Dover Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station[1] located in the town of Dover in the English county of Kent.[2] The station first opened in 1837, coming under the RNLI’s control in 1855.[3]
| Dover Lifeboat Station | |
|---|---|
 17-09 at Dover Lifeboat Station | |
  | |
| General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Location | Dover Lifeboat Station |
| Address | Marina Curve, Dover, CT17 9FQ |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°7′3.00″N 1°19′10.0″E / 51.1175000°N 1.319444°E |
| Opened | 1855 (RNLI) |
| Owner |  Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website | |
| Dover Lifeboat Station website | |
Among the awards won by Dover's crews over the years are 19 RNLI medals for bravery, 6 silver and 13 bronze, the last being awarded in 1998.[4]
History edit
The first rescue service at Dover was called the Dover Humane and Shipwreck Institution which was established in September 1837.[5] Its former boathouse at the Dover Western Docks has been designated a Grade II listed building, along with the adjacent clock tower.[6]
Clock tower and former lifeboat house, Dover
First closure edit
From its inception until the First World War, the Dover station operated using rowing and sailing lifeboats. In September 1914, following the outbreak of war, the station was forced to close due to difficulties manning the lifeboat safely. The station re-opened in 1919, with a new steam lifeboat called James Stevens No. 3. Built in 1898 this single propeller lifeboat, one of only six steam driven lifeboats, was designed to be ready to steam immediately, at all times. However, the lifeboat still took at least 20 minutes to get up to steam and required a large technical crew to keep her fired up. It was launched only five times before the station was closed again in 1922.[7]
Camber (East Docks) station edit
With increased shipping and the advent of air traffic, the RNLI realised that a lifeboat station in Dover would again be required,[7] and in 1929 a new boathouse was opened in the Eastern Docks at Camber.[8] The re-opened station was supplied with a new faster lifeboat. The Sir William Hillary (ON 725),[7] named after the founder of the RNLI, arrived on station in 1930 and was powered by twin 375 horsepower petrol engines with a top speed of 17.25 Knots. This was almost twice the speed of the rest of the RNLI’s fleet of lifeboats, most of which were capable of 9 Knots.[7] The Dover station operated from this location until the Second World War. At the time of the Dunkirk evacuation the Sir William Hillary was away having a refit and overhaul. The relief lifeboat Agnes Cross (ON 663) remained at Dover until 1941, when the station closed again for the duration of the War.[4]
Post-War re-opening edit
In 1947 the Dover station began operations again, re-locating to the former Motor Torpedo Boat pens in the East Docks area.[7] The rapid expansion of the Dover ferry terminal in the 1980s saw the lifeboat station move again, to the Tug Haven situated in the inner harbour across from the Cross Wall Quay.
1990s to present edit
In the late 1990s, work began on a new station built on Cross Wall Quay. Construction was completed in 2000 and the station began operating in August 2001.
In 2022, a new station was announced, replacing the existing station on Crosswall Quay, to be built at the end of the new Marina Curve of Dover's Western Docks. Designed by Studio 4 architects, the building is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, utilising a Glulam timber-frame, with ground source heating and PV panelling.[9] Constructed by Walker Construction Ltd, the building was completed in early January 2024, and was handed over to Dover Lifeboat in March 2024.
The current lifeboat is a Severn-class[10] lifeboat called City of London II (ON 1220)[11] which has been on station since 1997 and is the fifteenth lifeboat to be stationed at Dover.
