Ardrossan Lifeboat Station

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Ardrossan Lifeboat Station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
Lighthouse, Ardrossan - geograph.org.uk - 5820398.jpg
Site of Ardrossan Lifeboat Station
North Ayrshire UK relief location map.jpg
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Ardrossan, North Ayrshire
General information
StatusClosed
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationWest Pier, Old Tidal Basin, Ardrossan Harbour, Ardrossan, North Ayrshire,, Scotland
Coordinates 55°38′24.7″N4°49′32.1″W / 55.640194°N 4.825583°W / 55.640194; -4.825583
Opened1807, RNLI 1869
Closed1930

Ardrossan Lifeboat Station was located on the outer west pier at the harbour at Ardrossan, a town overlooking the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran, in the county of North Ayrshire, historically Ayrshire, on the south-west coast of Scotland. [1]

Contents

A lifeboat was first stationed at Ardrossan in 1807, by the Ardrossan Lifeboat Society, the gift of Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton. Management of the station transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1869. [2]

Ardrossan Lifeboat Station closed in 1930. [3]

History

On 10 November 1831, a coastguard officer and 10 men launched the local private lifeboat, to the aid of the brig Lady Montgomerie, which sank off Saltcoats harbour. The Master, Mate and one crew man were lost, but two apprentices were rescued. Ever since its founding in 1824, the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), later to become the RNLI in 1854, would award medals for deeds of gallantry at sea, even if no lifeboats were involved. Lt. William Lyons, RN, H.M. Coastguard, was awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal. [4]

Following the report from the Inspector of Lifeboats, and with the kind co-operation of G. B. M. Beatson, late Divisional Officer of H.M. Coastguard, at the meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 4 Nov 1869, it was decided to takeover the existing Ardrossan lifeboat station. As the existing boat was an old obsolete version, a new lifeboat with carriage was provided, and a new boathouse was constructed. [2] [5]

The lifeboat, a 33-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (10) oars, and costing £277-17s-6d, along with a new transporting carriage, which cost £100-10s, were conveyed free of charge from Carlisle to Ardrossan by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company. On the 18th June 1870, the lifeboat was taken in a grand procession through the town to the outer harbour, with vessels, houses and public buildings decorated with flags, and joined by members of the lifeboat committee, Town Council, local artillery volunteers, Freemasons, and two bands. The lifeboat was then launched and demonstrated to the watching crowd. [5] [6]

The entire cost of the station, lifeboat, carriage and equipment was met by the gift of Mr. Peter Reid of London. At his request, the lifeboat was named Fair Maid of Perth. Mr Reid had previously funded the lifeboat Palmerston, stationed at Cullercoats. [5]

Just 6 months later, the lifeboat would be called for the first time. On New Years Day 1871, the lifeboat launched at 10:00 to the brig Morning Star of Dublin, driven ashore on the west side of Horse Isle, in a S.S.W. gale. The lifeboat was towed to the vessel by Steam tug, finding the crew clinging to a rock, but unable to get ashore. With the help of a line, five men were pulled through the surf to the lifeboat, although the last man managed to swim to the island, and was picked up. All six were landed at Ardrossan. [7] [8] [9]

The Fair Maid of Perth was launched to the barque Matilda Hilyard on 1 March 1880. After the rescue of her 12 crew, the lifeboat was being towed to harbour by a steam tug, when the lifeboat capsized. Two lifeboat crew, William Grier and Alexander McEwan, were lost, along with two crew members of the Matilda Hilyard, John Hickey (United States) and Vincent Luthemburger (Austria). Coxswain William Breckenridge died later of congestion of the lungs. There is no mention of the capsize and loss of life in the minutes of the RNLI committee of management of 1 April 1880. It was recorded that a replacement lifeboat was being sent to Ardrossan, and that 10 lives were recorded saved from the Matilda Hilyard. [10] [11]

