Sheerness Lifeboat Station
Sheerness Lifeboat Station is located in Kent
Sheerness Lifeboat Station
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationSheerness Lifeboat Station, Sheerness Docks, Garrison Point, Sheerness, ME12 1RS
CountryEngland
Coordinates51°26′46″N 0°44′37″E / 51.44611°N 0.74361°E / 51.44611; 0.74361
Opened1971
Inaugurated1969
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Sheerness Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in the English county of Kent.[1] The station is on the north coast of the county, strategically placed at the mouth of the River Medway and close the busy Thames estuary.[2] It is a relatively new station only being established in 1969 when a lifeboat was stationed in the Harbour.[2]

Evaluation

In 1969 the Institution decided to send a lifeboat - the Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde (ON 1017) - to Sheerness for evaluation.

History

Following a successful appraisal, the RNLI decided to establish a permanent station in 1971. The first boat on service was Gertrude (ON 847), already a 25 year old 46ft Watson-class lifeboat that had previously been stationed at Holy Island and Exmouth. Three years later, in 1974, the station received a brand new Waveney-class lifeboat, 44-009 Helen Turnbull (ON 1027), which served the station for the next 22 years.[3]

In 1985, negotiations took place with the Medway Ports Authority, and the lifeboat was relocated to Gun Wharf Steps. New crew facilities were provided in 2000, and a new Pontoon berth was constructed in 2010.[4]

Sheerness Lifeboats

All Weather Lifeboats

ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name In service [3] Class Comments
1017 40-001 Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde 1969 Keith Nelson-class Boat on station for evaluation prior to establishment of station
847 Gertrude 1971–1974 46ft Watson-class
1027 44-009 Helen Turnbull 1974–1996 Waveney-class
1211 14-13 George and Ivy Swanson 1996–2021 Trent-class
1345 13-38 Judith Copping Joyce[5] 2021– Shannon-class Delivered 28 May 2021

Inshore Lifeboats

Op. No. Name In service [3] Class Comments
D-145 unnamed 1972–1976 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-253 unnamed 1976–1988 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-362 Kensington Rescuer 1988–1996 D-class (EA16)
D-513 Seahorse I 1996–2006 D-class (EA16)
D-662 Eleanor 2006–2016 D-class (IB1)
D-799 Buster[6] 2016– D-class (IB1)
  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.

Station Honours

The following are awards made at Sheerness[4]

Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1980
Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1976
Charles Henry Bowry, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1979 (Second Service Award)
Robin William Castle, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1987
Malcolm E Keen, crew member - 1974
The Lifeboat's crew - 1980
Richard Rogers, Helmsman - 1987
Brian Spoor, crew member - 1987
Dennis Bailey Jr. Second Coxswain - 1987
Richard Rogers, crew member - 1987
Robin Castle, Coxswain - 2010
Robin Castle, Former Coxswain - 2021[7]


See also

References

  1. ^ OS map 149: Sittingbourne & Faversham Isle of Sheppey. Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey. ISBN 9780319238684
  2. ^ a b Heroes All! – The story of the RNLI. Author: Beilby, Alec. Publisher: 1992, Patrick Stephens Ltd – Part of the Haynes Publishing Group.Work: Chapter 18 – The Lifeboat Stations – Part 2 The Kent Stations, Pages 161/162. ISBN 1 85260 419 0
  3. ^ a b c Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  4. ^ a b "Sheerness' station history". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  5. ^ Dunt, Paul (10 October 2022). "Sheerness RNLI's new Shannon class lifeboat named Judith Copping Joyce". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ Booth, Vic (25 April 2017). "New Sheerness RNLI lifeboat named in honour of a much loved family member". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  7. ^ Dunt, Paul (13 October 2021). "Former Sheerness RNLI Coxswain honoured with Freedom of the Borough". RNLI. Retrieved 27 January 2024.


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