Appledore Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Appledore, Devon, England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1825 and the present station was opened in 2001. It operates a Tamar-class all-weather boat (ALB) and an Atlantic 85 B Class inshore lifeboat (ILB).

History

The recently-formed Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), as the RNLI was known at the time, was petitioned in August 1824 to provide a lifeboat for the Bideford area. The Volunteer arrived towards the end of February 1825 and was initially kept in a barn at Appledore but in 1829 was soon moved into the nearby King's Watch House. A meeting was called in Northam on 20 June 1831 which established the North Devon Humane Society. Its aim was to build a boathouse and provide a carriage for the lifeboat so that it could be taken to wherever it was most suitable to launch for each rescue. The new boathouse was completed in Watertown by the end of the year, which put the lifeboat half a mile nearer the sea than before. This was large enough for two boats and a second one named Assistance arrived in December. It was taken out to a wrecked ship on 24 November 1833 but it capsized. Volunteer was then launched and saved four of the Assistance's crew, one other got himself to the shore but three drowned.

A new appeal was made in the area in 1846 to buy a third, larger, lifeboat and £125 was raised. The RNIPLS suggested they buy a boat similar to one recently provide to the Admiralty at Harwich. The new boat, Petrel, arrived at the Watertown boathouse in October 1847. It proved too heavy to be used head-on to heavy seas and was prone to taking on too much water so was sent back to builder in 1850 for alterations. A second boathouse was built at Braunton Burrows on the opposite side of the estuary in 1848 and the Assistance was stationed there. The new station was needed to make it easier to reach ships in trouble on that side of the estuary but the crews always came from Appledore.

The distance from the Watertown boathouse to Bideford Bar, where most wrecks occurred, proved to be a problem so another boathouse was built at Northam Burrows to the west of Appledore in 1851, partly funded by the RNIPLS. The North Devon Humane Society was wound up in 1855 and became a local branch of the RNLI. The Northam Burrows boathouse was expanded to house a second boat in 1856 and became the main station; the old boat house at Watertown eventually closed.

The two stations were close to the Bideford Bar but remote from Appledore where the crews lived. With the development of boats that could be more easily sailed (rather than just rowed) a new boat house was built at Badsteps in 1889 to replace Northam Burrows. During World War I it became difficult to find the horses and men necessary for launching boats at Braunton Burrows, so it too was closed temporarily in 1918 and this became permanent the following year. The first motor lifeboat arrived on station in 1922. In 1938 a Watson-class, the Violet Armstrong, replaced the earlier, smaller, boat but had to be kept moored afloat as it did not fit in the boat house. Instead, a small boarding boat was kept in it and used to ferry the crew out to the lifeboat. The new lifeboat had a shallower draught than was usual for a Watson Class and also had her stern strengthened, both modifications to help crossing the shallow water at the mouth of the estuary. In 1947 it was the first lifeboat to be fitted with a radio which could also be used as loudhailer which made it easier for the crew to communicate with other vessels.

An inshore lifeboat has been stationed at Appledore since 1972 and is kept in the boathouse with the boarding boat. The boat house had a new crew room installed at first-floor level in 1980, but it was demolished in 2000 and a new station opened the following year.

Service awards

The Volunteer lifeboat launched on 11 September 1829 and rescued 12 people from the packet boat Daniel of Bristol, although it took two trips to complete the rescue. The institution's Silver Medal was awarded to Owen Smith, William Brinksmead and Philip Guy for their part in this service.

1833 was a busy and tragic year. Assistance was used on 6 March to save 9 people from a brig that was in trouble in a gale. On 24 November it was taken out to aid the Mary Ann which had run aground in the night. No signs of life were seen so it returned to shore. A second crew took the lifeboat back to the wreck but 3 of the crew drowned when it capsized. The larger Volunteer was launched and brought the lifeboat and its survivors ashore. Both the lifeboats were launched on 17 December 1833 and saved 18 people from the Elizabeth of Liverpool. These three rescues saw five people awarded silver medals: William Chappell, Thomas Burnard (the Humane Society's secretary), Thomas Chappell, Thomas Tuckfield, and Henry Popham.

Thomas Day received a silver medal for leading the crew of the Volunteer when they rescued 6 people from a schooner on 29 November 1836. Both lifeboats were involved in another silver medal service just before Christmas in 1845. 8 people, half of the crew of the wrecked barque Ness, were saved on 23 December. This medal was awarded to Joshua Williams who received a second silver award, and John Marshall his first, when they rescued 4 of the 5 crew from the Dasher which was wrecked on 23 March 1850.

