Buckie Lifeboat Station

Buckie Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Buckie, Moray, on the Moray Firth coast of NE Scotland. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1860.

Since 2003, the station has operated a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-37 William Blannin (ON 1268).

History
A request in February 1860 from Commander McDonald, Inspector of H.M. Coastguard, that a lifeboat be placed at Buckie, was considered and accepted by the RNLI Committee of Management, and was formally agreed on 5 April 1860. An order for a lifeboat was placed with Forrestt of Limehouse, London, who constructed a 30-foot Peake type 6-oared self-righting lifeboat, and a boathouse was commissioned. The lifeboat, which was named Miriam, arrived by rail on 10 November 1860.

Miriam was only launched 3 times on service, but she is also recorded to have saved 49 lives over those 3 occasions. She was converted to be a 10-oared boat in 1866, but by 1870, the RNLI had decided to replace her with a larger 33-foot lifeboat.

A new boat was ordered, again from Forrestt of London, at a cost of £277-17s-6d. It was transported free of charge by the North Eastern, Caledonian and Great North of Scotland railway companies. The boat arrived in Portsoy on 25 January 1871, from where it was pulled on a carriage by a team of horses 10 miles to Buckie, to be greeted by 3000 people. Two bands joined the procession down to the boathouse, where the boat was named James Sturm, to recognise the legacy of Mr. James Sturm of Holborn.



As part of the ongoing redevelopment of Buckie harbour, the RNLI were contacted by the Great North of Scotland railway company in 1883, who wished to extend their lines, and needed the land where the 1860 boathouse stood. A deal was struck, and the boathouse and land were sold for just over £121. A new boathouse (shown right) was constructed on Low Street in 1885, costing £447-19s-0d, but it is not known if this was paid by the RNLI, or the gift of the railway company.

Buckie received their first powered lifeboat in 1922, a 40ft Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, with a single 45 h.p. engine, giving a speed of 7.36 kts. She was named K. B. M. (ON 681) in recognition of her late benefactors, Mr. William Kirkhope, Mr Charles Bailey, and Miss Charlotte McInroy. This boat required the construction of a new boathouse, and it was one of only two built of this design, the other one being at Sunderland. With insufficient room for a conventional slipway, the boathouse was built over the water, and utilised an internal boat platform, which could be lowered down to the water underneath.

The 1922 boathouse was used until 1984, when Buckie received an Arun-class lifeboat, 52-27 Charles Brown (ON 1093), which was moored afloat. Further works were carried out to create new crew facilities in 1995, and a pontoon berth was constructed, which is now home to Severn-class lifeboat, 17-37 William Blannin (ON 1268).

In 2018, the recently restored 47ft Watson-class lifeboat Laura Moncur (ON 958) made a return trip to her old station, 34 years after she last departed, and received an emotional reception from her former crew members.

Notable rescues
In the very early hours of 21 February 1968, relief lifeboat George and Sarah Strachan (ON 749) was launched to the aid of fishing boat Mistletoe, aground at the mouth of the River Spey. The boat was found close to the beach, in heavy swell and pounding waves. Working in dark and freezing conditions, attempts to get a tow-line in place failed, so Coxswain Jappy skillfully brought the lifeboat alongside, and all 6 crew were rescued. They were given rum and hot drinks, and landed in Buckie just before 5am. For this service, Coxswain George Alexander Jappy was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, with the crew being awarded Medal Service Certificates.

Station honours
The following are awards made at Buckie


 * RNLI Silver Medal
 * Peter Fernie, Fisherman - 1890
 * William Raich, Fisherman - 1890


 * RNLI Bronze Medal
 * George Alexander Jappy, Coxswain - 1968


 * Medal Service Certificates
 * Buckie Lifeboat Crew - 1968


 * The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
 * James Gale, Coxswain - 1868


 * Francis Mair, Coxswain - 1942


 * George Jappy, Coxswain - 1967


 * A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
 * John Murray, Coxswain - 1987
 * Kenneth Farquhar, Acting Second Coxswain - 1987
 * George Stewart, Motor Mechanic - 1987
 * Philip Latchem, crew member - 1987
 * Gordon Lawtie, crew member - 1987
 * Steven Matheson, crew member - 1987


 * John Murray, Coxswain - 1991


 * Plaque of Merit, awarded by the Swedish Lifeboat Society
 * Royal National Lifeboat Institution - 1949


 * A Diploma, awarded by the Swedish Lifeboat Society
 * Buckie Lifeboat Station - 1949


 * British Empire Medal
 * John Cole, Motor Mechanic - 1974

All-weather lifeboats

 * Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.