Barrow Lifeboat Station

Last updated

Barrow Lifeboat Station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
Life Boat Station on Roa Island - geograph.org.uk - 1919035.jpg
Barrow Lifeboat Station
Cumbria UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Barrow in Furness
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationPiel Street
AddressRoa Island
Town or city Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0QQ
Country England
Coordinates 54°04′21.7″N3°10′24.3″W / 54.072694°N 3.173417°W / 54.072694; -3.173417
Opened1864
Owner Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution

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. [1]

Contents

The station currently operates a slipway launched Tamar-class All-weather lifeboat, 16-08 Grace Dixon (ON 1288), and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Raymond and Dorothy Billingham (D-866). [2]

History

In April 1864, Barrow industrialist James Ramsden, and Capt. L. Barstow, RN, Inspecting Commander of Coastguard, wrote to the RNLI requesting that a lifeboat be stationed at Barrow. With the additional offer of local funding, a new station was agreed. [3]

A station was built on Roa Island, the island having been joined to the mainland with the construction of a causeway in 1846. It is located 2.5 miles south of Barrow, overlooking Piel Channel, the entrance to the Port of Barrow, with easy access to the Irish Sea. The station was named as Piel (Barrow) Lifeboat Station. [1]

The first boat supplied to the station had previously served at Berwick-upon-Tweed, and was a 30-foot self-righting pulling & sailing type lifeboat. For Barrow, it was modified to be a 12-oared boat, and extended to 36-feet, at a cost of over £200, funded by Mr. W. Bishop and Mr. R. Affleck of Manchester, and a group of commercial travellers. The boat arrived on Roa Island on 7 December 1864.
Funds were raised locally for a new brick built boathouse, costing £239 14s 3d, which was designed by RNLI Consulting Architect Mr. C. H. Cooke, and built by William Gradwell. The boathouse was opened in a ceremony on 28 July 1865, and the boat was named Commercial Traveller No.1.
James Ramsden, Company Secretary — and soon to be Managing Director — of the Furness Railway Company, was appointed Honorary Secretary. [3]

In 1878, the name of the boat was changed to William Birkitt, in acknowledgment of the legacy of Mr William Birkitt of Newton in Cartmel. A replacement lifeboat boat later assigned to Piel (Barrow) Lifeboat station in 1887, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, was also named William Birkitt (ON 122). [2]

A new launchway was built in 1884, funded by the Furness Railway Company, followed in 1885 with a new wooden boathouse. This proved a great success, with reports of the lifeboat being able to be launched in 6 minutes.
However, then ensued a period of location and relocation.
In 1889, after the arrival of the slightly larger 38-foot William Birkitt (ON 122), the RNLI Inspector recommended that the lifeboat be relocated to moorings at the harbour yard in Barrow. This station was named Barrow Lifeboat Station. However, it was soon noted that the boat's hull was being fouled by worms, and also that the crew often ended up getting soaked, even before their struggle to board the moored lifeboat. In 1892, the boat was brought ashore, and housed in the same wooden boathouse, which was relocated from Roa Island. A 150-foot long slipway was initially constructed, and then extended back to the boathouse in 1894. [3]

Circumstances were still not satisfactory, and much discussion was held regarding the return to Roa Island, with improved crew availability, and its location being better suited, as considered back in 1864. The RNLI then placed a second lifeboat at Peel (Barrow) Lifeboat Station on Roa Island in 1898, the Thomas Fielden (ON 300), again moored afloat. But problems persisted with boarding the moored boat, which proved impossible in bad conditions. The Thomas Fielden was then housed at the Old Watch House. [3]

The William Birkitt (ON 122) was retired in 1899, and Barrow Lifeboat Station closed. The wooden boathouse was removed from Barrow, and relocated back at Roa Island in 1900. [1]

Problems still persisted. A new larger boat was provided in 1901, this being a second boat named Thomas Fielden (ON 462), but the size and weight made launching difficult. A trolley system was devised for launching the boat down the slipway. A high tide surge brought water 5-feet into the boathouse, so the wooden boathouse was moved yet again, this time higher and further from the water, with the slipway extended. [3]

