Liverpool-class lifeboat

Former Clovelly, twin engined RNLB William Cantrell Astley (ON 871)

Class overview
Builders|

* Groves & Guttridge, Cowes
* Thorneycroft, Chiswick
* J. Samuel White, Cowes
* Saunders-Roe, Cowes
* Morgan Giles, Teignmouth
* Rowhedge Ironworks, Rowhedge

Operators|  Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Succeeded by| Oakley
Built|

* Single engine: 1931–1941
* Twin engine: (1940), 1945–1954

In service| 1931–1984
Completed|

* Single engine: 28
* Twin engine: 32

Retired| 60
General characteristics
Type| Motor lifeboat
Displacement| 6-8 tons
Length| 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Propulsion|

* Single engine: 35 hp (26 kW) Weyburn AE6 Petrol
* Twin engine: 2 x 18 hp (13 kW) Weyburn AE4 Petrol/20 hp (15 kW) Ferry Kadenacy FKR3 Diesel

Speed| 6.5–7.5 knots (12.0–13.9 km/h; 7.5–8.6 mph)
Range| 70–120 nautical miles (130–220 km; 80–140 mi)
Crew| 7

The Liverpool-class motorised lifeboat was a non-self-righting boat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The boats were designed for carriage launching and were developed from the Liverpool-Class Pulling and Sailing type of lifeboats \- there were two types built, single and twin engined.

## History

[edit]

The Liverpool class, designed by James Barnett, was derived from the 35ft 6in Self-righting motor-class lifeboat and had many similarities with it. Lifeboatmen at many stations preferred non self-righting boats due to their better stability and the Liverpool class was designed to be light enough for carriage launching at these stations. The single-engined version entered service in 1932 and was powered by an RNLI designed, Weyburn Engineering built AE6 six-cylinder 35 horsepower (26 kW) petrol engine mounted in a watertight compartment. Like all early motor lifeboats, the Liverpool class carried an auxiliary sailing rig and had a drop keel just forward of the engine room. 28 boats were built between 1931 and 1941. The introduction of tractors to assist with carriage launching enabled the RNLI to consider a heavier, twin-engined version of the Liverpool class and a prototype was ordered but was destroyed in an air raid at the builder's yard at Cowes in May 1942. Production got underway early in 1945 and the boat was powered by two 18 hp (13 kW) Weyburn AE4 four-cylinder petrol engines mounted in a watertight compartment. The extra redundancy of twin engines reduced the need for auxiliary sails. 31 boats were built between 1945 and 1954, the last 21 of which were powered by 20 hp (15 kW) Ferry Kadenacy FKR3 diesels. The William Cantrell Ashley now July 2017 is in dry standing Penarth marina, Cardiff.

## Description

[edit]

The Liverpool class was based on the 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) Self-righting motor introduced in 1929, but had greater beam (10 ft (3.0 m) rather than 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)) and much shallower endboxes. The shelter was extended forward to cover the engine compartment, which was watertight and allowed the engine to continue to operate as long as the air intake was not submerged. The single propeller was protected by the keel. The twin-engined variant was visually very similar but had 8 in (20 cm) more beam and the twin propellers were in protective tunnels. In the mid-1960s the petrol engines in the first ten boats were replaced by 47 hp (35 kW) Parsons Penguin diesels (as were a couple of the Ferry engined boats). Only one single-engined boat, ON 832, was re-engined with a diesel engine, a Parsons Porbeagle of 47 hp.

## Fleet

[edit]

### Single screw boats

[edit]

