbert Borth Station Branch: Crew Member Burnmouth Branch: Honorary Secre- Mr Peter Bowman BA Luton and District Branch: Committee 1966-1971, Honorary Treasurer 1966 to tary 1959 to date Crewe Branch: Honorary Treasurer Member 1970-1973, Honorary Secre- date, Deputy Launching Authority Mrs Mary Hiley jp 1969-1984, Honorary Secretary 1970- tary 1973-1979, Chairman 1979-1992, 1971-1992 Leeds Guild: Chairman 1954-1975. 1991, Chairman 1984-1994, Honorary President 1992 to date Mr Eric Bancroft Leeds Luncheon Club: Chairman 1955- Treasurer 1991-1994 Mrs Gillian Jeckells Tenby Station Branch: Deputy 1975. Horsforth Guild: President 1970 Mrs Margaret Park Wroxham and District Branch: Honor- Launching Authority 1973-1980, Hon- to date Didsbury Branch: Founder Member ary Secretary 1967-1973, Chairman orary Secretary 1980-1994 Mrs Pauline Thompson 1964, Honorary Treasurer 1969 (6 1973-1983, President 1983 to date Mr James Tyrrell Penarth Guild: Honorary Secretary Months), Committee Member 1969- Mrs Anne Morris Arklow Station Branch: Deputy 1962 to date 1973, Honorary Secretary 1973 to date Weymouth Ladies Guild: Souvenir Launching Authority 1971-1977, Hon- Mr John Kennedy Mrs Margaret Wild Secretary 1964 to date, Honorary orary Secretary 1977 to date Crew Member: 1939-1945. Fundraiser: Prestwich Branch: Honorary Secretary Treasurer 1974-1978 Dr Patrick Murphy 1945-1965: Newquay Station Branch: 1966 to date Lt Cdr Barney Morris RN (Retd) Baltimore Station Branch: Honorary Chairman 1965 to date Mrs Margaret Watson Weymouth Station Branch: Deputy Medical Advisor 1968 to date Mrs Phyllis Duckworth Stoke on Trent Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Launching Authority 1971-1975, Hon- Dr John Gowen FRCG Reading Branch: Member 1958-1962. Chairman 1968 to date orary Secretary 1975 to date Youghal Station Branch: Honorary Reading GuildXBranch: Chairman: Mrs F (Dorothy) Read Lt Cdr William Hartt RN (Retd) Medical Advisor 1952-1990, Deputy 1962-1979. Caversham Branch: Hon- Tottington Guild: Honorary Treasurer Rustington and East Preston Branch: Launching Authority 1990 to date orary Secretary 1979 to date 1967 to date Honorary Secretary 1968 to date, Life- Mr John Eagle Mrs Doreen Baxter boat Week Organiser 1968 to date The following recipients were unable to Walton and Frinton Station Branch: Up Holland Branch: Chairman 1967 to Mr Henry Dollin attend the Ceremony and their awards are Vice Chairman 1953-1957, Chairman date Bushey Heath Branch: Committee being made locally: 1957-1980, President 1980 to date Mrs Helen Owen Member 1963-1965, BoxSecretary 1965- Mr Robert Oxley Up Holland Branch: Honorary Secre- 1980, Honorary Secretary 1966-1980, BAR TO THE GOLD BADGE Walton and Frinton Station Branch: tary 1967 to date Honorary Treasurer 1966-1980. Seaford Mrs W Milne Assistant Honorary Secretary 1953- Mary Lady Macdonald of Sleat Branch: Committee Member 1980-1986, Kirriemuir Guild: Honorary Treasurer 1960, Honorary Secretary 1960-1980, Bridlington Guild: Vice President 1956- Box Secretary 1986 to date 1953-1980, Kirriemuir Branch: Honor- Deputy Launching Authority 1980- 1973, President 1973 to date Mrs Clara Welfare ary Treasurer 1980 to date 1990, Chairman 1980 to date Mr Geoffrey Timson Shoreham and Lancing Ladies Life- Mrs F V McDonald MBE Mr Elson Phillips Grantham Guild: Honorary Treasurer boat Guild: Committee Member 1965 Stonehaven Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Little and Broad Haven Station Branch: 1965 to date to date President 1957-1982, Chairman 1982- Honorary Secretary 1967-1986 Chair- Mrs H (Dorothy) Ludlam Mrs C (Patricia) Telfer 1983, President 1983 to date man 1986 to date Halifax Guild: Assistant Honorary Central London Committee: Commit- GOLD BADGE Secretary 1967-1968, Honorary Secre- tee Member 1967 to date, Vice Chair- Mr Edward Coker GOLD BADGE tary 1968-1981, Acting Secretary 1981- man 1985-1988 Didsbury Branch: President 1968 to 1985 Mrs Ivy Quinney date Mrs Barbara Yuille Mrs Muriel Pearson Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park Cdr William Donald DSC Biggar Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Com- Huddersfield Guild: Assistant Honor- Branch: Honorary Treasurer 1969-1991, Keswick Branch: Chairman 1968 to date mittee Member 1970 to date, Honorary ary Secretary 1968-1970, Honorary Flag Day Organiser 1969-1992 Mrs D L (Tessa) Thomas Treasurer 1970-1992 Secretary 1970 to date Mrs Mary English Porthcawl Guild: Chairman 1967-1992, The Lady Jean Fforde DL Mr Peter Fenby Cobh Branch: Honorary Secretary 1963 President 1992 to date Isle of Arran Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Filey Station Branch: Committee to date Mrs Eileen O'Flanagan President 1957 to date Member 1964-1967, Chairman 1967- The Right Honourable Lord Dun Laoghaire Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Mrs Janet Miller MAJP 1978. Hull Branch: Active Committee Margadale of Islay Box Secretary 1968 to date, Flag Day Kilwinning Branch: Convener 1958- Member 1978-1980, Assistant Honor- Isle of Islay Station Branch: President Organiser 1968 to date 1974, Chairman 1974 to date ary Secretary 1980-1982, Chairman 1934 to date Mr William Halcrow Lady Catherine Henderson 1982-1986, Acting Chairman \Secretary Mr Gerald Finn Stromness Station Branch: Honorary The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright Life- 1986-1989, Honorary Secretary 1989 to Sunderland Station Branch: Commit- Treasurer 1958-1994 boat Guild: President 1971 to date date tee Member 1961-1967, Chairman 1967- Mr Andrew Collier Mrs Barbro Scott Mrs Vera Beaumont 1983, Deputy Launching Authority Clogher Head Station Branch: Chair- St Andrews Branch: President 1968- Morley Guild: Honorary Treasurer 1971-1983, Honorary Secretary 1983 to man 1954 to date 196 Awards for Gallantry presented at the Royal Festival Hall
Helmsman Ian McDowell - Bronze Medal Coxswain Richard Davies - Bronze Medal St Bees lifeboat, 31 July 1993 Cromer lifeboat, 13 October 1993 Ian McDowell was in charge of St Bees' C class Richard Davies was in charge of Cromer's Tyne «g» inshore lifeboat when she saved the crew of two class lifeboat when she was involved in a long from a grounded fishing vessel. service in which she rescued a 30ft yacht and The casualty was being swept by breaking saved her crew of four. seas on an exposed reef and the lifeboat had to Onshore winds of up to Force 10 made the beach to make repairs after her propellers were launching conditions the worst the crew had ex- damaged. She was able to save the men although perienced in 30 years and it was some time after the engines were damaged again and two crew launching before it was safe to venture on deck to members had to be left ashore raise the radio aerials . • A full account of this service appeared in the Winter • A full account of this service appeared in the Spring 1993/94 issue of THE LIFEBOAT. 1994 issue of THE LIFEBOAT. Coxswain Barry Bennett - Bronze Medal Joint Second Coxswain William Clark - Bronze Medal St Mary's lifeboat, 12 September 1993 Barry Bennett took St Mary's Arun class lifeboat Lerwick lifeboat, 17/18 November 1993 Robert Edgar into a small, shallow and rock- William Clark took Lerwick's Arun class lifeboat strewn cove to rescue two yachts anchored there Soldian alongside the Russian Factory Ship and caught out by a change in the weather. Borodinskoye Polye 35 times to rescue 37 people. ^^^ A Severe Gale Force 9 was blowing into the The casualty was aground in winds up to "" V^^M^^^* r ^^ o>vr .uul .1 misty MII high swell was breaking Force lOandtotaldarkness.Searoom was severely - I heavily around the yacht. With very little room to limited, fuel oil was spraying on to the lifeboats ^^u j ^. I manoeuvre the lifeboat snatched a man to safety decks and she was also damaged by a large fender ^^HL £[ I just seconds before his yacht was overwhelmed swinging from the ship. ^^^^u I and sank. • A full account of this service appeared in the Spring 4^^^VV - ^^^ • A full account of this service appeared in the Winter 1994 issue of THE LIFEBOAT J*^^ A ' ^Kt j 993/94 issue of THE LIFEBOAT. The Presentation of Awards
Welcoming HRH the Duke of Kent and all boats and the crews to cope, even in the those present the Chairman pointed out worst conditions. that this would be the last time the Annual One way of measuring how far we had Presentation of Awards would be held at come in recent years was to look at the speed the Royal Festival Hall, as it would, along of response. Currently an all-weather life- with the Annual General Meeting, be mov- boat can usually reach a point 50 miles off the ing to the Barbican Centre in 1995. coast in three-and-a-half hours, which com- The Chairman opened his address by pares with the previous 30 miles in four recounting two apparently routine lifeboat hours, and a new target - by the year 2000 - services, one by the Alderney lifeboat which, of reducing the time for those 50 miles to on a chilly March morning, went to the aid two-and-a-half hours. This meant that at of a small fishing boat broken down in the least half the Severns and Trents planned by Swinge and threatened by steep overfalls the Institution would need to be on station and a lee shore. Both vessels were back in and at least half the new 34 knot Atlantic 75 Braye harbour in time for lunch. The other inshore lifeboats. was at Aldeburgh last September when the In the next five years new boats would lifeboat searched for three hours for a boy cost the Institution well over £80m, said Mr reported missing in a 12ft dinghy on the Vernon, a major undertaking by anybody's river Aide. The lifeboat found nothing, but HRH The Duke of Kent addresses the standards. her crew were relieved to hear that the boy gathering before presenting the awards While confident that the target could be eventually turned up safe and sound. achieved the Chairman stressed that he ap- What was so momentous about these apparently routine preciated the size of the challenge facing the fundraisers. Six incidents? Simply that the rescue off Alderney was the first by and seven figure numbers have become commonplace, but that a 25-knot all-weather lifeboat, in this case the 14m Trent proto- it was worth remembering how many flag day stickers, raffle type on temporary station duty there, and the Aldeburgh tickets and tea towel sales are needed to raise enough money for search was the last call made on a traditional double-ended a £lm lifeboat. lifeboat in RNLI service. The 'Blue Peter' television appeal had helped to bring this 'In 1994,' said the Chairman, 'we have truly begun a point home. Two gigantic warehouses were filled by some new era of fast lifeboats. The transition to an all-fast fleet has 1,500,000 packages of 'treasure', to be sorted and sold to raise a been completed on schedule and is something in which sum estimated to pay for six new inshore lifeboats and half the everyone should take pride. It could never have happened cost of the Trent for Fishguard later this year. without the crews' enthusiastic willingness to adopt new That project represented a huge nationwide effort, and yet it technology or the ability of the staff to shape that new was but a fraction of what volunteer fundraisers achieve every technology to the Institution's needs. Above all, it would year. Last year their direct contribution towards the Institu- never have happened if the fundraisers had not risen to the tion's £62m income was another record, so we cannot but have challenge of the building programme.' faith that the target will again be met this year. | Congratulating supporters on this achievement the Chair- Mr Vernon hoped that all supporters would draw inspira- | man remarked that they need only listen to the afternoon's tion from the success of the past year and added that there was o medal citations to realise its value. Two fishermen, six yachts- present another source of inspiration - one which had been with 12 men, and thirty-seven crew members from a Russian factory the RNLI for the last quarter of a century. HRH The Duke of £ ship were only alive today, he said, because the RNLI has the Kent had succeeded his mother, Princess Marina, as President =