Thomas Fielden (ON 462) served until 1927, when she was replaced by a motor-powered lifeboat, a 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, the N. T. with two 40 hp engines giving a speed of 8kts. She was built by J.Samuel White of Cowes, and cost £10, 826.
The wooden boathouse was no longer big enough, so a new boathouse was built on a specially built pier, located at the end of Piel street. The 393 ft 6 in roller-slipway was the longest at any RNLI station. At a cost of £14,000, the new boathouse and slipway were opened in September 1929. [3]

In 1935, the name of Piel (Barrow) Lifeboat Station was formally changed to be Barrow Lifeboat Station. [1]

The RNLI introduced the small fast inshore lifeboats in 1963, and Barrow received one of the first ones, a D-class (RFD PB16) (D-15), on 11 April 1964. She was first used on service just 9 days later. [2]

In the 1990s, the RNLI were looking for a replacement for the Tyne-class lifeboat, such as 47-014 James Bibby (ON 1117), which had been assigned to Barrow in 1986. Another new boathouse would be required for these new fast-slipway Tamar-class lifeboats. Demolition of the 1929 boathouse started in January 1999, with the new pier, boathouse and slipway being completed at a cost of £3million, and formally handed over to the RNLI in July 2001. James Bibby was relieved from service at Barrow in 2008, handing over to the Tamar-class lifeboat 16-08 Grace Dixon (ON 1288). [2]

Station Honours

The following are awards made at Barrow [1] [4]

Eb Charnley, Coxswain – 1937
James Orr Moore, Motor Mechanic – 1943
Frank Moore, Assistant Mechanic – 1943
Roland Moore, Coxswain – 1958
Barrow Lifeboat Crew – 1937
Roland Moore, Coxswain – 1952
Robert Charnley, Coxswain – 1974
Ernie Diamond, Second Coxswain – 1974
Frank Moore, Motor Mechanic – 1974
Albert Benson, Assistant Mechanic – 1974
Peter Charnley, crew member – 1974
Thomas Keenan, crew member – 1974
Paul Cochrane, crew member – 1974
Anthony Barber, crew member – 1974
Alexander Moore, Coxswain – 2003
James Ramsden – 1872
Terence Downing – 1988 [5]
Alexander Moore, Coxswain – 2006 [6]
Group Captain John William Green – 2010 [7]
Roland Moore – 1970 [8]
Frank Moore, Motor Mechanic – 1979 [9]

Barrow lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON [lower-alpha 1] Op.No. [lower-alpha 2] NameIn service [2] ClassComments
Commercial Traveller No.1,
William Birkitt
1864−188736' Self-righting (P&S) (12-oared) [Note 1]
122William Birkitt1887−189938' Self-righting (P&S)
300Thomas Fielden1898−190139' Self-righting (P&S)
462Thomas Fielden1901−1927 40ft Watson (P&S)
701N. T.1927−1951 45ft 6in Watson
701Herbert Leigh1951−1982 46ft 9in Watson [10]
932Howard Marryat1982−1986 46ft 9in Watson
111747-014James Bibby1986−2008 Tyne
128816-08Grace Dixon2008− Tamar

Inshore lifeboats

Op.No. [lower-alpha 2] NameIn service [2] ClassComments
D-15Unnamed1964 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-28Unnamed1964 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-43Unnamed1965−1972 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-198Unnamed1972−1986 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-318Modeller 11986−1993 D-class (EA16)
D-443Modeller II1993−2001 D-class (EA16)
D-567Spirit of Tamworth2001−2010 D-class (IB1)
D-733Vision of Tamworth2010−2022 D-class (IB1)
D-866Raymond and Dorothy Billingham2022− D-class (IB1)
  1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Notes

  1. Renamed William Birkitt in 1878

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station, England

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station is a RNLI base in Norfolk, England. There were originally two separate stations at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston – two coastal towns either side of the River Yare. These were merged in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheringham Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station on the East coast of England