ON[a] | Name  | Built  | Builder  | In service  | Station  | Comments[1]

|
|
|
|
|
|

750  | Oldham | 1931  | Groves & Guttridge | 1931–1952 | Hoylake | Sold in 1952. Renamed Grey Lass but broken up at Hoylake in 1955.
760  | Anne Allan | 1932  | Thorneycroft  | 1932–1953  | Skegness | [2] Sold in 1953. Reported in December 2022 as having been restored to original condition and now at Padstow.[3]
764  | Nellie and Charlie | 1933  | J. Samuel White | 1933–1950  | Anstruther | Sold April 1951. In December 2021 it was in use as a pleasure boat for RW Davis & Sons Ltd. At Sharpness.
765  | Fifi and Charles | 1933  | J. Samuel White  | 1933–1962  | Weston-super-Mare | Sold October 1962. By August 2008 it had been renamed Wyvern and was at Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine in France.
766  | The Always Ready | 1933  | J. Samuel White  | 1933–1954  | Runswick | Sold May 1954. Reported to be at Portishead Marina in December 2021.
770  | Harriot Dixon | 1934  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1934–1964  | Cromer No.2 | Sold December 1964. Reported in December 2022 to be under restoration at Stiffkey, Norfolk.
771  | The Three Sisters | 1934  | J. Samuel White  | 1934–1954  | Coverack | Sold in 1954. Had a wheelhouse added and used as a pleasure boat but broken up in October 2008 in Rhyl.
772  | Elizabeth and Albina Whitley | 1934  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1934–1948  | Flamborough | Sold January 1953. Reported in December 2022 to be in storage at Stiffkey, Norfolk, with the name Albina.
1948–1952  | Reserve fleet
773  | Joseph Braithwaite | 1934  | J. Samuel White  | 1934–1949  | Maryport | Sold December 1952. Reported in January 2019, to be in a back garden in Barry, Wales.
1950–1952  | Reserve fleet
781  | W.R.A. | 1935  | J. Samuel White  | 1936–1954  | North Sunderland | Sold to Guatemala as a lifeboat in 1958.
1954–1958  | Reserve fleet
782  | Margaret Dawson | 1935  | J. Samuel White  | 1936–1952  | Gourdon | Sold 1956. Wrecked and later broken up at Holyhead.
1952–1955  | Reserve fleet
786  | Foresters Centenary | 1936  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1936–1961  | Sheringham | Sold 1961. On display at The Mo Sheringham Museum.
791  | Elizabeth Wills Allen | 1936  | J. Samuel White  | 1936–1950  | Seaham | Sold February 1953. Reported in December 2022 as being at Stiffkey, Norfolk, for restoration.
1950–1953  | Reserve fleet
792  | Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest | 1936  | J. Samuel White  | 1936–1949  | St Abbs | Sold March 1965. In September 2021 it was reported to be a leisure boat named Arif at Walton-on-the-Naze.
1949–1952  | Reserve fleet
1952–1953  | Bridlington
1953–1956  | Reserve fleet
1956–1958  | Scarborough
1958–1959  | Reserve fleet
1959–1964  | Llandudno
793  | Clarissa Langdon | 1937  | J. Samuel White  | 1937–1962  | Boulmer | Sold March 1965. Reported in November 2021 to be a workboat named Homewards at Foula, Shetland Islands.
1962–1963  | Reserve fleet
1963  | Seaham
1963–1965  | Reserve fleet
794  | Richard Silver Oliver | 1937  | J. Samuel White  | 1937–1939  | Cullercoats | Capsized on exercise at Cullercoats 22 April 1939 with the loss of 6 lives.[4]

Sold in 1963 to the Chilean Lifeboat Service, renamed Valparaiso II and stationed at Lirquén, Chile. Damaged in service but then destroyed by vandals while awaiting repairs in 1978.

1940–1945  | Newquay
1945–1952  | Ilfracombe
1953–1961  | Criccieth
1961–1963  | Reserve fleet
795  | Frank and William Oates | 1937  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1937–1951  | Eyemouth | Sold 1964. Reported in April 2019 to have been renamed Seren-y-Mor and at Tenby.
1952–1955  | Girvan
1956–1963  | Reserve fleet
1963–1964  | Hastings
796  | Herbert John | 1937  | Groves & Guttridge  |  |  | Destroyed by fire at the builder's yard on 18 June 1937.
797  | Howard D | 1937  | Saunders-Roe | 1937–1948  | St Helier | Under German control at St Helier 1940–1945.

