Plymouth Lifeboat Station

Plymouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Plymouth in England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the city in the early 1800s. The station moved to its present site at Millbay Docks in 1992, a Grade II-listed three-storey tower. Since 2003 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather boat (ALB) along with an B-class Atlantic inshore lifeboat (ILB).

History
Plymouth was one of the towns that received one of the Lloyds North Country-class lifeboats in the first decade of the nineteenth century, but it never saw service. In 1825 a new lifeboat was provided by the new National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (renamed the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1854), but this too saw no use.

A new lifeboat station was established in Plymouth in 1862 with a lifeboat house on the West Wharf of the outer basin of Millbay Docks. This was replaced in 1897 by a new boathouse at the Camber (at the seaward end of the wharf) with its own 130 ft launching slip which allowed the lifeboat to get to sea more quickly. The station's first motor lifeboat was a Barnett-class which had to be kept moored afloat due to its 60 ft length. A new station was built on the Princess Royal Pier in 1979 and a new mooring was provided alongside. From 1988 until 1992 the lifeboat was moored in Sutton Harbour while the area around the Princess Royal Pier was redeveloped as a marina, but it then returned to Millbay.

An Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) was first stationed at Plymouth in May 1967. For the first year. this was a D-class inflatable lifeboat. Larger A-class ILBs were then provided, 18 ft Hatch and McLachlan lifeboats. The McLachlan class boat was withdrawn in 1983 but an ILB has again been stationed at Plymouth since 2004.

13 silver medals without the lifeboat
The National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (as the RNLI was known at the time) was established in 1824 and one of its objectives was that 'medallions or pecuniary awards be given to those who rescue lives in cases of shipwreck'. Three silver medals were earned at Plymouth before the year was over, all as the result of a single storm on 23 November. CoastguardJames Craggs saved a woman from the John (although her husband and his crew all drowned), Coastguard John Miller saved 7 of the 13 crew of the Harmonie, and Richard Eddy, a local ship's pilot, saved 4 from the Coromandel. All three men received silver medals. Richard Eddy carried out a second silver-service on 13 January 1834, saving 10 people from the Koningsberg when it ran aground.

Another member of the coastguard, John Woolland Bake, was awarded a silver medal for saving 25 people from the Mary Ann when it was wrecked in Bovisand Bay on 13 January 1828. Three Royal Navy sailors, Francis Strong, Thomas Huss and Augustus May, also received silver medals for saving the 10 crew members of the Erin which struck Plymouth breakwater during a storm on 20 February 1833, and then Lieutenant Adrian Thomas Mann was similarly rewarded for saving 6 on 26 April 1833 – 2 from a barge and 4 others who had tried to rescue them but capsized.

The breakwater was the scene of another rescue on 14 February 1838. Lieutenant Thomas Holman saved the 6 people on the Thetis and was awarded a silver medal. Revenue cutters were involved in two silver-medal rescues during the following winter. J S W Grandy, mate of the Harpy, saved 5 people on 28 November 1838 and Andrew Gillespie, gunner on the Stork, saved 4 on 23 March 1839. The final silver medal awarded before the lifeboat station was established at Millbay was to Lieutenant John Cornish for rescuing 2 men from the schooner Norman when it ran aground 22 October 1843.

Awards to lifeboat crews
On 13 January 1942, during the Second World War, the RNLB Robert and Marcella Beck was called out to a Sunderland flying boat of the Royal Australian Air Force which had been blown onto rocks in a storm. The lifeboat crew managed to get a rope across to the aircraft and towed it and the crew to safety. Coxswain Walter Crowther took was awarded a bronze medal for leading the rescue.

A bronze medal was awarded to Coxswain John Dare "for his courage, determination and excellent seamanship" on 16 January 1974. A Danish coaster, the Merc Enterprise had capsized 26 mi south of Rame Head. The RNLB Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse fought through hurricane-force winds to reach the casualty. A helicopter managed to winch 7 people out of the water while the lifeboat searched for other survivors but failed to find any. Another bronze medal rescue involving the Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II took place on 15 February 1978. The Elly Gerda ran aground near Looe in a Force 8 storm. The lifeboat managed to rescue 2 of the trawler's crew but the heavy seas then washed the trawler off the rocks. The lifeboat escorted it back into harbour and then returned to Plymouth, where it had left its berth nearly 14 hours earlier. The RNLI awarded medals to both the Coxswain, Patrick Marshall, and the Mechanic, Cyril Alcock, "for their courage, determination and seamanship".

The lifeboat crew saved a yacht in a Force 9 gale and rain storm in 2002. Second Coxswain Sean Marshall was awarded a bronze medal for his bravery and the 'Thanks of the Institute Inscribed on Vellum' was given to Coxswain David Milford.

The five crew of a French trawler abandoned ship on 25 February 1985 but were rescued from their life-raft by the Plymouth lifeboat. Coxswain John Dare was given the 'Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum' for leading the rescue. Patrick Marshall received the same recognition for saving a fishing boat with its crew of 5 which was dragging its anchor in a storm on 6 September 1995.

Facilities
Since 1992 the all-weather lifeboat has been moored afloat in the Millbay Marina, which is on the eastern side of the outer basin. The inshore lifeboat is kept next to it in a floating cradle.

Crew facilities and storage are in the old Customs Office on the quay close to the moorings. This is a Grade II Listed building which was erected in 1850 to the design of George Wightwick. It is built from granite, octagonal in plan and three storeys high. This gave the customs officers all-round views of the area.

Area of operation
The RNLI aims to reach any casualty up to 50 mi from its stations, and within two hours in good weather. To do this the Severn class lifeboat at Plymouth has an operating range of 250 nmi and a top speed of 25 kn. The Atlantic 75 can go out in Force 7 winds (Force 6 at night) and can operate at up to 32 kn for 2½ hours. Adjacent all-weather lifeboats are stationed at Salcombe to the east, and Fowey to the west. There is also an ILB at Looe between Plymouth and Fowey.

Plymouth lifeboats
'ON' is the Official Number of the boat used in RNLI records from 1884. 'Op. No.' is the RNLI's Operational Number displayed on the boat.

Pulling and sailing lifeboats
'Pulling and sailing' lifeboats were equipped with oars but could use sails when conditions allowed.