Thurso Lifeboat Station
A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1860.
Since 2004, the station has operated a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-42 The Taylors (ON 1273).
History
In the previous 35 years, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution had awarded no less than six RNLI Silver Medals for Gallantry to Coastguards, Fishermen and other locals, for rescues performed around Thurso. So in 1859, it was decided to establish a station in Thurso, and especially due to the volume of shipping now passing by.
A boathouse was commissioned to be built at Scrabster Harbour, at a cost of £103, and in October 1860, a new 30-foot 6-oar boat, Polly, costing £148-19s-0d, and built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, arrived at Thurso. John Brims was appointed Coxswain.
Polly was only called upon 6 times in her 11 years on service, but in that time managed to save 49 lives. She was replaced in 1871 by a slightly larger 10-oar boat, Charley Lloyd, which served for another 19 years, being called out 31 times, and rescuing 255 lives.
In 1890, the third lifeboat assigned to Thurso was also the third lifeboat funded by the Co-operative Union, named Co-operator No.3 (ON 282) at a ceremony on the River Clyde, to coincide with the Co-operative Congress meeting in Glasgow.
1929 saw the arrival of Thurso's first motor-powered lifeboat. She was a 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, named H.C.J. (ON 708) by the Duchess of Portland on 13 September 1929. She served Thurso for 27 years, being launched 102 times, and saving the lives of 138 people.
Disaster struck Thurso Lifeboat Station in 1956. Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) (ON 920) arrived on service at Thurso in January 1956.
Funded by the Civil Service charity The Lifeboat Fund, she was a 47ft Watson-class lifeboat with two 60 h.p. Gardner 5LW engines, built by Wm. Osbourne of Littlehampton, and costing £35,000. She was named in a ceremony at Scrabster Harbour in August 1956 by HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
On the night of 10 December 1956, both the boat and boathouse were fully consumed by fire. Fire crews from both Thurso and Wick attended, but the intensity was such that only one wall of the boathouse remained, along with the iron keel and engines of the boat. The destruction was so complete that no evidence was left as to the cause of the outbreak.
The first RNLI lifeboat at Thurso cost just £103. 144 years later, in 2004, Thurso received their latest All-weather lifeboat, a 25knot Severn-class lifeboat, 17-42 The Taylors (ON 1273), costing £2 million.
Station honours
The following are awards made at Thurso
- John Morgan, coastguard - 1830
- Benjamin Sinclair - 1835
- John Smith - 1840
- Robert Williamson, fisherman - 1848
- Donald Thompson - 1856
- John Brims, Coxswain - 1886
- John Brims, Coxswain - 1894 (Second-Service Clasp)
- Angus McPhail, Coxswain - 1931
- John McLeod, Coxswain - 1944
- William Farquhar, Coxswain - 1999
- Medal Service Certificate
- William Munro, Second Coxswain - 1999
- Duncan Munro, Assistant Mechanic - 1999
- Donald Mackay - 1999
- Gordon Munro - 1999
- John Webster - 1999
- James Brims - 1999
- Kevin Oag - 1999
- Scott Youngson - 1999
- The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
- Angus McPhail, Coxswain - 1929
- Angus McPhail, Coxswain - 1930
- Adam McLeod, Second Coxswain - 1931
- Angus Macintosh, Coxswain - 1953
- John Manson, Second Coxswain - 1982
- Ross Farquhar, Coxswain - 1982
- William Donald Munro, Second Coxswain - 1997
- Duncan (Dougie) Munro, Second Coxswain - 2004
- Vellum Service Certificates
- William Miller, Acting Motor Mechanic - 1997
- Duncan Munro, Assistant Mechanic - 1997
- James Brims, crew member - 1997
- Thomas Davidson, crew member - 1997
- Donald McKenzie, crew member - 1997
- Gordon Munro, crew member - 1997
- Kevin Oag, crew member - 1997
- John Webster, crew member - 1997
- William Miller, Motor Mechanic - 2004
- Gordon Munro, Deputy Second Coxswain - 2004
- James Brims, Assistant Mechanic - 2004
- Bruce Farquhar, Emergency Mechanic - 2004
- Scott Youngson, crew member - 2004
- Kevin Davidson, crew member - 2004
- The Emile Robin Award for 1999
awarded by The Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners Royal Benevolent Society
- William Farquhar, Coxswain - 1999
- Lady Swaythling Trophy for outstanding seamanship in 2004
awarded by The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society
- Duncan (Dougie) Munro, Second Coxswain - 2004
- A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
- William Farquar, Coxswain - 2001
- William Munro, Coxswain - 2002
- Letter of Appreciation signed by the Chief Executive of the Institution
- Brian Williams, Honorary Secretary - 2001
- William Miller, Motor Mechanic - 2001
- Duncan Munro, Second Coxswain - 2001
- Gordon Munro, Deputy Second Coxswain - 2001
- James Brims, Assistant Mechanic - 2001
- Bruce Farquhar, Emergency Mechanic - 2004
- J.Webster, crew member - 2001
- Scott Youngson, crew member - 2001
- Letter of Appreciation signed by the Operations Director of the Institution
- James Brims, crew member - 2001
- Kevin Davidson, crew member - 2001
- Gordon Munro, Deputy Second Coxswain - 2004
- James Brims, Assistant Mechanic - 2004
- Scott Youngson, crew member - 2004
- Kevin Davidson, crew member - 2004
- Iron plaques and diplomas awarded by The German Government
- Coxswain, Second Coxswain and Bowman - 1928
- Certificates of appreciation awarded by The German Government
- Thurso Lifeboat Crew - 1928
- John Miller, Honorary Secretary - 1948
- John McLeod, Coxswain
Thurso lifeboats
All-weather lifeboats
| ON | Op.No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-368 | − | Polly | 1860−1871 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| Pre-554 | − | Charley Lloyd | 1871−1890 | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 282 | − | Co-operator No.3 | 1890−1909 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 585 | − | Sarah Austin | 1901−1929 | 40-foot Watson (P&S) | |
| 708 | − | H. C. J. | 1929−1956 | 45ft 6in Watson | |
| 920 | − | Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) |
1956−1956 | 47ft Watson | |
| 711 | − | James Macfee | 1956−1957 | 45ft 6in Watson | |
| 940 | − | Pentland (Civil Service No.31) |
1957−1970 | 47ft Watson | |
| 1014 | 48-011 | The Three Sisters | 1970−1988 | Solent | |
| 1052 | 54-07 | City of Bradford IV | 1988−1989 | Arun | |
| 1149 | 52-43 | The Queen Mother | 1989−2004 | Arun | |
| 1273 | 17-42 | The Taylors | 2004− | Severn |
Notes
- ^ 6-oared 30-foot Self-righting, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £103
- ^ 10-oared, 33-foot Self-righting, built by Wolfe of Shadwell, costing £284-15s-0d
- ^ 10-oared, 37-foot Self-righting, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £594
- ^ Dunnet Head (Civil Service No. 31) was destroyed by a fire on 10 December 1956 at the boathouse in Thurso, in its first year on service. It was replaced by Pentland (Civil Service No. 31), keeping the same Civil Service number, but this time funded entirely by the RNLI.
- ^ Relief lifeboat awaiting replacement for destroyed Dunnet Head
- ^ Provided by the RNLI to replace Dunnet Head (ON 920)
See also
References
- ^ "Thurso's Station history". RNLI. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
- ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
- ^ Morris, Jeff (December 2005). The Story of the Thurso Lifeboats. LBES. pp. 1−62.
- ^ "Loss of Thurso Life-Boat and Boathouse". The Lifeboat. 34 (379). March 1957. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 1 March 2024.