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Donaghadee Lifeboat Station

Donaghadee Lifeboat Station
Donaghadee Lifeboat Station
Donaghadee Lifeboat Station is located in Northern Ireland
Donaghadee Lifeboat Station
Donaghadee, County Down
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
AddressThe Parade
Town or cityDonaghadee, County Down, BT21 0DG
CountryNorthern Ireland, UK
Coordinates54°38′36.2″N 5°31′55.3″W / 54.643389°N 5.532028°W / 54.643389; -5.532028
Opened1910
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat Station

Donaghadee Lifeboat Station is located at the Parade, in Donaghadee, a harbour town approximately 19 miles (31 km) east of Belfast, on the east coast of County Down, Northern Ireland

A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1910 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).[1]

Trent-class lifeboat 14-21 MacQuarie

The station currently operates the All-weather Trent-class lifeboat, 14-21 MacQuarie (ON 1225), on station since 2023.[2]

History

In 1907, the RNLI received the considerable bequest of £7571-18s-7d, the legacy of the late Mrs A. W. Clarke Hall, who specified a lifeboat was to be provided for the north coast of Ireland, and to be named William and Laura. It was decided to place the lifeboat at Donaghadee.[3]

At a time when most lifeboat stations were still operating 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboats, ones with oars and sails, with one still in operation at Whitby up to 1957, Donaghadee's first lifeboat would be one of the earliest motor-powered lifeboats. A 43-foot Watson-class lifeboat was constructed by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, with a 40-hp 'Blake' engine.[4]

Departing Harwich on 1 July 1910 under her own power, the Donaghadee lifeboat travelled up the east coast, transiting to the west coast via the Forth and Clyde Canal, and arriving at Donaghadee 11 days later.[5]

At a ceremony in September, the president of Donaghadee RNLI, Mr Charles Dunbar Butler, and Miss Slade, representing the late donor, handed the lifeboat to the care of the station, and the boat was duly named William and Laura (ON 595).[1][2]

The Donaghadee lifeboat William and Laura was called on 12 November 1915, to the aid of the French lugger Cyrano, of Brest, stranded in a NE gale, 2 miles (3.2 km) off Millisle. Some doubt was made as to whether the lifeboat would make it out of the harbour in the conditions, but the lifeboat performed well, and six crew were rescued from the French vessel. Silver medals and diplomas were awarded to the lifeboat crew by the French Government.[1][6]

In 1917, Coxswain William G. Nelson drowned in a fishing accident.[1]

Donaghadee lifeboat Civil Service No.5 (ON 753) was launched at 06:30 on 21 November 1940, to the steamship Coastville of Liverpool, when the vessel was wrecked on the rocks at Ballymacormick Point in Belfast Lough. The crew of seven were rescued. Just 15 days later, in gale-force conditions. nine of the 43 men aboard the SS Hope Star of Newcastle-upon-Tyne were brought ashore by the lifeboat, the rest of the crew refusing to leave the vessel. After landing the men, the lifeboat returned, and stood by until conditions improved. For these services, Coxswain Samuel Nelson was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal.[7]

Sir Samuel Kelly (ON 885), under restoration

At a naming ceremony of 17 August 1950, the third lifeboat to be placed at Donaghadee, a 46ft 9in Watson-class, was named Sir Samuel Kelly (ON 885), the gift of Lady Mary Kelly of Crawfordsburn, Co. Down, in memory of her husband, a coal merchant and philanthropist.[8][9]

On 17 July, the cargo ship MV Douglas of Bergen ran aground north of Larne near The Maidens lighthouses, County Antrim. Holed and taking on water, but in no immediate danger, the lifeboat was requested to stand by. A tug tried to tow the vessel off the rocks the following day, but was unsuccessful. Eventually it was decided the lifeboat was no longer required, and after landing four of the crew at Larne, headed for home. The lifeboat had been 'stood by' for 53 hours.[10][11]

Trent-class lifeboat 14-36 Saxon (ON 1267)

On 17 April 2003, a new Trent-class lifeboat was placed at Donaghadee, replacing the Arun-class lifeboat 52-33 City of Belfast (ON 1107), which had been on station since 1985. At a ceremony in September 2003, the new lifeboat was named 14-36 Saxon (ON 1267), funded from the legacy of Mrs Freda Rivers, in memory of her late husband.[12]

At 02:15, on 13 September 2009, the crew of Saxon were woken by their pagers. The lifeboat was launched in just seven minutes, to the yacht Bentim Buoys, with three elderly crew members aboard, and aground on the rocks near Ballywalter. After great difficult getting a reliable line to the vessel, in conditions of force 5–6, the yacht was pulled off the rocks, found to be watertight, and towed to harbour, arriving at 05:00. Coxswain Philip McNamara was accorded "The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum".[13]

