Royal National Lifeboat Institution

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Royal National Lifeboat Institution
AbbreviationRNLI
Formation4 March 1824
TypeLife savers
Legal statusRegistered charity
PurposeTo save lives at sea.
HeadquartersPoole, Dorset, England
Region served
Chief executive
Mark Dowie
President
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
Main organ
The Lifeboat
Budget (2022)
£221.6 million
Staff (2022)
1,972
Volunteers (2022)
More than 9,700
Websiternli.org Edit this at Wikidata

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways.

Founded in 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, it soon afterwards became the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck under the patronage of King George IV. On 5 October 1854, the institution's name was changed to its current name (RNLI), and in 1860 was granted a royal charter.

The RNLI is a charity in the UK and in the Republic of Ireland and has enjoyed royal patronage since its foundation, the most recent being Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022. The RNLI is principally funded by legacies (65%) and donations (28%), with the remainder from merchandising and investment. Most of the members of its lifeboat crews are unpaid volunteers.

The RNLI is based in Poole, Dorset. It has 238 lifeboat stations and operates 444 lifeboats. RNLI lifeguards operate on more than 200 beaches: the lifeguards are paid by local authorities, but the RNLI provides equipment and training. The institution also operates flood rescue teams nationally and internationally, the latter prepared to travel to emergencies overseas at short notice.

Considerable effort is put into training and education by the institution, particularly for young people; in 2013, more than 6,000 children a week were spoken to by education volunteers about sea and beach safety, and over 800 children a week received training. Crews rescued on average 22 people a day in 2015. The institution has saved some 140,000 lives since its foundation, at a cost of more than 600 lives lost in service.

History[edit]

Shipwrecks on the coast of the Isle of Man in 1822 inspired local resident and philanthropist William Hillary to "appeal to the British nation" to establish "a national institution for the preservation of life and property from shipwreck". Initially he received little response from the Admiralty, however George Hibbert, a merchant, and Thomas Wilson, a Member of Parliament, helped to bring support from some influential people including King George IV and other royalty, leading politicians and merchants. A public meeting was convened at the London Tavern on 4 March 1824, chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury. A resolution was passed to form the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck.[Note 1][1]

Memorial in Douglas, Isle of Man to the lifeboat rescue of the sailors from the St George in 1830

The institution's committee set itself three objectives:[2]

  1. To award medals and/or cash to those involved in rescuing people from shipwrecks.
  2. To provide Captain Manby's line-throwing mortars to all coastguard and lifeboat stations.
  3. To provide lifeboats to as many places on the coast as possible.

A committee was formed to examine different types of lifeboats. An 'unimmergible' based on a 1785 patent by Lionel Lukin continued to be built but was heavy and expensive. A lighter boat designed by George Palmer became the standard design until the 1850s.[3]

In 1824, the year it was founded, the RNIPLS raised £9,706 but the funds soon dwindled. By 1835 annual income was down to just £806 and during the 1840s no appeals were made to the public for new funds.[4][5]

Financial improvement[edit]

By 1850, annual income had dropped to £354[4] but a new committee then started to turn around the Institution and appointed Richard Lewis as Secretary. Over the next 33 years he travelled around the country used his skills to increase the funds:[6]by 1859 annual receipts had climbed to over £10,000 and by 1882 they reached £43,117.[4]

Other changes saw 4th Duke of Northumberland's appointed the president in 1851 while well-meaning dukes and archbishops on the committee were replaced by experienced naval officers who brought more rigour to its operations. Captain John Ross Ward was appointed Inspector of Lifeboats[6] and was responsible for the design and introduction of cork lifejackets for lifeboat volunteers.[7]

ON440 RNLB Licensed Victuallers III, a standard self-righter built in 1900

The Duke of Northumberland instigated a competition to design a "pulling and sailing" lifeboat that could use both oars and sails so they operated further from their stations. 280 entries were received and the self-righter by James Beeching considered the best but James Peake, a master shipwright at the Royal Woolwich Dockyard, was asked by the RNLI to develop the design further in 1851.[8] Peake-designed lifeboats and improved versions were the preferred choice for both new and replacement boats at most stations until the 1890s and beyond.[9]

