Kathleen Mary model makes Newhaven home-coming
Newhaven RNLI is celebrating a lifeboat homecoming. A 1/12 scale model of the 'Kathleen Mary' 47ft Watson class lifeboat has been presented as a gift to the station by its maker David Crowden of Orpington, Kent. Former crew of the 'Kathleen Mary' gathered at the station to receive the gift.
The Kathleen Mary served as lifeboat for Newhaven from 1959 to 1977. It was the combined gift of an anonymous donor in memory of Kathleen Mary Haddock and RNLI funds.
David Crowden is also the recipient of an RNLI silver medal, which was presented to him in honour of his, more than sixty years, fundraising service for the RNLI Bromley Hayes in Kent branch.
David was already collecting funds for the RNLI Bromley branch when he was inspired by a photograph on the front cover of The Lifeboat magazine in circa 1963. The magazine featured a colour shot of the Kathleen Mary sailing off Newhaven, vivid against a blue sky.
David said: ‘It was a striking photograph and I thought to myself – that’s the one.’
David was greeted at Newhaven RNLI by three former Kathleen Mary volunteer crew, Derek Payne (Crew & First Aider, served 18 years), Mike Beech (Crew & Assistant Mechanic, served three years) and Ian John MBE (Crew, Signaller & First Aider, served three years).
Derek Payne, former RNLI volunteer Crew & First Aider, said: ‘We thank David sincerely for completing this fantastic model. The result is superb. It brings back so many memories of my eighteen years volunteering on the Kathleen Mary.’
David said: ‘I visited the RNLI Newhaven boathouse, as it was at the time, when I began the project to take photos of the then operational Kathleen Mary. It is an enormous pleasure to meet three of the crew today who volunteered on the Kathleen Mary during that era and know the boat so well.’
Derek Payne said: ‘The model provides a tangible legacy of the live saving work the Kathleen Mary provided with her volunteer crew for the Newhaven and surrounding community. It will be appreciated and treasured.’
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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