Whitby in North Yorkshire and the History of Its Lifeboats
On 4th March 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was founded by Sir William Hillary, to provide a National lifeboat service.
For a number of years prior to this, there had been various private lifeboats in service.
The first boat to be built, specifically for use as a lifeboat, was the very aptly named Original, which was built in South Shields in 1789.
In 1802, Lloyds announced that they were allocating £2000 towards the establishment of a new lifeboat station.
A gentleman by the name of Frances Gibson, a collector of customs at Whitby, had approached Lloyds for financial help to build the station.
With a further contribution of £50 from Lloyds and money raised locally, a new lifeboat arrived in Whitby in the autumn of 1802.
Built by Greathead at a cost of £160, the boat was 30ft.
long, rowed 10 oars and was kept on a special launching carriage in the lifeboat house built close to the West Pier in Whitby.
It wasn't long before the lifeboat was in use, because on 11th December 1802 she saved the crew of the sloop Edinburgh.
In 1822, two new lifeboats were built for use at Whitby, with the one that replaced the original being built by Wake of Sunderland at a cost of £100.
This new boat was 26ft.
6ins.
long and was kept in the original boathouse and was known as the West side lifeboat.
The other boat, built by a local boat builder named Mr Christopher Gale, was known as the East side lifeboat and was 26ft.
long.
It was launched from the underside of Tate Hill Pier, where there had been a specially constructed wooden boathouse provided.
On 17th February 1827, five vessels were wrecked off the coast during a very severe storm.
They were the Oak, Comet, Harry and Mary from Whitby, the Travel from Sunderland and the Ann from Stockton, all the crews were saved by the two lifeboats.
RNLI not only established its own lifeboat stations, but also was awarded gold and silver medals for acts of outstanding bravery carried out in lifeboats, shore boats and during rescues from the shore.
The bronze medal was not instituted until 1917.
Today, a Whitby ship named the Mary Ann Hepworth, a 41ft.
Watson, is used for pleasure trips only but it served Whitby between 1938 and 1974 as a lifeboat.
The ship was launched 372 times, saving a total of 201 lives.
For a number of years prior to this, there had been various private lifeboats in service.
The first boat to be built, specifically for use as a lifeboat, was the very aptly named Original, which was built in South Shields in 1789.
In 1802, Lloyds announced that they were allocating £2000 towards the establishment of a new lifeboat station.
A gentleman by the name of Frances Gibson, a collector of customs at Whitby, had approached Lloyds for financial help to build the station.
With a further contribution of £50 from Lloyds and money raised locally, a new lifeboat arrived in Whitby in the autumn of 1802.
Built by Greathead at a cost of £160, the boat was 30ft.
long, rowed 10 oars and was kept on a special launching carriage in the lifeboat house built close to the West Pier in Whitby.
It wasn't long before the lifeboat was in use, because on 11th December 1802 she saved the crew of the sloop Edinburgh.
In 1822, two new lifeboats were built for use at Whitby, with the one that replaced the original being built by Wake of Sunderland at a cost of £100.
This new boat was 26ft.
6ins.
long and was kept in the original boathouse and was known as the West side lifeboat.
The other boat, built by a local boat builder named Mr Christopher Gale, was known as the East side lifeboat and was 26ft.
long.
It was launched from the underside of Tate Hill Pier, where there had been a specially constructed wooden boathouse provided.
On 17th February 1827, five vessels were wrecked off the coast during a very severe storm.
They were the Oak, Comet, Harry and Mary from Whitby, the Travel from Sunderland and the Ann from Stockton, all the crews were saved by the two lifeboats.
RNLI not only established its own lifeboat stations, but also was awarded gold and silver medals for acts of outstanding bravery carried out in lifeboats, shore boats and during rescues from the shore.
The bronze medal was not instituted until 1917.
Today, a Whitby ship named the Mary Ann Hepworth, a 41ft.
Watson, is used for pleasure trips only but it served Whitby between 1938 and 1974 as a lifeboat.
The ship was launched 372 times, saving a total of 201 lives.
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