General Chat

Dear All

Hello

Over the weekend, there are many events marking SOS day for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).


The RNLI was founded on 4 March 1824.

Since then over 140,000 lives have been saved by selfless volunteers.

But how many know the how the organisation was started?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sir William Hillary came to live on the Isle of Man in 1808.

Being aware of the treacherous nature of the Irish Sea, with many ships being wrecked around the Manx coast, he drew up plans for a national lifeboat service manned by trained crews.


He received little help at first but eventually, two Members of Parliament,
Thomas Wilson and George Hibbert, set up the National Institution for the Preservation of Life.

Thirty years later the title changed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the first of the new lifeboats were stationed at Douglas Harbour in recognition of the work of Sir William.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The biggest rescue in the RNLI's history was on 17 March 1907 when
the 12,000 tonne liner SS Suevic hit the Maenheere Reef near Lizard Point
in Cornwall.


In a strong gale and dense fog, RNLI lifeboat volunteers rescued 456 passengers, including 70 babies.

Crews from The Lizard, Cadgwith, Coverack and Porthleven rowed out repeatedly for 16 hours to rescue all of the people on board.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By 1908, there were 280 RNLI lifeboats and 17 independents.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During World War Two, 19 lifeboats went to Dunkirk to help with the evacuation
of stranded allied troops in late May and early June 1940.


Lifeboats from Ramsgate and Margate were taken directly to France with their usual volunteer crews, but the others sailed to Dover where they were
requisitioned by the Royal Navy, which provided the crews.

Some of the RNLI crews remained behind in Dover and set up a workshop
to repair and fuel the little ships.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today, the RNLI has more paid staff, state of the art equipment and more trained volunteers then ever before.

They are owed much gratitude.

Sincere wishes
Elizabeth,
xx

I always donate to the RNLI THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB I used to lived in a small fishing village in cornwall and saw first hand the job they do. aslso the coastguards. they are very brave men, and underfunded.
:-D :-D :-D

Dear Michael and hello to you


Thank you for replying. :-)

It means a lot from you.

My very best wishes to you
Elizabeth,
xx

thank you Elizabeth this cause is very close to my heart .I am afraid to say I lost a couple of dear friends at sea so you can see why. <3 <3

Thankyou Elizabeth for that very interesting post. The RNLI are indeed an invaluable service.

Last year, my Son-In-Law (a fisherman/ cockler) and his friend were out at sea, fishing from a sandbank, in the middle of the night. The boat started to take in water and eventually sank. The pair were stranded in the pitch dark, in the middle of incoming sea. Fortunately, they had a mobile phone and were able to summon help. The Lifeboat service came and rescued them using the phone to track them.

He and his friend owe their lives to that service.

Thankyou for educating us of their history

Best Wishes- Jem <3

My late husband was a great supporter of the RNLI.
We met the Duke of Kent at the launch of a new lifeboat a few years ago in Holyhead.
A lady launched it.she had lost 2 sons to the sea and I think it was the 2nd boat she donated.
I live overlooking the sea,so believe it is a great charity.

The RNLI also operate on the major rivers - there are 4 Stations on the Thames, at Teddington, Chiswick, Tower (central London) and Gravesend.

They've even been helping rescue people effected by the floods many miles inland!

How wonderful that they were there for your son-in-law Jem. <3

Elizabeth...you sparked me off thinking of when it was that we went to the launch of this Lifeboat as thought how sad to lose two sons....was surprised to find it was 10 yrs. where does the time go.the other boat was the Andy Pearce.
Holyhead RNLI celebrates 10th anniversary of Christopher Pearce ...
angleseylist.co.uk/holyhead-rnli-celebrates-10th-anniversary-of-christopher...
23 Dec 2013 - Holyhead RNLI celebrates 10th anniversary of Christopher Pearce lifeboat. By Rhodri Barker. Volunteers have used boat to rescue 307 people ...

Even as a child I learned the importance of the RNLI and that apart from the coxswain - all the crewmen were volunteers risking their lives to save others.

Both g.fathers were master mariners and one was manx so I expect that is how it began for me.

Dear Michael, Jemima, DET, Brenda and Chris

Hello to you all

Thank you very much for contributing and sharing your memories and stories.

Always very appreciated. <3

Take gentle care
Very best wishes
Elizabeth,
xx