Civil Service Lifeboats

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RNLB 14-06 Windsor Runner (Civil Service No.42)

Civil Service Lifeboats are a group of lifeboats belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which have been funded by The Lifeboat Fund. They usually have the Civil Service designation and number included in the name, such as RNLB E-001 Public Servant (Civil Service No.44), which was on service at Tower lifeboat station on the Thames 2002–2012.

Since it was formed, The Lifeboat Fund has donated over £26 million to the RNLI, making it the most regular and significant donor for the institution. Civil servants across the UK organise fundraising collections and promote the lifesaving work of the RNLI. All money raised by the fund goes directly to support the RNLI.

The Lifeboat Fund is an official charity, formerly CISPOTEL, established in 1866 by civil servants, and is run by the Civil Service. It raises funds through donations from both serving and retired employees, from Royal Mail and BT staff, and from legacies.

In addition to providing (so far) 55 lifeboats of all different class types, the money is also put towards training, purchasing kit, and refurbishing lifeboat stations, most recently providing a £400,000 contribution to the new Tower lifeboat station and pontoon on the Thames.[1][2]

## Numbering[edit]

The first 29 lifeboats share the designation (Civil Service) and numbers 1–11. When a boat was replaced, the new boat would receive the number from the previous boat, and often carry the same name. In the 1950s, this was changed, so that the boats were consecutively numbered, starting with Greater London II (Civil Service No.30).

## Fleet[edit]

ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name  | C.S.No. [3] | Class  | In service [4] | Station  | Comments