Sold in 1964. In December 2022 it was at the Jersey Maritime Museum.[5]

1948–1953  | Flamborough
1953–1956  | Arbroath
1956–1962  | Reserve fleet
1962–1963  | Seaham
1963–1964  | Reserve fleet
798  | Ann Isabella Pyemont | 1937  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1937–1965  | Kilmore Quay | Sold 1966. Reported in December 2022, working as a fishing boat with the stern shortened.
799  | Helen Sutton | 1937  | Saunders-Roe  | 1937–1952  | Peel | Sold to Guatemala as a lifeboat in 1958, taking up service in 1959.
1952–1958  | Reserve fleet
800  | Sarah Ann Austin | 1937  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1937–1961  | Blackpool | Sold August 1965. Reported in June 2022 to be a pleasure boat at Woodbridge, Suffolk.
1962–1965  | Reserve fleet
825  | Herbert John | 1939  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1939–1952  | Cloughey | Sold in 1966. Reported in April 2022 to have been restored to original condition but in private ownership at Brodick, Isle of Arran.[6]
1952–1966  | Youghal
827  | George and Elizabeth Gow | 1939  | Morgan Giles  | 1939–1943  | Aberdeen No.2 | Used by RAF as a rescue craft in the Azores 1943–1946.

Sold in 1965. By December 2021 it had been restored to original condition on the River Yonne at Migennes in France.

1943–1946  | Royal Air Force
1947–1962  | Aberdeen No.2
1962–1964  | Reserve fleet
831  | Caroline Oates Aver and William Maine | 1939  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1940–1948  | St Ives | Sold July 1960. Last reported in 1969 when it was a fishing boat at Barmouth in Wales.
1948–1960  | Ferryside
832  | Lucy Lavers | 1939  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1940–1959  | Aldeburgh No.2 | This Lifeboat was one of the Little Ships of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

Sold 1968. It was reported in December 2022 at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, in use as a tour boat in fully restored condition.

1959–1964  | Reserve fleet
1964  | Hastings
1964–1968  | Reserve fleet
833  | The Cuttle | 1940  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1940–1953  | Filey | Sold August 1966. Lost off the Île d'Oléron, France, 6 October 1967.
1953–1964  | Skegness
1964–1966  | Reserve fleet
834  | Jose Neville | 1941  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1941–1964  | Caister | Sold August 1966. Was a fishing vessel named Concorde in Southwold but by 2008 it had been renamed Valas at Slaughden Quay, Aldeburgh, and was still there in April 2022.
1964–1966  | Reserve fleet

1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

### Twin screw boats

[edit]

ON[a] | Name  | Built  | Builder  | In service  | Station  | Comments [1]

|
|
|
|
|
|

839  | W. and B. |  | Groves & Guttridge |  |  | Was to have been a prototype for twin-screw Liverpool-class lifeboats but was destroyed in an air raid at builders yard 4 May 1942
850  | Cecil Paine | 1945  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1945–1965 | Wells-next-the-Sea | Sold in 1973. Reported in April 2000 to be the retired lifeboat Patreo-Joao-Rabgel at Sesimbra, Setepal, Portugal.
1965–1972  | Kilmore Quay
1972–1973  | Relief fleet
861  | Edgar, George, Orlando and Eva Child | 1948  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1948–1968  | St Ives | Sold in 1983. By December 2022 it was in storage at Stiffkey, Norfolk.
1968–1970  | Reserve fleet
1970–1975  | Blackpool
1975–1982  | Relief fleet
862  | Thomas Corbett | 1948  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1948–1970  | Ramsey | Sold in 1981. Used by Venture Scouts at Crosshaven, Ireland then taken to Hoylake for preservation but before this was completed it was moved to Stiffkey, Norfolk, in 2020.[7]
1970–1974  | Hoylake
1974–1981  | Clogherhead
863  | St. Albans | 1948  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1948–1970  | New Quay | Sold December 1970. Renamed Lorraine but broken up at Arklow in 2005.
864  | The Chieftain | 1948  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1949–1982  | Barmouth | Sold April 1982. By December 2022 had been restored to original condition and working as a tour boat in Whitstable.
869  | Anthony Robert Marshall | 1949  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1949–1968  | Rhyl | Sold in 1980. By December 2022 was under restoration at Stiffkey, Norfolk.
1968–1972  | Reserve fleet
1972–1979  | Pwllheli
1979–1980  | Relief fleet
870  | William and Laura | 1949  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1949–1980  | Newcastle | Sold September 1980. Since then preserved by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museums.
871  | William Cantrell Ashley | 1949  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1949–1968  | Clovelly | Sold in 1968. It was on display at the Hoylake Lifeboat Museum which has since closed. It was used as a trip boat in Looe, Cornwall, but by December 2021 was in private ownership at Penarth Marina.
872  | J.B. Couper of Glasgow | 1949  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1949–1953  | St Abbs | Sold February 1976. Renamed Etoile Du Nord (GU5045) and by December 2022 was on display at the Peninsular Hotel, Vale, Guernsey.
1953–1965  | Kirkcudbright
1966–1971  | Youghal
1971  | Reserve fleet
1971–1974  | Poole
1974–1975  | Relief fleet
873  | George Elmy | 1950  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1950–1962  | Seaham | Capsized on service at Seaham 17 November 1962. Nine lives lost.

