Ramsgate Lifeboat Station

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Ramsgate Lifeboat Station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
Ramsgate Lifeboat station 04 04 2010.JPG
Ramsgate Lifeboat Station.
Kent UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Ramsgate, Kent
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationRamsgate Lifeboat Station
AddressWestern Crosswall, Ramsgate Royal Harbour
Town or city Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 9RN
Country England
Coordinates 51°19′44.4″N1°25′11.2″E / 51.329000°N 1.419778°E / 51.329000; 1.419778
Opened1802 The first lifeboat, built by Henry Greathead, was provided by the Trustees of Ramsgate Harbour.
Owner Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Technical details
MaterialFabricated steelwork clad
with timber, and concrete
Website
Ramsgate RNLI Lifeboat Station

Ramsgate Lifeboat Station is located on Western Crosswall in the Ramsgate Royal Harbour. Ramsgate is a town on the south-east corner of the Isle of Thanet peninsula, in north-east Kent.

Contents

A lifeboat was first placed at Ramsgate in 1802 by the Harbour Trustees, operating until 1824. It was re-established by the trustees in 1851. From 1865, the station was jointly managed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Board of Trade, passing solely to the RNLI in 1922. [1]

Tamar-class lifeboat 16-23 Diamond Jubilee (ON 1303) RNLI Diamond Jubilee lifeboat - geograph.org.uk - 4648317.jpg
Tamar-class lifeboat 16-23 Diamond Jubilee (ON 1303)

The current lifeboat station, on the harbour wall between the inner and outer pools of the main harbour, opened in 1998, and currently operates an All-weather Tamar-class lifeboat, 16-23 Diamond Jubilee (ON 1303), on station since 2023, and a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Claire & David Delves (B-878), on station since 2014. [2]

History

A lifeboat station was first established at Ramsgate Harbour in 1802 by the Ramsgate Harbour Trustees, pre-dating the formation of any national lifeboat organisation by more than 20 years, and is one of the oldest to operate in the British Isles. A lifeboat was purchased from Henry Greathead, and operated at Ramsgate until 1824. [1]

In 1851, Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, of Alnwick Castle, had been appointed president of the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), the Institution becoming the RNLI in 1854. He set a competition for the design of a Self-righting lifeboat, with the reward of £100, which was won by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth. The prize-winning lifeboat was purchased for £250 by the Ramsgate harbour trustees, and placed on service at Ramsgate in late 1851. Whilst no formal naming records have been found, the boat was subsequently referred to as Northumberland. [3] [4] [5] [6]

In 1863, management of Ramsgate harbour was transferred to the Board of Trade. With the sanction of the Board, at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 3 August 1865, it was agreed that a new lifeboat was to be placed at Ramsgate. Funding was appropriated from the Bradford Lifeboat Fund, a sum of £425 raised by the efforts of Charles Semon, Mayor of Bradford and eleven other gentlemen, to pay for the cost of the lifeboat, transporting carriage and equipment. [7] [8] [9]

A new lifeboat was ordered from Forrestt of Limehouse. At the same time, whilst the new Ramsgate boat was in construction, another new lifeboat was dispatched to Selsey Lifeboat Station, and their old 29-foot lifeboat Friend was transferred to Ramsgate, both boats transported free of charge between London and Chichester by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. In lieu of the new lifeboat not to be exhibited in Bradford, the committee of the Bradford Lifeboat Fund requested via letter from Charles Semon, Mayor, that an exact model be supplied, to be permanently exhibited to the subscribers of Bradford, which was agreed. [10]

A 40-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with both sail and (12) oars, was towed to her station from London by the Ramsgate steam tug Aid in February 1866. The lifeboat was named Bradford, and was the first of four Bradford lifeboats at Ramsgate. [6]

During the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in 1940, Ramsgate lifeboat Prudential (ON 697) was the first little ship to the rescue. The lifeboat left Ramsgate at 14.20 in the afternoon with Coxswain Howard Primrose Knight in command with her own crew of eight men. They had been issued with gas masks, steel helmets and the lifeboat was loaded with four coils of grass warp and cans of fresh water for the troops. She took in tow eight boats, most of them wherries, manned by eighteen naval men, and when she reached Dunkirk her role was to tow the wherries between the beaches and the waiting ships. In total she rescued 2,800 troops from the beaches. For his 'gallantry and determination,' Coxswain Howard Knight was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. [11]

