Appledore Lifeboat Station

Appledore Lifeboat Station
Appledore
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	Jubilee Road, EX39 1SA
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°03′27″N4°11′56″W / 51.0574°N 4.199°W / 51.0574; -4.199
Opened	First station 1825 Current building 2001
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Appledore Lifeboat Station ^[1] is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1825 and the present station was opened in 2001. It operates a Tamar-class all-weather boat (AWB) and an Atlantic 85 B Class inshore lifeboat (ILB).

History

The Bideford District Association of the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (as it was then known) introduced a lifeboat service in February 1825. The boat was kept in the King's Watch House at Appledore. In 1831 the work was taken over by the Devon Humane Society and they built a new boat house at Watertown, half a mile nearer the sea. This was large enough for two boats and a second one arrived in December that year, but in 1848 was transferred to a second boat house at Braunton Burrows on the opposite side of the estuary. It was easier to launch from here to help ships on that side of the water, but crews for lifeboats at Braunton Burrows always came from Appledore. A third station was built at Northam Burrows to the west of Appledore in 1851. This was expanded to house a second boat in 1856 and the old boat house at Watertown eventually lost its boats. ^[2]

The two stations were remote from Appledore where the crews lived. With the development of boats that could be more easily sailed (rather than just rowed) a new boat house was built at Badstep in 1889 to replace Northam Burrows. During World War I it became difficult to find the horses and men necessary for launching boats at Braunton Burrows, so it too was closed temporarily in 1918 and this became permanent the following year. The first motor lifeboat arrived on station in 1922. In 1938 a Watson, the Violet Armstrong, replaced the earlier, smaller, boat and had to be kept moored afloat as it did not fit in the boat house. Instead, a small boarding boat was kept in it and used to ferry the crew out to the lifeboat. The new lifeboat had a shallower draught than was usual for a Watson Class and also had her stern strengthened, both modifications to help crossing the shallow water at the mouth of the estuary. ^[2]

An inshore lifeboat has been stationed at Appledore since 1972 and is kept in the boathouse with the boarding boat. The boat house had a new crew room installed at first-floor level in 1980, but was demolished in 2000 and a new station opened the following year. ^[2]

Service awards

The volunteer crews of the RNLI do not expect reward or recognition for their work, but the records include many rescues that have been recognised by letters, certificates and medals from the RNLI management. The following are some of the most notable.

On 17 November 1962, the Watson-class Louisa Ann Hawker was launched in a northerly gale to assist the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Green Ranger which had broken free from her tug and run aground on rocks near Hartland Point. While the lifeboat found the tanker they could not find any of her crew. The lifeboat stood by for some time until it became clear that the crew had already been saved by breeches buoy, so it returned through the dangerous waters at the estuary mouth to its berth by the boat house. Despite not saving anyone, the RNLI awarded Sidney Cann, the coxswain, a Silver Medal for his work in extremely difficult seas that night. ^[3]

The Tyne-class George Gibson ^[4] put to sea on 31 March 1994 when the local fishing boat Torridge Warrior was struggling through a gale with just one of its engines working. The lifeboat reached the boat on the seaward side of the shallow water off Bideford but, due to the state of the tide and weather, had to tow her to Ilfracombe. The tow line broke but was reconnected. The Ilfracombe Lifeboat arrived and took over the tow but the Appledore boat continued to escort them. They then had to wait three hours for sufficient water to enter Ilfracombe harbour before returning home. Coxswain Michael Bowden was awarded a Bronze Medal for his seamanship that afternoon. ^[5]

Station Honours

The following are awards made at Appledore ^{[6] [7]}

• RNLI Silver Medal

Owen Nile Riordon Smith, Master Mariner - 1829

William Brinksmead, Master Mariner - 1829

Philip Guy, Master Mariner - 1829

Captain William Chappell, Master Mariner - 1833

Thomas Tuckfield - 1834

Thomas Chappell - 1834

Henry Popham - 1834

Thomas Burnard, Hon.Secretary, North Devon Humane Society - 1834

Thomas Day, Coxswain (Bideford) - 1836

Thomas Burnard, Hon.Secretary, North Devon Humane Society - 1840 (Second-Service Clasp)