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The 1994 Annual Meetings continued of the Institution 25 years ago and, with genuine interest and understanding, had given everyone an added reason to con- tinue with their work. He had presided over some significant moments of RNLI history, some difficult, some tragic but many glorious. The Chairman remarked that as someone who had been a member of the Committee of Management for the whole of the Duke's Presidency, he was extremely aware of the support he had given the Chairmen who have served under him. Mr Vernon also praised the contribution made by HRH The Duchess of Kent, who had also been an enormous inspiration. Mr Vernon then added: 'The Committee of Manage- ment has decided that the most fitting way to express the gratitude of us all is to present you. Sir, with the highest award the Institution can offer, the Gold Medal. I trust you will accept it as a mark of the esteem in which you are held by everyone in the large family which is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.' The kind of conditions in which medals are earned... The St Mary's lifeboat The applause which greeted the announcement and the goes to the aid of a yacht in the service which won her coxswain, Barry subsequent presentation reflected the appreciation shown by Bennett his Bronze Medal those present at the APA. The President was clearly moved by the award, saying: the crews operated and to get to know the people who do the 'It is not easy to put into words just how deeply honoured job. It also allowed him to imagine more vividly the circum- I feel at receiving the RNU's highest stances leading to the award of bravery award, the Gold Medal. That the medals. Committee of Management should 'If the admirable 'If the admirable voluntary nature of the decide - without the knowledge of the voluntary nature of RNLI has been a constant factor in the last President 1 might add - to confer on quarter of a century,' the President went on, 'a me the same award as that presented the RNLI has been very great deal has nevertheless changed in that to only the very bravest of our lifeboat time. In 1969 the fastest all-weather lifeboat was crews is something I take as a su- a constant factor a 15 knot Waveney. Today we have the 25 knot preme compliment. in the past quarter Severns and Trents with all the latest electronic 7 accept the award on the strict gadgetry. Then lifeboats answered 2,300 calls a understanding that no comparison of a century a very year, now that figure has more than doubled to can ever be made between my contri- great deal has 5,500. It cost about £1.7m to run the service in bution and that of our lifeboat crews.' 1969, in 1993 in cost nearly £48m.' His Royal Highness remarked that nevertheless The world may have changed, said the bravery had not been a resource on which changed' Duke, but he was impressed by the way the he had had to call during his 25 years asso- RNLI adapted to meet new challenges and ciation with the RNLI, indeed he looked embrace new technology and fundraising back on every assignment with the Institution, which had taken techniques while retaining its essential values of voluntary him to 92 lifeboat stations, with nothing but pleasure - as did service. The Duchess of Kent. Looking to the future the President was sure that the Institu- The Duke recalled lifeboat experiences which had remained tion would be playing an equally crucial role 25 years from now, particularly vivid in his memory, including the moment when as there was no sign of a let-up in the number of casualties. New he succeeded as President his mother, Princess Marina, who lifeboats are designed to take the RNLI into the 21st century, he had been the last person to be honoured with the gold medal for said, and there appears to be no shortage of volunteers to crew service other than bravery. Equally vivid was the memory of his them. first official duty, attending the funeral of those lost in the "Through the indefatigableworkofvoluntary fundraisers Fraserburgh lifeboat disaster in 1970 - a reminder of the very and the generosity of the public', he added, 'we also have a heavy price that voluntary service can demand. sound financial base. It only remains for us to see that future The RNLI strives to reduce the risks, but that they could generations come to appreciate the lifeboat service as much never be eliminated was tragically proved by the disaster at as those of us here today.' Penlee in 1981, another sad occasion His Royal Highness would The Duke looked forward to a continuing involvement with never forget. the RNLI, and announced that he would shortly be going to Naming ceremonies were always occasions to look forward Aldeburgh to name the new Mersey there. The new boat to, said the Duke, they take place at beautiful parts of the coast heralded the era of an all fast lifeboat fleet, and what better way and are an occasion when fundraisers and lifeboatmen can could there be to embark on his next spell as President? celebrate their success together. The Director of the RNLI, Lt Cdr Brian Miles, then read the 'When I meet RNU fundraisers I am always struck by citations as the President presented the awards for gallantry the enthusiasm as well as the dedication with which they and for the long-serving fundraisers. To close he moved the throw themselves into their work. I have also noticed that traditional resolution recording hearty appreciation of the gal- they seem to have the happy knack of making other people lantry of the crews, and of all voluntary workers, and it only part with their money with a smile on their face.' remained for Clayton Love, a member of the Committee of The President added that he was lucky to have been able to Management, to propose a vote of thanks to HRH The Duke of go to sea aboard more lifeboats than probably most people in Kent - touching upon his visit to Mr Love's native Ireland - to the hall, enabling him to appreciate the environment in which bring the proceedings to a close.
200 Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Lifeboat Council
The Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Lifeboat Council was Scotland. held on Wednesday 27 April 1994 in the Banqueting Hall of The Hon Mrs Henry Douglas-Home was re-elected as a Glasgow's famous City Chambers. The meeting followed a civic vice convener of the Scottish Lifeboat Council, while Dum- reception for awardees and special guests provided by the Rt Hon fries and Grangemouth branches and Peebles ladies' guild Robert Innes, Lord Provost of Glasgow - a gesture resulting from were elected to serve three years on the Scottish executive the Lord Provosf s visit to Troon lifeboat City committee. of Glasgow III in April 1993 in the company of Finally, Lady Saltoun gave an en- Archie MacKenzie, chairman of the execu- tertaining speech, citing her own tive committee of the Scottish Lifeboat fundraising experiences over the years Council. often in difficult situations, before The Lord Provost was not able to attend presenting the 1994 honorary awards,. the reception or AGM due to ill health, but The meeting ended with a vote of was represented by Bailie Alex Mosson, who thanks, proposed to the convener by paid tribute to the voluntary workers who Mrs M.M. Grieve of Perth branch, an were receiving awards and congratulated executive committee member. the RNLI on providing such a vital service. Tea was then served to everyone, His Grace the Duke of Atholl, convener of many of whom had travelled great the Scottish Lifeboat Council proposed a vote distances to attend the meeting. of thanks to Bailie Mosson at the end of the (Top) His Grace the Duke of Atholl addressess civic reception. the Annual Meeting of the Scottish Lifeboat The awardees were led into the banquet- Council (Left) Lady Saltoun receives her bouquet follow- ing hall for the presentations by the Duke of ing her address and the presentation of awards. Atholl's piper, Bill Clement - to the great photos Nia/l Hartley Photography delight of the audience of 450 lifeboat sup- The following Bars to the Gold Badge and porters. Gold Badges were among the awards made to The meeting began with the convener's branch and guild members from Scotland, although they were presented at the London address, followed by the customary tribute AGM: to late lifeboatmen and branch and guild office bearers. Ray Kipling, deputy director of the RNLI, then gave an entertaining BAR TO THE GOLD BADGE Mrs M. Driscoll, honorary secretary, Burnmouth branch. address, citing various rescues throughout the previous year, and urging all voluntary workers to continue their fundraising en- GOLD BADGE Lady Jean Fforde, president Isle of Arran ladies' guild. deavours. Mrs B. Yuille, former treasurer Biggar ladies' guild. Archie MacKenzie then addressed the meeting in his capacity The Rt Hon Lord Margadale of Islay, president Isle of Islay station as chairman of the executive committee of the Scottish Lifeboat branch. Mrs J.D. Miller, chairman Kilwinning branch. Council, followed by vice chairman Andrew Cubie, who gave a Lady Henderson, president Stewarty of Kirkcudbright lifeboat guild. financial report, and David Richardson, organising secretary for Mrs M.G. Scott, former president St Andrews branch.