The lifeboats operated by other local committees under the Duke of Northumberland were transferred to the RNIPLS and in 1854 an arrangement was made with the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Benevolent Society (SFMBS). The RNIPLS would concentrate on saving lives while the SFMBS would look after people who were rescued and brought ashore. This saw the RNIPLS drop the word 'shipwreck' from its name, and the SFMBS transfer its lifeboats to what would now be known as the RNLI. The RNLI was still underfunded so accepted an annual government subsidy of £2,000 but this resulted in the Board of Trade having say in the RNLI's operations. By 1869 they no longer needed to rely on the government subsidy so terminated the agreement.[6]

The loss of 27 lifeboat crew from Southport and St Annes in 1886 inspired local committee member Charles Macara to campaign for more funds to support the families of volunteers who were killed during rescues. As a result, in the summer of 1891 over £10,000 was raised through newspaper campaigns in Yorkshire. He then went on to organise the first 'Lifeboat Day'. This was held in Manchester on 1 October 1891. Two lifeboats were paraded through the streets as volunteers collected money from the public. The boats were then launched on a lake in a park to give demonstrations. More than £5,000 was raised on the day.[10][11]

Mechanisation and two world wars[edit]

1974 commemorative postage stamp for the RNLI's 150th anniversary (Rescue of Daunt Lightship's crew by Ballycotton lifeboat RNLB Mary Stanford. Artist: B. F. Gribble)

Six steam-powered lifeboats were built between 1890 and 1901. A number of lifeboat stations used commercial steam tugs to tow lifeboats to where they were needed, but the only tug owned by the RNLI was the Helen Peele which operated at Padstow from 1901–1929. Petrol-engined lifeboats saw wider use. Initial examples were converted from 'pulling and sailing' lifeboats but purpose-built motor lifeboats started to appear from 1908.[12][13] Production was severely restricted during the First World War.[14]

During the First World War, lifeboat crews launched 1,808 times, rescuing 5,332 people. With many younger men on active service, the average age of a lifeboatman was over 50. Many launches were to ships that had been torpedoed or struck mines, including naval or merchant vessels on war duty; a notable example was the hospital ship SS Rohilla which foundered in 1914 and was attended by six lifeboats, saving 144 lives over a 50-hour rescue mission.[15]

The first International Lifeboat Conference was held in London in 1924 on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI. Eight other countries sent delegations and it resulted in the establishment of the International Lifeboat Federation later that year. This is now known as the International Maritime Rescue Federation and has member organisations (including the RNLI) from more than 50 countries.[16][17]

Construction of motor lifeboats, first petrol-engined but later with specialised diesel engines, resumed after the war. The switch to diesel power was because these used less fuel and could cover much larger distances.[18] The Second World War again brought restrictions, but by now the fleet was largely motorised. In 1918 there had been 233 'pulling and sailing' lifeboats and 23 steam or petrol. In 1939 There were just 15 unpowered lifeboats, and the greater range of the motor lifeboats meant that only 145 were needed.[14]

The Second World War placed considerable extra demands on the RNLI, particularly in south and east England where the threat of invasion and enemy activity was ever-present,[19] rescuing downed aircrew a frequent occurrence, and the constant danger of mines.[20] During the war, 6,376 lives were saved.[21]

Nineteen RNLI lifeboats sailed to Dunkirk between 27 May and 4 June 1940 to assist with the Dunkirk evacuation. Lifeboats from Ramsgate, (RNLB Prudential (ON 697)), and Margate, (RNLB Lord Southborough (ON 688)), went directly to France with their own crews, Ramsgate's crew collecting 2,800 troops. Both coxswains, Edward Parker from Margate and Howard Primrose Knight from Ramsgate were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for their "gallantry and determination when ferrying troops from the beaches".[22] Of the other lifeboats and crews summoned to Dover by the Admiralty, the first arrivals questioned the details of the service, in particular the impracticality of running heavy lifeboats on to the beach, loading them with soldiers, then floating them off. The dispute resulted in the first three crews being sent home. Subsequent lifeboats arriving were commandeered without discussion, much to the disappointment of many lifeboatmen. A later RNLI investigation resulted in the dismissal of two Hythe crew members, who were nevertheless vindicated in one aspect of their criticism, as Hythe's Viscountess Wakefield was run on to the beach at La Panne and unable to be refloated; she was the only lifeboat to be lost in the operation. Some RNLI crew members stayed in Dover for the emergency to provide repair and refuelling facilities, and after the end of the evacuation most lifeboats returned to their stations with varying levels of damage and continued their lifesaving services.[19][20][23]

