Exmouth Lifeboat Station
Encyclopedia
Exmouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution
(RNLI) search and rescue operations at Exmouth
, Devon
, England. The first lifeboat
was stationed in the town in 1803 and the present station was opened in 2009. Since 2008 it has operated a all weather boat (ALB) and an inshore lifeboat (ILB).
and Exeter
have to negotiate the sandbanks at the mouth of the River Exe
. Local people raised funds with the help of Lloyd's of London
to purchase a lifeboat in 1803. A boathouse
was built near Passage House but this was washed away in a storm in 1814. The RNLI revived Exmouth Lifeboat Station in 1858. A new boathouse was built near the beach, although the lifeboat had to be taken across the road before it could be launched. This boathouse was demolished and a new one built on the same site in 1903 to accommodate a larger lifeboat. The first motor lifeboat at Exmouth arrived in 1933 and a tractor was provided to speed up the movement across the road and beach for launches.
Exmouth received brand new Maria Noble on 1 October 1953 but it was not named until 1 September 1954. Her first service call was on the evening 19 September 1954 to investigate flashing lights and shouts for help near the Maer Rocks. The lifeboat secretary and coxswain
lit up the scene with a car's headlights and they saw the 20 feet (6.1 m) cabin cruiser Nicky which was at anchor but appeared to be sinking. The tide was too low to reach it with the lifeboat, but as soon as the water had risen sufficiently it was launched. Even now the lifeboat touched the bottom in the troughs between waves. The lifeboat took on board all the people from the Nicky and returned to station just 26 minutes after being launched. Coxswain Harold 'Dido' Bradford was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal for bravery during this rescue.
From 1961 the lifeboat was kept afloat in the river near the entrance to Exmouth docks. A boarding boat was kept on a davit that was lowered into the water to ferry the crew out to the lifeboat. The old lifeboat station by the beach was retained as a fund-raising display centre and, from 1966, was the base for an inshore lifeboat. The building used by crews at the docks was demolished in 1996 and replaced by temporary portable buildings. In 2005 trials were made to consider whether it would be possible to return the all-weather boat to the beach boathouse where it would not be hampered by shallow water in the river when it was needed at low tide. As a result of this it was decided to build a new boathouse further along the beach near the Maer Rocks from where both the ALB and ILB could operate at all states of the tide. The was exchanged for a which is small enough to be housed in a boathouse, and the new facility was declared operational on 21 November 2009. The old boathouse was retained as a base for the RNLI lifeguard
s who work in and around Exmouth.
. On Christmas Day 1956 he was on board when the Maria Noble was called out to the MV Minerva which was burning distress flares 4 miles (6.4 km) south east of Orcombe Point.
The lifeboat launched at 5:20 pm into a Force 6 to 8
wind and 20 feet (6.1 m) waves. About 10 minutes out a large wave pushed the boat far over onto her side and the radio aerial was also damaged. Will Carder was near the front of the boat with two colleagues at the time and told them that he was going aft to get some shelter. Another large wave then broke over the boat. Although no one saw it happen, this is believed to be when Will Carder was swept overboard. Brian Rowsell was trying to repair the aerial and was knocked into the mast and sustained a head injury. A few minutes later Second Coxswain
Jack Phillips was also washed overboard.
Coxswain Harold 'Dido' Bradford took the decision to continue to the ship that was in distress. To turn the lifeboat around to search for the missing men would have been extremely difficult and dangerous in that storm. While the main radio was inoperable, a message was broadcast on the wavelength used by trawlers and this was picked up in Exmouth and relayed to the lifeboat station. A search was got underway along the beaches. Jack Phillips was found staggering in the surf. He was helped up the cliff and taken to hospital. The body of Will Carder was later found nearby.
The lifeboat reached the Minerva at 6:45. They found that the engines had failed and the anchor was barely holding. They stood by until 8 o'clock when the Torbay Lifeboat
Geore Shee arrived to take over. Sea conditions made it difficult to return to their station so they sailed instead to Torquay
where Brian Rowsell was taken to hospital to have his injuries seen to. The crew stayed here to rest and then returned home at 2 pm on Boxing Day, the RNLI flag flying at half mast.
to the east, and to the south. There are also ILBs at and to the east and to the south.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
(RNLI) search and rescue operations at Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. The first lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
was stationed in the town in 1803 and the present station was opened in 2009. Since 2008 it has operated a all weather boat (ALB) and an inshore lifeboat (ILB).