201 © © some recent publications reviewed
Dial 999 - Emergency A History of Happisburgh Lifeboat Station site of the original building Services in Action by Nicholas Leach which had become neglected by John Creighton ISBN 0 9522799 0 8 and had been demolished ten ISBN 1-85058-297-1 published by the Norfolk and Suffolk Research Group at years before. published by Sigma Leisure £2.00 Nicholas Leach's look at the at £9.95 Happisburgh (pronounced Cromer. station and its history makes John Creighton has spent some locally Hazebro) is a lifeboat However times change, interesting reading and is time as an operational fire- station which has been much and by the 1960s the increase available from Mark Roberts, fighter and in the maritime affected by the changing pat- in leisure activity and the the Honorary Secretary of the rescue services, so is well tern of casualties around the availability of high speed Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society's qualified to compile this coasts and changes in lifeboat inflatables led to the re-open- Norfolk and Suffolk Research mainly pictorial account of the design. ing of the station, operating a Group, at 23 Wellcroft Court, various emergency services in The off-lying Happisburgh summer-only D class from a Ivinghoe, Bedfordshire LU7 action. Sands had been a source of new boathouse built on the 9EF at £2.00 including postage. Although marine rescue is considerable danger for many but one section of the 130-plus years, and attempts were made Using GPS tary receivers - GPS is an page book it does occupy a to provide some sort of life by Conrad Dixon American military system - respectable 38 pages, with saving equipment as far back ISBNO-7136-3952-0 and specially equipped civil- lifeboats appearing on almost as 1813 and leading lights, published by Adlard Coles ian ones will provide an accu- every one, plus two more ap- lighthouses and lightvessels Nautical at £8.99 racy within a few metres. pearances in the separate col- used to guard it. Major advances in navigation Lifeboats now carry this our section. However it was not until at sea have been made over navigation system, and with The book looks at the 1866 that the lifeboat station the past few years, but perhaps receivers less than the size of a emergency services across the was first established - with a the most spectacular has been car radio and available for as years, so in the case of lifeboats 32ft boat which had to be the development of satellite- little as £300 a growing number the photographs range from hauled up a steep incline be- based navigation systems, the of fishing vessels and yachts Liverpools to Aruns, Tynes hind the beach. latest of which is the Global are similarly equipped. and Merseys. The wide time However, although the Positioning System or the Of course it is not quite as scale also provides glimpses boat and her successors car- 'GPS' of this book's title. simple as it seems and Conrad of 1960s Ford Zephyr police ried out many services, the A 'cage' of orbiting satel- Dixon's slim paperback (90 patrol cars and splendidly advent of motor lifeboats with lites communicate with an on- pages) will be an invaluable vintage fire appliances. their greater speed and range board receiver which then aid to anyone thinking of Many of the photographs meant that less lifeboats were decodes the signals to give a buying and then installing and are quite dramatic, and al- needed to provide adequate continuously updated posi- using a GPS receiver. Certainly though bereft of much techni- cover. The number of calls re- tion with an accuracy unheard not just for general interest cal detail £9.95 is goodvalue duced - the last launch being of only a few years ago. Typi- reading, but a very good in- for this well-produced soft- in 1923 - and by 1926 the cally a civilian receiver will vestment prior to a major pur- back book - and will probably RNLI decided to close the provide a position within a chase. Practical, simple to un- be considered worth the price station, cover being provided 100m radius of the true posi- derstand and recommended for the lifeboat content alone. by the motor lifeboat at tion 95% of the time, and mili- for its purpose.
The Story of the Hoylake and West Kirby Lifeboats sey class allocated to them, with Aldeburgh in particular by Jeff Morris recording the replacement of the last traditional double-ended The Story of the Aldeburgh Lifeboats lifeboat in RNLI service with her fast Mersey replacement last by Jeff Morris November. published by the author at £2.50 Both books are in the author's usual paperback style, now Once again the prolific Honorary Archivist of the Lifeboat resplendent in full-colour card covers - and well illustrated Enthusiasts Society has provided a detailed and fascinating with both historic and contemporary photographs. account of the history of three lifeboat stations - two of them One pleasant feature of this series is the attention given to grouped into one volume as Hoylake and West Kirby are very the station's boathouses, in addition to the lifeboats them- close to one another and their history somewhat intertwined. selves, with old and new buildings featuring in the Hoylake The stations were originally established before the RNLI and West Kirby story. was formed - Hoylake in 1803 and Aldeburgh in 1826 (al- Aldeburgh's lifeboats were kept in the open on the beach though the lifeboat was then kept four miles down the coast at until the Mersey class arrived, but the interesting architecture Sizewell) and have a long, distinguished and interesting his- and story behind the funding of the building are recounted. tory. The Story of the Hoylake and West Kirby Lifeboats can be West Kirby may be a relative newcomer - being established obtained from Nigel Robinson at 14 Sea View, Hoylake, as an inshore lifeboat station in 1966, initially under the Wirral, Merseyside L47 2DD and The Story of the Aldeburgh auspices of Hoylake - but what it lacks in history it has made Lifeboats from Mrs B. Grayburn at 12 Lee Road, Aldeburgh, up for in the number and quality of the services carried out. Suffolk IP15 5HG. Both books are right up-to- date, recording the latest Mer- Both books cost £2.50 including post and packing.
202 Hearts of Oak Sailor of Fortune Two eminently sensible and practical books for the small boat A Collection of Royal Naval by Ian Jackson owner - or potential owner - which will enable them to safely Anecdotes ISBN 1 85821 022 4 embark on the subjects of their title. Both are paperbacks with edited by P. McLaren published by The Pentland adequate photographic and line drawing illustrations. ISBN 0-906754-98-4 Press at £15.95 How to Install a New Diesel Trailer Sailing published by Fernhurst An account of the life of the by Peter Cumberlidge by J. C. Winters Books at £9.95 author's uncle, Jack Arnot, ISBN 0-7136-3777-3 ISBN 0-713'6-3779-X A collection of stories, many through a lifetime of seagoing published by Adlard Coles published by Adlard Coles funny some poignant, from all starting in the 1920s and cul- Nautical at £9.99 Nautical at £9.99 sections of the Royal Navy minating in becoming the A good straightforward guide Trailer sailing is a way of get- which admirably illustrate the Master of a tanker. to re-engining a small yacht ting afloat with much to rec- service's ability to retain a Along the way Jack Arnot for the practical owner. Biased ommend it - and some draw- sense of humour and to laugh took in a win in the Irish towards auxiliaries in sailing backs which its supporters at itself if needs be. Sweepstake a yacht voyage to yachts, but covering many of often forget to mention! An easy book to 'dip into' New Zealand and a long spell the initial calculations, deci- Mr Winters' book is a fair as it is broken down into sec- as the Master of tiny ships in sions, problems and installa- and comprehensive overview tions and then again into the Pacific Islands. tion details of most applica- of the whole subject, although idividual short items - but In one chapter Jack Arnot tions. this reviewer's experience beware, once dipped into it is is rescued by the RNLI in the Based on personal experi- suggests that the physical la- hard to put down! early 1950s. ence this practical and prag- bour and abuse of the towing matic volume covers every- vehicle may be slightly played Please note that books reviewed on these pages are not thing from initial considera- down! Entirely concerned available from the RNLI. tions, through installation, with trailer-sm/ers (no motor Where the books are available only from one source an transmission, propeller choice boats) the volume is nonethe- address will be given in the review. Otherwise readers should and soundproofing to auxilia- less a good primer for anyone ntact a good bookseller, quoting the title, publisher and the ries such as power take-offs thinking of buying a road- International Standard Book Number (ISBN). and hot water systems. transportable sailing boat. First Aid at Sea Tales of Time and Tide The Right Way To Conduct by Dr Douglas Justins and by Brian Martin Meetings Dr Colin Berry ISBN 07153 0050 4 by H. M. Taylor and ISBN 0-7136-3826-5 published by David and Charles at £16.99 A. G. Mears published by Adlard Coles A delightful book which sets - and traces his career both ISBN 0-7160-2160-5 Nautical at £8.99 out 'to provide an insight into ashore and at sea, including The Honorary Treasurer There are many first aid Britain's coastal heritage' and the Bronze Medal he was by Roderick Boucher handbooks available, and which succeeds in its aim by awarded in 1974. ISBN 0-7160-2015-7 several aimed specifically for tracing the story of 16 charac- Like the other 15 contribu- published by Elliot Right Way use at sea, but this particular ters with various links with tor's Tommy's recollections Books at £3.99 each book - now available in a the sea, often using their own are