Developments after the war[edit]

An Arun-class lifeboat

The diesel engines used in lifeboats continued to be developed after the war. A standard Gardner engine was found to work well in the marine environment and became the RNLI's standard from 1954. Using a commercial engine made maintenance and obtaining spare parts much easier than with the specialised engines used previously.[18]

Faster lifeboats were developed from the 1960s by adopting new hull shapes. The first was the Waveney-class based on an American design, but the RNLI developed the concept with the Arun-class in the 1970s. Faster craft allowed the location of stations to be reviewed with the aim of being able to reach 95% of casualties within 30 minutes of launch. This meant than some stations could be closed as there were others nearby, but it also showed some gaps in coverage which required new stations to be opened.[24]

For more than 100 years, most lifeboat launches had been to commercial vessels that were in distress. Improved engines and safety equipment, along with a reduction in coastal traffic, saw a reduction in these demands, however more leisure users were taking to the water. These people generally had less experience of the sea and were close to shore. The RNLI considered the use of small inflatable rescue boats. One was purchased for trials and the work of the lifesaving society in Brittany was studied.[25] The first of these D-class lifeboats was deployed in 1963 and by 1969 there were 108 in service which had been launched 1,210 times and saved 541 lives.[26] Larger inshore lifeboats were developed with the Atlantic 21 entering service in 1970.[25]

New services for a new century[edit]

RNLI lifeguards on duty at Sennen in Cornwall

The RNLI made a study of its operations during the 1990s and concluded that little more could be done to save people after accidents at sea, but there was scope to reduce the number of accidents happening. This entailed establishing some new services that do not directly involve traditional lifeboats stationed around the coast. A 'Sea Safety' campaign produces various short guides with advice and safety information for different types of user such as divers, sailors and users of personal water craft. 'Sea Check' volunteers also provide inspections and advice for leisure boat owners.[27]

Attention was also paid to people on beaches. The RNLI started to provide lifeguards on certain beaches in May 2001. By the end of the decade the service was provided at 100 beaches and more than 10,000 people were being given aid each year.[28] 2001 also saw the first lifeboat stations established on inland waters. Enniskillen Lifeboat Station on Lough Erne was opened in May 2001 and several stations were established on the River Thames in 2002.[29]

The RNLI received attention in 2021 for its actions during the European migrant crisis as the lifeboats were increasingly called upon to rescue migrants attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats. The British government praised its 'vital work' but politician Nigel Farage criticised the organisation as being a 'taxi service' for human trafficking gangs. There was a 3000% rise in daily donations and a 270% increase in people viewing its website's volunteering opportunities page after the RNLI's chief executive disclosed the verbal abuse received by its volunteers from members of the public due to its rescuing of migrants.[30][31][32]

In 2023, the RNLI released details regarding rescues in the English Channel. As has been the case for 200 years, the RNLI will go to the aid of anyone in difficulty at sea, without judgement or preference. In 2022, the RNLI launched 290 times, with every launch of the lifeboat being at the request of H.M. Coastguard. This figure represented just 3% of the 9,312 call-outs nationally in 2022. These 290 calls resulted in saving the lives of 108 people. The RNLI definition of a life saved, is one where the person would have died if not for an intervention by the RNLI or other third party/emergency service.[33]

Rescues, losses and medals[edit]

Rescues and lives saved[edit]

Suevic on the rocks, 1907

The RNLI was formed in 1824 and in that year 124 lives were saved. By 1829 more than 1,000 people had been saved and by the end of the century the total had risen to 41,820. Between 1900 and 1999 there were 91,952 saved, the greatest number in a single year being 1,837 in 1973.[34] Fewer people have need to be saved in recent years; in 2022 389 lives were saved and another 16,476 people aided.[35]

