Douglas Lifeboat Station
- Douglas Lifeboat Station
Douglas Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Douglas in the Isle of Man. The station is significant as it was the home of Sir William Hillary, the founder of the RNLI.
The station currently operates a Mersey-class class lifeboat named Marine Engineer (ON-1169), which is launched via a slipway from the boathouse. This lifeboat is a modification from the previous Tyne-class class lifeboat, "Sir William Hillary".
History
Sir William Hillary moved to Douglas on the Isle of Man in 1808. With his interest in the seafaring community and awareness of the perils of the Irish Sea, he was involved in several rescue operations. One notable incident occurred on October 6, 1822, when the Royal Navy cutter "Vigilant" was caught in a storm off Douglas Bay. Hillary borrowed a small rowing boat and, with some Naval officers, rescued the crew of the "Vigilant".
By February 1823, Sir William Hillary had prepared his proposition for forming a National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck, which was directed to the First Lord of the Admiralty. This led to the official founding of the "National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" on March 4, 1824.
Lifeboat Stations
The first lifeboat station was located on Harris Promenade, Douglas, and was carriage launched over the beach. The second station, built in 1826, was located 30 metres from the current boathouse on the south side of South Quay. The third and current lifeboat station, opened in 1874, is built on cast iron stilts over the sea within the harbour.
Plans have been submitted for the current boathouse to be upgraded to accommodate a new Shannon Class Lifeboat. Douglas Lifeboat Station will play a key role in the celebrations of the Bi-Centennial Anniversary of the founding of the RNLI in 2024.
Lifeboats
| Dates in service | Class | ON | Op. No. | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1802-1814 | Athol | Wrecked at sea | |||
| 1825 | Built by Pellew Plenty of Newbury, Berkshire | ||||
| 1827 | Built by Cato of Liverpool | ||||
| 1988–2018 | Tyne-class | ON 1147 | 47-032 | Sir William Hillary | |
| 2018–present | Mersey-class | ON 1169 | 12-12 | Marine Engineer |
Neighbouring Station Locations
See Also
Tower of Refuge Built from donations raised by RNLI founder Sir William Hillary Douglas Head Location of statue and plaque honouring Sir William Hillary
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