Whitehills Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station located in Whitehills, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. [1]
| Whitehills Lifeboat Station (closed) | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Whitehills Lifeboat Station | |
  Whitehills, Scotland | |
| General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Location | Harbour Place |
| Town or city | Whitehills, Aberdeenshire, |
| Country | Scotland, UK |
| Coordinates | 57°40′46.6″N 2°34′42.7″W / 57.679611°N 2.578528°W |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Closed | 1969 |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
The lifeboat station in this part of Aberdeenshire has been located in various locations in Banff & Macduff, and between 1923 and 1969, the lifeboat was located at Whitehills, three miles to the west of Macduff.
Supporters and volunteers treat the station as 'one', regardless of the location. The current Macduff Lifeboat Station became operational in March 1974.[2]
History edit
In 1859, Capt. MacDonald, Commander of H.M. Coastguard, Banff, responded to the RNLI, who at the time were keen to place more lifeboats on the coast of Scotland. With the support of the Banff Harbour Trustees, he gained considerable support locally, and the RNLI placed a lifeboat at Banff in 1860.[3]
For earlier history, please see
In 1923, the Banff and Macduff lifeboat was relocated to Whitehills Harbour, with the station name changed to Whitehills Lifeboat Station in 1924.[4]
Previously located at the east end of Banff Bridge, the move to Whitehills was made primarily for crew reasons. The fishermen of Banff & Macduff, with their steam-powered vessels, were usually fishing further away from home, and were not always available to crew the lifeboat if required. The fishermen in Whitehills however, fished a lot closer to home, making them more available to crew the lifeboat. A stone built boathouse was constructed in Whitehills in 1833.[3]
After 45 years, with lifeboat cover to the West and East provided by Buckie and Fraserburgh, it was decided to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat, and the Whitehills station was closed in 1969.[4]
The building is listed, and now a private residence.[5]
The 1969 decision to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat was reversed in 1974, and the station was re-established, but located at Macduff.[1]
For later history, please see
Whitehills lifeboats edit
| ON[a] | Name | In service[1] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 479 | George and Mary Berrey | 1923–1928 | 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) (ten oars) |
[Note 1] |
| 606 | George Gordon Moir | 1928–1932 | 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 756 | Civil Service No.4 | 1932–1948 | 35ft 6in Self-righting motor | |
| 746 | William Maynard | 1948–1949 | 35ft 6in Self-righting motor | |
| 706 | Thomas Markby | 1949–1952 | 40-foot Self-righting (motor) | |
| 897 | St. Andrew (Civil Service No.10) |
1952–1959 | 41ft Watson | |
| 716 | Sarah Ward and William David Crossweller | 1959–1961 | 45ft Watson | |
| 959 | Helen Wycherley | 1961–1969 | 47ft Watson | [Note 2] |
- ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ 10-oar lifeboat, transferred to Whitehills from Banff and Macduff in 1923
- ^ Launched only 11 times whilst on station.
References edit
- ^ a b c Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
- ^ a b Bruce, Stanley A. (2021). Banff and Macduff Lifeboats, The Early Years, 1860–1877 (PDF). Stanley A. Bruce. pp. 1–99. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Macduff's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Lifeboat Station, Whitehills Harbour". Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
External links edit
- Macduff Lifeboat Station
- Macduff Lifeboat Facebook Page.