poignant and humorous Not, this reviewer thought at second edition - caught our words and dialect. and evoke the feeling and first, books which would in- eye largely because of its pres- One of these raconteurs is spirit of the tasks they un- terest readers of THE LIFEBOAT. entation. Tommy Knott, Merchant Sea- dertook. But, on reflection, with more Spiral bound and with a man and later, from 1968, me- Many of their callings no than 2,000 RNLI branches and quick-reference thumb-index chanic and coxswain of the longer exist, and the author's guilds and countless RNLI First Aid at Sea should be an Lowestoft lifeboat. The chap- ability to coax their stories members who are officers in easy book to refer to in difficult ter is entitled By Compass, from them in a colourful style the many hundreds of sailing circumstances, which is pre- Guess and by God - referring and to locate suitable photo- and other boating clubs, per- cisely the time when accidents to the lifeboat's more interest- graphs and commission deli- haps these two slim paper- are most likely to happen. ing trips before modern aids cate watercolours is to be ap- backs are worth bringing to Tossed around in a small boat, to navigation were developed plauded. the notice of the journal's wide wet and uncomfortable is not readership. the time to delve into a medi- Both books are aimed cal tome, no matter how au- squarely at those involved thoritative it may be! with voluntary organisations, The text is simple, the il- clubs and societies and al- lustrations clear and the type though the RNLI's methods of injury included is clearly may differ in some respects aimed at those likely to be en- from those outlined (particu- countered aboard a small boat. larly so for the Treasurer's task) This reviewer is not quali- these easy to assimilate hand- fied to comment on the medi- books could prove to be cal information provided, but worthwhile reading for those both of the authors have im- involved in voluntary work. peccable credentials. Both are Simple, commonsense doctors with considerable guides which take much of the sailing experience in small One of the delightful watercolours specially commissioned for Brian mystique (or terror) out of the boats and, viewed from the Martin's Tales of Time and Tide'. This is the Lowestoft lifeboat running of a small club or so- sucesfully rescuing a cow - one of the tales recounted by Tommy potential users standpoint, the Knott. ciety and well worth their volume has much to offer. modest price. 203 LIFEBOAT SERVICES
Aberdeen, Grampian Brighton, East Sussex D class: Nov 14 and Dec 27 Holyhead, Gwynedd 54ft Arun ON 1050: Nov 28, Relief Atlantic 21: Nov 3, 7 Exmouth, South Devon 47ft Tyne ON 1095: Nov 16, Dec 14 and 28 and Jan 1 33ft Brede ON 1088: Nov 2 Dec 28 (twice) and Feb 20 Aith, Shetland Atlantic 21: Jan 20 and Feb 20 Howth, Co Dublin 52ft Arun ON 1100: Dec 2, Broughty Ferry (Dundee), D class: Nov 9 (twice), 19, 52ft Arun ON 1113: Nov 11, Jan 12 Tayside Dec 16,30, Feb 20 and 22 and Dec 31 Aldeburgh, Suffolk 52ft Arun ON 1056: Nov 22 Eyemouth, Borders Humber, Humberside Relief D class: Nov 24 and and Dec 13 44ft Waveney ON 1026: Nov 52ft Arun ON 1123: Nov 1, Decl Buckie, Grampian 8, Dec 7, Jan 3, 22 and 31 14, 27 and Dec 17 Alderney, Channel Islands 52ft Arun ON 1093: Dec 26, Falmouth, Cornwall Hunstanton, Norfolk 44ft Waveney ON 1045: Nov 29 (twice) and Jan 15 52ft Arun ON 1058: Jan 9 Atlantic 21: Nov 3, Jan 18, 2,13, Dec 11 and 12 Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Atlantic 21: Dec 8 (twice) Feb 13 (twice) and 16 Angle, Dyfed D class: Nov 14 Filey, North Yorkshire Ilfracombe, North Devon 47ft Tyne ON 1114: Nov 3, Calshot, Hampshire 12m Mersey ON 1170: Nov 1, 12m Mersey ON 1165: Jan 15 Dec 28 and Jan 25 Relief 33ft Brede ON 1090: 8,17 and Dec 20 Invergordon, Highland Anstruther, Fife Nov 14,28, Dec 29 and Jan 2 Relief 12m Mersey ON 1184: 44ft Waveney ON 1033: Nov 12m Mersey ON 1174: Dec 8, 33ft Brede ON 1104: feb 11 Feb 2 7, Dec 21 and 31 16,22 and 27 Campbeltown, Strathclyde Fishguard, Dyfed Relief 44ft Waveney ON 1006: Appledore, North Devon Relief 52ft Arun ON 1160: 52ft Arun ON 1076: Dec 26 Jan 16 47ft Tyne ON 1140: Nov 28 Nov 7 and Dec 14 Flamborough, Humberside Islay, Strathclyde and 30 Cardigan, Dyfed Atlantic 21: Dec 4, 26 and Jan 50ff Thames ON 1032: Nov 2, Relief Atlantic 21: Nov 21 Relief C class: Jan 3 (twice) 1 7, 8 (twice) 11, Dec 22 and 23 Arklow, Co Wicklow and 23 Fleetwood, Lancashire Kilkeel, Co. Down 44ft Waveney ON 1029: Nov Clacton-on-Sea, Essex Relief 47ft Tyne ON 1146: Nov Atlantic 21: Dec 6 12,14 and Jan 15 D class: Dec 4 23,24, Dec 5,14, Jan 7,13 Kirkcudbright, Dumfries Arran (Lamlash), Strathclyde Relief Atlantic 21: Dec 15 and and 29 and Galloway C class: Nov 13 (twice) 29 D class: Nov 23, 24, Dec 4, Atlantic 21: Nov 7, Dec 18 Arranmore, Co Donegal Cleethorpes, Humberside Jan 7,13, 29, Feb 14 and 19 and 19 47ft Tyne ON 1111: Nov 27 D class: Feb 6 Flint, Clwyd Kirkwall, Orkney and Dec 3 Clogher Head, Co Louth D class: Nov 9 (twice), 10,13, 52ft Arun ON 1135: Dec 5 Relief 47ft Tyne ON 1115: Dec 12m Mersey ON 1190: Jan 18 Dec 11,15 and 16 and 15 10,30, 31, Jan 2 and 5 Conwy, Gwynedd Fowey, Cornwall Largs, Strathclyde Atlantic College (St Donat's D class: Jan 10 Relief 44ft Waveney ON 4401: Relief Atlantic 21: Nov 14, Castle), South Glamorgan Criccieth, Gwynedd Dec 25,30 and Jan 6 Dec 4,14,15, Jan 4,12 and Atlantic 21: Nov 6 Relief Atlantic 21: Jan 16 and 44ft Waveney ON 1028: Jan Feb 3 Ballycotton, Co Cork 25 18, 29, Feb 13 and 14 Lerwick, Shetland 52ft Arun ON 1067: Nov 7 Cromer, Norfolk Galway Bay, Co Galway 52ft Arun ON 1057: Nov 1, 7, (twice), 25,30, Dec 11,17 and 47ft Tyne ON 1097: Nov 5 Relief 52ft Arun ON 1150: 8,9,14,16,17, and 20 (twice) Jan 6 and Dec 7 Nov 6, 8, Dec 9, 26 (twice), Relief 52 ft Arun ON 1062: Ballyglass, Co Mayo Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear 28, Nov 21, Dec 12 and 17 52ft Arun ON 1159: Dec 4 Atlantic 21: Nov 28 30, Jan 2 and 24 Littlehampton, West Sussex Baltimore, Co Cork Donaghadee, Co Down Girvan, Strathclyde Atlantic 21: Nov 1 and Dec 27 47ft Tyne ON 1137: Nov 3, 52ft Arun ON 1107: Nov 23, 12m Mersey ON 1196: Nov (twice) Jan 3 and 31 26, Dec 26 and 31 17, Dec 14, Jan 3 and The Lizard, Cornwall Barra Island, Western Isles Douglas, Isle of Man Feb 19 47ft Tyne ON 1145: Dec 21 52ft Arun ON 1143: Dec 1 47ft Tyne ON 1147: Nov 14 Great Yarmouth and Llandudno (Orme's Head), Barrow, Cumbria Dover, Kent Gorleston, Norfolk Gwynedd 47ft Tyne ON 1117: Dec 12 50ft Thames ON 1031: Nov 44ft Waveney ON 1065: Nov 12m Mersey ON 1164: Nov 4, Barry Dock, South Glamor- 16,25, Dec 29 and Jan 8 14, Dec 9 and Jan 7 Jan 17, Feb 12 and 21 gan Dunbar, Lothian Hartlepool, Cleveland D class: Nov 22 and Dec 26 52ft Arun ON 1018: Nov 2, 6, 44ft Waveney ON 1034: Nov 44ft Waveney ON 1044: Nov Lochinver, Highland 10, Dec 10 and 13 22 10,11,28,29, and Dec 16 Relief 52ft Arun ON 1103: Jan Beaumaris, Gwynedd Dungeness, Kent Atlantic 21: Nov 10 and 28 9 Atlantic 21: Nov 6, Dec 18, 12m Mersey On 1186: Nov 2 Harwich, Essex Longhope, Orkney Jan 15,17,19, 25 and Feb 2 Relief 12m Mersey ON 1169: 44ft Waveney ON 1060: Dec 47ft Tyne ON 1138: Dec 19 Bembridge, Isle of Wight Feb 12 18 Looe, Cornwall 47ft Tyne ON 1126: Nov 9,13 Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin Atlantic 21: Dec 11,27 (twice) Relief D class: Jan 6 and Dec 17 D class: Dec 18,20, Jan 28 and Feb 13 Lough Swilly (Buncrana), Blackpool, Lancashire and Feb 7 Hastings, East Sussex Co Donegal Relief D class: Nov 5 Dunmore East, Co Water- 12m Mersey ON 1125: Nov 14 D class: Dec 25 and 28 Blyth, Northumberland ford and 16 Lyme Regis, Dorset 44ft Waveney ON 1079: Nov Relief 44ft Waveney ON 1003: D class: Nov 5 and 6 Atlantic 21: Nov 17,21 21, Dec 12 (twice), Jan 3 and Nov 9 Hayling Island, Hampshire (twice) and Dec 31 25 44 ft Waveney ON 1035: Feb 7 Atlantic 21: Nov 3,14, Jan 3 Lymington, Hampshire Bridlington, Humberside Eastbourne, East Sussex and 22 Atlantic 21: Nov 13, Dec 24, 12m Mersey ON 1124: Nov 20 12m Mersey ON 1195: Nov Helensburgh, Strathclyde Jan 8, Feb 11 and 12 (twice), 24, 28, 30, Dec 4 and 14,16, 23, Dec 20, Jan 1, 2,17, Atlantic 21: Nov 25, Dec 3, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire Jan 10 18,23 and Feb 5 11, Jan 26, Feb 3 and 11 47ft Tyne ON 1155: Nov 23 204 November and December 1993, January and February 1994
Relief D class: Jan 22 14 (twice), 17,18 (twice), 21, Selsey, West Sussex Torbay, South Devon Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire 26, Dec 4, 8,13,17 (twice), D class: Dec 30 (twice) 54ft Arun ON 1037: Nov 6 Atlantic 21: ]an 9 20, 24,29 and 31 (twice) Sennen Cove, Cornwall and 19 Mallaig, Highland Portaf erry, Co Down 12m Mersey ON 1176: Dec 10 Troon, Strathclyde 52ft Arun ON 1078: Nov 4, Atlantic 21: Nov 14, Dec 12 Sheerness, Kent 52ft Arun ON 1134: Dec 22 Dec 1 (three times), Jan 8 and and 31 Relief 44ft Waveney ON 1002: Relief 52ft Arun ON 1071: Feb3 Porthdinllaen, Gwynedd Nov 13 (twice), 14,20,28 and Nov 28 (twice), Dec 5,14, Margate, Kent 47ft Tyne ON 1120: Dec 28 Dec 4 and 15 D class: Nov 23 and Jan 2 Portpatrick, Dumfries and 44ft Waveney ON 1027: Dec Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear Montrose, Tayside Galloway 22 and 23 Dc/flss:Decll 47ft Tyne ON 1152: Nov 29, 47ft Tyne ON 1151: Nov 6 D class: Nov 13,14, 28, Jan 3 Valentia, Co Kerry Febll (twice) and 12 and Dec 21 and 22 52ft Arun ON 1082: Dec 19 Mudef ord, Dorset Portree, Isle of Skye Sheringham, Norfolk Walmer, Kent Atlantic 21: Nov 21, Dec 3, 44ft Waveney ON 1042: Nov Relief Atlantic 21: Jan 5 Atlantic 21: Dec 19 Jan 20, Jan 30 (twice), Feb 6 2,24, Dec 13 and 31 Silloth, Cumbria West Kirby, Merseyside and 18 Portrush, Co Antrim Atlantic 21: Nov 14 and Dec 4 Relief D class: Nov 9, 28, Dec The Mumbles, West Gla- 52ft Arun ON 1070: Nov 7, 29 Skegness, Lincolnshire 15 and 16 morgan and Dec 23 12m Mersey ON 1166: Nov 16 