Appledore Lifeboat Station

Summary

Appledore Lifeboat Station[1] is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1825 and the present station was opened in 2001. It operates a Tamar-class all-weather boat (AWB) and an Atlantic 85 B Class inshore lifeboat (ILB).

Appledore Lifeboat Station
Appledore Lifeboat Station is located in Devon
Appledore Lifeboat Station
Appledore
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationJubilee Road, EX39 1SA
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51°03′27″N 4°11′56″W / 51.0574°N 4.199°W / 51.0574; -4.199
OpenedFirst station 1825
Current building 2001
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution

History edit

 
47-027 George Gibson was stationed at Appledore from 1988 to 2010. It is here on a visit to the RNLI Depot at Poole in front of a larger Severn-class boat

The Bideford District Association of the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (as it was then known) introduced a lifeboat service in February 1825. The boat was kept in the King's Watch House at Appledore. In 1831 the work was taken over by the Devon Humane Society and they built a new boat house at Watertown, half a mile nearer the sea. This was large enough for two boats and a second one arrived in December that year, but in 1848 was transferred to a second boat house at Braunton Burrows on the opposite side of the estuary. It was easier to launch from here to help ships on that side of the water, but crews for lifeboats at Braunton Burrows always came from Appledore. A third station was built at Northam Burrows to the west of Appledore in 1851. This was expanded to house a second boat in 1856 and the old boat house at Watertown eventually lost its boats.[2]

The two stations were remote from Appledore where the crews lived. With the development of boats that could be more easily sailed (rather than just rowed) a new boat house was built at Badstep in 1889 to replace Northam Burrows. During World War I it became difficult to find the horses and men necessary for launching boats at Braunton Burrows, so it too was closed temporarily in 1918 and this became permanent the following year. The first motor lifeboat arrived on station in 1922. In 1938 a Watson, the Violet Armstrong, replaced the earlier, smaller, boat and had to be kept moored afloat as it did not fit in the boat house. Instead, a small boarding boat was kept in it and used to ferry the crew out to the lifeboat. The new lifeboat had a shallower draught than was usual for a Watson Class and also had her stern strengthened, both modifications to help crossing the shallow water at the mouth of the estuary.[2]

An inshore lifeboat has been stationed at Appledore since 1972 and is kept in the boathouse with the boarding boat. The boat house had a new crew room installed at first-floor level in 1980, but was demolished in 2000 and a new station opened the following year.[2]

Service awards edit

The volunteer crews of the RNLI do not expect reward or recognition for their work, but the records include many rescues that have been recognised by letters, certificates and medals from the RNLI management. The following are some of the most notable.

On 17 November 1962, the Watson-class Louisa Ann Hawker was launched in a northerly gale to assist the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Green Ranger which had broken free from her tug and run aground on rocks near Hartland Point. While the lifeboat found the tanker they could not find any of her crew. The lifeboat stood by for some time until it became clear that the crew had already been saved by breeches buoy, so it returned through the dangerous waters at the estuary mouth to its berth by the boat house. Despite not saving anyone, the RNLI awarded Sidney Cann, the coxswain, a Silver Medal for his work in extremely difficult seas that night.[3]

The Tyne-class George Gibson[4] put to sea on 31 March 1994 when the local fishing boat Torridge Warrior was struggling through a gale with just one of its engines working. The lifeboat reached the boat on the seaward side of the shallow water off Bideford but, due to the state of the tide and weather, had to tow her to Ilfracombe. The tow line broke but was reconnected. The Ilfracombe Lifeboat arrived and took over the tow but the Appledore boat continued to escort them. They then had to wait three hours for sufficient water to enter Ilfracombe harbour before returning home. Coxswain Michael Bowden was awarded a Bronze Medal for his seamanship that afternoon.[5]

Station Honours edit

The following are awards made at Appledore[6][7]

