200th anniversary of an RNLI lifeboat being placed on the Romney Coastline

This month we remember the first rescue that the Sandal Magna is recorded as having made on 17th January 1885. A model of the Sandal Magna is on display in the Littlestone Station today and reminds us of one of the most daring rescues undertaken by crew members from the Dungeness and New Romney RNLI stations. We will cover that particular rescue later in the year, but for now we will focus on the brave rescue of thirteen sailors from a sailing Vessel on a cold winter's night in January 1885. We also note that the crew of the Sandal Magna comprised trained coastguards supplemented, when needed, by other volunteers, including local fishermen.

The Lifeboat Journal from 1885 records that 'Distress signals having been shown by the barque Windermere, of Newcastle, bound from London for Rangoon, with a general cargo, during a moderate E.S.E. gale and a heavy sea, on the 17th of January, the crew of the Sandal Magna Life-boat were immediately summoned, and the boat was launched at 9.15 P.M. On reaching the vessel, which had stranded off Littlestone, it was found she was striking very heavily, and was driving along shore. The master and crew, thirteen in all, were therefore taken into the Life-boat, and landed at about 1.30 A.M.'

Following this first rescue:
'Mr Spawforth, … forwarded £5 for distribution amongst the Coxswain & crew this service being the first rendered by the Boat.'

The report is factual, but the reality of the situation would have been quite alarming for the lifeboat crew and terrifying for the crew of The Windermere. Our current longest serving helm, Peter Leigh, always cautions our crew about any wind coming from the East. So, facing a 'moderate East South Easterly gale and a heavy sea' sets the scene. Then imagine yourself launching into this sea and freezing cold weather in an open boat with only oars and a sail that couldn't always be rigged. Our crew back then had state of the art safety equipment for the times. Cork life jackets were designed in 1854 and these provided much needed buoyancy and a little protection - but they weighed about 12kg. The crew had very little protection but huge amounts of courage and determination. Thankfully, our crew safety equipment nowadays is light years ahead of that worn by our brave crew in the Sandal Magna. But all of it- then and now- has been provided by the generosity of the public.

Our thanks to Rosemary Piddock for letting us quote some of her family history in our articles this year. Rosemary is the Great- Granddaughter of Henry George Clifton, Coxswain of the Sandal Magna.

If you'd like to help us save lives at sea, please go to the link below
https://rnli.org/

RNLI contact John Kenny [email protected]

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The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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