Ramsgate Lifeboat Station
RNLI lifeboat Station located in the Port of Ramsgate in Kent
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Ramsgate Lifeboat Station is located on Western Crosswall in the Ramsgate Royal Harbour. Ramsgate is a town on the south-east corner of the Isle of Thanet peninsula, in north-east Kent.
- 1802–1824
- 1851–present
| Ramsgate Lifeboat Station | |
|---|---|
| |
 Ramsgate Lifeboat Station. | |
  Location within Kent | |
General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Location | Ramsgate Lifeboat Station, Western Crosswall, Ramsgate Royal Harbour, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 9RN, England |
| Coordinates | 51°19′44.4″N 1°25′11.2″E |
| Opened |
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| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Fabricated steelwork clad with timber, and concrete |
| Website | |
| Ramsgate RNLI Lifeboat Station | |
A lifeboat was first placed at Ramsgate in 1802 by the Harbour Trustees, operating until 1824. It was re-established by the trustees in 1851. From 1865, the station was jointly managed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Board of Trade, passing solely to the RNLI in 1922.[1]
The current lifeboat station, on the harbour wall between the inner and outer pools of the main harbour, opened in 1998, and currently operates an All-weather Tamar-class lifeboat, 16-23 Diamond Jubilee (ON 1303), on station since 2023, and a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Claire & David Delves (B-878), on station since 2014.[2]
History
A lifeboat station was first established at Ramsgate Harbour in 1802 by the Ramsgate Harbour Trustees, pre-dating the formation of any national lifeboat organisation by more than 20 years, and is one of the oldest to operate in the British Isles. A lifeboat was purchased from Henry Greathead, and operated at Ramsgate until 1824.[1]
In 1851, Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, of Alnwick Castle, had been appointed president of the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), the Institution becoming the RNLI in 1854. He set a competition for the design of a Self-righting lifeboat, with the reward of £100, which was won by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth. The prize-winning lifeboat was purchased for £250 by the Ramsgate harbour trustees, and placed on service at Ramsgate in late 1851. Whilst no formal naming records have been found, the boat was subsequently referred to as Northumberland.[3][4][5][6]
In 1863, management of Ramsgate harbour was transferred to the Board of Trade. With the sanction of the Board, at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 3 August 1865, it was agreed that a new lifeboat was to be placed at Ramsgate. Funding was appropriated from the Bradford Lifeboat Fund, a sum of £425 raised by the efforts of Charles Semon, Mayor of Bradford and eleven other gentlemen, to pay for the cost of the lifeboat, transporting carriage and equipment.[7][8][9]
A new lifeboat was ordered from Forrestt of Limehouse. At the same time, whilst the new Ramsgate boat was in construction, another new lifeboat was dispatched to Selsey Lifeboat Station, and their old 29-foot lifeboat Friend was transferred to Ramsgate, both boats transported free of charge between London and Chichester by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. In lieu of the new lifeboat not to be exhibited in Bradford, the committee of the Bradford Lifeboat Fund requested via letter from Charles Semon, Mayor, that an exact model be supplied, to be permanently exhibited to the subscribers of Bradford, which was agreed.[10]
A 40-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with both sail and (12) oars, was towed to her station from London by the Ramsgate steam tug Aid in February 1866. The lifeboat was named Bradford, and was the first of four Bradford lifeboats at Ramsgate.[6]
During the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in 1940, Ramsgate lifeboat Prudential (ON 697) was the first little ship to the rescue. The lifeboat left Ramsgate at 14.20 in the afternoon with Coxswain Howard Primrose Knight in command with her own crew of eight men. They had been issued with gas masks, steel helmets and the lifeboat was loaded with four coils of grass warp and cans of fresh water for the troops. She took in tow eight boats, most of them wherries, manned by eighteen naval men, and when she reached Dunkirk her role was to tow the wherries between the beaches and the waiting ships. In total she rescued 2,800 troops from the beaches. For his 'gallantry and determination,' Coxswain Howard Knight was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.[11]