Owen Nile Riordon Smith, Master Mariner - 1829
William Brinksmead, Master Mariner - 1829
Philip Guy, Master Mariner - 1829
Captain William Chappell, Master Mariner - 1833
Thomas Tuckfield - 1834
Thomas Chappell - 1834
Henry Popham - 1834
Thomas Burnard, Hon.Secretary, North Devon Humane Society - 1834
Thomas Day, Coxswain (Bideford) - 1836
Thomas Burnard, Hon.Secretary, North Devon Humane Society - 1840 (Second-Service Clasp)
Captain Joshua Williams, Coxswain (Bideford) - 1846
Captain John Marshall - 1850
Captain Joshua Williams - 1850 (Second-Service Clasp)
Joseph Cox (Snr), Coxswain (Appledore) - 1861
Captain Thomas Jones of the Steam Tug 'Ely' - 1866
Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Second-Service Clasp) - 1869
Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Third-Service Clasp) - 1869
Joseph Cox Jnr , Second Coxswain - 1869
John Moulton Kelly, crew member - 1869
James Harvey Smallridge, Coxswain (Braunton) - 1872
James Harvey Smallridge, Coxswain (Braunton) - 1891 (Second-Service Clasp)
Joseph Cox Jnr, Coxswain (Appledore) - 1891 (Second-Service Clasp)
Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1963
  • Silver Cross of Merit awarded by The Emperor of Austria
Joseph Cox Snr, Coxswain (Second, Third Clasp) - 1869
Joseph Cox Jnr , Second Coxswain - 1869
John Moulton Kelly, crew member - 1869
  • Silver Medal awarded by The Spanish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked
Coxswain - 1949
George Henry Eastman Pow, Second Coxswain - 1935
Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1944
Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1950 (Second-Service Clasp)
John Richard Bowden, Second Coxswain - 1964
John William Pavitt, Helmsman - 1986
Michael Bowden, Coxswain - 1995
Gary Stanbury, Helmsman - 2005
  • The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2005
    (for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year)
Gary Stanbury, Helmsman - 2005
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Sidney Cann, Coxswain - 1959
Dr D F Valentine - 1971
John William Pavitt, crew member - 1971
  • Diplomas awarded by The Spanish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked
Each of the crew - 1949
  • Wrist Watch
Robert Cann, aged 10 - 1956
  • Names added to the Book of Valour of the British Medical Association
Dr Brook - 1966
Dr Ruddock - 1966

Description edit

 
The lifeboat station from the west

The lifeboat station is situated in Jubilee Road. At ground level, facing a slipway, is covered accommodation for the ILB, boarding boat and their tractors.

Area of operation edit

The RNLI aims to reach any casualty up to 50 miles (80 km) from its stations, and within two hours in good weather. To do this the Tamar class lifeboat[8] has an operating range of 250 nautical miles (460 km) and a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h).[9] Appledore is situated on the estuary of the rivers Taw and Torridge near the north Devon coast. Adjacent lifeboats are at Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station to the North, and Clovelly Lifeboat Station to the South.[10]

Current fleet edit

 
Mollie Hunt

Appledore Lifeboats edit

Appledore and Watertown Stations 1825–1858 edit

Name Built At Appledore Class Comments
Volunteer 1825 1825–1858 17ft Norfolk & Suffolk (P&S) [12][13]
Assistance 1831 1831–1848 26ft Norfolk & Suffolk (P&S) Transferred to Braunton Burrows in 1848
[12][13]
Petrel 1847 1847–1851 28ft 2in Whale Boat Believe transferred to Northam Burrows around 1851.
10 oars. Rebuilt with 12 oars in 1851.
[14][13]

Appledore (Braunton Burrows) 1847–1919 edit

ON Name Built At Braunton Class Comments
Assistance 1831 1848–1857 26ft Norfolk & Suffolk (P&S) [12][13]
Dolphin 1857 1857–1866 28ft Self-righting (P&S) [14][13]
George and Catherine 1866 1866–1881 32ft Self-righting (P&S) 10 oared
[13]
213 Robert and Catherine 1881 1881–1902 34ft 8in Self-righting (P&S) [15]
485 Robert and Catherine 1902 1902–1912 34ft Self-righting (Rubie) Capsized 21 December 1911. Sold 1934 but broken up 2001.[15]
632 Robert and Catherine 1912 1912–1919 36ft Self-righting (P&S) [15]

