
Ramsgate RNLI pay tribute to past volunteer crew Tom Brown
Tom Brown was an active member of Ramsgate RNLI for many years and after retirement continued his support, as a part of the Committee and also as a deputy launch authority.
Thomas Henry Brown, known as Tom, was born and bred in Ramsgate, where he fell in love with the sea. Starting his career as a shipwright in the Arches around the harbour, where he quickly progressed to passing his knowledge onto the apprentices he moved onto fishing owning several boats.
The last boat he owned was one that he had custom made called Shelandra, a mix of his two daughters names, Shelly and Andrea.
Joining as a volunteer RNLI crew in October 1969 he was apprenticed to Coxswain Ron Cannon and with his excellent knowledge of our waters proved to be an invaluable part of the crew, making many lifelong friends in his twenty two years of service.
In May 1984 he was part of a team that received a letter of commendation from Chairman of the RNLI, the Duke of Atholl. This concerned the relief All weather boat Wavy Line which was launched on 30 October 1983 to yacht Mer Gaspard and its crew of six.
It was noted that the casualty was hard aground and laying over to starboard at the eastern edge of the Goodwin Knoll Bank with seas washing over her entire deck and the lifeboat grounded frequently a she was taken around the northern edge of the bank to reach the yacht. The letter sent their appreciative thanks for the excellent seamanship displayed on this occasion as well as the Chairman’s personal appreciation of the competent manner in which the rescue was arrived out and the teamwork displayed.
Later in his life he was one of the founding members of the Fisherman's Association organising and supporting Ramsgate’s fishing fleet. It was for his services to the fishing industry that he was awarded his MBE in the New Years Honours 31 December 2002.
Current Coxswain Ian Cannon has known Tom all his life and remembers Tom with fondness saying, ‘ Tom was a genuinely nice guy, who would do anything to help anyone which was why he was a great match for a volunteer lifeboat crew. He was supportive to the fishing industry and renown for his innovative ideas, the majority of which worked. He will be sadly missed by everyone involved in and around the harbour in Ramsgate.’
Karen Cox Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Tel 07779848431 Email [email protected]
Paul Dunt RNLI Regional Media Officer for London and South East. Tel 07785296252 Email [email protected]
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.