Station honours edit
The following are awards made at Dover[12][13]
- Major Henry Scott, Chairman of the Dover Branch - 1882
- James Woodgate, Coxswain - 1891
- James Woodgate, Coxswain - 1893 (Second-Service clasp)
- Colin H Bryant, Coxswain - 1940
- Arthur Liddon, Coxswain Mechanic - 1976
- Roy Couzens, Acting Coxswain -1988
- Sidney T Hills, Second Coxswain - 1940
- Wilfred L Cook, Mechanic - 1940
- Christian R T Stock, Second Mechanic - 1940
- Lt Richard Walker, RNR, Assistant King’s Harbour Master - 1940
- John Walker, Coxswain - 1951
- John Walker, Coxswain - 1956 (Second-Service Clasp)
- Anthony George Hawkins, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1976
- Michael Abbott, Acting Assistant Mechanic and Emergency Coxswain - 1988
- Geoffrey Buckland, crew member - 1988
- Dominic McHugh, crew member - 1988
- Christopher Ryan, crew member - 1988
- Robert Bruce, crew member - 1988
- Eric Tanner , crew member - 1988
- The Maud Smith Award 1987
(for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)
- Roy Couzens, Acting Coxswain - 1988
- The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
- Richard John Hawkins, Second Assistant Mechanic - 1976
- John James Smith, crew member - 1976
- Gordon David, crew member - 1976
- Arthur Liddon, Coxswain Mechanic - 1977
- Anthony G Hawkins, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1977
- Anthony G Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1981
- Anthony G Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1992
- David Pascall, crew member - 1992
- Rodney Goldsack, crew member - 1992
- A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
- G V James, crew member - 1979
- Anthony G Hawkins, Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1982
- Dover Lifeboat Crew - 1982
- Anthony G Hawkins, Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1985
- Dover Lifeboat Crew and Shore helpers - 1985
- The crews of the motor launches Darg, Denise and of the tug Dextrous - 1985
- Anthony G Hawkins, Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1993
- A Special Certificate on Vellum
- Dr Sotiris Mantoudis - 1977
- Dr Peter Welch, honorary medical adviser - 1981
- Plaque awarded by The Seafarers International Union in New York
- Dover Lifeboat Station - 1952
- Testimonials by the Royal Humane Society
- Henry Pegg, Motor Mechanic - 1954
- W Wilfred Cook, a travelling mechanic of the Institution - 1954
- A letter of commendation
- Dover Lifeboat Station - 1966
- A Letter of Appreciation signed by the Director
- The Coxswain and crew - 1979
- Anthony George Hawkins, Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic - 1998[14]
Dover Lifeboats edit
All-weather lifeboats edit
Operated by Dover Humane and Shipwreck Institution edit
| Name | In service | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed | 1837–1853 | 37-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (12-oar) | |
| Unnamed | 1853–1857 | 28-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (6-oar) |
Operated by Royal National Lifeboat Institution edit
| ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name | In service [15] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | Unnamed | 1858–1864 | 28-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (6-oar) | |
| – | – | Royal Wiltshire | 1864–1878 | 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (10-oar) | |
| – | – | Henry William Pickersgill | 1878–1888 | 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) | |
| 197 | – | Lewis Morice | 1888–1901 | 37-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (12-oar) | |
| 464 | – | Mary Hamer Hoyle | 1901–1914 | 37-foot Self-Righting (P&S) (12-oar) | Station closed 1914–1919 due to WWI |
| 420 | – | James Stevens No. 3 | 1919–1922 | Steam | Station closed 1922–1930 |
| 725 | – | Sir William Hillary | 1930–1940 | 60ft (Fast Afloat) | Lifeboat assigned to the Admiralty. |
| 663 | – | Agnes Cross | 1940–1941 | Norfolk and Suffolk | Station closed 1941–1947 due to WWII |
| 694 | – | J.B. Proudfoot | 1947–1949 | 45ft Watson | Previously H.F. Bailey at Cromer |
| 860 | – | Southern Africa | 1949–1967 | Barnett | |
| 1003 | 44-004 | Faithful Forester | 1967–1979 | Waveney | |
| 1031 | 50-001 | Rotary Service | 1979–1997 | Thames | |
| 1220 | 17-09 | City of London II | 1997– | Severn |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Dover Lifeboat Station". Official Dover RNLI website. RNLI. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ OS Explorer Map 138 – Dover, Folkestone & Hythe.Published: Ordnance Survey – Southampton. ISBN 978 0 319 2351 26.
- ^ 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, Dover, Pages 164. ISBN 1 85260 419 0
- ^ a b "Dover Lifeboat Station: History". Official Dover RNLI website. RNLI. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ Reference to the Date of Formation of the Dover Humane and Shipwreck Institution publisher:The Dover Society retrieved 17 September 2013
- ^ List Entry – Clock Tower and Former Boat House retrieved 17 September 2013
- ^ a b c d e Mayday Mayday – The History of Coastal Rescue in Britain and Ireland. Authors;Farrington, Karen – Constable, Nick.Publisher: Collins 2011. Work: Chapter: 4 – South, page: 99 – Dover Lifeboat Station. ISBN 978 0 00 744338 3
- ^ "Eastern Docks – to 1945". Reference to the re-opening of the lifeboat station at Camber in 1929. Dover Historian web site. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ Cobb, Nicholas (14 June 2023). "Dover RNLI to Move to New Lifeboat Station in December 2023". RNLI. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Severn Class Lifeboat". Technical specifications of Severn Class Lifeboats. RNLI web site. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Severn Class 17 mt". List of Severn Class lifeboats including City of London. NavyNuts web site. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Dover's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
- ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021 (2021 ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–65.