LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Additional Stations and New Life-Boats

ILFRACOMBE, NORTH DEVON.—The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has recently formed a life-boat establishment at Ilfracombe, where there had at one time been a life-boat station under local management, which, however, it had*been found necessary to completely renovate. The local residents had expressed a wish to the Society to have a life-boat placed there, as they were fearful that loss of life might take place on their shores through the want of one. The Institution therefore sent down a new 32-feet 10-oared life-boat, furnished with a transporting- carriage, for which a commodious boat-house has been erected. The cost of the new boat and carriage, amounting to 4.111., was contributed to the Society by ROBERT BROADWATER, Esq., of Hornsey Rise, in conjunction with, his friends, in commemoration of his fiftieth birthday, and the life-boat has been named the Broadwater.

The London and South Western Railway Company kindly took the life-boat and carriage over their line, free of charge, to Barnstaple, and they were taken thence to their station by road. On the 14th November, the public launch of the life-boat took place at Ilfracombe. Mr. BROADWATER attended, and formally handed over the boat, in the presence of Earl FORTESCUE and others, to the Institution, on behalf of himself and friends, and expressed a hope that, if required, the life-boat would do its duty. The ceremony of naming was performed by Lady SUSAN FORTESCUE, and the x at was then launched and taken outside the harbour, where it behaved admirably in a heavy sea.

MUNDESLEY, NORFOLK.—This life-boat station has recently been completely renovated by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which has sent there a new 33-feet 10-oared life-boat and carriage. The old boat was becoming rapidly unserviceable.

A new life-boat house has also been erected at Mundesley, and the establishment is now in a thoroughly efficient state. The grocers of England have, through WILLIAM REED, Esq., of The Grocer and Oil Trade Review, defrayed the entire cost of the new life-boat, carriage, and equipment, the boat being named the Grocers. The Great Eastern Railway Company readily granted a free conveyance to the boat over their line, in November last, to Norwich, from whence it was drawn on its own transporting- carriage to its station.

CHAPMAN'S POOL, DORSET.—It having been recommended that a life-boat should be placed on the Isle of Purbeck, for the protection of the crews of vessels wrecked on the rocky ledges in the neighbourhood and off St. Alban's Head, the Institution has, after due inquiry, established at Chapman's Pool, the most exposed point on the island, a life-boat station, and has sent there a new 30-feet life-boat, pulling 6 oars, single-banked, and a transporting-carriage, which have been placed in a substantial and commodious boat-house prepared for them.

The expense of the new life-boat and equipment, amounting to 300?., was munificently presented to the Institution by a Lady, through Admiral GAMBIER, the boat, at the instance of the kind donor, being named the George Scott. The London and South Western Railway Company readily took the life-boat free over their line to Wareham, in November last. From that town the boat and carriage were drawn through Corfe Castle to Swanage, where the life-boat was publicly named by Lady AUGUSTA FREEMANTLE, sister to the Earl of ELDON, and then launched amidst the prolonged cheering of the bystanders, when the usual tests were gone through with the boat, which acquitted itself most admirably.

QUEENSTOWN, CORK HARBOUR.—Several wrecks with loss of life having occurred in the vicinity of Cork Harbour, it was thought desirable to form a life-boat establishment at Queenstown in the harbour, where at all times and in all weathers the boat could be launched and manned by an efficient crew, and where steam-tugs would be always available to tow her to any part of the neighbouring coast where her services might be needed. The safety of the crew and passengers of the numerous and large trans-Atlantic steamers and vessels frequenting the port would, it was thought, be thereby better provided for, as the nearest life-boat station was that at Ballycotton, several miles to the eastward. An influential local committee was therefore organized in the locality, and every co-operation afforded to the life-boat Institution in the formation of the establishment.

The Institution has accordingly sent to Queenstown a 34-feet 10-oared life-boat, the cost of which has been defrayed from the Quiver life-boat fund, the boat being named the Quiver No. 2. A commodious boathouse has also been erected. The Cork Steamship Company readily granted a free conveyance to the life-boat from the Thames to its destination, and on the 22nd October last the boat was publicly named and launched at its station, for the first time, in the presence of an immense assemblage of spectators.

