Anstruther Lifeboat Station
General information
Town or cityAnstruther
Opened1865

Anstruther Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Anstruther, Fife. The station has been in operation since 1865, although RNLI activity in the area dates back to 1832. The station houses the all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat 12-17 Kingdom of Fife (ON 1174) and inshore D-class lifeboat Akira (D-802)[1][2][3]

History

Prior to the establishment of a station, a number of RNLI medals were awarded to coastguards operating in the area. In 1832 the coastguard Kenneth McCulloch was awarded the silver medal for saving the three crew of the sloop Vine when it was wrecked at Elie harbour on the 6 March that year. In 1834 two separate rescues were recognised. The Gold Medal bar was awarded to Lt Henry Randall and a Silver Lifeboat to Kenneth McCulloch for rescuing the seven crew of the schooner Wanderer when it was wrecked at Elie in a storm in the preceding year. Silver medals were also awarded to two other coastguards, A Murray and J Mason, for saving the five crew of the schooner John when it got into trouble during bad weather in December 1833.[2]

The first station was established in the town in 1865 at the request of local fishermen on land given by the Anstruther harbour board. Between them they subscribed £60 (equivalent to £6,103 in 2021) towards the cost of building the new station. The RNLI supplied the local arranging committee with a 32 foot long pulling lifeboat with 10 oars. This was built from a £600 gift to the institution (equivalent to £61,031 in 2021) from a lady in Cheltenham. In 1892 the RNLI local inspector found there was no need to employ a paid bowman for the lifeboat as the station at that time had six volunteer coxswains and a full crew to staff it, by 1899 the number of coxswains had reduced to four. Up until 1897 the station had used a mortar to alert the volunteer crew, however this was deemed too dangerous to vessels in the harbour so a handbell was used from that point on.[2]

In 1904 a new lifeboat house was constructed costing over £1,600. Around this time a new Coxswain Superintendent was appointed to replace the numerous coxswains who has operated the station before on a rotating basis.[2]

In 1965 a new Oakley-class lifeboat was sent to the station. It was named The Doctors in a ceremony by Princess Alice in memory of the family of Dr Nora Allan who had gifted the cost of the lifeboat. At this time the station was re-adapted for the new lifeboat, a trailer and tractor. The Doctors was withdrawn from the station after 26 years and was replaced by a Mersey-class lifeboat in 1991 – at this time the slipway was refurbished and the boathouse extended and modernised. Further modifications were made to the boathouse in 1995 with a two-storey extension providing new crew facilities.[2]

Former Oakley class boat The Doctors (right) under restoration in 2007

Alongside the all-weather Kingdom of Fife, the D-class (EA16) lifeboat Global Marine commenced a 12-month trial in 2003.

In 2009, the station was again upgraded at a cost of £273,000, to provide permanent housing for the D-class (IB1) Inshore Lifeboat The Rotary Centenary Queen (D-667). [2]

In 2013 the volunteer lifeboat helmsman Barry Gourlay, a mechanical engineer, received the RNLI Bronze Medal and volunteer crew members fisherman Euan Hoggan and PhD student Rebecca Jewell received thanks on vellum for a rescue of two people in difficult sea conditions. MV Princess had run onto rocks near Crail in the early hours and was breaking up in a force 5 winds, heavy rain and a three-metre swell. The volunteer crew used the in-shore lifeboat, later transferring the casualties to Kingdom of Fife. The RNLI stated in the award ceremony in London that the volunteer had "undoubtedly" save the lives of the stricken crew.[2][4]

2016 saw the arrival of a replacement D-class (IB1) Inshore Lifeboat Akira (D-802).[5]

In 2019 it was announced that the RNLI planned to build a purpose-built new facility further along the shoreline that will be capable of housing a Shannon-class lifeboat.[6] The Anstruther crew featured on a BBC documentary Saving Lives At Sea in 2019.[7]

Anstruther Lifeboats

All-Weather Lifeboats

ON[lower-alpha 1] Op. No.[lower-alpha 2] Name In service [5] Class Launches [8] Lives Saved [8] Comments
Admiral Fitzroy 1865–1888 32 foot pulling lifeboat 13 18
164 Royal Stuart 1888–1904 34ft Self-Righting (P&S) 5 0
521 James and Mary Walker 1904–1933 38ft Watson (P&S) 15 46 As of 2020, being restored for display[9]
764 Nellie and Charlie 1933–1950 Liverpool-class 54 72
876 James and Ruby Jackson 1950–1965 Liverpool-class 63 45
983 37-16 The Doctors 1965–1991 Oakley-class 79 23
1174 12-17 Kingdom of Fife 1991– Mersey-class 152 (2014) 50 (2014)

Inshore Lifeboats

Op No Name In service [5] Class Comments
D-552 Global Marine 2003–2004 D-class (EA16) 12 month evaluation
D-500 Unnamed 2004–2005 D-class (EA16)
D-667 The Rotary Centenary Queen 2006–2016 D-class (IB1)
D-802 Akira[10] 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 to the crew of Anstruther Lifeboat Station[11]

1834 - For saving 7 lives of the schooner Wanderer on 2 February 1833
Lt Henry E Randall, coastguard (second service award)
1832 - For saving 3 lives of the Sloop Vine on 6 March 1832.
Kenneth McCulloch, coastguard
1834 - For saving 7 lives of the schooner Wanderer on 2 February 1833
Kenneth McCulloch, coastguard - Silver Medal Lifeboat (second service award)
1834 - For saving 5 lives of the Schooner John on 3 December 1833.
A Murray, coastguard
J Mason, coastguard
2013 - For saving 2 lives of the motor vessel Princess on 1 August 2012.
Barry Gourlay, Helmsman
  • Thanks of the Institute inscribed on Vellum
2013 - For saving 2 lives of the motor vessel Princess on 1 August 2012.
Euan Hoggan, Crew Member
Rebecca Jewell, Crew Member
  • Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
2007 - For services to the Institution
John Murray (former Coxswain)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Anstruther's lifeboats". rnli.org. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Station history". rnli.org. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "The Station". Anstruther Lifeboat. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. ↑ "Lifeboat volunteer awarded medal". BBC News. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  6. ↑ Smith, Craig. "EXCLUSIVE: Multi-million pound new lifeboat station planned for Anstruther". The Courier. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Anstruther RNLI volunteers on BBC programme tonight". www.fifetoday.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. 1 2 "History". Anstruther Lifeboat. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. ↑ "J & M Walker restoration". Anstruther Lifeboat. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. ↑ "Fife schoolgirl names lifeboat "Akira"". The Courier. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Anstruther's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 9 January 2024.

56°13′17″N 2°41′50″W / 56.22149°N 2.69734°W / 56.22149; -2.69734

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