The Ramsgate-class lifeboat Prudential, on service since 1925, and the first motor-powered lifeboat on station at Ramsgate, was one of four lifeboats that took part in the Coronation Review of the Fleet by the Queen at Portsmouth on 15 June 1953[12]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Ramsgate.[1][13]
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Howard Primrose Cooper Knight, Coxswain - 1940[11]
- RNLI Gold Medal
- Charles Edward Fish, Coxswain – 1881
- Charles Edward Fish, Coxswain – 1891 (Second-Service clasp)
- RNIPLS Silver Medal
- William Miller, Boatman – 1826
- Capt. Edward Gimar, of the French Brig Le Norman – 1829
- RNLI Silver Medal
- James Hogbin, Coxswain – 1857
- Isaac Jarman, Coxswain – 1864
- Isaac Jarman, Coxswain – 1870 (Second-Service clasp)
- Charles Edward Fish, Bowman – 1870
- Daniel Reading, Master of Ramsgate Harbour Steam Tug Vulcan – 1872
- James Simpson, Mate of the Ramsgate Harbour Tug Aid – 1874
- William Wharrier, Engineer of the Ramsgate Harbour Tug Aid – 1874
- Richard Goldsmith, Second Coxswain – 1881
- Henry Belsey, crew member – 1881
- David Berry, crew member – 1881
- Thomas Cooper Snr. crew member – 1881
- Thomas Cooper Jnr. crew member – 1881
- Thomas Friend, crew member – 1881
- John Goldmith, crew member – 1881
- Stephen Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
- Henry Meader, crew member – 1881
- Robert Penney, crew member – 1881
- Charles Verion, crew member – 1881
- Master and crew of the Ramsgate tug Vulcan
- Alfred Page, Master – 1881
- William Wharrier, Engineer – 1881 (Second-Service clasp)
- William Austen, crew member – 1881
- Charles Knight, crew member – 1881
- Edward Revell, crew member – 1881
- George Woodward, Stoker – 1881
- Richard Yare, Stoker – 1881
- William Wharrier, Engineer of Ramsgate Harbour Tugs – 1890 (Third-Service clasp)
- Alfred Page, Tug Master – 1892 (Second-Service clasp)
- The crew of the smack Britain's Pride of Ramsgate
- Thomas James Watson – 1892
- William Burton – 1892
- Edwin Hurle – 1892
- Arthur E. Fisher – 1892
- Alfred Page, Tug Master – 1898 (Third-Service clasp)
- John Hawkins, Harbour Boatman – 1906
- William Cooper, Coxswain – 1916
- Thomas William Read, Second Coxswain – 1917
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1986
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000 (Second-Service clasp)
- Silver Medal, awarded by The King of Denmark
- Coxswain William Cooper – 1911
- The Master of the Ramsgate Tug Aid – 1911
- RNLI Bronze Medal
- Douglas Stephen Kirkaldie, Coxswain – 1952
- Royal Harbour Ramsgate (Indian Chief) Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry
- Charles Fish, Coxswain – 1881
- Richard Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
- Henry Belsey, crew member – 1881
- David Berry, crew member – 1881
- Thomas Cooper Snr. crew member – 1881
- Thomas Cooper Jnr. crew member – 1881[14]
- Thomas Friend, crew member – 1881
- John Goldmith, crew member – 1881
- Stephen Goldsmith, crew member – 1881
- Henry Meader, crew member – 1881
- Robert Penney, crew member – 1881
- Charles Vernon, crew member – 1881
- Master and crew of the tug Vulcan
- Alfred Page, Master – 1881
- William Wharrier, crew member – 1881
- William Austen, crew member – 1881
- Charles Knight, crew member – 1881
- Edward Revell, crew member – 1881
- George Woodward, crew member – 1881[15]
- Richard Yare, crew member – 1881
- The Maud Smith Award
(for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)- Douglas Stephen Kirkaldie. Coxswain – 1952
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1985
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1999
- Lady Swaythling Trophy
awarded by The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
- James Michael Bower Endowment Fund Award
as one of the two Silver Medal awardees of 1999- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
- The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
- Thomas J. H. Cooper, Coxswain – 1968
- Michael Petts, crew member – 1975
- Timothy Hurst, crew member – 1975
- Coxswain and Launch Seaman of the Trinity House Pilot Vessel Versatile
- Malcolm H. R. Llewellyn – 1980
- Bryan L. E. Morgan – 1980
- Timothy E. Hurst, Helm – 1985
- Timothy Hurst, Emergency Mechanic – 2000
- Lance Oran, crew member – 2000
- A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
- R. Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1983
- D. Pegden, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic – 1983
- D. Cooper, Emergency Mechanic – 1983
- W. Blay, crew member – 1983
- T. Brown, crew member – 1983
- T. Hurst, crew member – 1983
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1984
- D. Pegden, 2nd Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic – 1984