Sold September 1972. Restored to original condition and on display at Seaham Harbour since July 2013.[8]

1963–1969  | Reserve fleet
1969–1971  | Poole
874  | Robert Lindsay | 1950  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1950–1953  | Arbroath | Capsized on service at Arbroath 27 October 1953 with six lives lost.

Sold in 1968. Reported in December 2022 to be under restoration at Stiffkey, Norfolk.

1953–1955  | Reserve fleet
1955–1960  | Girvan
1960–1961  | Reserve fleet
1961–1968  | Criccieth
875  | Richard Ashley | 1950  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1950–1966  | Newbiggin | Sold in 1967. Renamed Kirstey of Luing. Reported to be a yacht at Red Bay, Northern Ireland, in 1980 but now believed to have been lost at Dún Laoghaire.
876  | James and Ruby Jackson | 1950  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1950–1965  | Anstruther | Sold in 1969. A wheelhouse was added and it was used as a pleasure boat named Galore. It was lost at Dún Laoghaire in 1998.
1965–1967  | Reserve fleet
877  | George and Caroline Ermen | 1950  | J. Samuel White | 1950–1974  | Clogherhead | Sold July 1974. Renamed Boreas. By 2009 it was a derelict hull at Camuscross on the Isle of Skye.
882  | B.H.M.H. | 1951  | Rowhedge Ironworks | 1951–1973  | Minehead | Sold in 1985. Reported in September 2020, to be on the River Thames at Chiswick and restored to original condition.
1973–1981  | Relief fleet
1981–1984  | Clogherhead
891  | Bassett-Green | 1951  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1951–1962  | Padstow No.2 | Sold in 1969. By May 2018 it was in private ownership at Campbeltown in Scotland.
1962–1969  | Poole
892  | Aguila Wren | 1951  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1951–1964  | Aberystwyth | Sold December 1972. Reported in December 2022 to be under restoration at Donaghadee, Northern Ireland.
1965–1972  | Redcar
893  | Clara and Emily Barwell | 1951  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1951–1963  | Eyemouth | Sold February 1969. Wheelhouse added for use as a fishing boat named Ellie Lou (LT545) which was at Lowestoft in December 2022.
1963–1968  | Reserve fleet
894  | Oldham IV | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1952–1970  | Hoylake | Sold in October 1970 but its location since then is unknown.
895  | Edith Clauson-Thue | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1952–1969  | Gourdon | Sold in 1969. Reported in October 2002 to be the fishing boat Rambler (SO299) at Courtown, Ireland.
902  | Constance Calverley | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1952–1965  | Cloughey | Sold in 1970. By October 2002 it was working as a fishing boat with a wheelhouse added. Sunk at Youghal, Ireland.
1965–1970  | Reserve fleet
903  | Helen Harris - Manchester & District XXXI | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1952–1972  | Peel | Sold in 1972. By December 2021 it was at Migennes, France, in storage for preservation.
904  | Robert and Phemia Brown | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1952–1966  | Ilfracombe | Sold in 1967. Last reported at Weymouth, Dorset, in 1971.
905  | Katherine and Virgoe Buckland | 1952  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1972  | Pwllheli | Sold in 1972.
April 2019, Wheelhouse added, trip boat, Tenby
906  | W. Ross MacArthur of Glasgow | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1964  | St Abbs | Sold February 1969. Later to Caister Lifeboat and renamed Shirley Jean Ayde in 1973.