The biggest rescue in the RNLI's history was on 17 March 1907, when the 12,000 tonne liner SS Suevic hit the Maenheere Reef near Lizard Point in Cornwall. In a strong gale and dense fog, RNLI lifeboat volunteers rescued 456 passengers, including 70 babies. Crews from The Lizard, Cadgwith, Coverack and Porthleven rowed out repeatedly for 16 hours to rescue all of the people on board. Six silver RNLI medals were later awarded, two to Suevic crew members.[36]

Lifeboat and crew losses[edit]

Main article: List of lifeboat disasters in Britain and Ireland

One of William Hillary's concerns in setting up the NIPLS in 1824 was that people were putting their lives in danger to rescue people from shipwrecks.[1] Since then, more than 600 people have died in the service of the RNLI.[37]

A memorial was unveiled outside the RNLI's Poole headquarters in 2009. It was designed by Sam Holland and bears William Hillary's motto: with courage, nothing is impossible. The names of all those who have lost their lives are inscribed around it.[38] There is also an RNLI memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas.[39]

Medals[edit]

Bust of Henry Blogg of Cromer
See also: Awards of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

The RNLI awards gold, silver and bronze medals to its crews for bravery. The 'Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum' may also be awarded for significant contributions. In the 180 years to 2004 some 150 gold, 1,563 silver and 791 bronze medals had been presented.[40] 12 medals were awarded in 2022.[41] Significant activities may also be recognised by a 'Framed letter of thanks' from the Chairman or a 'Letter of appreciation' from the Chief Executive or Operations Director.[40]

The Ralph Glister Award was inaugurated in 1968 for the most meritorious inshore rescue boat service each year.[42] The Walter Groombridge Award was established in 1986 in memory of Brighton Lifeboat Station's Administration Officer has been renamed the Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award in memory of his wife who died in 1989.[43]

The most decorated lifeboatman was Henry Blogg GC BEM, coxswain of Cromer for 37 years, with three gold medals and four silver. He was also awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal in 1924, converted to a George Cross in 1941, and the British Empire Medal, and is known as "The Greatest of all Lifeboatmen".[44] Some other lifeboat crew who have received multiple medals include:[Note 2]

  • Dick Evans of Moelfre was awarded a bronze medal in 1943 and two gold medals in 1959 and 1966, both for rescues in hurricanes.[45]
  • Henry Freeman, the Whitby coxswain for 22 years was awarded silver medals in 1861 and 1880.[46]
  • Robert Hook, coxswain at Lowestoft from 1853 to 1883 who was awarded a silver medal in 1859 and again in 1893,[47]
  • Daniel Kirkpatrick, coxswain of the Longhope lifeboat, was given silver medals for rescues in 1959, 1964 and 1968. This meant that he was the person at that time with three silver medals, however he and his crew were killed when the lifeboat capsized in a storm on 17 March 1969.[48]
  • Daniel Shea at Padstow was awarded a silver medal for two services in 1859, another in 1860 and a third in 1870.[49]
  • W.H. Tredigo received silver medals after rescues at Bude in 1853, 1858 and 1859.[50]
  • Brian Bevan of the Humber lifeboat is the only crew member to be awarded with Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for gallantry, and have them presented at the same awards ceremony. This was for three medal services carried out over just a 7 week period between December 1978 and February 1979.[51]

One lifeboat has received an award: for the Daunt lightship rescue in 1936 the RNLB Mary Stanford and her entire crew were decorated.[52]

In 2022, Trearddur Bay Helmsman Lee Duncan became the first crew member of a B-class to be awarded the RNLI silver medal for the rescue of a surfer in extreme weather conditions. The three other crew members, Dafydd Griffiths, Leigh McCann and Michael Doran, were each awarded the RNLI bronze medal.[53]

Organisation[edit]

Practicing helicopter winching in the Lifeboat College's survival pool

The RNLI was granted a Royal Charter of incorporation 1860 which has been revised several times since then. It is governed by a Trustee Board which receives advice and assistance from a Council and specialist committees. Day-to-day operations are managed by an Executive Team of 8 senior managers led by chief executive Mark Dowie.[54]

The RNLI is split into six administrative regions:[35]

Region Lifeboat stations Lifeguard units[Note 3]
North and East England 36 45
South East 31 43
South West 33 88
Wales, West and Isle of Man 46 49
Ireland 46 12
Scotland 46 8

