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Peel Lifeboat Station

Coordinates: 54°13′37″N 4°41′52.5″W / 54.22694°N 4.697917°W / 54.22694; -4.697917
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Peel Lifeboat Station
Peel Lifeboat Station
Peel Lifeboat Station is located in Isle of Man
Peel Lifeboat Station
Peel, Isle of Man
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
AddressThe Breakwater
Town or cityPeel, IM5 1TG
CountryIsle of Man
Coordinates54°13′37″N 4°41′52.5″W / 54.22694°N 4.697917°W / 54.22694; -4.697917
Opened1828
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Peel RNLI Lifeboat Station

Peel Lifeboat Station is located in the shadow of Peel Castle on St Patrick's Isle, in the town of Peel, in the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828.[1]

Re-established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1884, the station currently operates an Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, 13-35 Frank and Brenda Winter (ON 1342), on station since 2021.[2]

History

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On the 28 May 1828, Sir William Hillary, President of the Isle of Man District Association of the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, wrote to the associations headquarters in London, requesting that a lifeboat be placed at both Peel and Ramsey, which was duly agreed.

A new boat was provided for Peel, a 26-foot 6-oared Palmer-class lifeboat, built by Taylor of Blackwall, which cost £55, and arrived in Peel on 12 December 1828. Records show only one service, in 1831, to the sloop Jane to rescue the 4 crew, and by 1836, for reasons unknown, the boat was recorded as wrecked.[1]

A replacement boat was commissioned with local boatbuilder William Corlett, again a 26-foot "Palmer" inspired type boat. No services were ever recorded, and by 1843, this boat too is recorded as being unserviceable.

Following the death of Sir William Hillary in 1848, and with little funding available, there seemed to be no interest in maintaining a lifeboat in Peel, despite the large number of fishing boats operating there. However, in 1883, the Lt. Governor of the Isle of Man wrote to the (now) RNLI, to request that a station be re-established at both Peel and Ramsey, which was agreed. A new boat house was built next to the castle in 1884 by Redcliffe and Anderson, at a cost of £485-9s-10d, and in 1885, a new 37-foot 12-oared boat arrived, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, and costing £397; the John Monk (ON 83), funded by the legacy of Capt. John Monk RN, of Neston, Wirral. John Monk was a retired naval officer who first saw action in the Napoleonic wars, and bequeathed £500 to the RNLI "for the purpose of building a life boat, which shall be named John Monk"[1]

After years of launching Peel lifeboats by hand, Peel received their first launch and recovery tractor, a CASE LA (T41) in 1963.[2]

Following a coastal service review, the All-weather lifeboat was withdrawn in 1972, replaced with an A-class (McLachlan) class lifeboat. Then followed a further McLachlan boat, and then two B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboats. In 1990, another coastal review determined that an All-weather boat would once again be placed at Peel, whilst Port Erin would receive an Atlantic 21 Inshore boat to replace their Rother-class All-weather lifeboat.[1]

In 1992, Peel's new Mersey-class lifeboat arrived, costing £662,663, and was named 12-22 Ruby Clery (ON 1181), following a generous bequest from the late Miss R. A. Clery of St. John's Wood, London, a great-great-granddaughter of Sir William Hillary. The naming ceremony took place on 12 September 1992, and was carried out by Mrs Karin Bache Nordli, the daughter of the baby rescued off the St George in 1889 (see Notable rescues).

The 1884 boathouse had to be demolished to make way for a new building for the Mersey lifeboat and tractor, but much of the original red sandstone was retained and re-used in the construction of the new building.[1]

Ruby Clery served Peel for the next 27 years, before she was transferred to Ramsey, and then onto Douglas, where in 2024 she is still in service.[2] Peel received a new Shannon-class lifeboat in 2020, although it was 2021 before she was formally accepted on service, delays in training being caused with the Covid pandemic. The boathouse once again required modifications, being extended on the North side, with larger access doors fitted, new workshop facilities, and a crew room mezzanine above the boat hall, with lookout windows.[3]

Notable rescues

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On the 7 October 1889, a large fully-rigged ship was seen in trouble off Peel, badly damaged, with broken masts. The John Monk was launched into the full fury of the storm. It took 16 men rowing a full 2 hours to reach the St. George, a Norwegian ship bound for Montevideo. Unable to get close, a breeches-buoy system was set up, and one by one, 21 crew, the Captain's wife, and baby, were rescued. The lifeboat hadn't reached Peel Harbour on the return trip, before the St George was driven ashore and wrecked. The survivors were landed on the quay to the cheers of a large assembled crowd. For this service, Coxswain Charles Cain and each of the 15 crew received the Silver Medal from the Norwegian Government, and a Manx bible.[4] The figurehead off the boat, "George", was recovered and has been proudly on display at Peel Lifeboat Station ever since.