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–  | –  | Civil Service | (No.1)  | 32ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1866–1878  | Wexford | [Note 1]
301  | –  | Civil Service No.1 | No.1  | 34ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1878–1897  | Wexford No.2 | [Note 2]
415  | –  | Civil Service No.1 | No.1  | 40ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1898–1925  | Margate No.2 |
688  | –  | The Lord Southborough | No.1  | 45ft Watson | 1925–1951
1951–1955  | Southend-on-Sea
Relief fleet  |
–  | –  | Charles Dibdin | No.2  | 37ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1875–1888  | Tynemouth | [5]
204  | –  | Charles Dibdin | No.2  | 37ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1889–1905  | Tynemouth No.2 |
552  | –  | Charles Dibdin | No.2  | 43ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1905–1932  | North Deal |
762  | –  | Charles Dibdin | No.2  | 41ft Watson | 1933–1959  | Walmer |
284  | –  | Civil Service No.3 | No.3  | 37ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1877–1899  | Portpatrick |
437  | –  | Civil Service No.3 | No.3  | 37ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1900–1922
1922–1924
1924–1926
1926–1927  | Portpatrick
Relief fleet
Montrose
Relief fleet  |
704  | –  | Greater London | No.3  | Ramsgate | 1928–1941
1941–1943
1943–1945
1945–1955
1955–1957  | Southend-on-Sea
Relief fleet
Yarmouth
Southend-on-Sea
Relief fleet  |
34  | –  | Civil Service No.4 | No.4  | 40ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1884–1895  | Walmer | [Note 3]
394  | –  | Civil Service No.4 | No.4  | 40ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1897–1912  | Walmer | [Note 4]
756  | –  | Civil Service No.4 | No.4  | 35ft 6in Self-righting motor | 1932–1948  | Whitehills | [Note 5]
867  | –  | Lady Scott | No.4  | 46ft 9in Watson | 1949–1981
1981–1986  | Portrush
Relief fleet  |
80  | –  | Civil Service No.5 | No.5  | 34ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1886–1905  | Maryport |
544  | –  | Civil Service No.5 | No.5  | 38ft Watson | 1905–1931  | Maryport |
753  | –  | Civil Service No.5 | No.5  | 45ft 6in Watson | 1932–1950
1950–1956
1956–1958  | Donaghadee
Port St Mary
Relief fleet  |
273  | –  | Civil Service No.6 | No.6  | 42ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1890–1895  | Douglas No.2 | [Note 6]
384  | –  | Civil Service No.6 | No.6  | 42ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1896–1924  | Douglas |
784  | –  | Civil Service No.6,
Swn-Y-Mor | No.6  | 46ft Watson | 1936–1963
1964–1967
1967–1972  | St Davids
Eyemouth
Relief fleet  |
289  | –  | Civil Service No.7 | No.7  | 42ft Self-righting (P&S)  | 1890–1895  | Kingstown No.2 | [Note 7]
409  | –  | Dunleary | No.7  | 45ft Watson (P&S)  | 1898–1913  | Kingstown No.2 |
658  | –  | Dunleary | No.7  | 45ft Watson | 1919–1938
1939–1951  | Kingstown
Lytham St Annes |
828  | –  | The Princess Royal | No.7  | 46ft Watson | 1939–1968
1968–1969
1969–1976  | Hartlepool
Humber No.2
Relief fleet  |
853  | –  | Winston Churchill | No.8  | 46ft 9in Watson | 1948–1979
1979–1982  | Blyth
Relief fleet  |
884  | –  | St Cybi | No.9  | Barnett | 1950–1980
1981–1986  | Holyhead
Relief fleet  |
897  | –  | St. Andrew | No.10  | 41ft Watson | 1952–1959
1959–1961
1961–1968
1968–1973
1973–1976
1976–1977
1977–1982  | Whitehills
Relief fleet
Girvan
Arklow
Relief fleet
Girvan
Relief fleet  |
888  | –  | North Foreland | No.11  | 46ft 9in Watson | 1951–1978
1978–1981  | Margate
Relief fleet  |
921  | –  | Greater London II | No.30  | 46ft 9in Watson | 1955–1976
1977–1989  | Southend-on-Sea
Beaumaris |
920  | –  | Dunnet Head | No.31  | 47ft Watson | 1956  | Thurso | [Note 8]
940  | –  | Pentland | No.31  | 47ft Watson | 1957–1970
1970–1974
1974–1985
1986–1990  | Thurso
Relief fleet
The Mumbles
Workington | [Note 9]
948  | –  | Charles Dibdin | No.32  | 42ft Watson | 1959–1975
1975–1977
1977–1979
1979–1982
1982–1988  | Walmer
Relief fleet
Eastbourne
Aldeburgh
Relief fleet  |
952  | –  | Duke of Cornwall | No.33  | Barnett | 1960–1984
1984
1984–1989  | Lizard-Cadgwith
Padstow
Relief fleet  |
971  | –  | Joseph Soar | No.34  | 47ft Watson | 1963–1985
1986–1988
1988–1990  | St Davids
Dunbar
Shoreham Harbour |
987  | 70-001  | Charles H. Barrett | No.35  | Clyde | 1966–1968
1968–1975
1975–1988  | Trials
Clovelly
Relief fleet  |
1026  | 44-008  | Eric Seal | No.36  | Waveney | 1974–1996  | Eyemouth | Eric Seal
1037  | 54-03  | Edward Bridges | No.37  | Arun | 1975–1994 | Torbay |
1046  | 37-33  | Silver Jubilee | No.38  | Rother | 1978–1991
1991–1993  | Margate
Relief fleet  |
–  | B-527  | Percy Garon | No Number  | B-class (Atlantic 21) | 1976–1986
1986–1996
1996
1996–1998
1998  | Southend-on-Sea
Relief fleet
Red Bay
Relief fleet
Arran (Lamlash) | [Note 10][6]
1070  | 52-16  | Richard Evans | No.39  | Arun | 1981–2000
2000–2003  | Portrush
Relief fleet  |
1095  | 47-004 | St Cybi II | No.40  | Tyne | 1985–1997
1997–2006  | Holyhead
Relief fleet  |
1167  | 12-009  | The Princess Royal | No.41  | Mersey | 1990–2015
2015–2016  | St Ives
Relief fleet  |
1204  | 14-06  | Windsor Runner | No.42  | Trent | 1995–2004
2004–2008
2008
2008–  | Blyth
Relief fleet
Dunbar
Relief fleet  |
1237  | 17-17  | Fraser Flyer | No.43  | Severn | 1999–  | Relief fleet  |
–  | E-001  | Public Servant | No.44  | E-class Mk1 | 2002–2012  | Tower |
–  | H-003  | The Hunstanton Flyer | No.45  | Hovercraft | 2003–  | Hunstanton |
–  | D-654  | Angel of Holyhead | No.46  | D-class (IB1) | 2005–2016
2017–  | Holyhead
Boarding Boat (BB-654)  |
–  | D-655  | Guardian Angel | No.47  | D-class (IB1) | 2005–2015
2015–  | Relief fleet
Training  |
–  | B-806  | Mudeford Servant | No.48  | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2006–  | Mudeford |
–  | D-697  | Stranraer Saviour | No.49  | D-class (IB1) | 2008–2019
2019–  | Stranraer
Boarding Boat (BB-697) |
–  | B-826  | Sgt. Bob Martin | No.50  | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2008–  | Poole |
–  | B-837  | Charles Dibdin | No.51  | B-class (Atlantic 85) | 2009–  | New Brighton  |
–  | D-738  | David Roulston | No.52  | D-class (IB1) | 2010–2022
2022–  | Portrush
Relief fleet  |
1353  | 13-46  | Duke of Edinburgh | No.53  | Shannon | 2023–  | Wells-next-the-Sea |
–  | D-868  | Mr Eric Sharpe | No.54  | D-class (IB1) | 2022–  | Cromer | [7]

1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Not numbered, but it was the first Civil Service funded lifeboat. Later named Harriott Forteath at Whitby
2. ^ Later named Helen Blake at Fethard
3. ^ Damaged beyond repair, 1895
4. ^ Later in Reserve fleet to 1919, and at Selsey as Reserve No.3, and then as James William and Caroline Courteney at Fowey
5. ^ Damaged beyond repair, 1948
6. ^ Wrecked, 1895
7. ^ Damaged beyond repair, 1895
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ Provided by the RNLI to replace Dunnet Head (ON 920)
10. ^ The 1981 Report of the Civil Service and Post Office Lifeboat Fund has Percy Garon listed as No 39. However, 52-16 Richard Evans was designated No.39 in 1981, Percy Garon now designated (Civil Service) with no number.

## See also[edit]

* List of RNLI stations
* Royal National Lifeboat Institution
* Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

## References[edit]

1. ^ "The Lifeboat Fund and the RNLI". RNLI. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
2. ^ "The Lifeboat Fund". Civil Service LF. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
3. ^ "125 years of CISPOTEL support for the RNLI" (PDF). CISPOTEL. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
4. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
5. ^ "The Civil Service Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. 28 (312). November 1932. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
6. ^ "Annual Report of the Civil Service and Post Office Lifeboat Fund" (PDF). Civil Service. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
7. ^ Parker, Clare. "Cromer RNLI's new inshore lifeboat named during special ceremony". The Lifeboat Fund. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

## External links[edit]