28 December 1868 was a day of bad storms off the Devon coast. Two boats were seen to be in difficulties in Bideford Bay. The Hope was taken out of the boathouse at Northam Burrows and taken along the shore as the Austrian barque Pace tried to get out to sea to no avail. When it was blown aground, the lifeboat was launched into seas so heavy that at times it was vertical. After getting 9 people onto the lifeboat, it was dashed against the wreck and lost its rudder. It got back to shore and, after landing the rescued people, put to sea again with fresh crew but had to steer with an oar instead of the rudder. It failed to reach the Pace this time and returned to the beach after it capsized and lost all but three of its oars. The volunteers were prepared to make a third attempt but the tide was now low enough that the remaining crew could be brought off the wreck without a boat. Joseph Cox, the coxswain who had been injured during the first attempt, was awarded a silver medal by the RNLI. He and the two others who gone out both times the lifeboat launched (his son Joseph Cox Junior and John Kelly) received Silver Crosses of Merit from the Emperor of Austria. Another volunteer, David Cross who had survived the first attempt to save the Pace, was drowned later that day while trying to take a rope out to the Leopard which had run aground further down the coast.

Coxswain James Smallridge received a silver medal for rescuing seven people from the Nigretta after it ran aground at Braunton Sands in a gale on 5 November 1871. There was then a gap of more than 60 years before the next medal was awarded at Appledore. George Pow, the second coxswain, was given a bronze medal for taking the lifeboat into heavy seas to rescue the three people on board the fishing boat Lee Bay on 11 January 1935.

Sidney Cann was Appledore's most decorated crew member. He joined the crew in about 1912, became the lifeboat's bowman in 1922, promoted to second coxswain in 1931 and then coxswain in 1933. He retired in 1965. He was awarded a bronze medal for a wartime rescue. A concrete caisson that would become part of a breakwater was being towed to France on the 18 October 1944 but the tow broke in heavy seas. The Appledore lifeboat was sent to take the 7 crew off although the caisson's position was uncertain. He took part in a second bronze-award service on 13 November 1949 when the Monte Gurugu sank off Lundy Island. This was a Spanish ship and the also awarded him their silver medal. Next, he was presented with the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum' after attending the Polish Gilwice on 13 November 1959. He was finally awarded a silver medal after the Louisa Ann Hawker was launched into a northerly gale on 17 November 1962 to assist the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Green Ranger which had broken free from her tug and run aground on rocks near Hartland Point. While the lifeboat found the ship they could not find any of her crew. The lifeboat stood by for some time until it became clear that the crew had already been saved by breeches buoy, so it returned through the dangerous waters at the estuary mouth to its berth by the boat house. He received the British Empire Medal in 1964.

Bronze medals were awarded to second coxswain John Bowden for rescuing people from a yacht which ran aground on 11 September 1964, and ILB helmsman J Pavitt for rescuing a paddle boarder in a gale on 1 December 1985. Pavitt was also presented with the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum' when he was part of the lifeboat's crew that took Dr Valentine to attend an injured person on the MV Manchester Merit. The doctor had great difficulty in boarding the ship due to the 15 ft (4.6 m) swell and also received the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum'.

The George Gibson put to sea on 31 March 1994 when the local fishing boat Torridge Warrior was struggling through a gale with just one of its engines working. The lifeboat reached the boat on the seaward side of the Bideford Bar but, due to the state of the tide and weather, had to tow her to Ilfracombe. The tow line broke but was reconnected. The Ilfracombe lifeboat arrived and took over the tow but the Appledore boat continued to escort them. They then had to wait three hours for sufficient water to enter Ilfracombe harbour before returning home. Coxswain Michael Bowden was awarded a bronze medal for his seamanship that afternoon.

Gary Stanbury was presented his bronze medal for taking the ILB out after dark on 22 January 2005. The crew saved 3 people from a power boat that was in trouble on Bideford Bar. This also attracted the Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award for the most outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year.

Non-crew awards

The RNLI's medals are also awarded to people who are not members of the lifeboat or shore crews. One example being the silver medal warded to Thomas Jones, the captain of the Cardiff steam tug Ely. It was in Bideford Bay during a strong gale on 21 September 1861 and went to the aid of the Wool Packet which ran aground on Bideford Bar.

Robert Cann, the 10-year old grand-nephew of lifeboat coxswain Sidney Cann, had just rowed to the lifeboat station on 16 August 1955 when he heard two young swimmers shouting for help nearby. He took his boat out again and got the boys on board. Because of the tide, he had to row across to the opposite shore where he dragged it against the tide for a distance and then rowed back across to Appledore with the tide. The RNLI, on hearing about the rescue, awarded him with a wristwatch, making him the youngest person to have been recognised by the institution. A similar award was made six years later. On this occasion Richard Bowden, the 13-year old nephew of the lifeboat's second coxswain John Bowden, rowed his dinghy out to a girl who was in difficulties on 18 July 1861. She couldn't get in safely so held onto the dinghy while he rowed it back to shore.

Building descriptions

The first boathouse at Watertown was built in stone just above the high water line. It was 34 by 16 feet (10.4 by 4.9 m) with a door that was just 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) wide. The Braunton Burrows boathouse of 1848 was built in wood 1 mi (1.6 km) north of the lighthouse at Airy Point. It was the same size as the one at Watertown, 34 by 16 ft (10.4 by 4.9 m), but with a 13 ft (4.0 m) doorway.

The present lifeboat station is situated in Jubilee Road. At ground level, facing a slipway, is covered accommodation for the ILB, boarding boat and their tractors. Additional crew facilities are located in the attic above.

