
Historic RNLI photographs brought to life in colour for 200th birthday
As the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary (4 March), the charity has brought some of its rich history to life with the release of a stunning collection of colourised images.
Notes to editors
· Download all images here. Collection includes original black and white images.
Additional image information:
Douglas: RNLI founder, Sir William Hillary, lived in Douglas on the Isle of Man, where he witnessed how dangerous the sea could be first-hand due to frequent shipwrecks around the coastline. An early rowing lifeboat at Douglas and its 1890s crew have been brought into vivid colour, shown as they pass the Tower of Refuge in the bay. Sir William himself spent time as crew at Douglas and helped save more than 300 people from drowning, despite not being able to swim himself.
Ballycotton: (L-R) Ballycotton Coxswain Patrick Sliney, Mrs Sliney and son William at an annual meeting in 1936. In the same year, the Daunt Rock Lightship came adrift off Ballycotton in horrendous conditions with 12 people onboard. The lifeboat crew spent 49 hours at sea and eventually rescued all those onboard. Patrick was awarded the RNLI Gold Medal for Gallantry and the rest of his crew, including his son William, received Bronze Medals.
St Davids, Wales: Not often obvious in the old black and white photographs, lifeboat crews would traditionally wear red hats. In the picture from St Davids, Wales, the colour brings the vibrant red out as the crews walk up from the boathouse with the Welsh coastline in the background. The crews in the 1960s image are also wearing traditional RNLI guernseys, (sometimes called a gansey) a woollen jumper with a simple red ‘RNLI’ embroidered on the front – something today’s lifeboat crews still wear for ceremonial duties.
Coxswain William Brown: Coxswain William Brown served on Cresswell Lifeboat from 1875 for 50 years. By the age of 70, he had rescued nearly 100 people. Living in a small community, the wives, daughters and younger sons of the crew would act as launchers. On his retirement William was presented with a Certificate of Service while his wife was awarded a Gold Brooch in recognition for her services both as a launcher and fundraiser.
Lady launchers - Northumberland: A rowing and sailing lifeboat was stationed at Hauxley in Northumberland in 1852. During its 87 years’ service, five lifeboats served the local community launching 81 times and rescuing 246 people. The ‘lady launchers’ were very much part of many station communities, helping launch and recover the lifeboats.
Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Evolving from the first RNLI street collection in 1891 – a world first for the charity - Marion Macara formed a Ladies’ Guild to raise funds in support of volunteer crews. In the following 10 years there were more than 40 ladies’ guilds and income had doubled. The picture shows a Ladies’ Guild in 1913 from the Bradford Branch.
Poole: Through the war years, lifeboats and their crews continued to launch to those in peril on the sea. Despite being dedicated to saving lives, a total of seven RNLI lifeboats and 40 crew members were tragically lost during the Second World War – from air-raids on lifeboat stations, to being captured.
In May 1940, a fleet of hundreds of pleasure boats, fishing boats and other civilian vessels gathered, at the Admiralty’s request, to take part in the evacuation of British troops from the French port of Dunkirk. A total of 19 RNLI lifeboats were part of the Little Ships, including the Thomas Kirk Wright, from Poole, which can be seen launching from the old lifeboat station with crowds gathering on the quayside. Today, the RNLI Poole Old Lifeboat Museum still houses the Thomas Kirk Wright and is open to visitors.
Montrose, Scotland: A new motor lifeboat was stationed at Montrose in 1926 which was provided by a generous legacy from the late Miss Anne Russell. The lifeboat was later named by the Duchess of York. Today, 6 out of 10 lifeboat launches are only possible due to generous legacies.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Dave Riley, RNLI National Media Officer on 07795 015042 or [email protected] or RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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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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.