- T. Hurst, crew member – 1984
- M. Mett, crew member – 1984
- N. Stephens, crew member – 1984
- R. Noble, crew member – 1984
- Timothy Hurst, crew member – 1984
- Ronald Nicholas Cannon, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000
- Christopher Andrews, Helm – 2008
- Harvey Cole, crew member – 2008
- John Rabbatts, crew member – 2008
- Inscribed Silver Plaques
awarded by the Prudential Assurance Co., donors of the lifeboat, in recognition of the Dunkirk service- Coxswain and Crew – 1940
- Awarded by Thomas Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America
- Gold watch to the Coxswain – 1919
- Binoculars to the Second Coxswain – 1919
- Gold Medals to the Lifeboat Crew – 1919
Roll of honour
In memory of those lost whilst serving Ramsgate lifeboat.[1]
- Lost when washed overboard, whilst on service to the barge Sarpsborg of Norway, 2 February 1873
- William White, crew member
All-weather lifeboat gallery
Trent-class lifeboat 14-02 Esme Anderson (ON 1197) at Ramsgate, 11 August 2009
Trent-class relief lifeboat 14-32 Corinne Whiteley (ON 1253) at Ramsgate, 4 April 2010
Tamar-class lifeboat 16-23 Diamond Jubilee (ON 1303) at Ramsgate, 25 May 2024
Ramsgate lifeboats
Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats
| ON[a] | Name | Built | On station[18] | Class | Comments[19] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Unnamed | 1802 | 1802–1824 | Greathead | [Note 1] |
| Station Closed 1824–1851 | |||||
| – | Northumberland | 1851 | 1851–1865 | 36-foot Beeching Self-Righting | [Note 2] |
| Pre-287 | Friend | 1854 | 1865–1866 | 35-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 3] Previously at Skerries and Selsey. Broken up in 1867. |
| Pre-478 | Bradford | 1866 | 1866–1877 | 40-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | [Note 4] Specially designed for towing. Damaged 6 November 1877. Sold in 1877 |
| Pre-619 | Bowman | 1877 | 1877 | 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 5] Temporary cover at Ramsgate, before assignment to Yealm River. |
| Pre-623 | Bradford | 1877 | 1877–1887 | 44-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | [Note 6] Broken up in 1887. |
| 117 | Bradford | 1887 | 1887–1893 | 40-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | [Note 7] Transferred to the relief fleet. Sold and broken up in 1898. |
| 350 | Bradford | 1893 | 1893–1905 | 42-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | [Note 8] Transferred to the relief fleet. Received a motor conversion. Later at Seaton Snook. |
| 537 | Charles and Susanna Stephens | 1904 | 1905–1925 | 43-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | [Note 9] Transferred to the Relief fleet. Sold in 1931 |
- Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.
Motor lifeboats
| ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name | Built | On station[20] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 697 | – | Prudential | 1925 | 1925–1953 | Ramsgate | Sold in 1953. Renamed Trimilia. Last reported at Ipswich Haven Marine, October 2023. |
| 901 | – | Michael and Lily Davis | 1953 | 1953–1976 | 46-foot 9in Watson | Transferred to the Relief fleet. |
| 1042 | 44-016 | Ralph and Joy Swann | 1976 | 1976–1990 | Waveney | Transferred to Tobermory. |
| 1154 | 47-036 | Kenneth Thelwall II | 1989 | 1990–1994 | Tyne | Transferred to Walton and Frinton |
| 1197 | 14-02 | Esme Anderson | 1994 | 1994–2023 | Trent | Transferred to Eastbourne |
| 1303 | 16-23 | Diamond Jubilee | 2012 | 2023– | Tamar | [21] |
- More post-service details can be found on the respective lifeboat class pages.
Inshore lifeboats
A-class
| Op. No.[b] | Name | On station[22] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-01 | Unnamed | 1969–1971 | A-class (Dory) | |
| A-502 | Unnamed | 1972–1975 | A-class (Hatch) | Previously 17-003 |
| A-510 | Unnamed | 1975–1984 | A-class (McLachlan) | |
B-class
| Op. No.[b] | Name | On station[22] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-558 | Ramsgate Enterprise | 1984–2000 | B-class (Atlantic 21) | |
| B-765 | Bob Turnbull | 2000–2014 | B-class (Atlantic 75) | [23] |
| B-878 | Claire & David Delves | 2014– | B-class (Atlantic 85) | |
See also
Notes
- Greathead-class lifeboat, of unknown dimensions, built by Henry Greathead of South Shields.
- 36-foot x 9-foot 6in (12-oared) Beeching-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £250.
- 35-foot x 9-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, anonymous gift of 'A.B.S', via Mrs Sharp of South Kensington, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £433.
- 43-foot x 12-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs C. Stephens of Reading, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1,835.