The RNLI's headquarters is in Poole, Dorset, adjacent to Holes Bay in Poole Harbour. The site includes the Lifeboat Support Centre and Lifeboat College (the RNLI's training centre). The support centre and college were opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.[55] The college includes a survival pool and lifeboat simulators. Crews are trained here to operate their lifeboat in many situations including capsizes and working with helicopters.[56] RNLI Ireland has a headquarters at Airside in Swords, County Dublin.[57]

The institution has enjoyed royal patronage since its foundation. The patrons have been King George VI (1824–1830), King William IV (1830–1837), Queen Victoria (1837–1901), King Edward VII (1901–1910), King George V (1910–1936), Queen Mary (1911–1953), Queen Alexandra (1913–1925), King Edward VIII (1936), King George VI (1937–1952), Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1937–2002), and Queen Elizabeth II (1952–2022).[58]

Operations[edit]

The RNLI provides lifeboat services around the coasts and on certain inland waterways throughout the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and offshore islands. In 2022 this involved operations from 238 lifeboat stations with a fleet of 438 rescue craft that launched 9,312 times.[35] There are also 242 lifeguard units who aided 23,204 people.[59] These services are provided by nearly 10,000 lifeboat volunteers and 1,591 lifeguards.[60]

Lifeboat stations[edit]

Lifeboat station and slipway at Douglas, Isle of Man
Main article: List of RNLI stations

The RNLI operated 238 RNLI lifeboat stations in 2022 around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.[35] Stations will be equipped with all-weather lifeboats and/or inshore lifeboats to suit their local needs. Launch methods vary too, generally having larger boats moored afloat or launched on a slipway while smaller boats are often put in the water on trolleys propelled by tractors.[61]

Tower Lifeboat Station on the River Thames in London is the RNLI's busiest; in 2013 crews rescued 372 people and saved 25 lives.[62]

Many other stations have been operated by the RNLI but have since closed as demands changed. Some of these locations now have an independent lifeboat service.

Rescue craft[edit]

Main article: Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

The RNLI operated 438 lifeboats in 2022, although the number changes from time-to-time as older boats are retired and new ones provided, and the needs of the lifeboat stations change.[35] The names of lifeboats are prefixed 'RNLB' (for Royal National Lifeboat). All display an Operation Number so that they can be easily identified; all-weather lifeboats are also allocated a sequential Official Number (ON) which is used in RNLI records[61]

There are two broad types of lifeboat:

  • All-weather lifeboats (ALBs) are large boats with enclosed wheelhouses and survivor spaces below deck, which are self-righting and can go out in all weather conditions. Some ALBs carry an inflatable Y-class lifeboat or Y-boat for inshore work, launched by mechanical arm. There are five classes of ALBs with speeds ranging from 17 to 25 knots. They are classed as Mersey, Trent, Severn, Tamar and Shannon-class.[63][35]
  • Inshore lifeboats (ILBs) are inflatable and Rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIBs) that operate closer to the shore and in shallower waters than ALBs. The smaller ones are known as D-class and the larger as B-class. Special E-class boats work on the River Thames. All are built and maintained at the RNLI's Inshore Lifeboat Centre at Cowes, Isle of Wight.[35][64]

Other craft include H-class hovercraft, small inflatable rescue boats, personal water craft and boarding boats[35]

  • Severn-class ALB
    Severn-class ALB
  • Tamar-class ALB
    Tamar-class ALB
  • Shannon-class ALB
    Shannon-class ALB
  • B-class ILB
    B-class ILB
  • D-class ILB
    D-class ILB

Personnel and equipment[edit]

Lifejackets from different years at the Poole Lifeboat Museum

97% of lifeboat crews are volunteers. There were more than 5,700 in 2022 and they are supported by more than 4,000 volunteer shore crew and station management. The lifeguard service is mostly seasonal paid staff but there were 119 volunteer lifeguards in 2022.[65]

In the early days of the service, lifeboat launch and recovery was usually undertaken by women. There were deeply-held views about women crewing the boats – it was considered extremely bad luck. Along all parts of the coastline, women supported their men on the lifeboat crews by working together to get the lifeboat afloat and then later recovering it from the water in readiness for when the next call came.[66] Lifeboat crew are still predominantly male (92 per cent in 2013, falling to 90 per cent in 2022) but increasing numbers of women are now found in the lifeboat and shore crews.[67][68]

The first female (inshore) crew member was Elizabeth Hostvedt at Porthcawl in 1969, and Frances Glody was the first woman member of an all-weather lifeboat crew at Dunmore East in 1981.[66] Aileen Pritchard at Porthcawl was the first female lifeboat crew memeber to receive a medal for bravery.[69] Lauren McGuire at Clovelly became the youngest station manager in 2011.[70] In 2017 at Harwich Lifeboat Station, Di Bush at Harwich became the RNLI's first female full-time mechanic and four years later she was appointed as the first female full-time coxswain.[71] Cardigan launched an all-female crew in 2011, believed to be a first in Wales.[72] In 2022, Cullercoats RNLI station launched its first all-female lifeboat crew.[73] Figures published in 2022 show lifeguards comprise 29 per cent women, and the RNLI total workforce to be 34 per cent women.[68]

Lifeboat crews are trained at their stations and at the Lifeboat College in Poole.[74] They are provided with safety clothing. The first cork lifejackets were introduced in the 1850s but lighter, less bulky, kapok lifejackets were introduced in 1904. Inflatable 'Beaufort' lifejackets were introduced in 1972 but 'Crewsaver' lifejackets are now used with different designs for inshore or all-weather lifeboat crews.[7]

Water safety[edit]

Volunteers (922 in 2022) provide water safety advice and training to various water users, ranging from schools to commercial boat users.[75]

In addition to safety advice given in its publications,[76] the RNLI offers safety advice to boat and beach users when the opportunity arises, and to at-risk groups such as anglers, divers and kayakers.[77] The institution runs sea and beach safety sessions for young people, particularly in inner-city areas. In an effort to reduce the estimated 400,000 drownings a year worldwide, more than half of them children, the RNLI extends practical or strategic safety advice to lifesaver organisations overseas, in some cases providing training at the Lifeboat College.[78][79]

International work[edit]

The RNLI was asked to help transport aid following Floods in Bangladesh during 1970. 20 D-classs and 57 crew were air lifted to the country. Similar operations happened in Bangladesh again in 1988, in Mozambique in 2000 and Guyana in 2005.[80][81]

RNLI lifeboats that have been replaced by more modern boats are often sold to other countries including Iceland, Uruguay, Chile and China.[81][61] Training and education support is also provided to many countries including Uruguay, Chile and Tanzania.[82]

Heritage and museums[edit]

The RNLI maintains or encourages a number of entities in respect of the history and activity of the institution along with preserved lifeboats, including:

  • Historic Lifeboat Collection in Chatham Historic Dockyard with 17 historic vessels.[83]
  • The Grace Darling Museum opened in 1938 at Bamburgh, commemorating her rescue of the SS Forfarshire.[84] The museum is run by the RNLI.[85]
  • The Henry Blogg Museum illustrates the history of Cromer's lifeboats, and tells the story of Henry Blogg's most famous rescues.[86]
  • The Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society (a branch of the RNLI)[87]
  • The (independent) Historic Lifeboat Owners Association, promoting the study and preservation of lifeboats.[88]
  • The RNLI Heritage Trust's collection of historic items at its HQ in Poole, including fine art, model lifeboats, and an archive of historic documents and photographs.[89]
  • In 2017 Mikron Theatre Company toured a commissioned play In At The Deep End about the RNLI.[90]

Support and image[edit]

RNLI flag[edit]

The first design of the RNLI flag was created by Leonora Preston in 1884 after her brother was rescued by Ramsgate lifeboat volunteers. The design depicts Saint George's Cross bordered by a dark blue line and within the white cantons, initials of the charity name coloured red. The first design included the Tudor crown worn by King George VI at the centre of the cross with a foul anchor below it, representing the charity's dedication to the royal charter and to the sea. The design was formally adopted in 1908 and was flown at every lifeboat station thereafter. In 1953, following Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, the design was altered to exchange the Tudor crown with St Edward's crown to represent the newly appointed monarch.[91][92]

Salvage[edit]

