Kirkwall Lifeboat Station

Kirkwall Lifeboat Station
Kirkwall Lifeboat Station
Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	The Lifeboat House
Address	West Pier
Town or city	Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LE
Country	Scotland
Coordinates	58°59′07.3″N2°57′37.2″W / 58.985361°N 2.960333°W / 58.985361; -2.960333
Opened	1972
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Kirkwall RNLI Lifeboat Station

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

A lifeboat was first operated out of Kirkwall in 1968, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). A station was established there in 1972. ^[1]

The station currently operates a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-13 Margaret Foster (ON 1231), on station since 1998. ^[2]

History

In the 1960s, the RNLI ordered two 70-foot Clyde-class lifeboats, to evaluate the benefits of operating larger offshore vessels, which could remain at sea for many days without refuelling, and were able to cover some of the more exposed waters. The first, 70-001 Charles H Barrett
(Civil Service No.35) (ON 987), had a two-year trial period, and was then placed at Clovelly in 1968. The second, 70-002, Grace Paterson Ritchie (ON 988), was first based out of Ullapool in 1966. In 1968, the boat was relocated to cover the Orkney Isles during the week, and berthed at Kirkwall Harbour at weekends. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

In worsening condition on 8 November 1971, the Danish fishing vessel Clupea broke her moorings and ran aground near Kirkwall Pier. Three other Danish vessels were also torn from their moorings. The Grace Paterson Ritchie managed to tow the Rosslau and Anne Stranne clear of Kirkwall pier, then set anchor, to veer down and tow the Clupea, and then the Kami. With the highest praise for his seamanship and skill from all concerned, Staff Coxswain Robert Hunter Dennison was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, with the crew receiving Medal Service certificates. It was estimated that this service had saved not just 20 men, but also boats worth over £100,000, and a suitable donation was made to the Institution from the insurance companies. ^{[5] [6]}

A lifeboat station was eventually opened at Kirkwall on 30 May 1972. In 1974, Grace Paterson Ritchie was sent for maintenance, and for one year, the station operated a Solent-class lifeboat, 48-016 Douglas Currie (ON 1021). Grace Paterson Ritchie would return in 1975, and served through until 1988, when the RNLI finally decided that this type of boat didn't fit with usual RNLI operations, and the two Clyde-class lifeboats, and a later boat, 70-003 City of Bristol (ON 1030), were withdrawn and sold out of service. ^{[1] [4]}

In a violent storm of 22 January 1984, the fishing vessel Benachie broke her moorings, and was washed ashore on Rousay island. Grace Paterson Ritchie arrived on scene, dropped anchor, and veering down, managed to get a line aboard. The vessel and three crew were towed to safety. Coxswain Capt. William Swanson Sinclair received the RNLI Bronze Medal for this service. ^{[5] [7]}

Kirkwall would receive 52-39 Mickie Salvesen (ON 1135) in 1988, a new 52-foot Arun-class lifeboat. Just six weeks later, the Arun lifeboat headed out at 07:18 on the 13 September 1988, into 20-foot seas and a force 6 storm, to the aid of the 500-ton bulk cement carrier BC Mercurius, which had suffered engine failure approximately one mile north of Noup Head, Westray. Four crewmen were recovered by helicopter, leaving just two crew aboard. Setting up a tow line several times, the lifeboat managed to pull the vessel away from the shore, until the vessel could set anchor, and await a tug. The lifeboat arrived home at 08:55 the following day. For what turned out to be his last service, Coxswain Capt. William Swanson Sinclair would receive a second-service clasp to his previously won bronze medal. ^{[8] [9]}

In 1989, dredging works were undertaken to accommodate the Arun-class lifeboat at the harbour berth, and new station buildings were constructed in 1990, to include a workshop and improved crew facilities. ^[1]

Kirkwall Severn-class ALB 17-13 Margaret Foster (ON 1231)

Funded by Miss M. E. Foster, a new Severn-class lifeboat 17-13 Margaret Foster (ON 1231) was placed on service at Kirkwall in 1998. In one of the first services of the new lifeboat, and in force 9 conditions, local GP Dr. Peter Fay was taken on board, to a suspected heart-attack victim on the rig-support vessel Stream Truck, 17 miles (27 km) north of the station. Having been seasick all the way, Fay immediately set about his duties on arrival at the vessel. Dr. Peter Fay received 'The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum - Doctor's award'. ^[10]

