The station currently operates a slipway launched Tamar-class All-weather lifeboat, 16-08 Grace Dixon (ON 1288), on station since 2008, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Raymond and Dorothy Billingham (D-866), on station since 2022.[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).[4]
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]
Former Barrow 46ft 9in Watson lifeboat Herbert Leigh (ON 900) on display at Barrow Dock Museum
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-foot 6in 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 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.[5]
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 withdrawn from service at Barrow in 2008, handing over to the Tamar-class lifeboat 16-08 Grace Dixon (ON 1288).[6]
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Royal National Lifeboat Institution 