Appledore (Northam Burrows) 1851–1897 edit

ON[a] Name Built At Northam Class Comments
Petrel 1847 1851–1852 28ft 2in Whale Boat [Note 1][13]
Mermaid 1856 1856–1862 28ft Self-righting (P&S) [13]
Hope 1862 1862–1890 34ft Self-righting (P&S) [13]
Mary Ann 1870 1870–1875 30ft Self-righting (P&S) [13]
Mary Ann 1867 1875–1885 30ft Self-righting (P&S) [13]
175 Jane Hannah MacDonald 1885 1885–1889 34ft 2in Self-righting (P&S) Transferred to Appledore in 1889. [15]
? ? ? 1890–1891 [Note 2]
323 Bessie Pearce 1891 1891–1897 34ft 1in Self-righting (P&S) [15]

Appledore Lifeboat Station 1889– edit

ON Op. No.[b] Name Built In service [16] Class Comments
175 Jane Hannah MacDonald 1885 1889–1907 34ft 2in Self-righting (P&S) [15]
348 Jane Hannah MacDonald 1893 1907–1910 35ft Self-righting (P&S) [15]
611 Jane Hannah MacDonald 1910 1910–1922 35ft Self-righting (P&S) Sold 1939. Dunkirk little ship.[17][18][15]
675 V.C.S. 1922 1922–1938 40ft Self-righting (motor) Sold 1945.[18][15]
815 Violet Armstrong 1938 1938–1962 46ft Watson-class Specially modified for the shallow waters at Appledore. Sold 1962; reported in 2001 working as a pleasure boat in Bristol.[19][15]
965 Louisa Ann Hawker 1962 1962–1986 47ft Watson-class Sold, reported in 2008 working as a pleasure boat in Sarawak.[3][15]
958 Laura Moncur 1961 1986–1987 47ft Watson-class Sold, reported in 2008 working as pleasure boat Chizz at Lowestoft.[15]
950 Kathleen Mary 1959 1987–1988 47ft Watson-class Sold, reported in 2007 working as pleasure boat Katie May at Peterhead.[15]
1140 47-027 George Gibson 1988 1988–2010 Tyne [15]
1296 16-16 Mollie Hunt 2010 2010– Tamar [15]

Inshore lifeboats edit

Op. No. Name In service Class Comments
B-500 (Unnamed) 1972–1973 B-class (Atlantic 21) First Atlantic 21.[20]
B-520 Wildenrath Wizzer 1974–1986 B-class (Atlantic 21) [20]
B-565 Manchester and District XXXII 1986–1997 B-class (Atlantic 21) [20]
B-705 Vera Skilton 1997 B-class (Atlantic 75) [20]
B-742 Douglas Paley 1997–2012 B-class (Atlantic 75) [20]
B-861 Glanely 2012– B-class (Atlantic 85) [20]
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Petrel recorded in LBES Handbook as 1848-1852, but may well have served at Northam until 1856??
  2. ^ I can find no record of a boat to fill this date gap. Suspect dates of previous and post boats innaccurately recorded?

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Appledore Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Appledore station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Leach, Nicholas (2009). Devon's Lifeboat Heritage. Chacewater: Twelveheads Press. pp. 39–44. ISBN 978-0-906294-72-7.
  3. ^ a b Leach, Nicholas (2009). pp. 42–43.
  4. ^ "Tyne Class Lifeboats". List of RNLI Tyne class Lifeboats with service dates and Details including George Gibson. navynuts.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2009). pp. 43–44.
  6. ^ "Appledore's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  7. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0 907605 89 3.
  8. ^ "Tamar-class 16.25-metre Lifeboat". List of Tamar-class lifeboats. Lifeboat World On-Line© 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  9. ^ Wake-Walker, Edward (2008). The Lifeboats Story. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. pp. 69–70. ISBN 978-0-7509-4858-6.
  10. ^ a b Denton, Tony (2009). Handbook 2009. Shrewsbury: Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 68.
  11. ^ "Appledore Fleet". RNLI. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  12. ^ a b c Leach, Nicholas (2009). p. 39.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
  14. ^ a b Leach, Nicholas (2009). p. 40.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–58.
  16. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  17. ^ "Historic Devon lifeboat is coming home for major restoration project". 3 June 2020.
  18. ^ a b Leach, Nicholas (2009). p. 41.
  19. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2009). pp. 41–42.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 65–88.

External links edit

  • Official station website
  • RNLI station information