Captain Joshua Williams, Coxswain (Bideford) - 1846

Captain John Marshall - 1850

Captain Joshua Williams - 1850 (Second-Service Clasp)

Joseph Cox (Snr), Coxswain (Appledore) - 1861

Captain Thomas Jones of the Steam Tug 'Ely' - 1866

Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Second-Service Clasp) - 1869

Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Third-Service Clasp) - 1869

Joseph Cox Jnr , Second Coxswain - 1869

John Moulton Kelly, crew member - 1869

James Harvey Smallridge, Coxswain (Braunton) - 1872

James Harvey Smallridge, Coxswain (Braunton) - 1891 (Second-Service Clasp)

Joseph Cox Jnr, Coxswain (Appledore) - 1891 (Second-Service Clasp)

Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1963

• Silver Cross of Merit awarded by The Emperor of Austria

Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Second, Third Clasp) - 1869

Joseph Cox Jnr , Second Coxswain - 1869

John Moulton Kelly, crew member - 1869

• Silver Medal awarded by The Spanish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked

Coxswain - 1949

• RNLI Bronze Medal

George Henry Eastman Pow, Second Coxswain - 1935

Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1944

Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1950 (Second-Service Clasp)

John Richard Bowden, Second Coxswain - 1964

John William Pavitt, Helmsman - 1986

Michael Bowden, Coxswain - 1995

Gary Stanbury, Helmsman - 2005

• The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2005
  (for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year)

Gary Stanbury, Helmsman - 2005

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1959

Dr D F Valentine - 1971

John William Pavitt, crew member - 1971

• Diplomas awarded by The Spanish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked

Each of the crew - 1949

• Wrist Watch

Robert Cann, aged 10 - 1956

• Names added to the Book of Valour of the British Medical Association

Dr Brook - 1966

Dr Ruddock - 1966

Description

The lifeboat station from the west

The lifeboat station is situated in Jubilee Road. At ground level, facing a slipway, is covered accommodation for the ILB, boarding boat and their tractors.

Area of operation

The RNLI aims to reach any casualty up to 50 miles (80 km) from its stations, and within two hours in good weather. To do this the Tamar class lifeboat ^[8] has an operating range of 250 nautical miles (460 km) and a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h). ^[9] Appledore is situated on the estuary of the rivers Taw and Torridge near the north Devon coast. Adjacent lifeboats are at Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station to the North, and Clovelly Lifeboat Station to the South. ^[10]

Current fleet

Mollie Hunt

• 16-16 Mollie Hunt Tamar-class AWB ^[11]
• B-861 Glanely Atlantic 85 B Class ILB
• BB-060 inflatable boarding boat ^[10]

Appledore lifeboats

ON is the Official Number used in RNLI records from 1884.
Op. No. is the Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Appledore and Watertown Stations

At station	Name	Built	Class	Comments
1825–1858	Volunteer	1825	Norfolk and Suffolk	17 ft (5.2 m) boat. [12] [13]
1831–1848	Assistance	1831	Norfolk and Suffolk	26 ft (7.9 m) boat. Transferred to Braunton Burrows in 1848. [12] [13]
1847–1851	Petrel	1847	Whale Boat	28 ft 2 in (8.59 m) boat with 10 oars but rebuilt with 12 oars in 1851. Believed transferred to Northam Burrows around 1851. [14] [13]

Appledore (Braunton Burrows)

At station	ON	Name	Built	Class	Comments
1848–1857	–	Assistance	1831	Norfolk and Suffolk	26 ft (7.9 m) boat. [12] [13]
1857–1866	–	Dolphin	1857	Peake	28 ft (8.5 m) boat. [14] [13]
1866–1881	–	George and Catherine	1866	Peake	32 ft (9.8 m) boat with 10 oars. [13]
1881–1902	213	Robert and Catherine	1881	Standard self righter	34 ft 8 in (10.57 m) boat. [15]
1902–1912	485	Robert and Catherine	1902	Rubi	34 ft (10 m) boat. Capsized 21 December 1911. Sold in 1934 and broken up in 2001. [15]
1912–1919	632	Robert and Catherine	1912	Self righter	36 ft (11 m) boat. [15]