The RNLI does not support or encourage salvage (the recovery of a ship and its cargo). This is for two reasons: firstly, because it exists to save lives at sea, and secondly, to become involved in salvage might discourage those whose lives are at risk from calling for help. The RNLI's Sea Safety Guidelines state that "There is no 'salvage' fee when you are towed by a lifeboat, but a voluntary contribution to the RNLI is always very welcome!". This stance was reinforced in Newquay in 2009, when the RNLI was criticised for not launching a lifeboat in order to aid an uncrewed fishing vessel that had run aground. A spokesperson for the RNLI declared that "We are not a salvage firm and our charity's aim is to provide immediate assistance for people in trouble at sea and lives are at risk."[93]

There have been a few isolated cases where RNLI crew members (but not the RNLI itself) have claimed salvage.[94] There is no legal reason why crew members of the RNLI could not salvage a vessel,[95][96] since they frequently tow small vessels to safety, often over long distances.[97]

Funding[edit]

The RNLI is a registered charity that 'saves lives at sea'.[54] Its income in 2022 was £221.6 million with £140.8 million (64%) from legacies (65%) and £66.5 million (30%) from voluntary donations, with the remainder from trading including provision of lifeguard services (£9.8 million), investments (£3 million), and £1.5 million from other sources including government grants.[98]

Its charitable expenditure in 2022 was £188 million. Most of this was spent on providing lifeboat services (£48.4 million or 26%) and infrastructure (£107.1 million or 57%). Lifeguard services cost £21.7 million, water safety and education cost £7.9 million, and £2.9 million was spent on international work.[98]

There are more than 700 RNLI volunteer groups and 750,000 individual members.[60] There are also many institutional donors.[54] One of the biggest is the Communications and Public Service Lifeboat Fund (known simply as 'The Lifeboat Fund'). This was established in 1886 for civil servants to collectively support the RNLI[99] and has provided 53 lifeboats.[100]

Volunteers operate shops in many towns and take part in street collections and open days.[60] Many forms of collection boxes have been placed lifeboat stations[101] but are sometimes targeted by thieves.[102] An old cast iron collection box in Porthgwarra, Cornwall, is Grade II listed.[103]

Publications[edit]

From March 1852 to October 1854) the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck published The life-boat, or, Journal of the National Shipwreck Institution. Volume 2, no. 1 started with a new name in 1855: The life-boat, or, Journal of the National Life-Boat Institution. The last issue under this name was volume 31, no. 341 in April 1940; Life-boat War Bulletins were published from No. 1 in September 1940; from 1945 to December 1946 simply entitled Life-boat Bulletin. From volume 32, no. 342 (June 1947), the journal has been called The Life-boat, more recently The Lifeboat and then Lifeboat.[104][105]

Lifeboat is the quarterly magazine for all members, containing regional and national news from the institution, featured rescues, book reviews and lifeboat launch listings, with a related news and features section in the RNLI's website.[106] Archived copies are available in searchable form online.[107]

Life-boat International is an annual publication, apparently a conference report, since 1974.[104][108]

The website contains full details of the organisation and its activities, including fundraising, lifeboats and stations, history and projects.[109]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The patronage of King George IV meant that the word 'Royal' was often added as a prefix to 'National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck', but it was also sometimes shortened to just 'Shipwreck Institution' or similar.
  2. ^ When a second or third medal of the same colour is awarded, the recipient just receives a clasp to add to their first medal.
  3. ^ Page 14 of the RNLI's Annual Report for 2022 states there are 242 lifeguard units but the 245 shown on page 8 includes 1 in North and East England and 2 in South West England that were not staffed during the year.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 26–29. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
  2. ^ Cameron 2009, p. 33.
  3. ^ Cameron 2009, pp. 39–42.
  4. ^ a b c Cameron 2009, p. 252.
  5. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2006). Cornwall's Lifeboat Heritage. Twelveheads Press. p. 12. ISBN 0-906294-43-6.
  6. ^ a b c Cameron 2009, pp. 51–56.
  7. ^ a b Cameron 2009, pp. 146–147.
  8. ^ Cameron 2009, pp. 57–59.
  9. ^ Cameron 2009, pp. 65–67.
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