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Workington Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 54°39′03.2″N 3°34′03.5″W / 54.650889°N 3.567639°W / 54.650889; -3.567639
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Workington Lifeboat Station
Workington Lifeboat Station is located in Cumbria
Workington Lifeboat Station
Workington, Cumbria
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationNorth Jetty
AddressPrince of Wales Dock
Town or cityWorkington, Cumbria, CA14 2JH
CountryEngland
Coordinates54°39′03.2″N 3°34′03.5″W / 54.650889°N 3.567639°W / 54.650889; -3.567639
Opened1886 / 1948
Closed1905
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Workington RNLI Lifeboat Station

Workington Lifeboat Station is located at the North Jetty, on the Prince of Wales Dock, in the port of Workington, on the west coast of Cumbria.

A lifeboat was first stationed at Workington by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1886.[1][2]

The station currently operates a davit launched Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, 13-19 Dorothy May White (ON 1326), on station since 2017, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, John F. Mortimer (D-767), on station since 2014.[3]

History

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At daybreak on Saturday 19 September 1885, just the top portion of a ship's mast was spotted above the water, off Mossbay Point, between Harrington and Workington. The crew had taken to the rigging when the vessel was wrecked. The one remaining survivor was soon seen to be washed away. The tug Derwent put out from Workington, towing a harbour boat with four men aboard, but the boat capsized, and one man was also lost. The vessel was the schooner Margaret of Ramsey, Isle of Man. The bodies of the two crew, William Cowle and William Kennish, and the Master, Robert Christian, were found washed up on the beach. James Henry Christian, aged 13, the Master's son, was found later.[4][5]

It was following this wreck and loss of life, that requests were made to the RNLI for the provision of a lifeboat at Workington, which was agreed. A lifeboat house and slipway were constructed at a cost of £395.[1]

The lifeboat, a 34-foot self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was pulled on its carriage, drawn by eight horses, through the town in a grand procession. At a ceremony at the shore, south of the pier, the lifeboat was named the Dodo (ON 79), in accordance of the wishes of Miss Harrison, the lady donor from London. Accepted by the District Inspector of Life-boats, Lt. Tipping, RN, the boat was handed over to the care of the local RNLI committee.[6]

In 1891, the lifeboat house was relocated to the beach south of John's Pier. A replacement boat was placed on service in 1899, unusually, being older than the first boat. Previously named Theodore and Herbert (ON 33) at Southend-on-Sea, it was renamed Dodo at Workington. Just six years later, it is believed that works on the piers at Workington forced the closure of the lifeboat station in 1905.[1]

By 1948, the nearest lifeboat station at Maryport was beginning to suffer from silting of the harbour. In order to maintain a lifeboat service on the Solway coast, the Workington station was re-established. Maryport Lifeboat Station closed in 1949. In what would be her last assignment, already now 26-years-old, a 45-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat named The Brothers (ON 671) was placed at Workington, serving for 4 years until her retirement. She was replaced in February 1952 for just one year, by the former Barrow lifeboat, a slightly larger 45-foot 6in Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, named N. T. (ON 701), which was already 25-years-old when she arrived at Workington. The requested names of the donors, Eliza Norman and M. E. Thompson, were inscribed on a plaque inside the boat.[3][7]

In March 1953, Workington received the Manchester and Salford XXIX (ON 841), a 10-year-old 46-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, which had previously served at Pwllheli.[8]

At 21:25 on the 27 January 1974, the relief lifeboat City of Edinburgh (ON 802) was launched in extremely rough conditions, to the fishing vessel Kia Ora, broken down off Hestan Island, in Auchencairn Bay, and dragging her anchor. In the very poor conditions, the lifeboat was brought alongside, and at the second attempt, six men and a 10-year-old boy were recovered. Coxswain Albert Brown was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, the first and only such award for gallantry at Workington.[9][10]

RNLB Douglas Currie (ON 1021)

In 1990, the Solent lifeboat Douglas Currie (ON 1021) was placed on service for two years. The lifeboat was 17-years-old at this time, having previously served at four other lifeboat stations in Scotland. At the same time, a two-year-old relatively new carriage-launched Mersey-class lifeboat from the relief fleet was placed at Workington, on trial from 4 July 1990 until 3 January 1991, to evaluate shore launches and recovery.[1]

Shore launching was clearly not suited to the geography at Workington. On 8 June 1992, the station would receive a Tyne-class lifeboat from the relief fleet, 47-028 Sir John Fisher (ON 1141), funded by a gift from the Sir John Fisher Foundation, and the bequests of Frances Elizabeth Jackson and Mabel Annie Young. To accommodate the boat, a new boathouse was constructed on the quay at the Prince of Wales Dock, with a workshop, drying room, shower/toilet facilities, a fuel storage tank and crew-room. In a unique method of launching an All-weather lifeboat in the UK, the boat is set on a rail carriage in the boathouse. At time of launch, the boat is rolled out of the boathouse, and then a special launch davit system picks up the boat, which is then lowered into the water.[11]