The Ramsgate-class lifeboat Prudential, on service since 1925, and the first motor-powered lifeboat on station at Ramsgate, was one of four lifeboats that took part in the Coronation Review of the Fleet by the Queen at Portsmouth on 15 June 1953 [12]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Ramsgate. [1] [13]

Howard Primrose Cooper Knight, Coxswain - 1940 [11]
Charles Edward Fish, Coxswain – 1881
Charles Edward Fish, Coxswain – 1891 (Second Service clasp)
William Miller, Boatman – 1826
Cpt. Edward Gimar, of the French Brig Le Norman – 1829
James Hogbin, Coxswain – 1857
Isaac Jarman, Coxswain – 1864
Isaac Jarman, Coxswain – 1870 (Second Service clasp)
Charles Edward Fish, Bowman – 1870
Daniel Reading, Master of Ramsgate Harbour Steam Tug Vulcan – 1872
James Simpson, Mate of the Ramsgate Harbour Tug Aid – 1874
William Wharrier, Engineer of the Ramsgate Harbour Tug Aid – 1874
Richard Goldsmith, Second Coxswain – 1881
Henry Belsey, crew member – 1881
David Berry, crew member – 1881
Thomas Cooper Snr. crew member – 1881
Thomas Cooper Jnr. crew member – 1881
Thomas Friend, crew member – 1881
John Goldmith, crew member – 1881
Stephen Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
Henry Meader, crew member – 1881
Robert Penney, crew member – 1881
Charles Verion, crew member – 1881
Alfred Page, Master – 1881
William Wharrier, Engineer – 1881 (Second Service clasp)
William Austen, crew member – 1881
Charles Knight, crew member – 1881
Edward Revell, crew member – 1881
George Woodward, Stoker – 1881
Richard Yare, Stoker – 1881
(Master and crew of the Ramsgate tug Vulcan)
William Wharrier, Engineer of Ramsgate Harbour Tugs – 1890 (Third Service clasp)
Alfred Page, Tug Master – 1892 (Second Service clasp)
Thomas James Watson – 1892
William Burton – 1892
Edwin Hurle – 1892
Arthur E. Fisher – 1892
(the crew of the smack Britain's Pride of Ramsgate)
Alfred Page, Tug Master – 1898 (Third Service clasp)
John Hawkins, Harbour Boatman – 1906
William Cooper, Coxswain – 1916
Thomas William Read, Second Coxswain – 1917
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1986
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000 (Second Service clasp)
Coxswain William Cooper – 1911
The Master of the Ramsgate Tug Aid – 1911
Douglas Stephen Kirkaldie, Coxswain – 1952
Charles Fish, Coxswain – 1881
Richard Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
Henry Belsey, crew member – 1881
David Berry, crew member – 1881
Thomas Cooper Snr. crew member – 1881
Thomas Cooper Jnr. crew member – 1881 [14]
Thomas Friend, crew member – 1881
John Goldmith, crew member – 1881
Stephen Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
Henry Meader, crew member – 1881
Robert Penney, crew member – 1881
Charles Vernon, crew member – 1881
Alfred Page, Master – 1881
William Wharrier, crew member – 1881
William Austen, crew member – 1881
Charles Knight, crew member – 1881
Edward Revell, crew member – 1881
George Woodward, crew member – 1881 [15]
Richard Yare, crew member – 1881
(Master and crew of the tug Vulcan)
Douglas Stephen Kirkaldie. Coxswain – 1952
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1986
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
Thomas J. H. Cooper, Coxswain – 1968
Michael Petts, crew member – 1975
Timothy Hurst, crew member – 1975
Malcolm H. R. Llewellyn – 1980
Bryan L. E. Morgan – 1980
(Coxswain and Launch Seaman of the Trinity House Pilot Vessel Versatile)
Timothy E. Hurst, Helm – 1985
Timothy Hurst, Emergency Mechanic – 2000
Lance Oran, crew member – 2000
R. Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1983
D. Pegden, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic – 1983
D. Cooper, Emergency Mechanic – 1983
W. Blay, crew member – 1983
T. Brown, crew member – 1983
T. Hurst, crew member – 1983
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1984
D. Pegden, 2nd Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic – 1984
T. Hurst, crew member – 1984
M. Mett, crew member – 1984
N. Stephens, crew member – 1984
R. Noble, crew member – 1984
Timothy Hurst, crew member – 1984
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
Christopher Andrews, Helm – 2008
Harvey Cole, crew member – 2008
John Rabbatts, crew member – 2008
Coxswain and Crew – 1940
Gold watch to the Coxswain – 1919
Binoculars to the Second Coxswain – 1919
Gold Medals to the Lifeboat Crew – 1919
Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Retired Coxswain/Mechanic – 2017QBH [16] [17]

