Swanage Lifeboat Station on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Swanage Lifeboat Station is a
Work was carried out on the boathouse in 1992 to make room for the station's new lifeboat. This included an extension to the side of the boathouse and an increase in the roof's height. Work was also undertaken on the slipway.
The new lifeboat (ON 1182) was named the ''Robert Charles Brown'' on 3 September 1992 in honour of Robert Charles Brown BEM, who was a lifeboatman at the station for over fifty years.
::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1996 (Swanage) *The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum ::Robert C Brown, Coxswain - 1936 ::The crew of the lifeboat - 1965 ::D. Dyke, Second Coxswain - 1970 ::P. Dorey, crew member - 1970 ::Alec Edmonds, crew member - 1971 ::Ronald Hardy, Coxswain - 1976 ::Philip Dorey, Emergency Mechanic - 1976 ::Dr. William Tudor-Thomas, Honorary Medical Adviser - 1979 ::John Corben, crew member - 1979 ::Christopher Haw, crew member - 1979 ::Philip Dorey, Acting Coxswain - 1981 ::Victor Marsh, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1988 ::Martin Steeden, Emergency Mechanic - 1988 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1990 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1993 *Thanks of the Committee of Management inscribed on a Vellum certificate ::Dr. D. I. Aitken - 1966 *A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution ::Victor Marsh, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1978 ::George Bishop, Second Assistant Mechanic - 1978 ::Thomas Haw, crew member - 1978 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1994 ::Terry Pond, crew member -1994 *A Collective Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution ::Malcolm Turnbull, crew member - 1992 ::Anthony Byron, crew member - 1992 ::Christopher Coe, crew member - 1992 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) ::Captain Neil Michael Hardy, Lifeboat Operations Manager - 2015QBH ::David Graham Corben, Chair, Lifeboat Management Group - 2024KBH *
(All for services to the motor launch ''Chasseur 5'' of the French Naval Forces, December 1943) *Letter of Thanks from the Commander in Chief French Naval Forces in UK ::Swanage Lifeboat Station - 1944 *French Government Medals ::Swanage Lifeboat Crew - 1946 *French Lifeboat Society Medals ::Coxswain, Mechanic and Bowman - 1946
File:Swanage Lifeboat - geograph.org.uk - 1759588.jpg, ''Robert Charles Brown'' (1992–2016)
File:Swanage Lifeboat Station 2017-07-16 14.51.35.jpg, ''George Thomas Lacey'' (From 2016)
RNLI Swanage Lifeboat Station
{{Geographic Location , title = Neighbouring Stations to Swanage , Northwest =
, Northeast = Mudeford Lifeboat Station
, West = Weymouth Lifeboat Station
, Centre = ''Swanage Lifeboat Station''
, East =
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on s ...
(RNLI) station located on Peveril Point
Peveril Point is a headland on the east-facing coast of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England, and is part of the town of Swanage. It forms the southern end of Swanage Bay. It is located at OS Grid Ref: SZ 041 787.
The rocks that make up Pe ...
in the town of Swanage
Swanage () is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck and one of its two towns, approximately south of Poole and east of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester. In the Unit ...
in Dorset
Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
, England. It operates two lifeboats, the All-weather lifeboat 13-13 ''George Thomas Lacy'' (ON 1320) and the inshore lifeboat (ILB) ''Roy Norgrove'' (D-884).
The station underwent extensive re-development in 2015/16 with a new purpose built boat house to accommodate its new all-weather lifeboat (AWB), and was opened in 2017.
History
On 4 March 1875, prompted by the wreck of thebrigantine
A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.
Ol ...
''Wild Wave'' of Exeter
Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...
on 23 January, the RNLI Committee of Management agreed to form a lifeboat station at Swanage. The lifeboat's first service was on 13 March 1876, when it saved a ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch f ...
, the ''William Pitt'' of Poole
Poole () is a coastal town and seaport on the south coast of England in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in Dorset, England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east ...
, when it drifted ashore near Bournemouth
Bournemouth ( ) is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. At the 2021 census, the built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest ...
. In 1890, the slipway was lengthened. In 1902, gas was laid onto the lifeboat house, and the station's first motor lifeboat was sent in 1928.
1992 renovation
Work was carried out on the boathouse in 1992 to make room for the station's new lifeboat. This included an extension to the side of the boathouse and an increase in the roof's height. Work was also undertaken on the slipway.
The new lifeboat (ON 1182) was named the ''Robert Charles Brown'' on 3 September 1992 in honour of Robert Charles Brown BEM, who was a lifeboatman at the station for over fifty years.