LYME REGIS, DORSET.—The life-boat on this station, which was built in Penzance fourteen years ago, was found on inspection to be in a state of decay, and the opportunity was accordingly taken to renovate entirely the life-boat establishment The boat had always been kept in an inconvenient shed in the town under a sail loft, which was not well adapted for a life-boat house. In its stead, however, a new and commodious boathouse was erected. A 33-feet 10-oared life-boat, with a transporting-carriage and complete equipment, has also been provided in the place of the old boat and carriage, and the life-boat station is now in a thoroughly efficient state. The expense, as we stated in the January number of the Life-boat Journal, has been met from a contribution of 1,OOOZ., presented to the Institution through the Manchester Branch by a lady under the initials of " H. W.," which gift had also sufficed to defray the cost of a new lifeboat for Llanddwyn on the Anglesey coast.

The London and South Western Railway Company readily granted the new and old boats a free conveyance over their line between London and Axminster, which is the nearest point of railway to Lyme. On the arrival of the boat at its station, it was joyfully received by the inhabitants; and, after being taken in procession through the streets and then named, was launched, and tried by the crew, who were much pleased with their new boat.

PORT LOGAN, N.B. — The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has formed a lifeboat station at Port Logan, a small fishing yjllage on the coast of Wigtonshire, at the western side of the Mull of Galloway. The life-boat will also command the Bay of Luce on the -eastern side of Port Logan, whence she can readily be transported on her carriage, opposite to scenes of wrecks in the bay.

A substantial boat-house has been erected, and a new life-boat 30 feet long, rowing 10 oars,' double banked, provided with a carriage, was forwarded here in December last. The expense of the boat was defrayed by the working men of Edinburgh through ft. MJ BALLANTTYNE, Esq., and she has, at the desire of the contributors, been named the Edinburgh and E. M. fidttantyne, and was publicly exhibited in Edinburgh and Glasgow on the way to her station. The boat was taken to Stranraer by railway, and thence drawn on her transporting-carriage to Port Logan, and a large number of people turned out from the surrounding country to escort the boat on her way. The crew were much pleased with their boat when they tried her on arrival at her station. The Great Northern, North Eastern, North British Caledonian, and Glasgow and South Western Railway Companies all liberally granted this life-boat and carriage a free conveyance over their several lines.

BOULMER, NORTHUMBERLAND.—The lifeboat at this place was one of the early boats built of fir, and possessed none of the recent improvements. She has now been replaced by a larger 10-oared boat 33 feet long, as the coxswain and crew, although they had every confidence in their old life-boat, were desirous of having a larger one. The cost of the life-boat, her carriage, and equipment, was collected in Nottingham, chiefly through the benevolent exertions of SAMUEL COLLINSON, Esq., T. F. GIMSON, Esq., of the Park, liberally giving 200?. in .aid of the fund, on condition that the boat was named the Robin Hood of Nottingham, after the local volunteer corps, in which he took great interest. Previous to being placed on her station, the life-boat was taken to Nottingham ; and on the 7th January her exhibition and public launch took place. The boat was drawn through the streets in a procession headed by the mayor and corporation, with two military bands, and a strong force of the Robin Hood Rifles.

She was then formally presented to the Institution in the Market Square by the mayor, and named in the accustomed manner by the mayoress. The boat was then launched from the carriage into the River Trent in the presence of a large concourse of spectators, and her self-righting and other properties shown. Everything connected with the interesting demonstration passed off in the most satisfactory manner. The life-boat was kept on view at the Exhibition Building at Nottingham for a few days, and then sent to Boulmer. The Great Northern and North Eastern Railway Companies readily took the boat free from London to her station w& Nottingham.

TYRELLA, Co. DOWN. — This life-boat was found to be quite rotten when she was surveyed, and was, therefore, replaced in December last by a new 30-feet boat, fitted to row 8 or 10 oars, as might be required.

The Messrs. MALCOLMSON kindly gave a free conveyance on board their steamer to the new and old boats between London and Belfast, and the Belfast and County Down Railway Company readily granted a similar favour over their line.

The cost of the original boat on this station, as well as of three other life-boats, was defrayed by a lady, who has never revealed her name to the Institution.

LOOE, CORNWALL.—A life-boat station has been formed at Looe, on the coast of Cornwall. It had frequently happened that the boatmen at this port, being ever ready to go off in their open boats to save the lives of shipwrecked crews, had run great risk in so doing. Indeed, on one occasion, some of them were returning from saving a fishing craft, when their boat was upset in the breakers, and several lives were lost. The inhabitants were very desirous, therefore, to have a life-boat—there being a large number of vessels frequently entering and quitting the harbour. There were plenty of fishermen available to form the crew; and, as every kind of co-operation was offered, the Society readily decided to establish a life-boat at Looe. "A boat-house has been erected, and being in a public position, it is somewhat ornamental in character, and has over it a reading and assembly room for the use of the pilots and fishermen of the town. A 32-feet life-boat, pulling 10 oars, with a transporting-carriage and the usual equipment of stores, has been placed therein, the Great Western, Bristol and Exeter, South Devon and Cornwall Railway Companies kindly taking them free over their lines to Liskeard. The cost of the boat, &c., was benevolently contributed to the Society by the late Sir JOHN POLLARD WILLOUGHBY, Bart.; and, in accordance with his request, the boat was named the Oxfordshire, after his native county. On the 28th December she was inaugurated in Looe with the usual ceremony.

After being drawn through the principal streets, she was named by Mrs. CAREW, the wife of W. H. POLE CAREW, Esq., President of the Branch, and launched, giving much satisfaction to the crew.

BARMOUTH AND PORTMADOC, NORTH WALES.—The Institution has recently replaced the boats on each of these stations two new and improved boats, each boat being respectively 34 feet long and 8 feet 4 inches wide, and rowing 10 oars, double-' Banked.

The expense of the Barmouth new lifeboat is the gift to the Society of a lady, under the initials E. P. S., the boat being named, at her request, the Ellen.

The cost of the new boat for Portmadoc was presented to the Society, through its Manchester Branch, by JAMES ASHBURY, Esq., of London and Manchester, and is called the John Ashbury, after his late father.

The Great Western and Cambrian Railway Companies kindly took the boats free over their lines to Ynyslas Station, and they were thence rowed and sailed to their respective stations.

COURTMACSHERRY, IRELAND.—A life-boat establishment has been founded by the Institution at Courtnaacsherry, on the coast of Cork, a place where wrecks occasionally happen. A life-boat was once placed here, but it was never housed, and ultimately went to decay. The coastguardmen and boatmen had often run very great risk in rescuing, by means of their own open boats, the crews of wrecked vessels. There is no other lifeboat westward of Cork Harbour on the south coast; and the one placed here will be available for service in Clonakilty Bay, in the event of wrecks again occurring there, and will doubtless be of great advantage for the protection of passing traders to Cork and Kinsale. A commodious boat-house has accordingly been erected, and a 32-feet lifeboat and transporting-carriage placed therein.

The expense of the boat was contributed by the people of Dublin, chiefly through the untiring exertions of THOMAS EDMONDSON, Esq., and some members of the Dublin Branch of the Institution. Prior to being placed on her station, the boat was taken to Dublin, and on the 6th February was drawn on her carnage through some of the principal streets of the city, escorted by a procession, including the Lord Mayor in his state chariot, with the aldermen and other members and officers of the Corporation, a number of seamen and marines from H.M.S.

Royal George, and the band of the Scots Greys. The boat was then taken to the Custom-house Quay, where the Marquis of ABERCORN, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and his Lady, with Lady ALBERTHA HAMILTON, Lord JAMES BUTLER, and party had assembled, the Marchioness of ABERCORN then named the life-boat, in the usual manner, the City of Dublin, amidst loud applause ; and the boat was launched, and her selfrighting and other qualities were displayed.

After the life-boat had reached Conrtmacsherry, a public demonstration took place on the occasion of her launch there, and much gratification was expressed by the residents that a life-boat had been established at that place. The London and North Western Railway, the City of Dublin Steam Packet, the Great Southern and Western, and Cork and Bandon Railway Companies, jointly, most liberally conveyed the boat and carriage free from London to their destination, vid Liverpool and Dublin.

WINCHELSEA, SUSSEX.— The crew of the life-boat at this station being desirous to have one of the larger boats now built by the Institution, their request has been complied with, and a new boat, 33 feet long and rowing 10 oars, has been sent to replace the old one. The cost of the new life-boat was defrayed by the Solicitors and Proctors of England, through FREDERICK OOVRY, Esq,, and W. M. WILKINSON, Esq., who have been indefatigable in collecting the cost of the boat. She is named, by the desire of the subscribers, the Storm Sprite. The new boat and carriage were conveyed gratuitously to their station over the line of the South Eastern Railway Company, who also brought back the old boat and carriage free to London.