In 2023, it was announced that Saxon had been withdrawn from the station needing repair work. The relief Trent-class lifeboat 14-21 MacQuarie (ON 1225), was placed on service, and has subsequently become the permanent lifeboat at Donaghadee.[2][14]

Princess Victoria

Princess Victoria memorial plaque, Donaghadee

Much has been documented elsewhere about the loss of the vehicle and passenger ferry MV Princess Victoria. The vessel, with 176 people on board, was operated by British Railways between Stranraer and Larne, and sank in a severe gale in the North Channel on 31 January 1953, approximately seven miles east of the entrance to Belfast Lough, with the loss of 135 lives. The raging seas had burst open the car-deck doors.[15]

Lifeboats from Newcastle, Cloughey, Portpatrick and Donaghadee were all called, making multiple launches, and spending many hours searching for survivors. The Donaghadee picked up 29 from one of the ship's lifeboats, a man in another boat, and one man on a raft. Coxswains William McConnell (Portpatrick) and Hugh Nelson (Donaghadee) were awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal. Both men were subsequently awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire.[1][7][15]

The Nelsons of Donaghadee

It is not uncommon for many generations of the same family to be involved with the town's lifeboat. In the case of Donaghadee, it is the Nelson family. At least four, William, Samuel, Hugh and Alex, have served as Coxswain. In the search for survivors from the Princess Victoria, at least six members of the family were out at some time, if not all together. In 2021, Mark Nelson received the 20-year long service award.[16][17]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Donaghadee.[1][7]

Hugh Nelson, Coxswain - 1953[18]
  • Silver Medals and Diplomas, awarded by the French Government
Donaghadee lifeboat crew - 1915
Samuel Nelson, Coxswain - 1941
Hugh Nelson, Coxswain - 1953
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Philip McNamara, Coxswain - 2010
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
James Bunting, Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1981
David T. McKibben, J.P., Honorary Secretary - 1957NYH[19]
Thomas Walker Simpson, Deputy Coxswain/Mechanic - 2002QBH[20]
William Tanner Lennon, Coxswain - 1991QBH[21]

Donaghadee lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name In service[2] Class Comments
595 – William and Laura 1910–1932 43ft Watson [Note 1]
753 – Civil Service No.5 1932–1950 45ft 6in Watson [Note 2]
885 – Sir Samuel Kelly 1950–1976 46ft 9in Watson [Note 3]
1043 44-017 The Nelsons of Donaghadee 1976–1978 Waveney
928 – Douglas and Will 1978–1979 46ft 9in Watson [Note 4]
Previously Lilla Marras at Cromarty
1005 44-006 Arthur and Blanche Harris 1979–1985 Waveney
1107 52-33 City of Belfast 1985–2003 Arun
1267 14-36 Saxon 2003–2023 Trent
1225 14-21 MacQuarie 2023– Trent
  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.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 43-foot x 12-foot 6in Watson-class lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, with single 40-hp 'Blake' engine.
  2. ^ 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes.
  3. ^ 46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat, with twin 70-bhp Ford Mermaid 595 engines, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes.
  4. ^ 46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat, with twin 70-bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380 engines, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Donaghadee's station history". Donaghadee Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  3. ^ "List of Gifts and Bequests". The Lifeboat. XX (232): 728. 1 May 1909. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Advance In the Motor Life-Boat". The Lifeboat. XXI (235): 4. 1 February 1910. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  5. ^ "The Motor Fleet". The Lifeboat. XXI (239): 313. 1 February 1911. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. ^ "The French Lugger Cyrano". The Lifeboat. XXIII (260): 125. 1 May 1916. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  8. ^ "Donaghadee" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XXXIII (356): 150. Winter 1950. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Sir Samuel and the Kelly family". The Samuel Kelly Project. Donaghadee Heritage Restoration. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  10. ^ "MV Douglas". The Lifeboat. XXXIV (378): 335–336. December 1956. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  11. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. No. 53590. London. 23 July 1956. col E, p. 5.
  12. ^ "Saxon" (PDF). The Lifeboat. 59 (566): 26. Winter 2003. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Nerves of steel". The Lifeboat. 61 (592): 24–26. Summer 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  14. ^ Cousins, Michael (16 February 2023). "Donaghadee RNLI announce that iconic lifeboat 'Saxon' is set to leave the Co Down town having served the area since 2003". NewsLetter. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b "The Thirty-First of January: A Day of Disaster". The Lifeboat. XXXIII (365): 533–536. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  16. ^ "The six Nelsons aboard the 'Dee lifeboat". Belfast Telegraph. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  17. ^ Ramm, Margaret (22 April 2021). "Donaghadee RNLI volunteers receive Long Service recognition". RNLI. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  18. ^ "British Empire Medal" (PDF). London Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". London Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". London Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  21. ^ "British Empire Medal". London Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donaghadee_Lifeboat_Station