West Mersea, Essex 47ft Tyne ON 1096: Nov 2,10 Portsmouth (Langstone and Jan 10 Atlantic 21: Nov 14 and Dec and Dec 15 Harbour), Hampshire Southend-on-Sea, Essex 15 Newbiggin, Northumber- Atlantic 21: Nov 13,16 and D class: Nov 6 Weston-super-Mare, Avon land Dec 12 Atlantic 21: Nov 5,14 (twice) Atlantic 21: Nov 21 Atlantic 21: Dec 12 Port St Mary, Isle of Man 18,19 and 20 D class: Dec 6 New Brighton, Merseyside 54ft Arun ON 1051: Nov 23 Staithes and Runswick, Weymouth, Dorset Atlantic 21: Nov 5,14, Dec 8, Pwllheli, Gwynedd North Yorkshire 54ft Arun ON 1049: Nov 23, 29 and Jan 2 Relief 12m Mersey ON 1192: Relief Atlantic 21: Nov 15 Jan 9,29 and Feb 3 Newhaven, East Sussex Nov 2 and 14 Stornoway (Lewis), Western Whitby, North Yorkshire 52ft Arun ON 1106: Jan 2 12m Mersey ON 1168: Dec 31 Isles 47ft Tyne ON 1131: Nov 17, Relief 52ft Arun ON 1108: Jan Queensferry, Lothian Relief 52ft Arun ON 1103: Dec 22,25, Dec 11 and 23 29 (twice) Atlantic 21: Nov 12 4 Whitstable, Kent Newquay, Cornwall Ramsey, Isle of Man Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Atlantic 21: Nov 14 (twice) C c/flss: Jan 5 12m Mersey ON 1171: Nov 1, 44ft Waveney ON 1043: Nov and Dec 28 North Berwick, Lothian 7 and 11 30, Jan 3, 6 and 9 Wick, Highland Relief D class: Nov H Ramsgate, Kent D class: Nov 30 47ft Tyne ON 1121: Dec 3 and North Kessock, Atlantic 21: ]&i\2\ Swanage, Dorset 12 Invernesshire Redcar, Cleveland 12m Mersey ON 1182: Nov Wicklow, Co Wicklow D class: Nov 7 Atlantic 21: Nov 7,28, Dec 5, 13, Jan 22, 31 and Feb 11 Relief 47ft Tyne ON 1115: Nov North Sunderland, North- 11 and Jan 2 (twice) 30 umberland Rhyl, Clwyd Teesmouth, Cleveland Workington, Cumbria 12m Mersey ON 1173: Dec 15 12m Mersey ON 1183: Nov 9 47ft Tyne ON 1110: Nov 10, 47ft Tyne ON 1141: Dec 18 Oban, Strathclyde and 21 28, Dec 11 and 12 and 27 (twice) 33ft Brede ON 1102: Nov 2, 5, St Abbs, Borders Teignmouth, Devon Yarmouth, Isle of Wight 14 (twice), 20, 21, 29 (twice), Atlantic 21: Nov 20 and Dec 7 Atlantic 21: Dec 29 52ft Arun ON 1053: Nov 10, Dec 13,20,21, Jan 11,12,23, St Catherine, Channel Islands Tenby, Dyfed 11, Dec 11, 24, Jan 19,25, Feb Feb 2,6,15 (three times) and Atlantic 21: Jan 1 (twice) and 47'ft Tyne ON 1112: Dec 28 11,16 and 17 17 2 Thurso, Highland Youghal, Co Cork Padstow, Cornwall St Davids, Dyfed 52ft Arun ON 1149: Nov 20 Atlantic 21: Dec 19 47ft Tyne ON 1094: Dec 17, 47'ft Tyne ON 1139: Nov 3 and 30 Jan 7, Feb 2 (twice) and 3 (twice), Dec 2 and 28 Tobermory, Strathclyde Penarth, South Glamorgan St Helier, Channel Islands 54ft Arun ON 1052: Nov 5, Lifeboats on Passage Relief D class: Dec 10,13 47'ft Tyne ON 1157: Nov 4 29, Dec 3,11,21 and 28 52ft Arun ON 1108: Dec 16 (twice) and Jan 5 and 21 D dass: Jan 23 Relief 47ft Tyne ON 1122: Jan Penlee, Cornwall 1 (twice), 2,16 and 30 Making a splash. Relief 52ft Arun ON 1086: Dec St Ives, Cornwall Newbiggin's tractor "•; 14,15, Jan 3,12,13 and 17 12m Mersey ON 1167: Nov 9 illustrates what wa- terproof really Peterhead, Grampian C class: Nov 3 and 4 means while recov- 47ft Tyne ON 1127: Nov 4 St Peter Port, Channel ering the station's and Dec 6 Islands Atlantic 21! Plymouth, South Devon 52ft Arun ON 1025: Nov 5, The lifeboat had been launched on 25 Relief Arun ON 1086: Nov 13 Dec 23, Jan 2 and Feb 2 January when gale „ (twice) Salcombe, South Devon force winds caught | 52ft Arun ON 1136: Dec 8 47ft Tyne ON 1130: Dec 4 the local fishing fleet Poole, Dorset (twice), and 9 at sea in deteriorat- ing conditions. 33ft Brede ON 1089: Nov 13 Scarborough, North Yorkshire Photo Richard (twice), 14,18,21,23, 26, Dec 12m Mersey ON 1175: Nov 20 Martin -. 4,8,11,13,24, 29 and 31 (twice), Nov 29 (twice) and Boston Whaler: Nov 13(twice), Dec 30 205 rroeri Governors • Shoreline • Storm Force
Deeds of Covenant cannot be excluded under this scheme. If you have had one Thanks to the members who signed the deed of covenant in the delivered please accept our apologies, but we hope that you will Autumn 1993 issue of THE LIFEBOAT a total of 998 new covenants pass it on to a friend who may want to become a supporter. were received, resulting in an extra income of £5,600pa. If you In this issue you will find a leaflet promoting membership - missed the opportunity to complete a deed of covenant and again, through experience we have found this a cost effective believe you are eligible (by paying income tax on salary, pen- way to recruit, so please... pass it on! sion or the interest from savings), please contact the Member- ship Services office on Poole (0202) 671133 for further details. Subscription Rates You can increase the amount of money received by the RNLI A small subscription increase is planned from 1 September 1994 from your subscription by a third at no cost to yourself. to allow us to maintain the value of members' and governors' subscriptions and keep pace with inflation. Recruitment The new rates allow for THE LIFEBOAT to continue as a As reported in the Spring issue of the journal, a new gift 'standard benefit' of the membership scheme. Please accept the membership pack has been produced and this is being issued in RNLI's thanks for your continued and valued membership. a pilot scheme through selected branches and guilds selling the The new minimum membership rates, which will be re- packs to new members who join through face-to-face recruit- flected in membership renewals due from September 1994, are: ment. It is hoped that this will develop into a successful way of both recruiting new members and raising funds. to 31/8/94 from 1/9/94 Late February saw an RNLI 'door-drop' take place to recruit Shoreline £9 pa £10 pa new members and donors in selected areas in the south and Joint Shoreline £15 pa £17 pa south west. This is a way of distributing a large scale mailing Annual Governor £30 pa £33 pa through the Royal Mail without paying the full cost of postage. Life Governor £500 no change Door-drops are delivered without carrying personalised ad- (once only payment) dresses, thus reducing costs. This is proving to be a very cost- Storm Force £3 pa no change effective way of recruiting new supporters, but will occasion- Group Storm Force £1 pa no change ally result in an existing member receiving one, as addresses (minimum 10 members) (£1 per group member)
Help build a 'payroll-giving' scheme in your workplace The RNLI is asking for your help in build- company does not currently run a scheme, member with a vital lifejacket. ing a 'payroll-giving' scheme in your we will supply enough information to help • £30 a month would provide full pro- workplace. Payroll-giving is an easy and them set one up. tective clothing for a crew member. efficient way to help the RNLI, getting your colleagues involved in fundraising What are the tax advantages? Five reasons to give as you earn and providing the Institution with a regular When you give money to the RNLI in the 1. Your RNLI donations are deducted source of income. normal way it is from money that has from your pay before tax is calculated. If you are in full-time employment you already been taxed. If you give through For every £1 you give to the RNLI, may already know of, and take part in, the Give As You Earn scheme, the money there is a tax saving of at least 25p. payroll-giving or 'Give As You Earn' as it is taken from your pay by your employer 2. The difference in your pay may be is sometimes called. It is likely, however, before it is taxed. So it's worth more. small, but your donation will make an that many of your friends and colleagues Your employer can deduct your do- enormous difference to the RNLI. do not. nation - between 50p per week and £75 a Regular contributions are exactly what This could be for a number of reasons. month - from your gross salary. So for we need. Itcostssome£4.6mamontf7, Perhaps it is something they have just every pound donated, you pay 75p and to build, maintain and run our boats never got round to doing, or the tax con- the taxman effectively pays the other 25p, and equipment. cession part seemed too complicated, or assuming basic rate tax. 3. Payroll giving is a very easy way to help they did not know that the amount could It is one of the most efficient ways of the RNLI on a regular basis. The only be as little as 50p a week. Perhaps no- giving, allowing donors to give month by form-filling is the application form. one has ever asked them! month without involving the Institution in 4. Even the most modest regular dona- any additional expenditure. tions help. Because they are regular, Why do we need your help ? we can budget more confidently and Supporters of the RNLI know and under- What difference can a monthly plan more efficiently stand the cause of lifeboatmen and women donation make ? 5. Above all, it gives you and your com- who ask for nothing yet risk everything, so Every month, our voluntary crews are pany the chance to play an active part who better to ask to encourage others to called upon over 400 times. In one year, in a worthwhile cause, which saves share in this appeal? a regular monthly donation of: lives at sea. • £5 would enable us to buy one pair of If your company is not already regis- Isn't payroll giving complicated ? protective trousers for a crew member tered to offer payroll-giving or if you want It couldn't be simpler, and the RNLI will or five pairs of boots. to take part, the RNLI can send you make it even easier by providing all the • £10 a month would provide enough everything you need. support material needed: information throwing lines and seat-belts to equip one Contact Audrey MacKenzie, packs for your employer and leaflets and all-weather lifeboat Fundraising Department, RNLI, West posters for your colleagues. Even if your • £15 a month would equip a crew Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1 HZ.
• Please note that payroll donations cannot be used to pay membership subscriptions 206 £ £ £ THE FUNDRAISERS £ £ £ Some ways of filling the coffers.
