Thurso Lifeboat Station
Lifeboat station in Scotland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lifeboat station in Scotland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thurso Lifeboat Station is located at Scrabster Harbour, in the NE corner of Scotland, near the town of Thurso, Highland, in the historic county of Caithness.
A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1860.[1]
Thurso Lifeboat Station | |
---|---|
General information | |
Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
Location | Scrabster Harbour |
Address | Ferry Pier |
Town or city | Scrabster, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7UJ |
Country | Scotland |
Coordinates | 58°36′43.4″N 3°32′49.2″W |
Opened | 1860 |
Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
Website | |
https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/thurso-lifeboat-station |
Since 2004, the station has operated a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-42 The Taylors (ON 1273).[2]
In the previous 35 years, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution had awarded no less than six RNLI Silver Medals for Gallantry to Coastguards, Fishermen and other locals, for rescues performed around Thurso. So in 1859, it was decided to establish a station in Thurso, and especially due to the volume of shipping now passing by.[3]
A boathouse was commissioned to be built at Scrabster Harbour, at a cost of £103, and in October 1860, a new 30-foot 6-oar boat, Polly, costing £148-19s-0d, and built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, arrived at Thurso. John Brims was appointed Coxswain.[4]
Polly was only called upon 6 times in her 11 years on service, but in that time managed to save 49 lives. She was replaced in 1871 by a slightly larger 10-oar boat, Charley Lloyd, which served for another 19 years, being called out 31 times, and rescuing 255 lives.[2]
In 1890, the third lifeboat assigned to Thurso was also the third lifeboat funded by the Co-operative Union, named Co-operator No.3 (ON 282) at a ceremony on the River Clyde, to coincide with the Co-operative Congress meeting in Glasgow.[4]
1929 saw the arrival of Thurso's first motor-powered lifeboat. She was a 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, named H.C.J. (ON 708) by the Duchess of Portland on 13 September 1929. She served Thurso for 27 years, being launched 102 times, and saving the lives of 138 people.[2]
Disaster struck Thurso Lifeboat Station in 1956. Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) (ON 920) arrived on service at Thurso in January 1956.
Funded by the Civil Service charity The Lifeboat Fund, she was a 47ft Watson-class lifeboat with two 60 h.p. Gardner 5LW engines, built by Wm. Osbourne of Littlehampton, and costing £35,000. She was named in a ceremony at Scrabster Harbour in August 1956 by HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.[4]
On the night of 10 December 1956, both the boat and boathouse were fully consumed by fire. Fire crews from both Thurso and Wick attended, but the intensity was such that only one wall of the boathouse remained, along with the iron keel and engines of the boat. The destruction was so complete that no evidence was left as to the cause of the outbreak.[5]
The first RNLI lifeboat at Thurso cost just £103. 144 years later, in 2004, Thurso received their latest All-weather lifeboat, a 25knot Severn-class lifeboat, 17-42 The Taylors (ON 1273), costing £2 million.[2]
The following are awards made at Thurso[1][3]
ON[lower-alpha 1] | Op.No.[lower-alpha 2] | Name | In service[2] | Class | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-368 | − | Polly | 1860−1871 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 1] |
Pre-554 | − | Charley Lloyd | 1871−1890 | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 2] |
282 | − | Co-operator No.3 | 1890−1909 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 3] |
585 | − | Sarah Austin | 1901−1929 | 40-foot Watson (P&S) | |
708 | − | H. C. J. | 1929−1956 | 45ft 6in Watson | |
920 | − | Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) |
1956−1956 | 47ft Watson | [Note 4] |
711 | − | James Macfee | 1956−1957 | 45ft 6in Watson | [Note 5] |
940 | − | Pentland (Civil Service No.31) |
1957−1970 | 47ft Watson | [Note 6] |
1014 | 48-011 | The Three Sisters | 1970−1988 | Solent | |
1052 | 54-07 | City of Bradford IV | 1988−1989 | Arun | |
1149 | 52-43 | The Queen Mother | 1989−2004 | Arun | |
1273 | 17-42 | The Taylors | 2004− | Severn | |
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