Appledore (Northam Burrows)

At station	ON	Name	Built	Class	Comments
1851–1852	–	Petrel	1847	Whale boat	28 ft 2 in (8.59 m) boat. [13]
1856–1862	–	Mermaid	1856	Peake	28 ft (8.5 m) boat. [13]
1862–1890	–	Hope	1862	Peake	34 ft (10 m) boat. [13]
1870–1875	–	Mary Ann	1870	Standard self righter	30 ft (9.1 m) boat. [13]
1875–1885	–	Mary Ann	1867	Standard Self righter	30 ft (9.1 m) boat. [13]
1885–1889	175	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1885	Standard self righter	34 ft 2 in (10.41 m) boat. Transferred to Appledore in 1889. [15]
1891–1897	323	Bessie Pearce	1891	Standard self righter	34 ft 1 in (10.39 m) boat. [15]

Appledore Lifeboat Station

At station [16]	ON	Op. No.	Name	Built	Class	Comments
1889–1907	175	–	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1885	Standard self righter	34 ft 2 in (10.41 m) boat. [15]
1907–1910	348	–	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1893	Standard self righter	35 ft (11 m) boat. [15]
1910–1922	611	–	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1910	Standard self righter	35 ft (11 m) boat. Sold 1939. Dunkirk little ship. [17] [18] [15]
1922–1938	675	–	V.C.S.	1922	Self righter	40 ft (12 m) motor lifeboat. Sold 1945. [18] [15]
1938–1962	815	–	Violet Armstrong	1938	Watson	46 ft (14 m) motor lifeboat specially modified for the shallow waters at Appledore. Sold 1962; reported in 2001 working as a pleasure boat in Bristol. [18] [15]
1962–1986	965	–	Louisa Ann Hawker	1962	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold, reported in 2008 working as a pleasure boat in Sarawak. [19] [15]
1986–1987	958	–	Laura Moncur	1961	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold, reported in 2008 working as pleasure boat Chizz at Lowestoft. [15]
1987–1988	950	–	Kathleen Mary	1959	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold, reported in 2007 working as pleasure boat Katie May at Peterhead. [15]
1988–2010	1140	47-027	George Gibson	1988	Tyne	[15]
2010–	1296	16-16	Mollie Hunt	2010	Tamar	[15]

Inshore lifeboats

At station	Op. No.	Name	Class	Comments
1972–1973	B-500	Unnamed	B-class (Atlantic 21)	The RNLI's first B-class lifeboat. [20]
1974–1986	B-520	Wildenrath Wizzer	B-class (Atlantic 21)	[20]
1986–1997	B-565	Manchester and District XXXII	B-class (Atlantic 21)	[20]
1997	B-705	Vera Skilton	B-class (Atlantic 75)	[20]
1997–2012	B-742	Douglas Paley	B-class (Atlantic 75)	[20]
2012–	B-861	Glanely	B-class (Atlantic 85)	[20]

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

References

1. "Appledore Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Appledore station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
2. Leach, Nicholas (2009). Devon's Lifeboat Heritage. Chacewater: Twelveheads Press. pp. 39–44. ISBN   978-0-906294-72-7.
3. Leach, Nicholas (2009). pp. 42–43.
4. "Tyne Class Lifeboats". List of RNLI Tyne class Lifeboats with service dates and Details including George Gibson. navynuts.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
5. Leach, Nicholas (2009). pp. 43–44.
6. "Appledore's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
7. Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0 907605 89 3.
8. "Tamar-class 16.25-metre Lifeboat". List of Tamar-class lifeboats. Lifeboat World On-Line© 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
9. Wake-Walker, Edward (2008). The Lifeboats Story. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. pp. 69–70. ISBN   978-0-7509-4858-6.
10. Denton, Tony (2009). Handbook 2009. Shrewsbury: Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 68.
11. "Appledore Fleet". RNLI. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
12. Leach 2009, p. 39.
13. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
14. Leach 2009, p. 40.
15. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–58.
16. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
17. "Historic Devon lifeboat is coming home for major restoration project". 3 June 2020.
18. Leach 2009, p. 41.
19. Leach 2009, p. 42.
20. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 65–88.

External links

• Official station website
• RNLI station information