James Stevens lifeboats
Appearance
The James Stevens lifeboats were a series of twenty lifeboats which were purchased by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) using a £50,000 legacy received in 1894 from the estate of Mr James Stevens, of The Reform Club, Birmingham, UK, an Edgbaston property developer,[1] which was provided for this purpose.[2] This donation provided more boats than any other donation received by the RNLI.[1] (Mrs Sue Denny, Spokeswoman for The RNLI).
Two of the lifeboats, No. 10 and No. 14, are still seaworthy.
Fleet
Boat No. | ON[a] | Class | In service | Station | History |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 1 | 401 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1896–1917 [3] | Port St Mary | A ten-oared lifeboat that cost £463, launched on 22 services saving 55 lives.[4] |
No. 2 | 1898–1912 [5] | Campbeltown, Kintyre | Costing £538, it was severely damaged in a double rescue on 28 December 1908. Captain Martin was awarded a Silver Medal by the RNLI for his bravery and seamanship that night.[6] | ||
No. 3 | 420 | Steam-class | 1898–1903 1903–1908 1908–1915 1915–1919 1919–1922 1922–1928 |
Cleethorpes Gorleston Angle Yarmouth (Totland Bay) Dover Holyhead |
Built by J. Samuel White.[7][8] |
No. 4 | 421 | Steam-class | 1899–1900 | Padstow | Built by J Samuel White.[8] Lost at sea, eight of her crew of eleven were drowned.[9] On 3 September 2009 a memorial was erected in their memory.[10][11] One of the first steam powered lifeboats.[12] |
No. 5 | 1899–1917 | Newquay | Mar 1908 – capsized during a practice launch with the loss of one life.[13] Dec 1917 – Lost whilst helping the SS Osten, her thirteen crew were saved.[13] The old lifeboat station is now an artists studio.[14] | ||
No. 6 | 427 | Self-Righter | 1898–1924 [15] | Eastbourne | Broken up in 1948 after service in World War II. The old boathouse is now a museum.[16] |
No. 7 | Howth, Dublin | 1901: Captain John Angus, crew 13.[17] | |||
No. 8 | 425 | Liverpool P&S | 1899–1914 1913–1916 |
Ardrossan, Ayrshire Wells-next-the-Sea |
Launched 27 September 1899,[18] replacing the Charles Skirrow. On 17 November 1899, 18 people were rescued from the four-masted sailing ship Oberon[19] |
No. 9 | 430 | Norfolk and Suffolk-class[20] | 1899–1909 | Southend-on-Sea | Fifty-two lives saved from eleven craft[21] |
No. 10 | 435 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1899–1933 | St Ives | Was rescued[22] and restored to offer trips round the harbour. Found submerged in the Hayle Estuary on 30 December 2015.[23] Sank in Dec 2015 due to being neglected, recently undergone a 3 year restoration project and now offering historic lifeboat trips around St.Ives Bay https://www.stives-boat-trips.co.uk |
No. 11 | 438 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1915–1919 | Angle | [24] |
No. 12 | 436 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1900–1903 | The Mumbles | Capsized with the loss of six crew while standing by the re-float of the Waterford steamer Christina which went aground when attempting to enter Port Talbot harbour.[25][26][27] |
No. 13 | 1900–1925 | Arbroath | Storm damaged in 1925, No. 13 was replaced by James Gowland.[28] | ||
No. 14 | 432 | Norfolk and Suffolk-class | 1899–1928 | Walton and Frinton | Fully restored and re-launched in 2009[29][30] and is the world’s oldest motor lifeboat.[31] 126 Launches, 227 Live Saved.[32] |
No. 15 | 442 | Watson-class P&S | 1900–1921 | Rosslare Harbour | A memorial commends the eleven crewmen of the Rosslare Port Lifeboat James Stevens and six men from the tug Wexford. For four days the lifeboatmen stood by in an open boat, battling against gales, sleet and mountainous seas before rescuing ten men from the wrecked Norwegian schooner Mexico.[33] The James Stevens Museum at Scoil Mhuire National School relates Rosslare’s maritime and rural history.[34] A Wreath is laid annually to commemorate the rescue.[35] |
No. 16 | 1900–1930 | Helvick Head (Dungarvan) | |||
No. 17 | 1900–1922 | Porthoustock | |||
No. 18 | 1901–1931 | Girvan | |||
No. 19 | 1901–1926 | Newburgh | (Relief 1926–1928). 15 November 1923, launched to rescue the Aberdeen trawler Imperial Prince, resulting in the crew being awarded two silver and a bronze RNLI medal for bravery.[36][37] | ||
No. 20 | 457 | 1901–1920 | Crosshaven, Ireland | (Relief 1920–1923). Station Number 2,[38] cost £1,739 |
- ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Pride of RNLI heads for new berth". Birmingham Post & Mail. 14 July 1998. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ "The History of the Eastbourne Lifeboat Station". Eastbourne Lifeboat. RLNI. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Historic Services - RNLB James Stevens No1". History of Port St Mary Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "RNLB James Stevens history". History of Port St Mary Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "The story of Kintyre and Campbeltown's RNLI lifeboats and their rescues". Kintyre’s Lifeboats. Transcribed document of unknown origin. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Lifeboat Enthusiasts Group. "Tommy Ralston and Kintyre's lifeboats". Argyll News. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "James Stevens No. 3". Angle Lifeboat Station. RLNI. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ a b Barton, Antony. "Lifeboats of J. Samuel White, Cowes, Isle of Wight England". Bartie's World (a collection of period postcards). Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ John, Castle. "Wreck Report for 'James Stevens', No. 4, 1900" (PDF). PortCities Southampton. Plimsoll. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "News of a memorial in honour of the men who died". RNLI. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "News Archive". Padstow Lifeboat. RNLI. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Morley, Sean. "Paddling in Circles – UK & Ireland Circumnavigation". River and Ocean. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ a b Larn, Richard; Larn, Bridget (2006). Wreck & Rescue round the Cornish coast. Redruth: Tor Mark Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-0-85025-406-8.
- ^ "Artist sets up studio in old lifeboat station". This is Cornwall. Cornish Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "A History of Eastbourne Lifeboat Station". Retrieved 22 December 2014.
- ^ "Proud story of a lifeboat that went to war". Looking Back, Edition 18 Sep 2009. Eastbourne Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Nangle, Michael. "Genealogy of the Angus Family". 1901 Census, Ireland. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Non-Football Stories 1899". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. 29 September 1899. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ "1899". Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Files. Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
- ^ Burrows, John (1909). Southend-on-sea and district: Historical Notes. Southend-on-sea: John H Burrows & Sons. p. 246.
- ^ "No.10 is rescued from being scrapped". Archived from the original on 28 June 2004. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "James Stevens No 10 lifeboat sinks in Hayle Estuary". BBC News. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ^ "A History of No. 11". RNLI. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Story of the loss of the six lifeboatmen, including period photos". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "A History of The Mumbles Lifeboat". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Brief mention of No. 12". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "History of Arbroath Lifeboats". Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Detailed History of No. 14". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "The Restoration of No. 14 - plus much more". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Historic Ships Register". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "History, Walton and Frinton Lifeboat, Saving Lives at Sea". Walton & Frinton Lifeboat. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "Peter Crosbie 2011". Peter Crosbie. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ "Welcome to Rosslare" (PDF). South East Tourism, Ireland. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ "Wreath-laying at Rosslare a poignant backdrop to search". Wexford People. 23 February 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ Lifeboat Gallantry: The Complete Record of Royal National Lifeboat Institution Gallantry Medals and How They Were Won (1st ed.). Spink & Son Ltd. 10 May 1998. ISBN 978-0907605898.
- ^ Portsmouth, Ros. "ENG-GEORDIES-L Archives". Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "A History of Queenstown Lifeboat Station". RNLI. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
External links
No.2
No.3
No.5
- 1909 – Photo of the crew of the No. 5
- Early 1900s, Photo of No. 5 Under Sail
- Early 1900s, Photo of No. 5 on show in Fore St
No.6
- High quality period photo of No. 6
- Another high quality period photo of No. 6
- Lower quality later period photo of No. 6
- Lower quality period photo of No. 6 at sea
- Lower quality period photo of No. 6 at sea
No.9
No.10
- Contemporary photo of No. 10, 2005
- Contemporary photo of No. 10, March 2007
- Contemporary photo of No. 10, June 2015
- No.10 reported "sunk in Hayle Estuary", December 2015
- No.10 listed for sale, "has been laid up ashore for some time", date unknown
- recently undergone a 3 year restoration and now offering historic lifeboat trips around St.Ives Bay May 2022
No.13
No.14