In Brief The taste of Scotland
DURING 1993/94 Brian Davey, the box sec- retary of Frampton Cotterell branch col- lected an amazing £1,739.25 from collect- ing boxes placed in pubs, shops, railway stations and clubs. THE 20th annual buffet dance of the Selsey lifeboat association raised £430. AN AUCTION of promises organised by the West Wight guild and held at the Royal Solent Yacht club realised just over £4,703 for the Yarmouth boathouse appeal. During the last financial year the guild forwarded £16,306 to lifeboat headquar- ters. THE Isle of Islay branch/guild held an Easter bazaar and raised £1,757. The whole community was involved with local schoolchildren making cut-outs and paintings for the walls, all adding to the colourful display. THE City of Oxford branch celebrated its A taste of Scotland in the form of high- New for Oldham sixth birthday this year. Although a very land dancers and 40 different malt whis- Although Oldham has a long history of small branch it is very active in its kies helped raise more than £700 for the supporting the RNLI its most recent RNLI fundraising events which range from flag lifeboat at Cullercoats on Tyneside. branch folded. Plans were made to start days to carol singing to taking part in The whisky tasting went with a swing a new branch and at the inaugural meeting Oxford's annual Lord Mayor's parade. The branch has raised approximately thanks to Eric Winter, manager of held in March officials were elected and a £20,000 since it was founded. Thresher wine shop in Whitley Bay, who fundraising programme for the coming FOR 70 years Ramsgate ladies' guild has organised the event at Whitley Bay holi- months was planned. been raising money and to celebrate this day park. The first event was to publicise the milestone 100 people attended a dinner More than 100 whisky lovers sampled new branch over the Easter weekend in dance at the Regency Hotel. Seventy years malts from across the highlands and is- the town's Spindles shopping centre. A ago the guild raised just £8 6s. 8d. - last lands and were entertained by the Susan display featured moving furry bunnies in year more than £15,000 was forwarded to Donachie highland dancers, accompanied sou'westers pulling a boat towards a dis- Poole. FOUNDER members of Cromer ladies' guild by local Scots piper Stewart Todd. tant lighthouse and the centrepiece was cut a cake specially baked for the occasion Scottish cheeses and shortbread by Europe's largest chocolate Easter egg - of the guild's 21st anniversary. One Sullivans added to the Celtic flavour of two metres high! hundred and fifty members and guests the evening when the funds raised were In just three hours the branch recruited attended the celebration, and a total of handed over to Ray Taylor, honorary 130 members to swell its numbers to 147 £850 was raised during the evening. Over secretary of Cullercoats station branch. and with the support of the centre's man- the past 21 years the guild has raised Pictured are Eric Winter (kilted) agement and the generosity of the shop- £92,000 for lifeboat funds. pouring a glass of malt for Ray Taylor. pers £1,350 was collected. THE Coventry ladies' guild held an auction at Quicks car showroom and raised £928 in 1.1 /2 hours. Use of the showrooms was Five way split given free of charge as were the services of Five clubs which share a patch of water west of Birmingham combined with the the auctioneer, Harvey Williams FRICS. Brierley Hill and Kingswinford branch to organise a get-together at Netherton. In a slick three-hour programme, senior members made presentations covering their interests in sailing, dinghy racing and sub-aqua diving with common gratitude Music makes money to the RNLI. Kay Stone, area organiser, responded with the latest RNLI film and An audience of 300 enjoyed an evening of supper was served to all 90 members crammed into the clubhouse, rounded off with melody with the Ipswich Gilbert and a professional Black Country cabaret. Sullivan Society Singers at Needham After accepting a cheque for £482 Mr Hodgson, chairman of the branch, thanked Market community centre raising £1,047 members of Dudley water ski club, Dudley yacht club, Dudley Dolphin SAC, Nautilus for the Stowmarket and Needham Mar- SAC and the Midlands coastal cruising club for their enthusiastic support of the lifeboat ket branch. service.
Please note that we are unable to publish details of forthcoming Photographs are welcomed (black and white or colour prints, not events in THE LIFEBOAT due to the vast numbers involved. Every transparencies please) although we cannot guarantee inclusion effort is made to include all reports of functions which are because of space limitations. Photographs should have an received before the publishing deadline. obvious RNLI connection (perhaps a flag or logo) and include Please forward items for the fundraisers pages as they become human interest where possible, preferably not just grinning at the available rather than waiting until the deadline approaches. camera or holding a cheque!
207 £ £ £ THE FUNDRAISERS £ £ £
Antique appeal In Brief
LADIES of the Montrose guild held a suc- cessful Hats Galore coffee morning and the princely sum of £663 was raised. THE two rowing crews of Walton and Frinton ladies guild have been very suc- cessful, with Gilded Lady raising £1,237 and The Lizzie Ann £2,233 in sponsorship from their participation in the 22 mile Great River Race on the River Thames last Sep- tember. The rowers are hoping to increase these totals this summer. OVER the past 13 years the Kidlington Lifeboat Theatre Players have raised £35,000 from their traditional pantomimes. This year's production of Jack and the Beanstalk realised £2,800 in aid of the Yar- mouth (Isle of Wight) boathouse appeal. REGULARS of The Swee in Girvan have helped the pub raise more than £1,000. A monthly quiz night and a collecting box on the bar helped towards this total. Derek Hemy, box secretary of Girvan ladies' guild pre- sented a certificate of thanks to Brian Gal- loway, who runs The Swee with brother Sinclair. A CURRY supper organised by Helensburgh David Battle of the television series 'The His wide knowledge of pottery, por- ladies' guild proved so popular that over Antiques Roadshow' made a return visit celain and general objects made for a £2,200 was raised. Approximately 140 to Cuffley branch recently. fascinating evening. The all-ticket event people attended the supper and assisting His talk revolved round the objects quickly sold out and raised over £700 for the ladies in serving the delicious dishes brought in by the audience of over 200. the RNLI. Raffle prizes naturally included were two crew members of the inshore Estimated valuations were given and a signed copy of the Antiques Roadshow lifeboat, Caroline Alexander and Erica during his one- man roadshow David Smith. book and the photo shows branch chair- THE Sanday (Orkney) ladies' guild ar- added anecdotes and advice on cleaning man Jill Fox with David Battie. ranged a variety concert and dance last silver and testing real ivory. Photo In-Press Photography January. The concert played to a packed house in the island hall and the total raised Trains of thought for the evening was over £400. A COFFEE morning and bring and buy sale held at Maples Court was very well at- tended and resulted in a profit of £272 for Hitchin and district branch. The branch also organised an auction of promises and gifts. Over 80 items were auctioned and the final figure for this event was in excess of £1,000.
prize in a raffle which was drawn upon the train's return to Hythe, after which driver Phil Goodsell treated everyone to a spectacular run past to ensure that passengers had a photographic souvenir of the day. The photograph shows Mike Neigh- bour, special events organiser of the asso- ciation presenting a cheque for £930 to Derek Buckland, Dungeness branch and Nick Smith, Littlestone branch. The or- ganisers were delighted to associate this event with the memory of Mrs Lilian On 23 April 1994 the Romney, Hythe and Littlestone and Dungeness. Rodgers, a friend of the railway and Dymchurch Railway Association ran a The sun came out ten minutes after prominent in working for the RNLI lo- special train, The Lifeboat Express, in aid of departure to help 100 passengers experi- cally. Her son is an employee of the RNLI funds. The railway operates a 15in ence a steam-hauled trip between Hythe railway. The association also raised the gauge service over the 14 miles between and New Romney behind locomotive No. sumof£851indonations from passengers Hythe and Dungeness, there being two 8 Hurricane. A specially commissioned travelling on its Santa Specials. lifeboat stations adjacent to the line at headboard in RNLI colours was the star Photo Andrew Goyns 208 £ £ £ THE FUNDRAISERS £ £ £
Joint initiative Blue Peter's treasure trail By the book The Institution's lifeboat station at Great Auctions continue to be held in Ringwood The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston ladies' Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk, has and London to clear the vast stock of guild committee, in association with benefited from a joint fundraising cam- 'booty' sent in by viewers of 'Blue Peter' Jarrolds, recently organised a lifeboat paign by the Civil Service Motoring As- for the Pieces of Eight appeal. literary luncheon at Potter Leisure Centre sociation and The Frizzell Group, which Each of the seven auctions held so far at Hopton-on-Sea. It attracted some 260 has contributed £21,000 towards the has raised up to £61,000 and the total so guests, including members of the lifeboathouse refurbishment and a new far is approximately £430,000. Gorleston Women's register literary mooring for the Waveney class lifeboat. Another two auctions are to be held in group and the Society of Authors in East The money was raised through a se- Ringwood on 1 and 16 July. Anglia. ries of competitions in the CSMA's own Three eminent speakers took part, magazine 'Motoring and Leisure'. The Ronald Blythe whose book 'Akenfield' Frizzell Group has been associated with It's a pushover has become a film classic, Robert Malster the CSMA for over 70 years and provides Over many months a two pence column with his epic stories of lifeboats on the insurance for over 250,000 of its members. built up at the Devon and Cornwall Inn in Norfolk and Suffolk coasts and Baroness The two organisations began joint Millbrook - until in March it had reached James of Holland Park, better known as fundraising in 1983 and have donated the ceiling above the bar! A special RNLI P.D. James. nearly £140,000 to the RNLI. evening was arranged by Joyce Goodacre, Commandant Vonla McBride CB, a vice the landlady, and members of the Ply- president of the Institution, was an ad- Rafting up mouth lifeboat crew were invited to de- mirable chairman and the afternoon was molish the pile. rounded off with a book signing session For the last four years Bill Sheane, a local A large crowd of regulars, including a vet, has been the prime mover in organ- by the three authors. Jarrolds provided number of Rame Peninsula branch the books and guests were encouraged to ising a raft race in aid of the RNLI along members, gathered to celebrate the knock- the Bandon river - which flows from the do their Christmas shopping early. down and carry out the counting. At the The event made a profit of £1,200 and hills of West Cork to the sea at Kinsale. right moment down it came - and the From the town of Bandon to Innishannon, the guild has been asked to do it again number of 2p pieces had to be seen to be next year! a distance of five miles, the current can believed! flow