Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station

Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Ilfracombe, Devon, England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1828 and the present station was opened in 1996. For 29 years a second boat was operated from Morte Bay at Woolacombe.

Two lifeboats operate from the station: a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat (ALB) 13-09 The Barry and Peggy High Foundation (ON 1316) and a D-class Inshore lifeboat (ILB) Deborah Brown III (D-863).

History
A pilot boat was fitted out as a lifeboat for the town in 1828, and a new lifeboat was bought by local people in 1850 which operated from a boat house in Hiern's Lane near the harbour. The RNLI started its service in Ilfracombe in 1866 when a boat house was built near the pier at the bottom of Lantern Hill with a slipway nearby. Alterations to the pier in 1871 meant that the slipway was lost and the boat then had to be taken along the road to the harbour whenever it needed to be launched. The boat house was demolished in 1893 to allow a larger building be built for the new Co-operator No. 2 (ON 355) which, at 37 ft was 3 feet longer than the previous boat. This boat house was used until 1996 when it was replaced by a new facility near the slipway at the harbour.

In 1871 a lifeboat was stationed at Morte Bay near Woolacombe, about 6 mi south west of Ilfracombe. When the lifeboat was needed west of Morte Point a crew came out from Ilfracombe on a carriage. It proved difficult to launch into strong winds blowing onto its west-facing beach and so the station was closed in May 1900. The lifeboat was transferred up the coast to Watchet; the boat house has since been incorporated into a café known as the Boat House Café.

The first motor lifeboat at Ilfracombe was placed on station in March 1936. This was a 32 ft Surf lifeboat, a type that was designed for work close inshore. It was replaced by a more conventional 35 ft Liverpool-class boat in 1945, which allowed the Surf boat to be sent to the Netherlands where there was an acute shortage of lifeboats at the end of World War II. The all-weather boat has been supported by an inflatable inshore rescue boat since 1991.

Service awards
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. This list is just some of the most notable.

On 13 November 1949, the Richard Silver Oliver (ON 794) was launched to assist the SS Monte Gurugu, which was sinking near Morte Point after losing her rudder in a severe storm. After pulling the casualty clear of the shore, the lifeboat took the 23 crew aboard and safely back to Ilfracombe. Coxswain Cecil Irwin was awarded an RNLI silver medal for his work.

In a Force 8 gale on 9 September 1984, the Liberty was dragging her anchor just 50 yd from the shore when the Lloyds II reached her. The lifeboat's crew managed to get a line secured to the yacht and towed her into the harbour. An RNLI bronze medal was awarded to Coxswain David Clemence for his courage, leadership and seamanship.

Area of operation
The Shannon-class lifeboat at Ilfracombe has an operating range of 250 nmi and a top speed of 25 kn. Adjacent lifeboats are stationed at Appledore to the West, and The Mumbles to the North, along with an ILB at Minehead to the East.

Ilfracombe lifeboats
'ON' is the Official Number used in RNLI records from 1884; 'Op. No.' is the operational number displayed on the boat.