In the late 1860s, it was decided that a lifeboat station be established on the Isle of Arran, on the west coast of Scotland. It was noted that a large number of both passenger and trading vessels were constantly passing the island, on passage to and from the River Clyde and Glasgow. Kildonan was seen as an ideal location "to meet any contingencies that might arise".[2]
A boathouse was constructed on the beach at Kildonan, and a 32-foot 10-oared self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was sent to the station. The lifeboat and launch carriage were transported to Ardrossan in early May 1870, by both the London and North Western, and Glasgow and South Western railway companies, the latter providing their services for free.[2]
In the charge of Capt. D. Robertson, RN., Assistant-Inspector of Lifeboats, the carriage and equipment were loaded aboard a steamship, and the lifeboat was towed over to Lamlash. The new crew were said to be very pleased with the boat when it was trialled on the 6th and 7th of May. The lifeboat had been funded by an anonymous 'English Lady' from Berkshire, and was named Hope at her request.[2]
Kildonan lifeboat Hope was launched on 11 February 1877, to the aid of the barqueQueen of Hearts, driven ashore at Slattery Rocks, whilst on passage from the Clyde to the United States. It was found that the majority of the crew had got ashore in the ship's boat, but one man was landed by the lifeboat. The Master and two mates remained aboard, and the vessel was later refloated and taken to Greenock.[3][4]
Hope was launched at 23:00 on 13 July 1879, to the aid of the pilot smackMarion, which had lost her jib, and was stranded on Carlin Rock. Two men were brought ashore.[5]
It was announced in 1877, that the late Mrs. Emily Dewar of Vogrie, from the Dewar's whisky family, had bequeathed £500 to the RNLI for a lifeboat. The money was appropriated to Kildonan Lifeboat, with the lifeboat being renamed Emily Dewar around 1880.[6]
On 6 October 1885, the barqueRimac was seen flying the distress signal "I am sinking". The vessel bound for Valparaiso, Chile with a crew of 17, had only just left Glasgow. Lifeboat Emily Dewar was launched just after 18:00, and found the vessel had been in collision with the ship North. The lifeboat crew went aboard, and with the help of a tugboat, brought the vessel to Lamlash, where she was beached. The lifeboat remained on scene until low-water, returning home at 07:00 the following morning.[7][8]
The barqueFalco of Stockholm was seen aground on Carline Rocks on 7 December 1887. The vessel had sprung a leak, and was deliberately run ashore. Seven men were brought to safety by the lifeboat Emily Dewar.[9]
Launching the Lifeboat at Kildonan Arran, 1897Kildonan Lifeboat David and Elizabeth Kidd, Brother and Sister (ON 290)
A new slightly larger 34-foot lifeboat was placed at Kildonan in 1890. It was reported that the Institution was "indebited to an old friend and former lifeboat donor", Miss Pringle Kidd, of Lasswade Bank, Edinburgh, later Glenternie House, who provided the lifeboat with a donation of £700, with enough money remaining for a new launch carriage, along with refurbishment of the boathouse. Miss Pringle Kidd was one of the two sisters of David Kidd, who is listed as a Stationer in the 1870–71 Edinburgh directory, but in fact was a wholesale stationer in Fleet Street, and inventor of the modern gummed envelope. She had previously funded a lifeboat for Irvine in 1861. At a ceremony on 26 August 1890, the new Kildonan lifeboat was named David and Elizabeth Kidd, Brother and Sister (ON 290), after her late brother and sister.[10][11]
The lack of service reports after 1890 indicates a good reduction in the number of vessels in distress, a common factor of the period, with more motor-powered vessels, fewer sailing vessels, and better navigational aids. The RNLI reported in 1902, that "within the year, three stations were closed due to changes in local requirements, rendering it unnecessary that they should any longer be retained". These were Llanaelhaearn (Caernarfonshire), Rye (Sussex), and Kildonan.[12]
Kildonan Lifeboat Station was closed in 1901. The lifeboat house remains, and is now part of the Kildonan Hotel. What became of the lifeboat is not known.
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.
Arklow Lifeboat Station is located at South Quay in Arklow, County Wicklow, a harbour town at the mouth of the River Avoca, on the east coast of Ireland.
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.
Ackergill Lifeboat Station is located at Ackergill Harbour, Highland, in the NE corner of Scotland near the town of Wick, in the historic county of Caithness.
Penmon Lifeboat Station was located at Penmon Point, north east of the town of Beaumaris, on the eastern tip of the Isle of Anglesey, Wales.
Bull Bay Lifeboat Station was located at Bull Bay, near the town of Amlwch, on the north coast of Anglesey, Wales.
Cemlyn Lifeboat Station was located on the west side of Cemlyn Bay, near the village of Cemlyn, on the north coast of Anglesey, Wales.
Llanddwyn Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station, located on Ynys Llanddwyn, a small tidal island near the village of Newborough, Anglesey, on the south west coast of Anglesey, Wales.
Giles Quay Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station, located in the village of Gyles' Quay, on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, Ireland.
Blackrock Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station, located in the village of Blackrock, on the south side of Dundalk Bay, in County Louth, Ireland.
Mornington Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station in the village of Mornington, on the south side of the River Boyne estuary, near Drogheda in County Meath, Ireland.
Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat Station is located at Tweedmouth, on the south bank of the River Tweed, part of the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the county of Northumberland.
Wicklow Lifeboat Station is located at East Pier in the county town of Wicklow, County Wicklow, a harbour town at the mouth of the River Vartry, on the east coast of Ireland.
Worthing Lifeboat Station was located on Marine Parade, in the town of Worthing, in West Sussex.
Hornsea Lifeboat Station was located at the junction of Burton Road and Eastbourne Road, in the town of Hornsea, in the county of the East Riding of Yorkshire.
New Romney Lifeboat Station was located across the northern end of Marine Parade, in-between St Andrew's Road and the Coastguard Station, at Littlestone-on-Sea, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) to the east of New Romney town, on the southern Kent coast.
Southport Lifeboat Station is a former lifeboat station, located in the Victorian seaside town of Southport, situated to the south of the River Ribble estuary, historically in the county of Lancashire, now Merseyside.
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.
Brighstone Grange Lifeboat Station was located at Grange Chine, near the village of Brighstone, formerly Brixton, on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight.
Arran Lifeboat Station, sometimes known as 'Arran (Lamlash) Lifeboat Station', is located at Lamlash Pier in Lamlash, a village on the Isle of Arran, which sits in the Firth of Clyde, in the administrative region of North Ayrshire.
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