Mevagissey harbour
Visiting Cornwall Logo - background is part of Bodmin Moor as seen from Jamaica Inn at Altarnun. The road in the picture is the main A30 through Cornwall.
Eden Project near St Austell

HISTORY OF LIFEBOATS IN CORNWALL AND THE ISLES OF SCILLY

This page contains a history of the lifeboats that have been stationed at lifeboat stations around the coast of Cornwall and on the Isles of Scilly. They are ordered by Lifeboat Station in alphabetical order. Click on the station name below to jump to that section to see the lifeboats that have been stationed there. (Stations in italics are closed stations.)
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1817 to 1837
A "rescue boat"
1837 to 1853
Rowing boat 24’ 9” long - 8 oars
Known as The Royal Bude Lifeboat
1853 to 1863
Rowing boat 27’ long - 8 oars
1863 to 1886
Rowing boat 33’ long 10 oars
Elizabeth Moore Garden I
1886 to 1911
Rowing boat 34’ long 10 oars
Elizabeth Moore Garden II
1911 to 1923
Rowing boat 35’ long 10 oars
Elizabeth Moore Garden III
The Bude Lifeboat station was closed in 1923. The building is now holiday apartments.
Bude reopened as an inshore lifeboat station in a new building in May 1966.
1966 to 1987
Un-named
1987 to 1996
D-343
1996 to 2003
D-495 Elsie Frances II
2004 to 2013
D-617 Henry Philip
2013 to date
D-756 George Bird
- a few miles east of The Lizard. Replaced by The Lizard lifeboat station in 1963.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1867 to 1887
33ft rowing
Western Commercial Traveller
June 1887 to 1898
37ft rowing
Joseph Armstrong
1898 to 1932
39ft rowing
Minnie Moon
The Minnie Moon holds the record for the greatest number of lives saved from one rescue: 227 lives were saved on the night of 17/18 March 1907 from the SS Suevic which was wrecked in fog and gales on the Stag Rocks on the Maenheere Reef, off Lizard Point.
1932 to 1941
37½ft rowing
ON 664
Herbert Sturmey
1941 to 1963
35ft motorised
Guide of Dunkirk
The Guide of Dunkirk was one of the Dunkirk Little Ships. She was brand new and not named until after her return from France. Funded by the Girl Guides Association. After retirement from the RNLI she was renamed Girl Guide and is now on display at Mevagissey.
- at the most southerly point, Polpeor, until 1961. Later replaced by The Lizard lifeboat station. The Coverack lifeboat station is now an excellent restaurant, that also has an evening takeaway fish and chip service, called "The Lifeboat House".
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1901 to 1934
Watson
ON 458
Constance Melanie
1934 to 1954
Liverpool
ON 771
The Three Sisters
1954 to 1972
Watson
ON 907
William Taylor of Oldham
1972 to 1978
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1866 to 1887
33ft S/R rowing
ON 118
City of Gloucester
1887 to 1894
34ft S/R rowing
Jane Whittington
1894 to 1922
37ft S/R rowing
ON 372
Bob Newbon
1922 to 1928
37ft S/R rowing
ON 417
Jane Anne
1928 to 1931
37½ft S/R rowing
ON 664
Herbert Sturmy
1931 to 1934
Watson
ON 671
The Brothers
1934 to 1940
Watson
ON 687
B.A.S.P.
B.A.S.P. is now preserved in the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham , Kent. The name comes from the surnames of the four people who funded her: Blackburn, Armstrong, Smart and Price.
1940 to 1968
Watson
ON 829
Crawford and Constance Coneybeare
Aug to Oct 1967
Hatch
18-01
1968 to 1974
Watson
ON 928
Lilla Marras, Douglas and Will
1972 (on relief)
Watson
ON 828
The Princess Royal (CS No 7)
1974 to 1978
Thames
ON 1031
50-001 Rotary Service
1978 to 1979
Waveney
44-001 The Yank
44-001 The Yank was the unofficial name of this lifeboat, which was acquired from the US Coast Guard in 1964 and used to develop the Waveney class lifeboats. She is now preserved in the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham , Kent
Unknown
McLachlan
A-503
1979 to 1997
Arun
ON 1058
52-11 Elizabeth Ann
1980? to 1987
McLachlan
A-508
1987 to 1988
Atlantic 21
B-518 Sole Bay
1988 to 1994
Atlantic 21
B-541 Elizabeth Bestwick
1994 to 2007
Atlantic 21
B-595 Falmouth Round Table
1997 to 2001
ON 1201
17-02 The Will
Currently (September 2012) The Will is stationed at Dover.
