On Sunday 28 March the RNLI crew and other volunteers gathered at Coates' Marine where Whitby's old rowing lifeboat has been undergoing meticulous restoration work.
Robert and Ellen Robson is 103 years old, and sits on one of the RNLI's only remaining pulling carriages. She is usually homed in Whitby's lifeboat museum which is currently undergoing a major redevelopment thanks to a generous legacy.
The lifeboat was pulled by hand using the traditional method of ropes and chocks, through the streets of Whitby, much to the delight of passersby.
She is now safely back in the lifeboat museum which was once the town's lifeboat station, where she will receive a final lick of paint.
The RNLI hope to reopen the museum in the summer so that people can view the old lifeboat as well as learn about whitby's incredible history of saving lives at sea.
Museum curator Neil Williamson said: 'I would like to thank everyone who turned out to help transport the lifeboat back to her home at the lifeboat museum. It's not often you see a wooden boat being hauled through the streets of Whitby and the volunteers did a great job of ensuring she had a safe passage.
Thanks to Sue Paling from the Black horse and Ian Taylor from the Endeavour who provided bacon sandwiches and hot drinks to give an energy boost to our volunteers.
The old lifeboat has been well looked after at Coates Marine so thank you also to the staff their for all their support.'
For more information contact Lifeboat Press Officer Ceri Oakes on 07813359428 or at [email protected]
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.