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Peel[1][5]

  • Silver Medal, awarded by the Norwegian Government
  • Manx Bible, presented by the Bishop of the Isle of Man[6]
Charles Cain, Coxswain – 1890
Angus Cain – 1890
James Cain – 1890
John Callister – 1890
John Cook – 1890
Caesar Gorry – 1890
Henry Gorry – 1890
John Gorry – 1890
James Hughes – 1890
John Hughes – 1890
H. Kaighen – 1890
Joseph McMurdoch – 1890
William Quillam – 1890
John Quirk – 1890
John Sayle – 1890
William Williamson – 1890
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Charles Cain II, Coxswain – 1910
Thomas Quirk – 1921
John Kissack – 1921
Patrick Gorry – 1926
W E Gorry, Coxswain – 1970
Edward Allen, Helmsman – 1980
Brian Maddrell, Helmsman – 1980
Frank Horne, crew member – 1995
  • Vellum Service Certificates
John Keig – 1980
Philip Quane – 1980
Barry Horne – 1980
James Coulson – 1980
David Eames, Coxswain – 1995
Paul Jones, Second Coxswain – 1995
Paul Cain, Motor Mechanic – 1995
Tim Crookhall, crew member – 1995
John Hunter, crew member – 1995
Colin Makin, crew member – 1995
Andrew Quane, crew member – 1995
Frank Horne – 2022QBH[7]

Peel lifeboats

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All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name In service[8] Class Comments
Unnamed 1828–1836 26-foot Palmer [Note 1]
[1]
Unnamed 1836–1843 26-foot "Palmer Type" [Note 2]
[1]
83 John Monk 1885–1895 37-foot 6in Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3]
Unnamed 1895–1897 [Note 4]
396 Mayhew Medwin 1897–1925 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
634 Henry Kirk 1925–1937 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 6]
799 Helen Sutton 1937–1952 Liverpool
903 Helena Harris - Manchester & District XXXI 1952–1972 Liverpool
All-weather lifeboat withdrawn 1972–1992
1181 12-22 Ruby Clery 1992–2019 Mersey [9]
1187 12-28 Mary Margaret 2019–2021 Mersey
1342 13-35 Frank and Brenda Winter 2021– Shannon [10]

Inshore lifeboats

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Op. No.[b] Name In service[2] Class Comments
A-506
(18-006)
Unnamed 1972 A-class (McLachlan) [Note 7]
A-507
(18-007)
Unnamed 1973–1976 A-class (McLachlan) [Note 8]
B-536 Unnamed 1976–1989 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-575 John Batstone 1989–1992 B-class (Atlantic 21)
Inshore lifeboat withdrawn in 1992

Launch and recovery tractors

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Op. No.[b] Reg. No. Type In service[2] Comments
T41 JXR 66 Case LA 1963–1970
T54 MJT 722P Case LA 1970–1973
T43 JXR 934 Case LA 1973–1978
TW07 MAN 49W Talus MB 764 County 1978–1988
TW06 BMN 476L Talus MB 764 County 1988–1992
T114 1222 MN Talus MB-H Crawler 1992–2004
T111 1222 MN Talus MB-H Crawler 2004–2019
T108 1222 MN Talus MB-H Crawler 2019–2021
SC-T22 1335 MAN SLARS (Clayton) 2020–
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b c Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 26-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-Oared) Palmer lifeboat, built by Taylor, of Blackwall, London, costing £55.
  2. ^ 26-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-Oared) Palmer-type lifeboat, built locally by William Corlett.
  3. ^ 37-foot x 9-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, costing £397.
  4. ^ Unrecorded relief lifeboat on station for 2 years
  5. ^ 37-foot x 9-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Roberts of Mevagissey, costing £485.
  6. ^ 37-foot x 9-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1,239 when new.
  7. ^ A-506 (ILB designation), formerly 18-006 under ALB designation
  8. ^ A-507 (ILB designation), formerly 18-007 under ALB designation

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Morris, Jeff (2003). Peel Lifeboats 1828-2003. pp. 1–46.
  2. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  3. ^ "Peel Lifeboat Station, Royal National Lifeboat Institution". NK Construction. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ Quilliam, Leslie (1990). The Lifeboats of Peel. Cashtal Books Ltd. pp. 1–100.
  5. ^ "Peel's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  6. ^ Davies, Joan (Spring 1980). "Lifeboat Stations of the Isle of Man" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XLVII (471). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  8. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
  9. ^ Kelly, Mal (30 May 2017). "Peel RNLI lifeboat Ruby Clery celebrates 25 years". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  10. ^ Hunter, Carol (20 October 2021). "The Isle of Man's first Shannon lifeboat goes into service". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
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