at 10-15 knots after rain, and this was With the help of customers the count the stretch of water that saw 350 rafts was finished and the total result was Racing certainty taking part in this year's race. £366.24. The collecting box on the bar RNLI supporters and crew members in Most of the rafts were from Cork, but was also emptied producing a further the north west donned overalls for a re- some came from much further afield - £67.95 and the raffle and 'guess the cent fundraising event. Bude in Cornwall fielded a team as there amount of the column competititon' Over 50 supporters, including crew is an informal 'twinning' between the added a further £96.50. members from Barrow lifeboat station, two towns. Joyce Goodacre then sprung another took up the challenge to compete in a The race was started by Phil Coulter, surprise on the branch by handing over a three-and-a-half hour endurance race at composer of 'Home from the Sea' and, further £270, the result of various Mona Mill Go-Karting track in cheered on by spectators along the banks, fundraising events she had organised Chadderton, near Oldham. the rafts set off at a great rate as the river personally. Drivers raised sponsorship to the value was in spate! The amount collected so far The grand total for the evening was of £2,900 making it not only a fun day out is £16,000, with more still coming in. £800.89. for drivers and spectators but a success- ful fundraising event. Teams of 8 drivers competed for the Marathon wheelchair winner accolade of being the first RNLI north Tanni Grey MBE, accomplished wheel- west region's go-karting champions. The chair athlete and holder of four para- winning team, Woodies Warriors, com- plegic gold medals chose to support pleted 398 laps of the track in the allotted the RNLI when she took part in the time. Open Ladies' Wheelchair event in the Shakespeare walk London Marathon this year. Tanni won the event in a time of 2 hours 8 Martin Sanders, a member of the Strat- minutes. ford-upon-Avon branch committee, In past years Tanni, a politics walked 100 miles from the New Globe graduate of Loughborough University, Theatre in London to the Royal Shake- has supported the People's Dispensary speare Theatre. for Sick Animals, but 'had always meant The sponsored walk took Martin five to support the RNLI because my father days and has raised over £1,000. He is very involved with the lifeboats'. received active support from local Tanni's father, Peter, is the vice chair- branches along the route with overnight man of Cardiff branch and £12,000 of accommodation between stages and local the sponsorship money raised will go sponsorship. towards the Penarth lifeboat appeal. Martin's magnificent effort was in- So far £20,500 has been received, spired by his student days at Atlantic and it is still coming in! College where the Atlantic 21 lifeboat was developed. 209 £ £ £ THE FUNDRAISERS £ £ £
Eggshellent fun! Pulling power The New Inn at Stratfield Saye shelled A team made up from out at Easter on behalf of the Basingstoke members of the Hudders- branch by organising an egg throwing field ladies hockey team contest which lasted three days. pulled a D class lifeboat 19 Yes, the eggs were raw and the skill miles and raised nearly lay in catching them unbroken. As these £1,300 for the Honley and were thrown well over 100ft, it was no Brockholes branch. mean feat, but the most hilarious contest The weather was just was throwing them over the roof of the right, and the lifeboat was pub from the car park to the unsighted decked out on its trailer catchers in the garden! advertising the cause, along The finale was a quiz evening, result- with two support vehicles. ing in a total of £160, worthy of a great After a press call the whis- 'ov-ation'! tle was blown and the girls were away, armed with high spirits and collecting buckets, pulling the boat behind Flying the flag them. Birmingham flag week was another huge Not only did they collect from pedestrians but also from passing motorists who all success for the nine Birmingham branches gave freely to such a worthwhile cause. Some collectors were even invited on to buses and guilds, with the record figure of and coaches to collect. £21,250 being raised, a 32.5% increase on A stop for lunch took place at the halfway mark, a time to take on food for energy last year's total. and to rest tired feet and bones! The food and refreshments were all kindly donated Twenty-seven firms took part in the by local people and businesses. 'Dash for Cash' competititon organised A further break was taken at Clayton West, calling at the home of Mr and Mrs as part of flag week and raised £1,250. Shepherd, members of Wakefield branch, who plied everyone with liquid refresh- ment. Onwards again and finally the end was in sight - the Black Bull Inn at Midgley which kindly supplied an excellent buffet. While the girls were eating the task of In the firing line counting the buckets of money began. Crew members of the fire-boat London The girls have volunteered to undertake a similar event in the future and have also Phoenix based on the River Thames are supported the branch at other fundraising events. keen supporters of the Sennen Cove life- boat and a visit was arranged to view the Anniversary funds Memorial funds station and its Mersey class lifeboat The On the 25th anniversary of Poole ladies' In the summer of 1986 the vice-captain of Four Boys. guild, Mrs Margaret Adam, chairman and Tylden Mills School in Upminster, Essex, A raffle was organised to raise money founder, presented Douglas Kingsbury, was drowned while on holiday in Hong for new lifejackets and a total of just over chairman of Poole station branch, a cheque Kong. His fellow sixthformers led a me- £713 was collected. This was presented to for £50,000, the result of this year's fund morial appeal which raised approxi- Coxswain Terence George together with raising. Since its inception the guild has mately £20,000. a plaque of London Phoenix. raised nearly £500,000. From this remarkable result, a sum of £7,250 was applied towards the provision Challenging raffle and...... challenging weather of an inshore lifeboat for Burnham-on- It is over a year since the finish of the Supporters of Ascot branch braved the Crouch. The balance of the appeal fund British Steel Challenge but much has worst of the weather when they attended was invested as a memorial trust fund happened since Paul Jef f es, skipper of the a buffet supper and a talk at the Chandler and every half-year since then the net Courtaulds and International sponsored day centre by John Bagley who sailed in income has been sent to the RNLI to aid InterSpray stepped ashore in Southamp- Pride of Teeside in the British Steel Round the upkeep of the Burnham boat. ton. Paul has travelled the length and the World Yacht Race last year. So far a sum of £4,517 has been so breadth of the UK delivering an illustrated They were well rewarded by a fasci- contributed and this will go on in perpe- talk to yacht clubs about his epic race nating account of the whole adventure tuity in remembrance of a greatly missed around the world. from the training to the race itself through pupil. During the lecture tour he has been some of the most inhospitable waters of raising money for the RNLI, InterSpray's the world in the southern ocean. In Brief adopted charity, by raffling prints of the His slides, many of which were taken yacht passing Cape Horn. Paul's tour in the most difficult conditions, varying A SPRING Party organised by Lincoln ladies' and raffles of the prints raised a consid- from the top of the 87ft mast to scenes on guild realised a splendid £1,931 and a col- erable sum and as a bonus Paul was still deck in heavy weather, vividly showed lection held at the local Tesco superstore left with the original painting. There was both the pleasures and perils of the trip. It added another £846 to funds. Many thanks no better purchaser of the painting than was very appropriate that as he talked to the generous people of Lincoln. International Paint themselves who now the sound of the stormy weather outside THE INSTITUTION has received a generous keep the painting ar reminder of the gave just the right background to some of donation of £1,000 from the Football Asso- remarkable feat of human endeavour. his superb shots. ciation, the proceeds of a charity shield match. The sale of the prints and the painting, His talk was followed by a supper MEMBERS of Portmagee Youth Club, County brought the total raised for the lifeboat organised by the ladies of the branch and Kerry pushed a hospital bed from Valentia service to £5,000 and a cheque for this the evening raised £555 which was do- via Portmagee to Cahersiveen, a distance amount was presented to Ian Ventham, nated to the appeal for refurbishing the of 18 miles, and raised £800. head of fundraising and marketing. Yarmouth boathouse. 210 People and Places around and about the RNLI
Manning the Rigging Royal Penarth Three men from Ramsey lifeboat station have laid claim to being the first Manxmen to climb the rigging of an 1863-built full-rigged sailing ship since the Ramsey-built vessel last left the island some 100 years ago... And what were they doing in the rigging of a Manx sailing ship moored in San Diego, California in the first place? Well, like many a lifeboat tale it's a long story, but in essence they were celebrating a wedding... the wedding of the station's assistant tractor driver Mervyn Sims and his new bride Debbie. The ceremony was held aboard the Star of India now preserved in the San Diego Maritime Museum and which provided a magnificent and appropri- ate setting for the wedding. And of course what better to do after a wedding than climb the rigging of a HRH The Duke of York made a brief visit to Penarth lifeboat station in March. sailing ship? Crew members Kevin Having been introduced to civic dignitaries, Raymond Cory CBE, vice-president of Christian and Mark Kenyon together the RNLI presented station officials and introduced HRH to members of the with tractor driver Juan Sable made the ladies' guild and station branch committee. ascent, but bridegroom Mervyn After leaving the boathouse the Duke walked along the sea front where he claimed there were more important spoke to some of the many onlookers. At the end of the promenade he met the things to attend to... lifeboat crew before inspecting the lifeboat and watching the D class launched. He is pictured with crew members Callum Couper, Gareth Wigmore and Martin Quick on the draw Bromley. Photo Western Mail Anthea Turner, one of the presenters of the BBC 'Blue Peter' while the fifth 'Blue Peter' Pieces of Eight appeal auction was children's programme drew the winning tickets for the taking place. RNLI's 65th national lottery on 30 April. The draw was held The draw, which raised over £134,000, was supervised by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of ^^^ fundraising and marketing. Since the RNLI started running a national lottery in 1977 over £4m has been raised for lifeboat funds. The prize winners were: £2,000 D. Ratcliff, Middlesbrough. £1,000 G. Bruce, Washington, Tyne & Wear. £750 Miss V.M. Waldron, St Helens, Merseyside; Mrs M.T. Reynolds, Canterbury, Kent. £500 S.O. Warmington, Leamington Spa. £250 P. Culken, York. £100 K. Pearce, Okehampton, Devon; R. Jewell, Lymington, Hants; Miss L. Watson, Timperley, Cheshire; Mrs A. Jamieson, Sandwick, Isle of Lewis; Mrs F. Croft, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. £50 Mrs R. Bauer, Marlow, Bucks; Mr Davey, Uckfield, Sussex; Miss K. Wisdom, Twickenham, Middx; Mrs N. Wilson, Lancing, Sussex; A.C. Milne, Glasgow.