Area of operation

The boathouse at Appledore faces the estuary formed by the confluence of two rivers. When lifeboats were first stationed here, there were busy ports at Barnstaple on the River Taw and Bideford on the River Torridge. The estuary flows westwards over the shallows at Bideford Bar into Bideford Bay. Much of the coast is lined by sand dunes, the 'burrows' where the auxiliary stations were built.

The RNLI aims to reach any casualty up to 50 nmi (93 km) from its stations, and within two hours in good weather. To do this the Tamar-class lifeboat has an operating range of 250 nmi (460 km) and a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h). Adjacent lifeboats are at Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station to the north, and to the south is an inshore lifeboat at Clovelly and an all-weather lifeboat at Padstow.

Appledore lifeboats

Pulling and sailing lifeboats

All stations were officially referred to as Appledore (distinguished as No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 at various times) except between 1862 and 1894 when Braunton was managed separately.

At Appledore	ON	Name	Built	Class	Length	Comments
1825–1858	–	Volunteer	1825	Plenty	17 ft (5.2 m)	At Appledore.
1831–1857	–	Assistance	1831	Palmer	26 ft (7.9 m)	At Appledore until 1848 when it was transferred to Braunton Burrows.
1847–1851	–	Petrel	1847	Thompson	28 ft 2 in (8.59 m)	At Appledore.
1851–1852					30 ft (9.1 m)	At Northam Burrows after rebuilding in 1851.
1852–1862	–	Petrel	1852	Peake	30 ft (9.1 m)	At Northam Burrows.
1856–1862	–	Mermaid	1856	Peake	28 ft (8.5 m)	At Watertown.
1857–1866	–	Dolphin	1857	Peake	28 ft (8.5 m)	At Braunton Burrows.
1862–1890	–	Hope	1862	Self righter	34 ft (10 m)	At Northam Burrows.
1866–1881	-	George and Catherine	1866	Self righter	32 ft (9.8 m)	At Braunton.
1870–1875	–	Mary Ann	1870	Self righter	30 ft (9.1 m)	At Northam Burrows.
1875–1885	–	Mary Ann	1867	Self righter	30 ft (9.1 m)	At Northam Burrows.
1881–1902	213	Robert and Catherine	1881	Self righter	34 ft 8 in (10.57 m)	At Braunton.
1885–1907	175	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1885	Self righter	34 ft 2 in (10.41 m)	At Northam Burrows but transferred to Badsteps when it opened in 1889.
1891–1897	323	Bessie Pearce	1891	Self righter	34 ft 1 in (10.39 m)	At Northam Burrows.
1902–1912	485	Robert and Catherine	1902	Rubie	34 ft (10 m)	At Braunton. Capsized 21 December 1911. Sold in 1934 and broken up in 2002.
1907–1910	348	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1893	Self righter	35 ft (11 m)	At Appledore. Previously at Clovelly where it was named 'Elinor Roget.
1910–1922	611	Jane Hannah MacDonald	1910	Self righter	35 ft (11 m)	At Appledore. Sold in 1939, one of the 'Little Ships of Dunkirk' and is in store pending restoration.
1912–1919	632	Robert and Catherine	1912	Self righter	36 ft (11 m)	At Braunton.

Motor lifeboats

At Appledore	ON	Op. No.	Name	Built	Class	Comments
1922–1938	675	–	V.C.S.	1922	Self righter	40 ft (12 m) motor lifeboat. Sold in 1945 and used as a yacht.
1938–1962	815	–	Violet Armstrong	1938	Watson	46 ft (14 m) motor lifeboat specially modified for the shallow waters at Appledore. Sold in 1962 but now being restored in Bristol.
1962–1986	965	–	Louisa Ann Hawker	1962	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold, reported in 2019 to be working as a pleasure boat in Sarawak.
1986–1987	958	–	Laura Moncur	1961	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold in 1988 and reported in 2008 to be the Laura Moncur at Blakeney.
1987–1988	950	–	Kathleen Mary	1959	Watson	47 ft (14 m) boat. Sold, reported in 2023 to be working as pleasure boat Katie May at Ellesmere Port.
1988–2010	1140	47-027	George Gibson	1988	Tyne	Reported as being used as a safety boat at Portishead.
2010–	1296	16-16	Mollie Hunt	2010	Tamar

• 
  Kathleen Mary (ON 950)
• 
  Mollie Hunt (ON 1296)

Inshore lifeboats

At Appledore	Op. No.	Name	Class	Model	Comments
1972–1973	B-500	–	B	Atlantic 21	The RNLI's first B-class lifeboat.
1974–1986	B-520	Wildenrath Wizzer	B	Atlantic 21
1986–1997	B-565	Manchester and District XXXII	B	Atlantic 21
1997	B-705	Vera Skilton	B	Atlantic 75
1997–2012	B-742	Douglas Paley	B	Atlantic 75
2012–	B-861	Glanely	B	Atlantic 85
2022–	D-729	Eileen Mary George	D	IB1	Boarding boat for the ALB crew but fitted for search and rescue work. Previously stationed at Blackpool from 2010.

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats