The first St. Ives life-boat was built locally and was stationed there in 1840.

In 1860 she was replaced by a pulling and sailing life-boat of the self-righting type built by the Institution, and up to 1933 the life-boats stationed at St. Ives were of this type.

In 1933 the Institution replaced the pulling and sailing life-boat by a motor life-boat, also of the self-righting type. It was 35 feet 6 inches by 9 feet 3 inches, with a 35 h.p. engine, the Caroline Parsons, one of the light type, weighing seven tons, designed for launching off a carriage on the beach.

The Capsize in 1938.

This boat capsized on January 31st, 1938, when drawing away from the Alba, after rescuing her crew of 23 men. She righted herself at once, and her crew got aboard her again.

Of the 23 men of the Alba 18 were rescued a second time, but five were washed away and drowned. The life- boat was then carried on to the rocks, and the 27 men on board got safely ashore. The life-boat herself was, up to that moment, undamaged, but it was impossible to do anything with her, and the gale and tides carried her over the rocks and broke her beyond repair. Her engine, which was un- damaged, was taken out of her, a number of her fittings were removed, and the remains of the boat were burnt.

Shortly afterwards she was tem- porarily replaced by one of the two life-boats stationed at Padstow, the John and Sarah Eliza Stych, built in 1931. This life-boat was of the same light self-righting type as the boat destroyed, 35 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 10 inches, with a 35 h.p. engine. She was the boat which was wrecked on 23rd January, 1939.

At the inquest on the St. Ives life- boatmen, and in the press, the com- plaint was made that the light self- righting type of life-boat was unsuitable to the heavy se'as to be met once the life-boat was beyond the shelter of St. Ives Bay. The various schemes which had been proposed in the past for improving the harbour at St. Ives were also recalled and the need for carrying out some such scheme was again pressed upon the Government.

Before the wreck of the life-boat, the Institution realized that a larger and heavier type would be better, but in its choice it was limited by the launch- ing conditions in the harbour, which dries at low tide.

The question of what type of life-boat should.be placed at St. Ives was very carefully examined after the capsizing of the life-boat in January, 1938. It was discussed with the St. Ives crew, by the chief inspector of life-boats, the superintendent engineer and the sur- veyor of life-boats. The crew were anxious to have a larger boat. The Institution was willing to provide one if it were practicable. Such a boat, the coxswain suggested, could lie afloat off the old breakwater, the crew to board her by means of a motor boarding boat. A motor boarding boat was laid down, and the Institution was prepared to send a reserve motor life- boat of the 45 feet Watson cabin type, weighing over 20 tons, for a period on trial. Before this had been done how- ever the coxswain and crew had come to the opinion, after watching a strong gale from the north one night, that it was not possible to keep the life-boat at moorings owing to the difficulty of getting out to her at low water.

A Life-boat Specially Designed.

The Institution then decided to design a new self-righting life-boat, which like the previous life-boat would be launched off a carriage, but to modify the design to meet the wishes of the coxswain and crew. This boat was to have more beam and to be lower in the water. She was laid down last year, and is due to be completed in June, 1939.

As it was impracticable to keep a large life-boat at moorings, the possi- bility of building a slipway down which such a boat could be launched was considered at the end of 1938, and a careful survey was made of the coast in the neighbourhood of St. Ives.

Numerous points were visited but no suitable site was found. The only possible place was inside the old pier which is outside the harbour, but here, even if it were possible to launch downa slipway at all states of the weather and tide, the life-boat could only be rehoused in calm weather. In bad weather she would have to enter the harbour, where she would be a prisoner when the tide was low, or else she would have to run for Padstow or Penzance, both 30 miles away.

It was then decided to keep to a boat of the light type, to be launched off a carriage, but to improye the launching by providing a motor cater- pillar tractor. A deputation of the St. Ives crew was taken to Skegness to see one of these tractors in action, and decided in favour of it. That was the position when the life-boat was wrecked.

Should the harbour now be improved by the building of a breakwater, it is probable that a site could be provided where a life-boat could be launched in shelter down a slipway in all tides and weathers, and should these harbour works be carried out the Institution would take immediate steps to provide St. Ives with a heavier type of life-boat and to build a boathouse and slipway.

The cost would probably be from £25,000 to £30,000..