Ramsgate lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON [a] Op. No. [b] NameBuiltOn Station [18] ClassComments
––––1802–1824 Greathead
Station Closed 1824–1851
––Northumberland–1851–1865Self-Righting
Pre-287–Friend18541865–1866 29-foot 1in Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 1]
Previously at Skerries and Selsey.
Pre-478–Bradford18661866–187740-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 2]
Pre-619–Bowman1877187735-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3] Transferred to Yealm River
Pre-623–Bradford18771877–188744-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 4]
117–Bradford18871887–189340-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 5]
350–Bradford18931893–190542-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 6]
537–Charles and Susanna Stephens19041905–192643-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 7]
697–Prudential19251925–1953 Ramsgate [Note 8]
901–Michael and Lily Davis19531953–1976 46-foot 9in Watson
104244-016Ralph and Joy Swann19761976–1990 Waveney
115447-036Kenneth Thelwall II19891990–1994 Tyne
119714-02Esme Anderson19941994–2023 Trent
130316-23Diamond Jubilee20122023– Tamar [19]
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats

Op. No. [b] NameOn Station [20] ClassComments
A-500Unnamed1969–1971 A-class (Hatch)
A-502Unnamed1972–1975 A-class (Hatch)
A-510Unnamed1975–1984 A-class (McLachlan)
B-558Ramsgate Enterprise1984–2000 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-765Bob Turnbull2000–2014 B-class (Atlantic 75) [21]
B-878Claire & David Delves2014– B-class (Atlantic 85)
  1. ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 29-foot 1in x 7-foot 9in (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £142 when new.
  2. ↑ 40-foot x 10-foot (12-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London.
  3. ↑ 35-foot x 9-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, costing £432-12s.
  4. ↑ 44-foot x 11-foot 1in (12-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, costing £575.
  5. ↑ 40-foot x 10-foot (12-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  6. ↑ 42-foot x 11-foot (12-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  7. ↑ 43-foot x 12-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  8. ↑ First motor lifeboat at station.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ramsgate's station history". Ramsgate Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  2. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. p. 128.
  3. ↑ "The Beeching Model". The Lifeboat. XXXIII (369). September 1854. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "The Northumberland Prize Lifeboat". Morning Post. 5 December 1851.
  5. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 118.
  6. 1 2 "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. VI (61): 201. 2 July 1866. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "Ramsgate Harbour: Deeds, Evidences and Plans". The National Archives. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  8. ↑ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. V (58): 742. 2 October 1865. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "General Summary to the 16th Dec, 1865". The Lifeboat. VI (59): 17. 1 January 1866. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. VI (59): 17–18. 1 January 1866. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  11. 1 2 "No. 34953". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 1940. p. 5711.
  12. ↑ "The Institution and the Coronation". The Lifeboat. XXXIII (366). December 1953. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0907605893.
  14. ↑ "Royal Harbour Ramsgate Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry". Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "An R.N.L.I. / Indian Chief Medal pair awarded to Stoker George Woodward". Noonans. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". London Gazette. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  17. ↑ Ray, John (17 June 2017). "Retired Ramsgate coxswain Ron Cannon awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday Honours". RNLI. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  18. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 6–71.
  19. ↑ Ray, John (13 November 2023). "Arrival of RNLB 'Diamond Jubilee' at Ramsgate's Royal Harbour". RNLI. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  20. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 101, 81–84.
  21. ↑ "Bob Turnbull". Royal National Lifeboat Institution Ramsgate. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011.
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