At a coastal review in 2004, it was decided to also place an Inshore lifeboat at Workington. Following a brief period with the relief lifeboat Spirit of RAOC (D-461), the D-class (IB1) lifeboat The Shannock (D-629) was placed on service on 12 August 2004.[1][3]

On 7 December 2011, the fishing vessel George Lou-N suffered engine problems, and was being smashed against the North Pier, in very rough conditions and a force 10 gale, and with a severely injured man on board. At great personal risk, RNLI divisional maintenance manager Andrew Philip Rodgers jumped onto the vessel from the Pier to assist, and the lifeboat Sir John Fisher (ON 1141) managed to get a tow established. The vessel was brought into the harbour without damage, and the man's life was saved. Coxswain John Stobbart and Mr Rodgers were both accorded the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum'.[12]

In 2017, Workington would receive a new £2.2 million Shannon-class lifeboat. Named 13-19 Dorothy May White (ON 1326), it would be the first brand new lifeboat assigned to the station for 131 years, since the very first boat, Dodo (ON 79), in 1886.[3]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Workington.[1][9]

Albert Brown, Coxswain - 1974
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2001
John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2012
Andrew Philip Rodgers, Divisional Maintenance Manager - 2012
John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2020QBH[13]

Workington lifeboats

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'Pulling and Sailing' lifeboats

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ON[a] Name Build In service[3] Class Comments
79 Dodo 1886 1886−1899 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) [Note 1]
33 Dodo 1885 1899−1902 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
Previously Theodore and Herbert at Southend-on-Sea, and reverted to that name in Nov 1902.
33 Theodore and Herbert 1885 1902−1905 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S)
Station closed in 1905

All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Op.No.[b] Name Build In service[3] Class Comments
671 − The Brothers 1922 1948−1952 45-foot Watson [Note 3]
701 − N. T. 1927 1952−1953 45-foot 6in Watson [Note 4]
841 − Manchester and Salford XXIX 1943 1953−1972 46-foot Watson [Note 5]
887 – Sir Godfrey Baring 1951 1972−1982 46-foot 9in Watson [Note 6]
951 – Francis W. Wotherspoon of Paisley 1959 1982−1986 47-foot Watson [Note 7]
940 – Pentland (Civil Service No.31) 1957 1986−1990 47-foot Watson [Note 8]
1021 48-016 Douglas Currie 1973 1990−1992 Solent [Note 9]
1148 12-11 Lifetime Care
(Workington No.2) 		1988 1990−1991 Mersey
1141 47-028 Sir John Fisher 1989 1992−2017 Tyne
1326 13-19 Dorothy May White 2017 2017− Shannon

Inshore lifeboats

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Op.No.[b] Name In service[3] Class Comments
D-461 Spirit of RAOC 2004 D-class (EA16)
D-629 The Shannock 2004–2014 D-class (IB1)
D-564 Peter Bond 2009–2010 D-class (EA16)
D-767 John F. Mortimer 2014– D-class (IB1)
  1. ^ a b ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 34-foot 2in (10-Oared) Self-righting (P&S).
  2. ^ 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S), costing £300 when new.
  3. ^ 45-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat.
  4. ^ 45-foot 6in Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, with two 40-hp engines giving a speed of 8 knots, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, and cost £10,826 when new.
  5. ^ 46-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, with twin 40-hp Ferry VE4 Diesel engines, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £11,912 when new.
  6. ^ 46-foot 9in Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, with twin 40-hp Ferry VE4 diesel-engines, delivering 8 knots, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, and costing £24,628 when new.
  7. ^ 47-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat.
  8. ^ 47-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat.
  9. ^ 48-foot 6in Solent-class lifeboat.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Workington's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Workington Lifeboat, Port of Workington". Old Cumbria Gazetteer. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  4. ^ "Maritime Disasters". The Times. No. 31557. London. 21 September 1885. col B, p. 10.
  5. ^ "Loss of Ramsey Schooner and All Hands". Isle Man Examiner. 19 September 1885.
  6. ^ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XIII (142): 194. 1 November 1886. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  7. ^ Morris, Jeff (2003). The History of the Barrow Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–46.
  8. ^ Morris, Jeff (January 1991). The Story of the Pwllheli Lifeboats (1891–1991). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–22.
  9. ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  10. ^ "Albert Brown" (PDF). The Lifeboat. L (501): 201. Autumn 1987. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Workington Lifeboats". Cumbria Ship Photos. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Workington RNLI team honoured". itvX. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  13. ^ "British Empire Medal". London Gazette. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
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