The station currently operates a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-12 Edna Windsor (ON 1230), on station since 1998.[3]
History
For many years, the only lifeboat serving the Outer Hebrides was the boat based at the Stornoway station, established in 1887. Following an increasing number of wrecks and loss of life in the area, at a meeting of the RNLI management committee on 16 July 1931, it was agreed that a new station be established at the opposite end of the islands, at Castlebay, to be known as Barra Island Lifeboat Station.[4]
An eight-year-old 45ft Watson-class lifeboat was renamed 684 RM (ON 684), and placed on service at Barra Island in September 1931. The lifeboat had previously been named John R. Webb at Tenby, but they retained the name for their new boat.[3]
On 31 March 1932, the lifeboat mechanic at Barra Island witnessed the steam trawlerEamont, of Fleetwood, hit a submerged rock as she headed to Castlebay. The lifeboat 684 RM was launched, and took off one of the crew who was injured. She then stood by as the vessel was refloated.[5]
In 1932, a new boat was ready for Barra Island. This would be a 51-foot Barnett-class lifeboat, costing £9,443, and capable of 184 miles at top speed. It was decided to name the boat Lloyd's (ON 754) in recognition of the longstanding support of Lloyd's of London to the RNLI. In 1802, on the proposal of its Chairman, John Julius Angerstein, £2000 had been provided and 26 lifeboats built, and there were 39 on station when the Institution was founded as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck in 1824. The Institution had received £9000 in the preceding five years to 1932.[6]
Relief 45ft Watson-class lifeboat Duke of Connaught (ON 668) was launched at 9:00 on Sunday 5 September 1943 to the 9000-ton steamship SS Urlana, with a crew of 40 men, which had run aground 40 miles (64km) away at Idrigill Point, on convoy passage to London from Buenos Aires. The crew of the Urlana has set about a transfer to the Thurland Castle, another steamship from the same convoy, which was standing by, and the lifeboat arrived at 14:15 to find the last 15 men in their own motor-powered ship's boat. At that point, the ship's boat's engine failed, and the lifeboat managed to set up a tow, before the boat was dashed on the rocks, and the 15 men were transferred safely to the Thurland Castle. Conditions too difficult to head for home, the lifeboat set out for Carbost, Loch Harport, overcoming their own engine problems en route. The lifeboat finally returned to Castlebay at 16:00 on Tuesday 7 September. Coxswain Murdo Sinclair received the RNLI Silver Medal, with monetary awards to the crew.[7][8][9]
In 1955, the RNLI would receive one of the largest bequests received to date. Mrs E. M. M. Gordon Cubbin, late of the Isle of Man, left sufficient funds to provide four lifeboats, each costing in excess of £30,000. Two 46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboats were to be stationed at Douglas and Port St Mary, and two larger 52-foot Barnett-class lifeboats were for Mallaig and Barra Island. Barra Island received the lifeboat R. A. Colby Cubbon No.3 (ON 935) in 1957.[10]
On Sunday 18 November 1979, both the Islay lifeboat, 50-002 Helmut Schroder of Dunlossit (ON 1032), and the Barra Island lifeboat, R. A. Colby Cubbon No.3 (ON 935), were launched just after midnight, to the aid of the Danish coasterLone Dania, listing badly 6 miles (9.7km) north west of Skerryvore Lighthouse, after her cargo had shifted in terrible condition. The wind strength varied from strong gale, force 9, to violent storm and hurricane, force 11 to 12, and gusts of up to 65 knots were recorded at nearby airports. At 01:43, The Islay lifeboat was capsized. The lifeboat self-righted, and the crew were OK, with just the odd minor injury, but the boat had engine problems, a failed radar and windscreen wipers, and it was decided to return to port.[2]
At 03:46, with the boat under full speed, the Barra Island lifeboat also capsized. Self-righting by virtue of an inflatable air-bag, the boat was upright almost immediately, but had suffered worse damage. She had windows smashed, and the propellers had been fouled by the lines from the drogue and couldn't be freed. The crew had suffered a few injuries, but were otherwise safe. Another coaster, Sapphire, which had also been heading to the Lone Dania, changed course, and the Barra Island lifeboat was towed back to port. The Lone Dania later made port under escort with another coaster. Coxswain Alastair Campbell of Islay lifeboat said they were the worst conditions he had encountered in 17 years as a lifeboatman, and in his previous career as a merchant seaman.[11]
A new boat store was constructed in 1991, with workshop, kit-room and crew facilities, followed in 1994 by a 'Schat' launching davit for the boarding boat, and in October 1998, an alongside berth was constructed.[2]
Severn-class lifeboat 17-12 Edna Windsor (ON 1230)
