Civil Service lifeboats are a group of lifeboats belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which have been funded by The Lifeboat Fund. They usually have the Civil Service designation and number included in the name, such as RNLB E-001 Public Servant (Civil Service No. 44), which was on service at Tower lifeboat station on the Thames between 2002 and 2012.
Since it was formed, The Lifeboat Fund has donated over £26 million to the RNLI, making it the most regular and significant donor for the institution. Civil servants across the UK organise fundraising collections and promote the lifesaving work of the RNLI. All money raised by the fund goes directly to support the RNLI.
The Lifeboat Fund is an official charity, formerly CISPOTEL, established in 1866 by civil servants, and is run by the Civil Service. It raises funds through donations from both serving and retired employees, from Royal Mail and BT staff, and from legacies.
In addition to providing (so far) 55 lifeboats of all different class types, the money is also put towards training, purchasing kit, and refurbishing lifeboat stations, most recently providing a £400,000 contribution to the new Tower lifeboat station and pontoon on the Thames. [1] [2]
The first 29 lifeboats share the designation (Civil Service) and numbers 1–11. When a boat was replaced, the new boat would receive the number from the previous boat, and often carry the same name. In the 1950s, this was changed, so that the boats were consecutively numbered, starting with Greater London II (Civil Service No. 30).
ON [a] | Op. No. [b] | Name | C.S.No. [3] | Class | In service [4] | Station | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– | – | Civil Service | (No. 1) | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1866–1878 | Wexford | [Note 1] |
301 | – | Civil Service No. 1 | No. 1 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1878–1897 | Wexford No. 2 | [Note 2] |
415 | – | Civil Service No. 1 | No. 1 | 40-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1898–1925 | Margate No. 2 | |
688 | – | The Lord Southborough | No. 1 | 45ft Watson | 1925–1951 1951–1955 | Margate Relief fleet | |
– | – | Charles Dibdin | No. 2 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1875–1888 | Tynemouth | [5] |
204 | – | Charles Dibdin | No. 2 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1889–1905 | Tynemouth | |
552 | – | Charles Dibdin | No. 2 | 43-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1905–1932 | North Deal | |
762 | – | Charles Dibdin | No. 2 | 41ft Watson | 1933–1959 | Walmer | |
284 | – | Civil Service No. 3 | No. 3 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1877–1899 | Portpatrick | |
437 | – | Civil Service No. 3 | No. 3 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1900–1922 1922–1924 1924–1926 1926–1927 | Portpatrick Relief fleet Montrose Relief fleet | |
704 | – | Greater London | No. 3 | Ramsgate | 1928–1941 1941–1943 1943–1945 1945–1955 1955–1957 | Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet Yarmouth Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet | |
34 | – | Civil Service No. 4 | No. 4 | 40-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1884–1895 | Walmer | [Note 3] |
394 | – | Civil Service No. 4 | No. 4 | 40-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1897–1912 | Walmer | [Note 4] |
756 | – | Civil Service No. 4 | No. 4 | 35ft 6in Self-righting motor | 1932–1948 | Whitehills | [Note 5] |
867 | – | Lady Scott | No. 4 | 46ft 9in Watson | 1949–1981 1981–1986 | Portrush Relief fleet | |
80 | – | Civil Service No. 5 | No. 5 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1886–1905 | Maryport | |
544 | – | Civil Service No. 5 | No. 5 | 38ft Watson | 1905–1931 | Maryport | |
753 | – | Civil Service No. 5 | No. 5 | 45ft 6in Watson | 1932–1950 1950–1956 1956–1958 | Donaghadee Port St Mary Relief fleet | |
273 | – | Civil Service No. 6 | No. 6 | 42-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1890–1895 | Douglas No. 2 | [Note 6] |
384 | – | Civil Service No. 6 | No. 6 | 42-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1896–1924 | Douglas | |
784 | – | Civil Service No. 6, Swn-Y-Mor | No. 6 | 46ft Watson | 1936–1963 1964–1967 1967–1972 | St Davids Eyemouth Relief fleet | |
289 | – | Civil Service No. 7 | No. 7 | 42-foot Self-righting (P&S) | 1890–1895 | Kingstown No. 2 | [Note 7] |
409 | – | Dunleary | No. 7 | 45ft Watson | 1898–1913 | Kingstown No. 2 | |
658 | – | Dunleary | No. 7 | 45ft Watson | 1919–1938 1938–1939 | Kingstown Relief fleet | [Note 8] |
828 | – | The Princess Royal | No. 7 | 46ft Watson | 1939–1968 1968–1969 1969–1976 | Hartlepool Humber No. 2 Relief fleet | |
853 | – | Winston Churchill | No. 8 | 46ft 9in Watson | 1948–1979 1979–1982 | Blyth Relief fleet | |
884 | – | St Cybi | No. 9 | Barnett | 1950–1980 1981–1986 | Holyhead Relief fleet | |
897 | – | St. Andrew | No. 10 | 41ft Watson | 1952–1959 1959–1961 1961–1968 1968–1973 1973–1976 1976–1977 1977–1982 | Whitehills Relief fleet Girvan Arklow Relief fleet Girvan Relief fleet | |
888 | – | North Foreland | No. 11 | 46ft 9in Watson | 1951–1978 1978–1981 | Margate Relief fleet | |
921 | – | Greater London II | No. 30 | 46ft 9in Watson | 1955–1976 1977–1989 | Southend-on-Sea Beaumaris | |
920 | – | Dunnet Head | No. 31 | 47ft Watson | 1956 | Thurso | [Note 9] |
940 | – | Pentland | No. 31 | 47ft Watson | 1957–1970 1970–1974 1974–1985 1986–1990 | Thurso Relief fleet The Mumbles Workington | [Note 10] |
948 | – | Charles Dibdin | No. 32 | 42ft Watson | 1959–1975 1975–1977 1977–1979 1979–1982 1982–1988 | Walmer Relief fleet Eastbourne Aldeburgh Relief fleet | |
952 | – | Duke of Cornwall | No. 33 | Barnett | 1960–1984 1984 1984–1989 | Lizard-Cadgwith Padstow Relief fleet | |