1998 (on relief)
Arun
ON 1058
52-11 Elizabeth Ann
2001 (on relief)
Arun
ON 1058
52-11 Elizabeth Ann
2001 to date
ON 1256
17-29 Richard Cox Scott
2001 to date
Y-193 (on Richard Cox Scott)
June 2007 to date
B-756 Eve Pank
?? to date
BB-235
BB-235 is a wooden boarding boat used in the harbour with 17-29 Richard Cox Scott
See also Polkerris for "Fowey" lifeboats stationed there before 1887.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1887 to 1904
10-oared self-righter
ON 136
Arthur Hill
1904 to 1922
10-oared Watson
ON 515
James, William and Caroline Courtenay
1922 to 1926
12-oared self-righter
ON 394
James, William and Caroline Courtenay (Formerly Civil Service No 4)
1926 to 1928
12-oared Watson
ON 505
William Roberts
1928
Watson
ON 708
H.C.J.
1928 to 1954
Watson
ON 712
C.D.E.C.
The C.D.E.C. was sold by the RNLI in 1959 and used for many years as a pilot boat off Southend Pier.
1947 (on relief)
Watson
ON 671
The Brothers
1954 to 1980
Watson
ON 919
Denys Reitz
1980 to 1981
Watson
ON 847
Gertrude
Gertrude was sold out of service and can be seen in use at Mevagissey
1981 to 1982
Watson
ON 926
Guy and Clare Hunter
1982
Watson
ON 866
Charles Henry Ashley
1982 to 1987
Brede
ON 1083
33-03 Leonore Chilcott
1987 to 1996
Waveney
ON 1028
44-010 Thomas Foreland and Mary Rowse II
44-010 Thomas Foreland and Mary Rowse II launched 169 times and saved 35 lives whilst at Fowey.
1996 to 1997
D-390 Tiger D
1996 to date
1222
14-18 Maurice and Joyce Hardy
1997
D-433 Marjorie
1997 to 2008
D-526 Olive Herbert
2008 to date
D-610 Olive Two
Later replaced by St Ives lifeboat station.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1866 to 1887
self-righting, 32 foot long boat pulling 10 oars
Isis
1887 to 1906
self-righting, 32 foot long boat pulling 10 oars
F H Harrison (originally named The New Oriental Bank)
1906 to 1907
self-righting, 36 foot long boat
Admiral Rodd
Hayle lifeboat station closed in 1907. The area now being covered by the St Ives lifeboat.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
Dec 1866 to Aug 1881
32½ft double-ended self-righting rowing
The Oxfordshire
Aug 1881 to May 1902
34½ft double-ended self-righting rowing
The Boys Own No 1
May 1902 to 1930
Ryder
Ryder is one of only three fully restored pulling and sailing lifeboats left in the country and can now be seen afloat in Polperro harbour near the Heritage Museum from May until September each year.

Looe lifeboat station was closed in July 1930 and did not reopen until 1991.
1992 to 1994
1994 to 2002
Spirit of The Royal Ordnance Corps
2002 to 2010
D-574 Mary Regina
Oct 2003 to date
B-793 Alan and Margaret
Dec 2010 to date
D-741 Ollie Naismith
Subsequently covered by the Fowey lifeboat station.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1897 to 1930
ON 403
James Chisholm
The old lifeboat station is now in use as the Mevagissey Aquarium.
Later replaced by Newlyn and Penlee lifeboat stations.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1867? to 1909?
Daniel J Draper
Mullion Cove lifeboat station closed in 1909. The area now being covered by the Newlyn lifeboat.
In 1913 the lifeboat station moved to Penlee. In 1983 the lifeboat station returned to Newlyn harbour but retained the name of Penlee.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1908 to 1913
Watson
ON 424
Elizabeth and Blanch
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1860 to 1873
Joshua
Joshua renamed as James and Elizabeth in 1870.
1873 to 1892
James and Elizabeth II
James and Elizabeth II renamed as Pendock Neale in 1873.
1892 to 1919
Willie Rogers
1919 to 1920
John William Dudley
1920 to 1934
Admiral Sir George Back
Newquay lifeboat station closed in 1934 but reopened as a temporary wartime measure from 1940 to 1945.
An inshore lifeboat station was established at Newquay in June 1965 with a D class lifeboat.
