Sheerness Lifeboat Station

RNLI Lifeboat Station in Sheerness Lifeboat Station, England

Sheerness Lifeboat Station

General information
Type| RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location| Sheerness Lifeboat Station
Address| Sheerness Docks, Garrison Point, Sheerness, ME12 1RS
Country| England
Coordinates| 51°26′46″N 0°44′37″E﻿ / ﻿51.44611°N 0.74361°E﻿ / 51.44611; 0.74361
Opened| 1970
Inaugurated| 1969
Owner|  Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Sheerness Lifeboat Station is an Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in the English county of Kent.[1] The station is on the north coast of the county, strategically placed at Garrison Point at the mouth of the River Medway and close the busy Thames estuary.[2] The RNLI first stationed a lifeboat here in 1969.[3]

## History[edit]

In 1969, the RNLI placed two extra lifeboats on the Thames Estuary, following a decision by the RAF to withdraw the rescue helicopters from RAF Manston. An extra D-class lifeboat went to Southend-on-Sea, and it was decided to place an All-weather lifeboat at Sheerness on evaluation.[4]

The first lifeboat was a new design, a 41-foot lifeboat, moulded in GRP, and fitted out by Keith Nelson Ltd, of Bembridge, with twin diesel engines, producing 19kts. Subsequently called a Keith Nelson class lifeboat, she was the only one constructed. Numbered 40-001, she was named Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde (ON 1017) after a legacy from Mrs. Hinde.[5]

Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde (ON 1017) was on station from April to November 1969, but with a two month period away for repairs in July and August. For that time, Sheerness had a relief boat on station, a Waveney-class lifeboat 44-001. In late 1969, the Keith Nelson boat was transferred to Calshot for further evaluation, and Sheerness then received a 46ft Watson-class lifeboat, Canadian Pacific (ON 803), a boat already over 30 years old, and capable of just 8.5kts.[4]

In January 1970, following a successful appraisal, the RNLI decided to establish a permanent station at Sheerness. Canadian Pacific was replaced by another 46ft Watson-class lifeboat in April 1970, Gertrude (ON 847), already a 25 year old lifeboat, that had previously been stationed at Holy Island and Exmouth. Despite her age, she would be launched 103 times, and save 61 lives, over her 4 year term on station.[4]

The station received another Waveney-class lifeboat in 1974, but this time the brand new 44-009 Helen Turnbull (ON 1027), which served the station for the next 22 years.[5]

In 1985, negotiations took place with the Medway Ports Authority, and the lifeboat was relocated to Gun Wharf Steps. New crew facilities were provided in 2000, and a new Pontoon berth was constructed in 2010.[3]

Trent-class lifeboat 14-13 George and Ivy Swanson (ON 1211), which had served Sheerness for 25 years since 1996, was replaced in 2021, with the arrival of a new Shannon-class lifeboat 13-38 Judith Copping Joyce (ON 1345).[5]

## Station honours[edit]

The following are awards made at Sheerness[3][6]

* RNLI Silver Medal

Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1980

* RNLI Bronze Medal

Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1976

Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1979 (Second Service Award)

Robin William Castle, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1987

* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

Malcolm E Keen, crew member - 1974

The Lifeboat's crew - 1980

Richard Rogers, Helmsman - 1987
Brian Spoor, crew member - 1987

Dennis Bailey Jr. Second Coxswain - 1987
Richard Rogers, crew member - 1987

* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Robin William Castle, Coxswain - 2010[7]

* Freedom of the Borough of Swale

Robin Castle, Former Coxswain - 2021[8]

## Sheerness Lifeboats[edit]

### All-weather lifeboats[edit]

ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name  | In service[5] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|
|

1017  | 40-001  | Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde | 1969  | Keith Nelson  | Boat placed at Sheerness for evaluation prior to establishment of station
803  |  | Canadian Pacific | 1969–1970  | 46ft Watson |
847  |  | Gertrude | 1970–1974  | 46ft Watson |
1027  | 44-009 | Helen Turnbull | 1974–1996 | Waveney |
1211  | 14-13  | George and Ivy Swanson | 1996–2021  | Trent |
1345  | 13-38  | Judith Copping Joyce[9] | 2021–  | Shannon | Delivered 28 May 2021

### Inshore lifeboats[edit]

Op. No.  | Name  | In service [5] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

D-145  | Unnamed | 1972–1976 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-253  | Unnamed | 1976–1988  | D-class (Zodiac III) |
D-362  | Kensington Rescuer | 1988–1996  | D-class (EA16) |
D-513  | Seahorse I | 1996–2006  | D-class (EA16) |
D-662  | Eleanor | 2006–2016  | D-class (IB1) |
D-799  | Buster[10] | 2016–  | D-class (IB1) |

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.

Neighbouring Stations to Sheerness

| Tower Lifeboat Station
| Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station
| Thames Estuary

|
|

|  |
South East London |

Sheerness Lifeboat Station

| Whitstable Lifeboat Station

|  |
Kent | Kent | Kent

## See also[edit]

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

## References[edit]

1. ^ OS map 149: Sittingbourne & Faversham Isle of Sheppey. Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey. ISBN 9780319238684
2. ^ Heroes All! – The story of the RNLI. Author: Beilby, Alec. Publisher: 1992, Patrick Stephens Ltd – Part of the Haynes Publishing Group.Work: Chapter 18 – The Lifeboat Stations – Part 2 The Kent Stations, Pages 161/162. ISBN 1 85260 419 0
3. ^ a b c "Sheerness' station history". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
4. ^ a b c Morris, Jeff (September 1996). The History of the Sheerness Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–50.
5. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
6. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0 907605 89 3.
7. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
8. ^ Dunt, Paul (13 October 2021). "Former Sheerness RNLI Coxswain honoured with Freedom of the Borough". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
9. ^ Dunt, Paul (10 October 2022). "Sheerness RNLI's new Shannon class lifeboat named Judith Copping Joyce". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
10. ^ Booth, Vic (25 April 2017). "New Sheerness RNLI lifeboat named in honour of a much loved family member". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.

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