Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Station

Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Station is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of the town and royal burgh of Kirkcudbright, at the mouth of the River Dee, overlooking the Solway Firth, in the county of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Station
Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Station
Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Station
Address	Torrs Shore
Town or city	Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, DG6 4XL
Country	Scotland
Coordinates	54°47′40.8″N 4°03′44.7″W
Opened	1862
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Kirkcudbright RNLI Lifeboat Station

A lifeboat was first stationed at Kirkcudbright by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1862.^[1]

The station currently operates the B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Sheila Stenhouse (B-814), on station since 2009.^[2]

History

At the meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 4 July 1861, a letter from Mr Samuel Cavan of Kirkcudbright, reported that a sum of money for a lifeboat and carriage, had been presented to the Port by a gentleman. The provision of both a lifeboat and carriage was agreed, and a branch of the RNLI was established in Kirkcudbright.^[3]

A 30-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (6) oars, and costing £153, was sent to the station in 1862. Both lifeboat and carriage were transported by the London and North Western and the Glasgow and South Western Railway Companies to Castle Douglas, from where the boat was drawn on its carriage to Kirkcudbright. Provided by the anonymous gentleman "N. L.", the lifeboat was named Helen Lees.^[4]

A boathouse was constructed in the town at Creekhead, at the top of St Cuthbert Street, at a cost of £144.^[1]

The Old Lifeboat House, Kirkcudbright

The first recorded service was on the 13 November 1862, to the brig Ellen of Liverpool, driven ashore at the mouth of the River Dee. Three lives and the vessel were saved.^[5]

On 30 November 1868, the lifeboat was launched to the aid of the schooner William Henry of Belfast, on passage to Maryport, wrecked on St Mary's Isle. Five lives were saved.^[6][7]

In 1892, the lifeboat was relocated to Cutlers Pool. A new boathouse and slipway were constructed in 1893, at a cost of £1,200, whilst the old boathouse was sold for £20. The location meant that the crew would need to be transported to the edge of Lake Wood, and then would have to travel 1 mile (1.6 km) through woodland on foot, This was still a lot quicker to launch, then rowing out of the town harbour.^[1][8]

Priscilla MacBean on display in Hastings

On 29 February 1928, Kirkcudbright lifeboat crew set off to Maryport, to exchange their old pulling and sailing lifeboat, George Gordon Moir (ON 606), for a new prototype motor-powered lifeboat. After 11 hours struggle in heavy seas and strong headwinds, they returned home. Setting off in better conditions the following day, they rowed for 16 hours to reach Maryport. After an overnight at Maryport, they collected the Priscilla MacBean (ON 655), a legacy of Edward MacBean of Helensburgh, Glasgow. The return trip took just 3 hours.^[9]

A bottle washed up at West Preston Shore, Kirkbean on 14 October 1934, containing a message dated 7 October 1934. "We are stranded in Barlocco Caves. Rescue us quick or too late". The lifeboat was launched, but nobody was there.^[9]

The Mary Pullman (ON 981), a 37-foot Oakley-class lifeboat, would be the last "All-weather" lifeboat to serve at Kirkcudbright, arriving on service on 2 May 1965. In the next 24 years as Kirkcudbright lifeboat, she would be launched 89 times, and save 34 lives. By 1985, she was in need of repair, and sent for further repairs in 1987. It was decided to trial one of the fast B-class Inshore lifeboats at Kirkcudbright in July 1988, the first boat being (B-523), the former Littlehampton lifeboat Blue Peter 1, (the Blue Peter name being retained at Littlehampton).^[1][9]

Mary Pullman was formally withdrawn from service in 1989, and a permanent B-class (Atlantic 21) Peter and Grace Ewing (B-585) was placed at the station in 1991. The station currently operates the B-class (Atlantic 85) lifeboat Sheila Stenhouse (B-814).^[10]

In June 2023, William John Collins, former lifeboat mechanic, now Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Operations Manager, received the British Empire Medal, awarded in the 2023 Kings New Years Honours. Robert Ross, Senior Helm, Training Coordinator and member of Kirkcudbright lifeboat since 1983, received the 40-year long service award.^[11]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Kirkcudbright^[1][12]

• RNLI Silver Medal

Andrew Lusk, farmer – 1865

• Bronze Medal, awarded by the Royal Humane Society

George Parkhill – 1908

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

George Cossar Davidson DSM BEM, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1976

Stephen Unsworth, Acting Coxswain/Mechanic – 1985

• Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

George Cossar Davidson DSM BEM, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1977

• British Empire Medal

William John Collins, Lifeboat Operations Manager – 2023NYH^[13]

Kirkcudbright lifeboats

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats

ON[a]	Name	On Station[14]	Class	Comments
Pre-392	Helen Lees	1862−1879	30-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 1]
Pre-494	Mackie	1879−1887	32-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 2]
156	Hugh and Ann	1887−1910	34-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 3]
606	George Gordon Moir	1910−1928	35-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 4]

Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

All-weather lifeboats

ON[a]	Op.No.[b]	Name	On Station[15]	Class	Comments
655	–	Priscilla MacBean	1928−1931	35-foot Self-righting (motor)	[16]
741	–	Morison Watson	1931−1953	35-foot 6in Self-righting (motor)
872	–	J. B. Couper of Glasgow	1953−1965	Liverpool
981	37-14	Mary Pullman	1965−1989	Oakley

All-weather lifeboat withdrawn, 1989

Inshore lifeboats

Op.No.[b]	Name	On Station[17]	Class	Comments
B-523	Unnamed	1988	B-class (Atlantic 21)	Formerly Blue Peter I at Littlehampton
B-525	Unnamed	1988–1991	B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-585	Peter and Grace Ewing	1991–2006	B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-814	Sheila Stenhouse	2006–2008	B-class (Atlantic 85)
B-718	Rotaract I	2008–2009	B-class (Atlantic 75)
B-814	Sheila Stenhouse	2009–	B-class (Atlantic 85)

1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

1. 30-foot x 6-foot 6in (6-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £153-17s-6d.
2. 32-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
3. 34-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
4. 35-foot x 8-foot 10in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.