In the RNLI journal 'The Lifeboat' of 1 November 1881, it was recorded of Ardrossan, that "The National Life-boat Institution has provided a new Life-boat for this place, the crew having lost confidence in the old boat, consequent on her having upset when in tow". The new lifeboat was 34-foot long, and after trials, it was reported that the crew was very happy with the new boat, with its better steering and easier rowing. Funded once again by Mr Peter Reid, the lifeboat was again named Fair Maid of Perth. [12]

At a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 10 April 1930, it was decided that Ardrossan would be one of four lifeboat stations to be closed, the others being Hope Cove, Looe and Mevagissey. [3]

The Ardrossan boathouse was built on the lighthouse (west) pier in the harbour. Now a busy terminal, nothing remains of the building. The lifeboat on station at the time of closure, James and John Young (ON 636), was transferred to the relief fleet, being sold out of service in 1939. The upturned hull of the boat can be found as a feature outside the People's Palace, Glasgow. [13]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Ardrossan. [4]

Lt. William Lyons, RN, H.M. Coastguard – 1831

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Ardrossan lifeboat. [10]

William Breckenridge, Coxswain (41), (died 28 March 1880 of congestion of the lungs)
William Grier, (53)
Alexander McEwan, (47)

Ardrossan lifeboats

Ardrossan Lifeboat Society lifeboats

ON [a] NameBuiltOn station [14] ClassComments [15]
–Unnamed18071807−c.184726-foot 6in North Country [Note 1]
Pre-262Unnamed18531853–1870 26-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
Previously at Cemlyn.
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

RNLI lifeboats

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats

ON [a] NameBuiltOn station [14] ClassComments [16]
Pre-542Fair Maid of Perth18701870−1880 33-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3]
Pre-648Fair Maid of Perth18801880−189234-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 4]
309Charles Skirrow18911892−189937-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
425 James Stevens No. 8 18991899−1913 35-foot Liverpool (P&S) [Note 6]
636James and John Young19131913−1930 35-foot Liverpool (P&S) [Note 7]
  1. 1 2 ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 26-foot 6in x 7-foot 3in (12/14-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, gift of Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton.
  2. ↑ 27-foot x 7-foot 6in (8-oared) Peake--class self-righting lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £125.
  3. ↑ 33-foot x 8-foot 2in (10-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr P. Reid of London, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £278.
  4. ↑ 34-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr P. Reid of London, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £363.
  5. ↑ 37-foot x 8-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mrs Skirrow of Hyde Park, London, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £537.
  6. ↑ 35-foot x 10-foot (12-oared) Liverpool-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr J. Stevens of Birmingham, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £544.
  7. ↑ 35-foot x 10-foot (12-oared) Liverpool-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr J. Young of Pollockshields, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London.

References

  1. ↑ "Ayrshire XVI.16 1896". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. VII (75): 306. 1 January 1870. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management". The Lifeboat. XXVIII (303): 148. September 1930. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. p. 33. ISBN   0907605893.
  5. 1 2 3 "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. VIII (79): 18–19. 1 February 1871. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  6. ↑ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. VII (78): 557. 1 November 1870. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  7. ↑ "Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution—(continued.)". The Lifeboat. VIII (82): 169–170. 1 November 1871. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  8. ↑ "Latest Shipping Intelligence". Daily News. No. 7700. London. 3 January 1871.
  9. ↑ "Disasters at Sea". Bradford Observer. Vol. 37, no. 2505. Bradford. 4 January 1871. p. 4.
  10. 1 2 "Ardrossan Lifeboat heroes to be commemorated with plaque". Ayrshire Today. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XI (117): 185. 2 August 1880. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XI (122): 416. 1 November 1881. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  13. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 40–41.
  14. 1 2 Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 14–40.
  15. ↑ Farr & Morris 1992, pp. 4, 29.
  16. ↑ Farr, Grahame; Morris, Jeff (1992). List of British Lifeboats Part 1 & 2 (Second ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–88.
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