Peel Lifeboat Station is located in the shadow of Peel Castle on St Patrick's Isle, in the town of Peel, in the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency.
| Peel Lifeboat Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
.jpg) Peel Lifeboat Station | |
  Peel, Isle of Man | |
| General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Address | The Breakwater |
| Town or city | Peel, IM5 1TG |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Coordinates | 54°13′37″N 4°41′52.5″W / 54.22694°N 4.697917°W |
| Opened | 1828 |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website | |
| Peel RNLI Lifeboat Station | |
A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828.[1]
Re-established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1884, the station currently operates an Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, 13-35 Frank and Brenda Winter (ON 1342), on station since 2021.[2]
History
editOn the 28 May 1828, Sir William Hillary, President of the Isle of Man District Association of the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, wrote to the associations headquarters in London, requesting that a lifeboat be placed at both Peel and Ramsey, which was duly agreed.
A new boat was provided for Peel, a 26-foot 6-oared Palmer-class lifeboat, built by Taylor of Blackwall, which cost £55, and arrived in Peel on 12 December 1828. Records show only one service, in 1831, to the sloop Jane to rescue the 4 crew, and by 1836, for reasons unknown, the boat was recorded as wrecked.[1]
A replacement boat was commissioned with local boatbuilder William Corlett, again a 26-foot "Palmer" inspired type boat. No services were ever recorded, and by 1843, this boat too is recorded as being unserviceable.
Following the death of Sir William Hillary in 1848, and with little funding available, there seemed to be no interest in maintaining a lifeboat in Peel, despite the large number of fishing boats operating there. However, in 1883, the Lt. Governor of the Isle of Man wrote to the (now) RNLI, to request that a station be re-established at both Peel and Ramsey, which was agreed. A new boat house was built next to the castle in 1884 by Redcliffe and Anderson, at a cost of £485-9s-10d, and in 1885, a new 37-foot 12-oared boat arrived, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, and costing £397; the John Monk (ON 83), funded by the legacy of Capt. John Monk RN, of Neston, Wirral. John Monk was a retired naval officer who first saw action in the Napoleonic wars, and bequeathed £500 to the RNLI "for the purpose of building a life boat, which shall be named John Monk"[1]
After years of launching Peel lifeboats by hand, Peel received their first launch and recovery tractor, a CASE LA (T41) in 1963.[2]
Following a coastal service review, the All-weather lifeboat was withdrawn in 1972, replaced with an A-class (McLachlan) class lifeboat. Then followed a further McLachlan boat, and then two B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboats. In 1990, another coastal review determined that an All-weather boat would once again be placed at Peel, whilst Port Erin would receive an Atlantic 21 Inshore boat to replace their Rother-class All-weather lifeboat.[1]
In 1992, Peel's new Mersey-class lifeboat arrived, costing £662,663, and was named 12-22 Ruby Clery (ON 1181), following a generous bequest from the late Miss R. A. Clery of St. John's Wood, London, a great-great-granddaughter of Sir William Hillary. The naming ceremony took place on 12 September 1992, and was carried out by Mrs Karin Bache Nordli, the daughter of the baby rescued off the St George in 1889 (see Notable rescues).
The 1884 boathouse had to be demolished to make way for a new building for the Mersey lifeboat and tractor, but much of the original red sandstone was retained and re-used in the construction of the new building.[1]
Ruby Clery served Peel for the next 27 years, before she was transferred to Ramsey, and then onto Douglas, where in 2024 she is still in service.[2] Peel received a new Shannon-class lifeboat in 2020, although it was 2021 before she was formally accepted on service, delays in training being caused with the Covid pandemic. The boathouse once again required modifications, being extended on the North side, with larger access doors fitted, new workshop facilities, and a crew room mezzanine above the boat hall, with lookout windows.[3]
Notable rescues
editOn the 7 October 1889, a large fully-rigged ship was seen in trouble off Peel, badly damaged, with broken masts. The John Monk was launched into the full fury of the storm. It took 16 men rowing a full 2 hours to reach the St. George, a Norwegian ship bound for Montevideo. Unable to get close, a breeches-buoy system was set up, and one by one, 21 crew, the Captain's wife, and baby, were rescued. The lifeboat hadn't reached Peel Harbour on the return trip, before the St George was driven ashore and wrecked. The survivors were landed on the quay to the cheers of a large assembled crowd. For this service, Coxswain Charles Cain and each of the 15 crew received the Silver Medal from the Norwegian Government, and a Manx bible.[4] The figurehead off the boat, "George", was recovered and has been proudly on display at Peel Lifeboat Station ever since.