(Left) Anthea Turner and Anthony Oliver, the RNLI's deputy head of fundraising and marketing, are pictured ready for the draw outside the 'Blue Peter' auction in Ringwood with three young fans. 211 People and Places around and about the RNLI
On Station Obituaries The following lifeboats have taken up station duties: With deep regret we record the following chairman in 1946. She continued as chair- ALL-WEATHER deaths: man until 1974 when she became president Alderney - Trent 14-01 (ON 1180) Earl FEBRUARY 1993 until her death. She was awarded a Gold & Countess Mountbatten of Burma on 7 Geoffrey Flint, chairman of Weston-super- badge in 1985. March 1994. Temporary station lifeboat. Mare station branch from 1976 to 1992 and MARCH 1994 chairman of the financial branch from 1971 Cecil Brown, honorary treasurer of Bourne INSHORE to 1986. He was assistant treasurer for the End and District branch from 1970 to 1989. St Agnes - D453 Blue Peter IV on 21 station from 1949 to 1958 and was treasurer Mrs L. Milburn, vice president and souvenir February 1994. of the financial branch from 1965 to 1971. Mr secretary of Sunderland ladies' guild since Cleethorpes - D454 Blue Peter VI on 22 Flint was awarded a Silver badge in 1976 1981. February 1994. and a Gold badge in 1982. Mrs Gladys Aplin, a flag week helper for JUNE 1993 Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton ladies' guild North Berwick - D452 Blue Peter III on Captain Tom Winstanley, a founder mem- from 1954 to 1966 and honorary secretary 8 March 1994. ber of Saltash branch in 1973 and box secre- from then until 1975. She was chairman until Falmouth - B595 Falmouth Round Table tary until his death. He was chairman from 1985 and president until her death. She was on 9 March 1994. 1980 to 1991 and president until 1993, was awarded a Silver badge in 1978, a Gold badge Portrush - D456 Jonathan Simpson on 26 awarded a statuette in 1980 and a Silver in 1984 and a Bar to the Gold badge in 1990. badge in 1990. Mrs Marion Pearce MBE, honorary secretary March 1994. JULY 1993 of St Ives ladies' guild from 1932 to 1968, Rock - D350 on 26 March 1994. Mrs Marion Joel, a founder member of chairman until 1983 and then president until Aberystwyth - B704 Enid Mary on 30 Ilfracombe ladies' guild in 1970 and honor- her death. She was awarded a Gold badge in March 1994. ary secretary until 1987. She was president 1958, a Bar to the Gold badge in 1970 and Relief - D457 Elsie Frances I on 30 from then until her death. Mrs Joel was became an honorary life governor in awarded a Silver badge in 1981. 1982. March 1994. AUGUST 1993 APRIL 1994 Tighnabruaich - C523 on 19 April 1994 Mrs Hilda Ford, a founder member of Joe Martin BEM, coxswain/mechanic of for one year's evaluation. Margate ladies' guild in 1957 and honorary Hastings lifeboat from 1971 to 1987. He first Relief - B705 Vera Skilton on 20 April secretary for many years. She was made an joined the crew in 1950, was mechanic from 1994. honorary life governor in 1975 having previ- 1959 to 1969 and a travelling mechanic from ously been awarded a Gold badge in 1961. 1969 until his appointment as coxswain. North Kessock - D459 Margaret & Fiona SEPTEMBER 1993 Mrs Marjorie Barnes, joined the Great Yar- Wood on 10 May 1994. Dr Jim Gendle, chairman of Polperro branch mouth & Gorleston ladies' guild in 1940 and Bundoran - B512 US Navy League on 12 from 1978 to 1991 and then president until became vice chairman in 1970 and president Mayl994. his death. He was awarded a joint statuette in 1981. The following all-weather lifeboat with his wife, Eileen, in 1987. Major Peter Longmore MC, president of OCTOBER 1993 Chichester & District branch. He joined the stations have been allocated a D class to Ray Gentle, honorary treasurer of Weston- committee in 1976 and immediately took on provide additional cover for evaluation super-Mare financial branch from 1979 until the office of chairman until 1991. He was over the summer season: his death. He was awarded a Silver badge in awarded a Silver badge in 1988. Newcastle, Co Down - D333 on 14 1990. MAY 1994 January 1994 Captain Terence Shaw, a founder member Mrs Pamela Swift, joined the Hull ladies' of North West Plymouth branch and honor- guild in 1971 and served as honorary treas- Sennen Cove - D365 on 22 February ary secretary and treasurer from 1973 to urer for many years. 1994 1991. He was awarded a joint statuette with Mrs Marjorie Sanders, president of Walsall Montrose - D398 Victory Wheelers on 14 his wife, Ruth, in 1980 and a Silver badge in branch. She was secretary of the ladies' guild April 1994 1988. from 1956 to 1965 and then chairman from Angle - D336 on 5 May 1994 NOVEMBER 1993 1965 to 1967,1970 to 1971,1976 to 1978 and Mrs Joy Phillips, founder member of 1983 to 1984. In 1984 the guild was reformed Worcester ladies' guild. She was chairman into a branch of which she became president from 1965-1981 and then vice chairman until until her death. Mrs Sanders was awarded a Whitby Summer 1991. Mrs Phillips was awarded a Silver Silver badge in 1966, a Gold badge in 1983 Over a six week period in March and badge in 1975. and a bar to the Gold badge in 1991. April ITV screened a mini-series 'One Mrs Fitzpatrick, honorary secretary of Mrs Doris Chippindale, a member of Brad- Moffat & Beattock ladies' guild from 1976 to ford ladies' guild for over 40 years and chair- Summer in Whitby' which followed the 1992. She was awarded a statuette in 1989 man for three years. She was awarded a lives of seven people in the North and a Scottish Lifeboat Council record of Silver badge in 1974. Yorkshire fishing port. One of those thanks in 1993. Miss J. Carr, chairman of Gateshead branch people was the present owner/skipper FEBRUARY 1994 since 1985 and secretary since 1986. of the former Whitby lifeboat Mary Ann Mrs K. Bryant MBE, a committee member of Philip Leigh-Bramwell, donor of the relief Torquay branch from 1930 until she became Waveney class lifeboat Lady of Lancashire. Hepworth which is now used for taking visitors on pleasure trips around the bay. Several sequences featured the old quite true! It was a short, steep swell. crew were featured in a staged rescue boat, one in particular when she was One or two looked uncomfortable but for an episode of the ITV series 'Heart- seen taking a party out of port for a the grand old boat rode majestically beat' and were also involved in the short trip. The skipper told the passen- over the waves. annual blessing of the boats service gers that there was a 'slight swell'. Not Current members of Whitby lifeboat conducted by the Bishop of Whitby. 212 • i\ ! I rVM i I i I EXCLUSIVE THE HISTORY OF THE VIDEO ; RNLI J J Lll Heroes Of The Sea Out NOW On Video Available exclusively through W H smith \\ 11 SMITH £12.99 EXCLUSIVE VIDEO off the purchase price when you buy the W H Smith Video The History Of The RNLl1 This offer is exclusive to w H Smith valid until 31.10.91 This voucher may not be redeemed for cash or any other purchase Cash Value O.OOlp
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Tel: 071-8286812 Narrowboats on the canals and rivers & DIRECTION Ideal, central, quiet location overlooking magnificent gardens on fringe of Belgravia. Comfortable Single/ of England and Wales. Choose from 24 only Double/Twin/Family Rooms. different routes. Enjoy fine food, walk- Features (dependent on model) Good ENGLISH BREAKFAST, MODERATE PRICES. EGON RONAY/RAC ing, care and comfort. Single/twin/ * WIND SPEED & DIRECTION FREE COLOUR BROCHURE A VAILABLE double en suite cabins. 3/7 nights. * ELEGANT MAHOGANY CABINET (choice of light or dark) Inland Waterway Holiday Cruises, Greenham Lock Cottage, London * BAROMETRIC PRESSURE * OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE TIDEMASTER® COMMANDER * HUMIDITY& DEW POINT with M1N&MAX- C&F Time & Tide, Alarms Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5SN. and Slopwatrh/Drrtwatch Tel: 0831110811. Fax: 0635 42884 * RAINFALL COMPUTER INTERFACE (soon) f in a Diving fas* .ir highly luminiscd * SUNSHINE Mrs. analogue display l case with stainless * 12-24Vor MAINS L'wdown hack, and INSURANCE Send for colour guar teed K) feel brochure now to - Positive setting click Competitive rates for all types ratchet tide bezel* R&D monitors lidal slate of yachts and motorboats ELECTRONICS day and dale SPECIAL RATES FOR | Tel. (0843) 866662 • Alarms on call Fax. (0843) 866663 • 1/](H) second Mop EX RNLI LIFEBOATS waich/deckwalch Beaufort House, Percy Ave, Kingsgate Broadstairs, Kent. CT10 3LB • Deck*aich "Iree/eis" timesof sighls IMMtDIATE QUOTATIONS • Second I imu /one 12/24 hinir display imikm & COVER • Backlight for night viewing of BIRTHDAY DUE? display Give someone an original newspaper CAIMALBOAT — £59.95 inc. VAT dated the very day they were born (or an From chandlers DO YOU USE A CREDIT CARD? The RoyaJ Bank If you do, or you are considering re-arranging Of SCQtlaind. Royal National your finances in any way you could be helping Lifeboat directly to fund the R1NLI with every transaction you make. Not only will The Royal Bank of Scotland pay the Institution £5 for every RNLI Card issued, but a payment is made every time the Card is used. OVER £500,000 HAS BEEN RAISED FOR THE RNLI AND YOU CAN HELP TO INCREASE THIS SUM. RNLI MasterCard benefits to you:- • 24 hour helpline if your Card is lost or stolen. • Free Travel Accident Insurance up to £50,000. • Royal Bank of Scotland Holiday Service. • Optional Cardholder Protection Plan in case of illness, accident or unemployment. • Accepted in over 400,000 outlets in UK and over The propellers and stern gear on 10 million locations worldwide. Bingo lifeline were directly funded • Optional Card Registration Service. by RNLI Cardholders. "Sole: Credit facilities and information ahoul them are not available to persons under the age of 18 years. Full written credit details are available on request. ... STOP PRESS ... STOP PRESS ... Apply for your MasterCard now and the annual subscription is not payable until January' 1995 For further details telephone 0702 362355 or Jill in the coupon below r ~i I should like to apply for an RNLI MasterCard Please send details and an application form to the address below: TITLE INITIALS (I'lvnsi- print) SURNAME (I'li-iisf print) ADDRESS Brian Miles POSTCODE. Director 'The Partnership irilh The Royal Haul,- of Scotland /HIS proved Si'nd lliix coupon or ii'rilc quoting l{\l.l/7/V4 In: to be of great benefit to the li.\l.l irit/i the major proportion of The Royal Hank of Scotland. Credit Card Centre. 200 I'riorv Crescent. income derived from the amount of line our supporters make of the card. Remember too. that you do not need to have an I Southend-on-Sea. SS99 9EE HM.1/7/94 | account iritli I lie Royal Hank of Scotland, nor do yon need to be a member of the /(\l.l in order to apply for Hie MastcrC.ard' The Royal Bank of Scotland pic. Registered Office: 36 SI. Andrew Square, Edinburgh El 12 2YB. Registered in Scotland No. 90312