History
Vessels trying to reach TopshamTopsham
Topsham may refer to:United Kingdom:* Topsham, DevonUnited States:* Topsham, Maine, a town** Topsham , Maine, a census-designated place in the town* Topsham, Vermont, a town...
and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
have to negotiate the sandbanks at the mouth of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
. Local people raised funds with the help of Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
to purchase a lifeboat in 1803. A boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
was built near Passage House but this was washed away in a storm in 1814. The RNLI revived Exmouth Lifeboat Station in 1858. A new boathouse was built near the beach, although the lifeboat had to be taken across the road before it could be launched. This boathouse was demolished and a new one built on the same site in 1903 to accommodate a larger lifeboat. The first motor lifeboat at Exmouth arrived in 1933 and a tractor was provided to speed up the movement across the road and beach for launches.
Exmouth received brand new Maria Noble on 1 October 1953 but it was not named until 1 September 1954. Her first service call was on the evening 19 September 1954 to investigate flashing lights and shouts for help near the Maer Rocks. The lifeboat secretary and coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
lit up the scene with a car's headlights and they saw the 20 feet (6.1 m) cabin cruiser Nicky which was at anchor but appeared to be sinking. The tide was too low to reach it with the lifeboat, but as soon as the water had risen sufficiently it was launched. Even now the lifeboat touched the bottom in the troughs between waves. The lifeboat took on board all the people from the Nicky and returned to station just 26 minutes after being launched. Coxswain Harold 'Dido' Bradford was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal for bravery during this rescue.
From 1961 the lifeboat was kept afloat in the river near the entrance to Exmouth docks. A boarding boat was kept on a davit that was lowered into the water to ferry the crew out to the lifeboat. The old lifeboat station by the beach was retained as a fund-raising display centre and, from 1966, was the base for an inshore lifeboat. The building used by crews at the docks was demolished in 1996 and replaced by temporary portable buildings. In 2005 trials were made to consider whether it would be possible to return the all-weather boat to the beach boathouse where it would not be hampered by shallow water in the river when it was needed at low tide. As a result of this it was decided to build a new boathouse further along the beach near the Maer Rocks from where both the ALB and ILB could operate at all states of the tide. The was exchanged for a which is small enough to be housed in a boathouse, and the new facility was declared operational on 21 November 2009. The old boathouse was retained as a base for the RNLI lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
s who work in and around Exmouth.
Will Carder
William J Carder was born in 1903 and volunteered for the Exmouth lifeboat crew in June 1953. He earned a living running The Volunteer public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. On Christmas Day 1956 he was on board when the Maria Noble was called out to the MV Minerva which was burning distress flares 4 miles (6.4 km) south east of Orcombe Point.
The lifeboat launched at 5:20 pm into a Force 6 to 8
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
wind and 20 feet (6.1 m) waves. About 10 minutes out a large wave pushed the boat far over onto her side and the radio aerial was also damaged. Will Carder was near the front of the boat with two colleagues at the time and told them that he was going aft to get some shelter. Another large wave then broke over the boat. Although no one saw it happen, this is believed to be when Will Carder was swept overboard. Brian Rowsell was trying to repair the aerial and was knocked into the mast and sustained a head injury. A few minutes later Second Coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
Jack Phillips was also washed overboard.
Coxswain Harold 'Dido' Bradford took the decision to continue to the ship that was in distress. To turn the lifeboat around to search for the missing men would have been extremely difficult and dangerous in that storm. While the main radio was inoperable, a message was broadcast on the wavelength used by trawlers and this was picked up in Exmouth and relayed to the lifeboat station. A search was got underway along the beaches. Jack Phillips was found staggering in the surf. He was helped up the cliff and taken to hospital. The body of Will Carder was later found nearby.
The lifeboat reached the Minerva at 6:45. They found that the engines had failed and the anchor was barely holding. They stood by until 8 o'clock when the Torbay Lifeboat
Torbay Lifeboat Station
Torbay Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations at Brixham, Devon in England. Brixham Lifeboat Station was opened in 1866 but since 1924 it has been known as 'Torbay'...
Geore Shee arrived to take over. Sea conditions made it difficult to return to their station so they sailed instead to Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
where Brian Rowsell was taken to hospital to have his injuries seen to. The crew stayed here to rest and then returned home at 2 pm on Boxing Day, the RNLI flag flying at half mast.