The relief Severn-class lifeboat 17-33 Beth Sell (ON 1262), on station in September 2020, was called to the creel boat Kingfisher (DH 110), which had fouled her propellers, 26 miles (42 km) south east of Orkney. Arriving at the vessel at 16:35, in near gale-force conditions, the boat was taken in tow, arriving back at Kirkwall 7-hours later. ^[11]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Kirkwall. ^{[1] [12]}

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Robert Hunter Dennison, Staff Coxswain – 1972

Capt. William Swanson Sinclair, Coxswain – 1984

Capt. William Swanson Sinclair, Coxswain – 1989 (Second-Service clasp)

• Medal Service Certificate

Each of the crew of Grace Paterson Ritchie – 1972

James Mitchell, Second Coxswain – 1989

Dupre Strutt, Motor Mechanic – 1989

Robert Mainland, Assistant Mechanic – 1989

Geoffrey Gardens, crew member – 1989

Robert Hall, crew member – 1989

Smith Foubister, crew member – 1989

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

Stewart Ryrie, Second Coxswain – 2010

Dr. Peter Fay, GP – 1999 (Doctor's award)

• A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Capt. Sinclair, Honorary Secretary – 1973

F. Johnston, Coxswain – 1973

D. Grieve, crew member – 1973

J. Grey, crew member – 1973

D. Pearce, crew member – 1973

M. Drever, crew member – 1973

B. Hall, crew member – 1973

Geoff Gardens, Coxswain – 2011

• A Letter of Thanks signed by the Director of the Institution

Robert Hall – 1999

Kenneth Gee – 2008

Russell Brown – 2008

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Dupre Alexander Strutt, Motor Mechanic and former Area Lifesaving Manager – 2023NYH ^{[13] [14]}

Kenneth Gee, crew member and former 3rd Mechanic – 2025NYH ^{[15] [16]}

Kirkwall lifeboats

ON [a]	Op. No. [b]	Name	On Station [17]	Class	Comments
988	70-002	Grace Paterson Ritchie	1968−1974	Clyde	Sold to National Lifesaving Association of Iceland in 1989, and renamed Henry A. Hálfdánsson. [18]
1021	48-016	Douglas Currie	1974−1975	Solent
988	70-002	Grace Paterson Ritchie	1975−1988	Clyde
1135	52-39	Mickie Salvesen	1988−1998	Arun
1231	17-13	Margaret Foster	1998−	Severn

1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

References

1. "Kirkwall's station history". Kirkwall Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
2. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 70.
3. "ON988 Grace Patterson Richie – 70-002 – Clyde Class Lifeboat". Historic Lifeboats. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
4. "70-foot Clyde-class" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XLIII (448): 175. Summer 1974. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
5. Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. p. 343. ISBN   0907605893.
6. "The Danish Fishing Vessels Clupea, Rosslau, Anne Stranne and Kami". The Lifeboat. XLII (440): 345. July 1972. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
7. Cox 1998, p. 381.
8. "Tow passed to coaster 400 yards from rock-bound lee shore" (PDF). The Lifeboat. 51 (507): 86–87. Spring 1989. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
9. Cox 1998, p. 387.
10. "Special Vellunn for Doctor's services in severe conditions" (PDF). The Lifeboat (550): 11. Winter 1999. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
11. McBride, Oliver (5 September 2020). "Kirkwall RNLI lifeboat involved in seven hour tow of stricken creel boat". The Fishing Daily. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
12. Cox 1998, pp. 343, 381, 387.
13. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". London Gazette. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
14. "Dupre Strutt, Kirkwall RNLI Awarded MBE". The Orkney News. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
15. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". London Gazette. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
16. Wake Young, Jacqueline (2 January 2025). "RNLI Kirkwall volunteer Kenneth Gee is made MBE in New Year Honours". Press and Journal. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
17. Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 58–70.
18. "Carrying on the good work" (PDF). The Lifeboat. 51 (507): 79. Spring 1989. Retrieved 12 September 2024.

External links

• Kirkwall RNLI Lifeboat Station