Station honours
editThe following are awards made at Peel[1][5]
- Silver Medal, awarded by the Norwegian Government
- Manx Bible, presented by the Bishop of the Isle of Man[6]
- Charles Cain, Coxswain – 1890
- Angus Cain – 1890
- James Cain – 1890
- John Callister – 1890
- John Cook – 1890
- Caesar Gorry – 1890
- Henry Gorry – 1890
- John Gorry – 1890
- James Hughes – 1890
- John Hughes – 1890
- H. Kaighen – 1890
- Joseph McMurdoch – 1890
- William Quillam – 1890
- John Quirk – 1890
- John Sayle – 1890
- William Williamson – 1890
- The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
- Charles Cain II, Coxswain – 1910
- Thomas Quirk – 1921
- John Kissack – 1921
- Patrick Gorry – 1926
- W E Gorry, Coxswain – 1970
- Edward Allen, Helmsman – 1980
- Brian Maddrell, Helmsman – 1980
- Frank Horne, crew member – 1995
- Vellum Service Certificates
- John Keig – 1980
- Philip Quane – 1980
- Barry Horne – 1980
- James Coulson – 1980
- David Eames, Coxswain – 1995
- Paul Jones, Second Coxswain – 1995
- Paul Cain, Motor Mechanic – 1995
- Tim Crookhall, crew member – 1995
- John Hunter, crew member – 1995
- Colin Makin, crew member – 1995
- Andrew Quane, crew member – 1995
- Frank Horne – 2022QBH[7]
Peel lifeboats
editAll-weather lifeboats
edit| ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name | In service[8] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | Unnamed | 1828–1836 | 26-foot Palmer | [Note 1] [1] |
| – | – | Unnamed | 1836–1843 | 26-foot "Palmer Type" | [Note 2] [1] |
| 83 | – | John Monk | 1885–1895 | 37-foot 6in Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 3] |
| – | – | Unnamed | 1895–1897 | [Note 4] | |
| 396 | – | Mayhew Medwin | 1897–1925 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 5] |
| 634 | – | Henry Kirk | 1925–1937 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 6] |
| 799 | – | Helen Sutton | 1937–1952 | Liverpool | |
| 903 | – | Helena Harris - Manchester & District XXXI | 1952–1972 | Liverpool | |
| All-weather lifeboat withdrawn 1972–1992 | |||||
| 1181 | 12-22 | Ruby Clery | 1992–2019 | Mersey | [9] |
| 1187 | 12-28 | Mary Margaret | 2019–2021 | Mersey | |
| 1342 | 13-35 | Frank and Brenda Winter | 2021– | Shannon | [10] |
Inshore lifeboats
edit| Op. No.[b] | Name | In service[2] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-506 (18-006) |
Unnamed | 1972 | A-class (McLachlan) | [Note 7] |
| A-507 (18-007) |
Unnamed | 1973–1976 | A-class (McLachlan) | [Note 8] |
| B-536 | Unnamed | 1976–1989 | B-class (Atlantic 21) | |
| B-575 | John Batstone | 1989–1992 | B-class (Atlantic 21) |
- Inshore lifeboat withdrawn in 1992
Launch and recovery tractors
edit| Op. No.[b] | Reg. No. | Type | In service[2] | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T41 | JXR 66 | Case LA | 1963–1970 | |
| T54 | MJT 722P | Case LA | 1970–1973 | |
| T43 | JXR 934 | Case LA | 1973–1978 | |
| TW07 | MAN 49W | Talus MB 764 County | 1978–1988 | |
| TW06 | BMN 476L | Talus MB 764 County | 1988–1992 | |
| T114 | 1222 MN | Talus MB-H Crawler | 1992–2004 | |
| T111 | 1222 MN | Talus MB-H Crawler | 2004–2019 | |
| T108 | 1222 MN | Talus MB-H Crawler | 2019–2021 | |
| SC-T22 | 1335 MAN | SLARS (Clayton) | 2020– |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ 26-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-Oared) Palmer lifeboat, built by Taylor, of Blackwall, London, costing £55.
- ^ 26-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-Oared) Palmer-type lifeboat, built locally by William Corlett.
- ^ 37-foot x 9-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, costing £397.
- ^ Unrecorded relief lifeboat on station for 2 years
- ^ 37-foot x 9-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Roberts of Mevagissey, costing £485.
- ^ 37-foot x 9-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1,239 when new.
- ^ A-506 (ILB designation), formerly 18-006 under ALB designation
- ^ A-507 (ILB designation), formerly 18-007 under ALB designation
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Morris, Jeff (2003). Peel Lifeboats 1828-2003. pp. 1–46.
- ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
- ^ "Peel Lifeboat Station, Royal National Lifeboat Institution". NK Construction. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Quilliam, Leslie (1990). The Lifeboats of Peel. Cashtal Books Ltd. pp. 1–100.
- ^ "Peel's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Davies, Joan (Spring 1980). "Lifeboat Stations of the Isle of Man" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XLVII (471). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
- ^ Kelly, Mal (30 May 2017). "Peel RNLI lifeboat Ruby Clery celebrates 25 years". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Hunter, Carol (20 October 2021). "The Isle of Man's first Shannon lifeboat goes into service". RNLI. Retrieved 19 February 2024.