Description
The lifeboat station is built at the eastern end of Queen's Drive at the top of the beach. The building contains two separate boathouses for the ILB and ALB and has a short concrete slipway that leads down to the beach. Each boat is kept on a carriage attached to a tractor which propels it down to the water and brings it back after use. A fund-raising shop is situated on the east side, while crew facilities are at first floor level.Area of operation
The at Exmouth has an operating range of 145 nautical miles (268.5 km) and a top speed of 17 knots (33.3 km/h). Adjacent ALBs are at Weymouth Lifeboat StationWeymouth Lifeboat Station
Weymouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations at Weymouth in Dorset, England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869...
to the east, and to the south. There are also ILBs at and to the east and to the south.
Current fleet
12-21 Margaret Jean (RNLI Official Number 1178, on station 2008) D-669 George Bearman (on station 2006)Former lifeboats
'ON' is the RNLI's sequential Official Number; 'Op. No.' is the operational number painted onto the boat.Pulling and sailing lifeboats
| ON | Name | Built | At Exmouth | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Lifeboat | 1803 | 1803–1814 | ||
| – | Victoria | 1858 | 1859–1867 | ||
| – | Victoria | 1867 | 1867–1884 | Peake | |
| 41 | Joseph Soames | 1884 | 1884–1903 | Peake | |
| 519 | Joseph Soames | 1903 | 1903–1933 | Peake | Sold for use as a yacht. |
Motor lifeboats
| ON | Op. No. | Name | Built | At Exmouth | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 767 | – | Catherine Harriet Eaton | 1933 | 1933–1953 | Sold for use as a yacht. | |
| 916 | – | Maria Noble | 1953 | 1953–1960 | Later stationed at . Sold in 1974; reported in use as fishing boat Jack Sam at Kilrush Kilrush Kilrush is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. Kilrush is a town of great historical significance, being one of the listed Heritage Towns of Ireland.-History:... in 2008. |
|
| 749 | – | George and Sarah Strachan | 1931 | 1960–1963 | Former Lifeboat. Sold in 1969 for use as a workboat. | |
| 838 | – | Michael Stephens | 1939 | 1963–1968 | Watson | Originally stationed at . Sold in 1975 and now working at Newton Ferrers Newton Ferrers Newton Ferrers is a village in the civil parish of Newton and Noss in the English county of Devon, located about south-east of Plymouth on the River Yealm estuary. It lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History:... as a pleasure boat. |
| 847 | – | Gertrude | 1946 | 1968–1970 | Watson | First stationed at , later at and . Sold in 1982 and now working as a pleasure boat at Mevagissey Mevagissey Mevagissey is a village, fishing port and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately five miles south of St Austell.... . |
| 1012 | 48-009 | City of Birmingham | 1970 | 1970–1983 | Walton and Frinton}}> It was sold in 1995 for further use as lifeboat Ades 14 ILC 95 at Puerto de Colonia, Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area... . |
|
| 1088 | 33-06 | Caroline Finch | 1983 | 1983–1994 | Sold for further uses a lifeboat South Star at Hermanus Hermanus Hermanus is a town with 49,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous as a place from which to watch Southern Right whales, during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... . |
|
| 1045 | 44-019 | Louis Marchesi of the Round Table | 1977 | 1994–1996 | Previously stationed at and . Sold in 1999 for further use as lifeboat P&O Nedlloyd Rescue at Waiheke, New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... . Sold out of service, it was reported in use as a houseboat-cruiser in 2008. |
|
| 1210 | 14-12 | Forward Birmingham | 1995 | 1996–2008 | Now in the RNLI's Relief Fleet. | |
Inshore lifeboats
| Op. No. | Name | At Exmouth | Class | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-89 | – | 1966–1972 | D | IRB D class lifeboat The D class lifeboat EA16 is a class of inflatable boat formally operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has been replace by the D class lifeboat -Utilization:... |
|
| D-214 | – | 1972–1977 | D | IRB | |
| D-255 | – | 1977–1988 | D | IRB | |
| D-364 | Clubs of the River Exe | 1988–1997 | D | IRB | |
| D-516 | Spirit of the Exe | 1997–2006 | D | EA16 D class lifeboat The D class lifeboat EA16 is a class of inflatable boat formally operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has been replace by the D class lifeboat -Utilization:... |
|