Sheringham Lifeboat Station is an RNLI operated lifeboat station located in the town of Sheringham in the English county of Norfolk. Since 1992, the station has been inshore operations only - currently with an Atlantic 85 rigid inflatable - offshore lifeboats are to the east at Cromer and the west at Wells-next-the-sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cromer Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Norfolk, England

Cromer Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Cromer in the English county of Norfolk. The station operates two lifeboats – one for inshore work and the other for offshore work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mumbles Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

The Mumbles Lifeboat Station opened in 1835 with a lifeboat that was funded and managed by Swansea Harbour Trustees and was known as Swansea Lifeboat Station. The station was taken over by the RNLI in 1863 and moved to Mumbles in 1866. The station only officially became The Mumbles Lifeboat Station in 1904.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England

The Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angle Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales

Angle Lifeboat Station, Angle, Pembrokeshire, Wales, first opened in 1868 after a request from the local Coastguard for a lifeboat station to be opened within the Milford Haven Waterway. Originally called Milford Lifeboat Station, in 1892 the name was officially changed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weymouth Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station on the South coast of England, UK

Weymouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Weymouth in Dorset, England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869. Since 2002 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and an Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Sennen Cove, United Kingdom

Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations for the sea around Land's End, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed at Sennen Cove in 1853. Since 2009 it has operated a Tamar-class all weather boat (ALB) and a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torbay Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Devon, England

Torbay Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Brixham, Devon in England. Brixham Lifeboat Station was opened in 1866 but since 1924 has been known as 'Torbay'. Since 2005 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) together with a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in West Sussex, England

Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in the English county of West Sussex. It underwent extensive re-development in 2010 with a new purpose built boathall to accommodate its new Tamar-class all-weather lifeboat (AWB). It operates two lifeboats, the Tamar-class Enid Collett and the D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Joan Woodland (D-784).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Davids Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

St Davids Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station. It was opened in 1869 and to date has been involved in saving over 360 lives at sea in more than 420 launches. The station operates both an all-weather (ALB) and an inshore (ILB) lifeboat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holyhead Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Anglesey, Wales

Holyhead Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the coastal town of Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales. It is one of the three oldest lifeboat stations situated on the North Wales coast, a disused building of which houses the Holyhead Maritime Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moelfre Lifeboat Station</span>

Moelfre Lifeboat Station is located in the village of Moelfre, Anglesey. A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1848 by the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales

Barmouth Lifeboat Station is located in Barmouth, a town at the mouth of the Afon Mawddach river in Gwynedd, Wales. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swanage Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Dorset, England

Swanage Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located on Peveril Point in the town of Swanage in Dorset, England. It operates two lifeboats, the Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat 13-13 George Thomas Lacy and the D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB) Roy Norgrove (D-884).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramsey Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI lifeboat station on the Isle of Man

Ramsey Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Ramsey in the Isle of Man. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1829.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackpool Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Lancashire, England

Blackpool Lifeboat Station is located in-between the North and Central Piers on the promenade in the town of Blackpool in Lancashire. A lifeboat was first stationed in Blackpool by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1864.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoylake Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Merseyside, England

Hoylake Lifeboat Station is located on the North Parade promenade in the town of Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside. A lifeboat was first stationed at Hoylake by the Liverpool Dock Trustees in 1803. The station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleetwood Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Lancashire, England

Fleetwood Lifeboat Station is located on The Esplanade at the port of Fleetwood, a Lancashire town at the north end of The Fylde, situated at the mouth of the River Wyre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stromness Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Scotland

Stromness Lifeboat Station is located in the harbour town of Stromness, the second largest town of Mainland, Orkney, in the isles of Orkney, Scotland.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Barrow's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Morris, Jeff (2003). The History of the Barrow Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–46.
  4. Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0 907605 89 3.
  5. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  6. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  7. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  8. "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  9. "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  10. "Herbert Leigh". National Historic Ships. Retrieved 29 February 2024.