Jun 1965 to Dec 1993
D-278
Dec 1993 to Feb 1995
C Class
Feb 1995 to Sep 1995
Atlantic 21
B-539
Sep 1995 to Oct 2007
D-715
Apr 1996 to Feb 2005
D-497
Feb 2005 to date
D-636 Valerie Wilson
Oct 2007 to date
B-821 Gladys Mildred
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1827 to 1856
Mariner’s Friend
Jul 1856 to 1864
Albert Edward
1864 to 1883
Albert Edward II
Aug 1883 to Apr 1900
Arab
Arab was wrecked on the Greenway Rocks on 11 April 1900.
Feb 1899 to 1900
Steam-powered
James Stevens No 4
Aug 1901 to 1931
Arab II
Sep 1901 to 1929
Edmund Harvey
Sep 1901 to 1929
Helen Peele
On 10 August 1917 the Admiralty commandeered Helen Peele for the duration of World War I.
Apr 1929 to 1952
Barnett
Princess Mary
Jun 1931 to 1938
743
John and Sarah Eliza Stych
1938 to 1939
Docea Chapman
1938 to 1947
J.H.W.
1947 to 1951
Stanhope Smart
Aug 1951 to 1962
Liverpool
894
Bassett Green
Nov 1952 to 1967
Joseph Hiram Chadwick
Oct 1967 to 1984
Oakley
989
48-02 James and Catherine Macfarlane
The James and Catherine Macfarlane is on display at Land's End.
1984 to 2006
1094
47-003 James Burrough
2006 to date
1283
16-04 Spirit of Padstow
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1913 to 1922
Watson
ON 424
Elizabeth and Blanch
1922 to 1931
Watson
ON 671
The Brothers
1930 to 1960
Watson
ON 736
W & S
The W & S has been converted to a long distance cruiser.
1960 to Dec 1981
Watson
ON 594
Solomon Browne
On 19 December 1981 the Solomon Browne was lost at sea with all hands off Boscawen Cove, near Lamorna, attempting to rescue the crew of the Union Star.
Read more about the disaster in "Penlee: The Loss of a Lifeboat" by Michael Sagar-Fenton
Dec 1981 to 1982
Watson
ON 866
Charles Henry Ashley
1982 to 1983
Watson
ON 926
Guy and Clare Hunter
1983 to 2003
Arun
ON 1085
52-24 Mabel Alice
2001 to Sep 2002
B-753 City of Bradford V
2001 to Sep 2002
B-753 City of Bradford V
Sep 2002 to 2003
Arun
ON 1086
52-25 A.J.R. & L.G. Uridge
Sep 2002 to date
B-787 Paul Alexander
2003 to date
ON 1265
17-36 Ivan Ellen
The lifeboats were located at various places in the Penzance area and in Newlyn. In 1913 the Penlee lifeboat station was built at Penlee Point and operated until 1983. The Penlee lifeboat is now moored in Newlyn harbour, but retains the Penlee name.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1803 to 1812
North Country
1826 to 1828
1853 to 1860
Peake
1865 to 1884
Peake
Richard Lewis
1884 to 1895
Peake
ON 49
Dora
1899 to 1908
Watson
ON 424
Elizabeth and Blanch
Replaced by the Fowey lifeboat station at Fowey. During the 63 years of a lifeboat station at Polkerris it has been known as Polkerris , Fowey and Polkerris and Fowey .
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1859 to 1866
6 oared pulling lifeboat
Catherine Rashleigh
1866 to 1887
Rochdale and Catherine Rashleigh
When it closed as a lifeboat station the building became the Lifeboat Cafe. In 2009 it was turned into the restaurant, Sam's on the Beach . The owner is Sam Sixton, who is a volunteer on the Fowey lifeboat. Sam and his wife, Emma, have lovingly restored the boathouse and have honoured the exploits of the brave crews of the past by putting the original launch and rescue boards (dating back to 1859) on display.

Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1927 to 1933
Pulling & Sailing
Ernest Dresden
1997 to 1999
D-517
1999 to 2010
D-546 Spirit of the PCS RE II
2010 to date
D-707 Copeland Bell
Replaced in 1929 by The Lizard and Penlee lifeboat stations.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1863 to 1882
Six-oared 30 foot pulling lifeboat
Agar Robartes
1882 to 1900
Ten-oared 34 foot pulling lifeboat
Charles Henry Wright
1900 to 1926
John Francis Wright
1926 to 1929
Dash
The old lifeboat station, dating from 1894 and with the slipway removed and the front doorway filled in, is now in use as the Lifeboat Art Studio .

