History | |
---|---|
Name | RNLB Mary Stanford |
Owner | RNLI |
Operator | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
Builder | S. E. Saunders |
Launched | 1916 |
Homeport | Rye Harbour |
Official Number: | ON 661 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Liverpool Pulling & Sailing |
Type | Lifeboat |
Length | 39ft |
Beam | 10ft 9in |
Installed power | 14 oars & sail |
RNLB Mary Stanford (ON 661) was a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Liverpool-class pulling and sailing type lifeboat stationed in Rye Harbour.
On 15 November 1928 the Mary Stanford capsized, drowning the entire crew of 17. The lifeboat was launched in a south-west gale with heavy rain squalls and heavy seas to the vessel Alice of Riga. News was received that the crew of the Alice had been rescued by another vessel and the recall signal was fired three times. Apparently, the lifeboat crew had not seen it. As the lifeboat finally came back into harbour she was seen to capsize and the whole of the crew perished. [1]
On Tuesday 20 November the funeral was held of fifteen of the crew, buried in a communal grave. Hundreds of mourners from all over the country attended. [2] Members of the Latvian Government were among the dignitaries present, recognising that the men had lost their lives going to the assistance of a Latvian vessel. When Henry Cutting's body was found at Eastbourne 3 months later, it was bought back home and interred with his fellow crew members. John Head's body was never recovered.
The Mary Stanford remained at Rye Harbour until the inquiry was over. In January 1929 she was taken to the RNLI depot at Poplar in east London, where she was broken up.
The dependants of those who died were pensioned by the RNLI, with the local fund raising over £35,000. [1]
A memorial tablet made of Manx stone was presented to Rye Harbour by the people of the Isle of Man. [3]
A memorial stained glass window was placed in Winchelsea Church ( 50°55′27″N0°42′33″E / 50.9242073°N 0.709197°E ). It depicts a lifeboat putting out to a ship in distress while figures on the shore watch as it goes. For photo of window see this link... [4]
The seventeen men who lost their lives were Herbert Head (47), coxswain, and two sons James Alfred (19) and John Stanley (17); Joseph Stonham (43), 2nd Coxswain; Henry Cutting (39), Bowman and his two brothers Roberts Redvers (28) and Albert Ernest (26); Charles Frederick David (28), Robert Henry (23) and Lewis Alexander (21) Pope, three brothers; William Thomas Albert (27) and Leslie George (24) Clark, brothers; Arthur George (25) and Maurice James (23) Downey, cousins; Albert Ernest Smith (44), Walter Igglesden (37) and Charles Southerden (22).
Allen Maslen of Warwickshire folk rock band Meet on the Ledge wrote a song dedicated to the Mary Stanford. It is featured on their album The Portuguese Handshake. It is also available on the Charity CD "Someone was Calling" a compilation album with a nautical theme featuring artists who have appeared at Cromer's Folk on the Pier Festival. [5]
The Penlee lifeboat disaster occurred on 19 December 1981 off the coast of Cornwall, England. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat Solomon Browne, based at the Penlee Lifeboat Station near Mousehole, went to the aid of the vessel Union Star after its engines failed in heavy seas. After the lifeboat had rescued four people, both vessels were lost with all hands. Sixteen people died, including eight volunteer lifeboatmen.
Henry George Blogg GC BEM was a lifeboatman from Cromer on the north coast of Norfolk, England, and the most decorated in Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) history.
Rye Harbour is a village located on the East Sussex coast in southeast England, near the estuary of the River Rother: it is part of the civil parish of Icklesham and the Rother district. Rye Harbour is located some two miles (3.2 km) downstream of the town of Rye.
RNLB Mona was a Watson-Class lifeboat based at Broughty Ferry in Scotland, that capsized during a rescue attempt, with the loss of her entire crew of eight men. The Mona was built in 1935, and, in her time, saved 118 lives.
Padstow Lifeboat Station has been at Trevose Head west of Padstow, Cornwall, since 1967. Before that it was at Hawker's Cove on the Camel estuary between the town and the sea. The lifeboat station is run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and since 2006 has been the base for Tamar-class RNLB Spirit of Padstow.