971 | – | Joseph Soar | No. 34 | 47ft Watson | 1963–1985 1986–1988 1988–1990 | St Davids Dunbar Shoreham Harbour | |
987 | 70-001 | Charles H. Barrett | No. 35 | Clyde | 1966–1968 1968–1975 1975–1988 | Trials Clovelly Relief fleet | |
1026 | 44-008 | Eric Seal | No. 36 | Waveney | 1974–1996 | Eyemouth | Eric Seal |
1037 | 54-03 | Edward Bridges | No. 37 | Arun | 1975–1994 | Torbay | |
1046 | 37-33 | Silver Jubilee | No. 38 | Rother | 1978–1991 1991–1993 | Margate Relief fleet | |
– | B-527 | Percy Garon | No Number | B-class (Atlantic 21) | 1976–1986 1986–1996 1996 1996–1998 1998 | Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet Red Bay Relief fleet Arran (Lamlash) | [Note 11] [6] |
1070 | 52-16 | Richard Evans | No. 39 | Arun | 1981–2000 2000–2003 | Portrush Relief fleet | |
1095 | 47-004 | St Cybi II | No. 40 | Tyne | 1985–1997 1997–2006 | Holyhead Relief fleet | |
1167 | 12-009 | The Princess Royal | No. 41 | Mersey | 1990–2015 2015–2016 | St Ives Relief fleet | |
1204 | 14-06 | Windsor Runner | No. 42 | Trent | 1995–2004 2004–2008 2008 2008– | Blyth Relief fleet Dunbar Relief fleet | |
1237 | 17-17 | Fraser Flyer | No. 43 | Severn | 1999– | Relief fleet | |
– | E-001 | Public Servant | No. 44 | E-class Mk1 | 2002–2012 | Tower | |
– | H-003 | The Hunstanton Flyer | No. 45 | Hovercraft | 2003– | Hunstanton | |
– | D-654 | Angel of Holyhead | No. 46 | D-class (IB1) | 2005–2016 2017– | Holyhead Boarding Boat (BB-654) | |
– | D-655 | Guardian Angel | No. 47 | D-class (IB1) | 2005–2015 2015– | Relief fleet Training | |
– | B-806 | Mudeford Servant | No. 48 | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2006–2024 | Mudeford | |
– | D-697 | Stranraer Saviour | No. 49 | D-class (IB1) | 2008–2019 2019– | Stranraer Boarding Boat (BB-697) | |
– | B-826 | Sgt. Bob Martin | No. 50 | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2008– | Poole | |
– | B-837 | Charles Dibdin | No. 51 | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2009– | New Brighton | |
– | D-738 | David Roulston | No. 52 | D-class (IB1) | 2010–2022 2022– | Portrush Relief fleet | |
1353 | 13-46 | Duke of Edinburgh | No. 53 | Shannon | 2023– | Wells-next-the-Sea | |
– | D-868 | Mr Eric Sharpe | No. 54 | D-class (IB1) | 2022– | Cromer | [7] |
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways.
Teddington Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station in Teddington, in west London, on the River Thames. It is one of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)'s newest lifeboat stations and is also one of the first to cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea. Teddington Lock is the highest tidal point on the Thames.
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 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.
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Aldeburgh, in the English county of Suffolk.
Southwold Lifeboat Station is an RNLI operated lifeboat station located in the town of Southwold in the English county of Suffolk.
Royal National Life Boat Lord Southborough , was a Watson Class motor lifeboat of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) fleet, which was stationed at Margate in the English county of Kent in the United Kingdom from 1925 to 1951. From 1951 she served in the RNLI Relief Fleet.
Margate Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in Margate in the English county of Kent. The station is over 160 years old. Its crews have earned a number of gallantry awards, including five silver and 1 bronze RNLI medals for bravery.
Sheerness Lifeboat Station is an Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in the English county of Kent. The station is on the north coast of the county, strategically placed at Garrison Point at the mouth of the River Medway and close the busy Thames estuary. The RNLI first stationed a lifeboat here in 1969.
Happisburgh Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Inshore lifeboat station close to the village of Happisburgh in the English county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom. Since 2003 the station boathouse has been re-located from the village to an area south called Cart Gap. This is because the beach below Happisburgh disappeared due to coastal erosion and the stations slipway and access was washed away. The original boathouse in the village is now used for training.
Eastbourne Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the town of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Founded two years before the RNLI was established, the station has operated continuously since 1822, and its lifeboats have been responsible for saving over 700 lives.
Ramsey Lifeboat Station is located on Queens Promenade, in the town of Ramsey, in the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency.
Peel Lifeboat Station is located in the shadow of Peel Castle on St Patrick's Isle, in the town of Peel, in the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency.
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.
Grimsby Lifeboat Station was located at the Port of Grimsby, in the county of Lincolnshire.
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.
Alnmouth Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station, which was located at the village of Alnmouth, near the town of Alnwick, in the county of Northumberland.
Cullercoats Lifeboat Station is located on the north side of Cullercoats Harbour, in the town of Cullercoats, North Tyneside, in the county of Tyne and Wear.
St Bees Lifeboat Station is located at the promenade, in the village of St Bees, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of St Bees Head, the most westerly point on the coast of Cumbria.