Looe Lifeboat Station

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Looe Lifeboat Station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
Looe Lifeboat Station 2007.jpg
The lifeboat station opened in 2003
Cornwall UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Looe
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location Looe, Cornwall, England
AddressChurch End, West Rd, Looe PL13 1AH
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates 50°21′07″N4°27′11″W / 50.352021°N 4.453168°W / 50.352021; -4.453168
Opened1866;158 years ago (1866)
Owner RNLI
Website
www.looelifeboats.co.uk/index.html
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameWatch Tower Studio and Former Lifeboat Shed
Designated17 September 1973
Reference no. 1201098

Looe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Looe, Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

Contents

History

The old lifeboat station from 1866 Looe old lifeboat station.jpg
The old lifeboat station from 1866

To the east of Looe is the expanse of Whitsand Bay. While attempting to run for the safety of Plymouth Sound many sailing ships became embayed, unable to sail around Rame Head. Wrecks were frequent and Looe men made many rescues before the lifeboat station was established. In 1824, John Miller received the RNLI Silver Medal, and three others, monetary awards for rescuing seven men from Harmonie, wrecked in Whitsand Bay. Ten years later, in 1834, monetary awards and a Silver Medal was awarded for saving twelve crew from the Konigberg. A third Silver Medal was awarded in November 1838 to William Jennings who swam to the brig Belissima, carrying a line, and saving thirteen men. Rescuing the crew of the Fletan resulted in a fourth silver medal in February 1851. [1]

A lifeboat house was erected in 1866 and the first lifeboat, Oxfordshire was paraded through the streets on 28 December 1866 and named by Mrs W H Carew. [2]

The lifeboat went out to help the French vessel Gypsy on 7 December 1901. 19 people were saved (14 brought ashore in the lifeboat and the others towed in the ship's boat) along with 3 kittens. The French government awarded the coxswain, Edward Toms, a gold medal and the other members of the lifeboat crew received silver medals. [3]

The RNLI withdrew services from Looe in 1930 on the grounds that the motor lifeboats at Fowey and Plymouth could cover the area. [4]

From 1992, the RNLI stationed a lifeboat at Looe for the summer season and three years later the Spirit of the ROAC was housed in a temporary lifeboat house, provided by the East Looe Town Trust. A new permanent lifeboat station was built on the quay and opened in 2003 [3]

Looe lifeboats

Pulling and sailing lifeboats

These lifeboats were equipped with oars or with sails when conditions allowed.

At LooeONNameBuiltClassComments
1866–1882—Oxfordshire1866 Peake Paid for by the legacy of Sir John Willoughby. [2]
1882–190245Boys' Own No.11882PeakeCosts and equipment paid for by the readers of The Boy's Own Paper. [5] [6]
1902–1930489Ryder1902PeakeBuilt by the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company. Sold in 1930 and later preserved. [7]

Inshore lifeboats

D-741 Ollie Naismith Looe Lifeboat D741 Ollie Naismith.jpg
D-741 Ollie Naismith
At LooeOp. No.NameClassModelComments
1992–1993D-355(no name)D EA16 Initially deployed as a relief lifeboat in 1988. [8]
1994D-396Starting PointD EA16 Initially deployed as a relief lifeboat in 1989. [8]
1994–2002D-461Spirit of RAOCD EA16 Later stationed at Workington and Anstruther. [8]
2002–2010D-574Regina MaryD EA16 [9]
2003–2016B-793Alan and MargaretB Atlantic 85 [10]
2010–2022D-741Ollie NaismithD IB1 [11]
2016–B-894Sheila & Dennis Tongue IIB Atlantic 85 [12]
2022–D-872Ollie Naismith IID IB1 [13] [14]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Bird 1991, p. 149.
  2. 1 2 Bird 1991, p. 150.
  3. 1 2 "Looe's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Bird 1991, p. 152.
  5. ↑ The Cornishman 1882, p. 5.
  6. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–5.
  7. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 22–23.
  8. 1 2 3 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 78–80.
  9. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 82.
  10. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 69.
  11. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 84.
  12. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 71.
  13. ↑ Foster, Ian (14 June 2023). "Looe RNLI to officially name its new D Class inshore lifeboat". RNLI. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  14. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, p. 86.

Sources

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