The Kingstown lifeboat disaster occurred on Christmas Eve 1895 off Kingstown, Ireland, when the Kingstown lifeboat was capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the stricken SS Palme. The crew of fifteen were lost. The event is commemorated annually at Dún Laoghaire Harbour.
James Henry Haylett (1825–1907) was one of the most famous lifeboatmen of his age. Decorated by King Edward VII with the RNLI gold medal for his efforts in the 1901 Caister lifeboat disaster, which claimed the lives of nine men. Amongst those lost were two of his sons, Aaron and James Haylett, Charles Bonney George and his grandson Harry Knights.
The Caister lifeboat disaster of 13 November 1901 occurred off the coast of Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk, England. It took place during what became known as the "Great Storm", which caused havoc down the east coasts of England and Scotland.
RNLB Mary Stanford was the Ballycotton Lifeboat from 1930 to 1959. Ballycotton is on Ireland's southern coast, a trade route to the Americas. There are many dangerous rocks and shallows with on-shore prevailing winds. Ballycotton has a long tradition of life-saving. Mary Stanford had 41 rescues, or "shouts", and saved 122 lives. She performed the notable Daunt Lightship rescue on 11 February 1936. After her withdrawal from service she lay for some years in a backwater of Dublin's Grand Canal Dock, but has now been returned to Ballycotton and restored.
Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station in the town of Wells-next-the-Sea in the English county of Norfolk. The station, run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), operates both inshore and offshore lifeboats. The inshore boat is a D-class (IB1) lifeboat named Peter Wilcox (D-707), whilst the offshore lifeboat is Shannon-class 13-46 named Duke of Edinburgh . The station boathouse is located at the beach on the western side of Wells Harbour mouth.
St Ives Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at St Ives, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was built for the town in 1840 and the present boathouse was opened in 1994. It operates a Shannon-class All-weather boat (AWB) and a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Penlee Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations for Mount's Bay in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The lifeboat station operated at various locations in Penzance from the early 19th century. It moved to Penlee Point near Mousehole in 1913, thus gaining its current name, but was moved to Newlyn in 1983 without any change of name. The station is remembered for the loss of the entire lifeboat crew on 19 December 1981.
Salcombe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Salcombe, Devon in England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869. The Salcombe Lifeboat has twice capsized, in 1916 with the loss of 13 lives, and in 1983 with no loss of life. Since 2008 the station has operated a Tamar-class all weather boat (ALB) and an Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Aldeburgh in the English county of Suffolk.
Harwich Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Harwich in the English county of Essex. The station is positioned on the southern side at the mouth of the River Orwell estuary. The station serves a particularly busy section of coastline with Harwich being a very busy ferry terminal. Across the estuary is the Port of Felixstowe which is the United Kingdom's busiest container port.
Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in the English county of West Sussex. It underwent extensive re-development in 2010 with a new purpose built boathall to accommodate its new Tamar-class all-weather lifeboat (AWB). It operates two lifeboats, the Tamar-class Enid Collett and the D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Joan Woodland (D-784).
Bridlington Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station based in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Having been instituted in 1805, it is the oldest working RNLI lifeboat location in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Scarborough Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) operated lifeboat station in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. A lifeboat was established at Scarborough in 1801, which makes it the third oldest lifeboat station in the United Kingdom.
Whitby Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station located in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. It is one of nine situated along the Yorkshire coast. Whitby has had a lifeboat station since 1802, with the RNLI responsible since 1861. In its 200 plus year history, Whitby has had five different lifeboat stations. A sixth lifeboat and station was located at Upgang, just up the coast from Whitby, and whilst it was considered separate from Whitby, it was crewed by men from the Whitby lifeboat.
Fraserburgh Lifeboat Station is located at the harbour town of Fraserburgh, in the NE corner of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Warriors of the Sea. With simple ceremonial, the fifteen lifeboat heroes of RYE HARBOUR are laid to rest. The disaster occurred on 15 November 1928 when the whole of the 17 man crew of the Mary Stanford Lifeboat were drowned, practically the whole male fishing population of Rye village. Heroes of Rye Harbour laid to rest.
MEMORIAL TO SEA HEROES; Lord Blanesburgh performs unveiling ceremony on third anniversary of Rye Lifeboat disaster
50°56′19″N0°45′23″E / 50.9387076°N 0.7563534°E 50°55′19″N0°44′56″E / 50.9219989°N 0.7489402°E