Later replaced by The Lizard lifeboat station.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1886 to 1900
Charlotte
1931 to 1946
Kate Walker
The RNLI stationed a lifeboat at Portloe in 1870 but it was withdrawn in 1887 without ever having performed a rescue. The lifeboat was first kept in a boathouse built at the end of the road above the beach. As it proved difficult to move the boat across the beach for launching a new lifeboat house was built in 1877 nearer the water. The original boathouse was converted into a church and the later one became a school for a while but has has since become a private dwelling house.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1995 to 2005
D-489
2005 to 2014
D-634 Rusper
2014 to date
D-772 Rusper II
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1864 to 1880
33 ft self-righting
Cousins William and Mary Ann of Bideford
1880 to 1893
34 ft self-righting
Denzil and Maria Onslow
1893 to 1922
36 ft self-righting
Ann Newbon
1922 to 1948
Peake
ON 674
The Newbons
1948 to 1973
Watson
Susan Ashley
Susan Ashley is now preserved in the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham , Kent
1973 to 1991
Rother
Diana White
1991 to 1998
ON 1176
12-19 The Four Boys
1994 to 1996
D-450 Anthony
1996 to 2004
D-490 Spirit of the ACC
Mar 1998 to Oct 2009
ON 1121
47-016 Norman Salvesen
2010 to date
ON 1294
16-14 City of London III
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1968 to 1976
Blue Peter IV
1976 to 1985
Blue Peter IV
1985 to 1994
Blue Peter IV
1994 to 2005
Blue Peter IV
2005 to date
D-641 Blue Peter IV
There have been five D Class lifeboats at St Agnes since 1968. They have all been provided by the BBC Blue Peter appeals and have all been named Blue Peter IV .
Now covered by St Marys, Isles of Scilly lifeboat station.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1890 to 1904
James and Caroline
1904 to 1920
Charlie and Dure James
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1840 to 1861
Adams
Hope
Circa 1866
Moses
1870 to 1878
10 oar pulling & sailing
Covent Garden
1899 to 1933
self-righting pulling
ON 435
James Stevens No 10
The James Stevens No 10 has been restored and slightly modernised for use as a licensed trip boat. It was for sale in July 2013
1933 to 1938
self-righting
ON 763
Caroline Parsons
1938 to 1939
self-righting
ON 743
John and Sarah Eliza Stych
1940 to 1948
Liverpool
ON 831
Caroline Oates Aver and William Maine
The Caroline Oates Aver and William Maine was transferred to Ferryside and worked until 1960.
1948 to 1968
Liverpool
ON 861
Edgar George Orlando and Eva Child
The Edgar George Orlando and Eva Child was reported to be working as fishing boat, the Eileena-Ann (LT317,) at Kings Lynn in 2006.
1968 to 1989
Oakley
ON 992
37-21 Frank Penfold Marshall
1968 to 1997
The Spirit of the Royal Corp of Transport
1989 to 1989
Oakley
ON 984
37-17 Mary Joicey
in March 2011, the Mary Joicey was reported to be undergoing restoration to become the centrepiece of the museum at the Newbiggin Maritime Centre in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (where it was first stationed).
1989 to 1990
Oakley
ON 973
37-06 Fairlight
The Fairlight was reported to be working as a pleasure boat at Blakeney.
1997 to 2007
D-515 Spirit of the RTC
2007 to date
D-668 Colin Bramley Parker
1990 to Nov 2015
ON 1167
12-009 The Princess Royal (C.S. No. 41)
Jun 2011 to Aug 2011 (on relief)
ON 1124
12-001 Peggy and Alex Card
Nov 2015 to date
ON 1318
13-11 Nora Stachura
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1874 to 1919
Henry Dundas
1919 to 1930
Elsie
1930 to 1953
Cunard
1955 to 1981
Watson
ON 926
Guy and Clare Hunter
1981 to 1997
Arun
ON 1073
52-18 Robert Edgar
1997 to date
ON 1229
17-11 The Whiteheads
?? to date
Boarding Boat
BB-234
The boarding boat is launched from the lifeboat slipway to reach the Severn class ALB, The Whiteheads , which is moored in St Marys harbour.
For lifeboats in this area before 1960 see Cadgwith , Coverack and Porthleven above.
Dates
Class
Official No
Op No & Name
1960 to 1988
Barnett
ON 952
Duke of Cornwall
Aug 1988 to Jul 2011
ON 1145
47-030 David Robinson
Jul 2011 to date
ON 1300
16-20 Rose
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