Sold to Pembroke Dock Authority in 1992 and renamed Mariners Friend then sold into private ownership in 1994. By 2009 it was on display at the Old Lifeboat House, Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk.

1964–1968  | Reserve fleet
914  | Tillie Morrison, Sheffield II | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1967  | Bridlington | Sold in 1969. Renamed Rescue II then Rescue III. Reported in December 2023 to be operated by Chaddy's Charters as a trip boat at Port Taranaki, New Zealand, but in unaltered condition.
1967–1968  | Reserve fleet
915  | Friendly Forester | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1983  | Flamborough | Sold 1984 for display at Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight.[9] amusement park. Moved to the Thornwick Bay Holiday Village, Yorkshire, in October 2019.[10]
916  | Maria Noble | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1960  | Exmouth | Sold in 1975. By July 2015 was under restoration to be a youth training boat in Limerick.
1960–1961  | Reserve fleet
1961–1970  | Blackpool
1970–1973  | Reserve fleet
917  | ISA and Penryn Milsted | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1953–1968  | Filey | Sold in 1968. A wheelhouse was added for it to be used as a fishing boat named Achievable(YH15). Reported to be at Great Yarmouth in December 2022.
918  | The Eliott Gill | 1953  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1954–1970  | Runswick | Sold August 1974 to be used as a fishing boat. By September 2022 it had been fully restored and based at Watchet, Somerset.
1970–1974  | Reserve fleet
927  | Grace Darling | 1954  | Groves & Guttridge  | 1954–1967  | North Sunderland | Sold in 1985. On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since April 1996.[11]
1967–1971  | Reserve fleet
1971–1984  | Youghal

1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
2. ^ >Leech, Nicholas (2008). Skegness Lifeboats – An illustrated History. Landmark Publishing. p. 117\. ISBN 978-1-84306-423-7.
3. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels – Anne Allan". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
4. ^ "Richard Silver Oliver". RNLI. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
5. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - Howard D". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
6. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - Herbert John". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
7. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - Thomas Corbett". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
8. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - George Elmy". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
9. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - Friendly Forester". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
10. ^ "Lifeboat returns to coast after three decades away". 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
11. ^ "National Register of Historic Vessels - Grace Darling". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 6 September 2013.

## External links

[edit]

* RNLI

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liverpool class lifeboats.

* v
* t
* e

Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Operational fleet

All-weather lifeboats|

* Mersey
* Severn
* Shannon
* Tamar
* Trent

Inshore lifeboats|

* B-class: Atlantic 85
* D-class: IB1
* E-class: Mark II
* Mark III
* H-class (Hovercraft)

Small inflatables|

* Arancia
* X-class
* XP-class
* Y-class

Historic lifeboats

Pulling and sailing lifeboats|

* Cromer
* Greathead
* Liverpool
* Norfolk and Suffolk
* Palmer
* Peake
* Plenty
* Watson

All-weather motor lifeboats|

| Up to 10 knots|

* 35ft 6in Self-righting
* Barnett
* Liverpool
* Norfolk and Suffolk
* Oakley
* Ramsgate
* Rother
* Solent
* Steam
* Surf
* Watson

|

Above 10 knots|

* Arun
* Brede
* Clyde
* Fast Afloat (1929)
* Thames
* Tyne
* Waveney

Inshore lifeboats|

* A-class: Hatch
* McLachlan
* Boston Whaler
* B-class: Atlantic 21
* Atlantic 75
* C-class: Zodiac IV
* D-class: RFD PB16
* RFD 320
* Avon S650
* Dunlop
* EA16
* Humber
* Zodiac III
* E-class: Mark I

Experimental lifeboats|

* Keith Nelson
* Medina

Royal National Lifeboat Institution
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template