Barra Island station would receive a new Severn-class lifeboat on Saturday 13 June 1998. She was funded by the generous bequest of Edna Windsor, who died in Malaysia in 1993, along with further legacies from Elizabeth Robertson Brechin, Irene Isabel Seaman, Evelyn Mary Stonehouse and Elsie Taylor. At a ceremony on 24 April 1999, Brenda MacInnes, granddaughter of Murdo Sinclair, Barra Island's first Coxswain, named the lifeboat 17-12 Edna Windsor (ON 1230).[2][3][12]
In 2023, it was announced that the Barra Island lifeboat station would receive an upgrade of facilities.[13]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Barra Island[2][7]
Blyth Lifeboat Station is located at the Port and seaside town of Blyth, in the south east corner of the county of Northumberland, approx. 13 miles (21 km) north of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station is located at the end of Beach Road, about 1 mi (1.6 km) north of the town of Wells-next-the-Sea, on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk.
The Mumbles Lifeboat Station is at Mumbles Pier, located at the south-western corner of Swansea Bay, near the village of Mumbles, within the city and county of Swansea, in the historic county of Glamorgan, Wales.
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Aldeburgh in the English county of Suffolk.
Pwllheli Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Pwllheli, which sits on the Llŷn Peninsula, in the historic county of Gwynedd, Wales.
Bridlington Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station based in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Having been instituted in 1805, it is the oldest working RNLI lifeboat location in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Plymouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Plymouth in England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the city in the early 1800s. The station moved to its present site at Millbay Docks in 1992, a Grade II-listed three-storey tower. Since 2003 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather boat (ALB) along with an B-class Atlantic inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Barrow Lifeboat Station is located on Roa Island, near the town of Barrow in Furness, formerly part of Lancashire, but now in Cumbria. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1864.
Thurso Lifeboat Station is located at Scrabster Harbour, in the NE corner of Scotland, near the town of Thurso, Highland, in the historic county of Caithness. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1860.
Aith Lifeboat Station is located at the village of Aith, on the island of Shetland, and is the most northerly of the 238 Royal National Lifeboat Institution Lifeboat Stations. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the RNLI in 1933.
Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station is located on Hastings Avenue, in the seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea, on the Tendring peninsular, in the county of Essex.
Wick Lifeboat Station is located at the harbour town and royal burgh of Wick, Highland, in the NE corner of Scotland, in the historic county of Caithness.
Stromness Lifeboat Station is located in the harbour town of Stromness, the second largest town of Mainland, Orkney, in the isles of Orkney, Scotland.
Lerwick Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Lerwick, the main town and port of the Shetland Islands.
Amble Lifeboat Station is located at Radcliffe Quay, Warkworth Harbour, in the town of Amble, at the mouth of the River Coquet, in the county of Northumberland.
St Helier Lifeboat Station is located at St Helier, capital of the Bailiwick of Jersey, and main port of the island of Jersey, a self-governing British Crown Dependency and largest of the Channel Islands.
Courtmacsherry Harbour Lifeboat Station is located on Sea Road, in the village of Courtmacsherry, County Cork, on the southern shore of the Argideen River estuary, approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) south west of Cork, on the south coast of Ireland.
Stornoway Lifeboat Station is located at Stornoway, a harbour town on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, part of the Outer Hebrides, an archipelago sitting off the north-west coast of Scotland.
Mallaig Lifeboat Station is located at Harbour Road in Mallaig, a harbour town at the top of the north Morar peninsula, on the north-west coast of Scotland.
Islay Lifeboat Station is located in the harbour village of Port Askaig, which sits on the Sound of Islay, in the north east corner of the Isle of Islay, off the north-west coast of Scotland.
References
↑ "NL6698-NL6798 - AA". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
1 2 Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN0907605893.
↑ Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1990). The Empire Ships (Seconded.). London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. p.22. ISBN1-85044-275-4.
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Royal National Lifeboat Institution 