Inshore lifeboats
On 3 April 1993 a Inshore lifeboat (ILB) was sent to the station for evaluation, and a new slipway was built the following year to accommodate it. In 1995, the ILB was permanently stationed and was named ''Phyl Clare 2'' (D-475), and was placed on service on 8 April. A shoreworks project including extra parking which cost £13,333 was completed in July 2002. On 27 August 2003, a new ILB, the ''Jack Cleare'' (D-613) was placed on service, with ''Phyl Clare 2'' (D-475) being withdrawn. On 12 July 2012, the ''Phyl & Jack'' (D-752) was placed on service, with the ''Jack Cleare'' (D-613) being withdrawn. This lifeboat was funded in part by a gift and bequest from Mrs Phyl Cleare. In December 2023, Swanage Lifeboat station welcomed ''Roy Norgrove'' (D-884) as their new Inshore Lifeboat, replacing ''Phyl & Jack'' which had been on service for 12 years.2016 rebuild
In November 2014, the RNLI's contractors (BAM Nuttall) arrived on site to start modifications of the boathouse. The ''Robert Charles Brown'' had its final slipway launch on 1 February 2015. On 8 April 2016, the lifeboat arrived, and was officially placed on service on 20 April. The ''Robert Charles Brown'' (ON 1182) left Swanage for the last time on 22 April, after more than 23 years of service. On 8 November, trials for the new Shannon class slipway began, and the boat moved into its boathouse on 14 December. On 13 February 2017, the ''Phyl & Jack (D-752) was moved into its new boathouse. On 29 April 2017, the lifeboat 13-13 was officially named the ''George Thomas Lacy'' (ON 1320), and the new lifeboat station was officially opened. The new lifeboat station was opened to the public on 1 May. The new station cost a total of £8 million, more than £465,000 of which was raised locally.Rescues and awards
Over the years, Swanage Lifeboat Station crew have been involved in many rescues. Ten RNLI medals for gallantry, five silver and five bronze have been awarded, the last in 1996. * RNIPLS Silver Medal ::Lt. William Parsons. RN, Officer of the Coastguard - 1839 ::Lt. George Davies, RN - 1839 ::Edward Leggett, Gunner, RN - 1839 ::Charles Stubbs, Seaman, RN - 1839 ::(all of the Revenue Cutter ''Tartar'') *RNLI Silver Medal
A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...
::John Lose, Chief Officer of Coastguard - 1875
*RNLI Bronze Medal
A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...
::Robert Charles Brown, Assistant Motor Mechanic - 1934
::Ronald Hardy, Coxswain - 1970
::Ronald Hardy, Coxswain - 1977 (Second Service award)
::Victor Albert Marsh, Second Coxswain/Mechanic - 1977
::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1996
*The Maud Smith Award 1996::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1996 (Swanage) *The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum ::Robert C Brown, Coxswain - 1936 ::The crew of the lifeboat - 1965 ::D. Dyke, Second Coxswain - 1970 ::P. Dorey, crew member - 1970 ::Alec Edmonds, crew member - 1971 ::Ronald Hardy, Coxswain - 1976 ::Philip Dorey, Emergency Mechanic - 1976 ::Dr. William Tudor-Thomas, Honorary Medical Adviser - 1979 ::John Corben, crew member - 1979 ::Christopher Haw, crew member - 1979 ::Philip Dorey, Acting Coxswain - 1981 ::Victor Marsh, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1988 ::Martin Steeden, Emergency Mechanic - 1988 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1990 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1993 *Thanks of the Committee of Management inscribed on a Vellum certificate ::Dr. D. I. Aitken - 1966 *A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution ::Victor Marsh, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1978 ::George Bishop, Second Assistant Mechanic - 1978 ::Thomas Haw, crew member - 1978 ::Christopher Haw, Coxswain - 1994 ::Terry Pond, crew member -1994 *A Collective Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution ::Malcolm Turnbull, crew member - 1992 ::Anthony Byron, crew member - 1992 ::Christopher Coe, crew member - 1992 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) ::Captain Neil Michael Hardy, Lifeboat Operations Manager - 2015QBH ::David Graham Corben, Chair, Lifeboat Management Group - 2024KBH *
British Empire Medal
The British Empire Medal (BEM; formerly British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Monarchy of the United Ki ...
::Robert Charles Brown, Former Coxswain - 1977QBH
::Victor Albert Charles Marsh, Coxswain Mechanic - 1989NYH
FOREIGN AWARDS(All for services to the motor launch ''Chasseur 5'' of the French Naval Forces, December 1943) *Letter of Thanks from the Commander in Chief French Naval Forces in UK ::Swanage Lifeboat Station - 1944 *French Government Medals ::Swanage Lifeboat Crew - 1946 *French Lifeboat Society Medals ::Coxswain, Mechanic and Bowman - 1946
Swanage lifeboats
Inshore lifeboats
See also
*List of RNLI stations
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stations are the bases for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI's fleet of search and rescue Lifeboat (rescue), lifeboats that cover the coastal waters around the entire British Isles, as we ...
* List of former RNLI stations
Former RNLI stations can be found all around the coast of the entire British Isles, and were the locations for a fleet of rescue Lifeboat (rescue), lifeboats.
The service was established in 1824 as the Royal National Institute for the Prese ...
* Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Since its inception, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has provided lifeboats to lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Once past their operation life, the boats have mostly been sold by the RNLI and purchased for domest ...
References
External links
RNLI Swanage Lifeboat Station
{{Geographic Location , title = Neighbouring Stations to Swanage , Northwest =
Dorset
Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
, North = Poole Lifeboat Station
Poole Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Poole, Dorset in England. The first Lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat was stationed at Poole Harbour in 1865 and the present station was ...
, Northeast = Mudeford Lifeboat Station
, West = Weymouth Lifeboat Station
, Centre = ''Swanage Lifeboat Station''
, East = English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, Southwest = English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, South = English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, Southeast = English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
Lifeboat stations in Dorset
Swanage
1875 establishments in England