Port Isaac RNLI

The old life-boat houseIn 1824 Sir William Hillary's appeal to the whole nation led to the founding of the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwrecks. This was to become the RNLI.

In Cornwall the first Lifeboat station had already been established in 1803 at Penzance. At Port Isaac the station was begun in 1869 when the "Richard and Sarah" arrived. She was provided from the gift of Mr and Mrs R. T. West of Streatham and Exeter and was housed on a site, itself the gift of the Robartes family of Lanhydrock House, half way up Fore Street. The former boathouse is now the building called the Post Office.

Just prior to the new boat's arrival a local fisherman, Charles Mitchers, in 1852, had been awarded the RNLI's Silver Medal when at great risk to himself, he had put out in his boat to rescue the crew from the sloop "Betsy". In 1870 Charles Mitchers courage was again recognised when he received his silver second Service clasp when assisting with the rocket apparatus used to save five men from the Brig "Stephano Grosso" of Genoa. In June 2001 the Station was honoured to receive from Charles Mitchers great great grandaughter, Marguerite Lang, a fine reproduction of the RNLI Silver Medal Vellum as presented to him in 1852 . This today has a place of honour within the station.

Getting the boat through the narrow streetsIn 1880, on the 25th. March the "Richard and Sarah" capsized while on exercise, - fortunately with no loss of life, she continued in service until 1887 having carried out eight services and saved fifty seven lives.In 1885 James Hughes was the second Port Isaac man to receive the RNLI's Silver Medal. This was awarded in recognition of his good services carried out over many years. In 1887 the second station Lifeboat arrived, she was the "Richard and Sarah 11" and in nine launches she saved twenty eight lives.

In 1905 the "Richard and Sarah 11/ arrived and saved one life in ten launches.

In 1927 the fourth and last traditional rowing/sailing Lifeboat came to the village. She was the "Ernest Dresden" paid for by the legacy from Ernest Dresden of London. Being larger than her predecessors a new boat-house was called for on a new site at the bottom of the village near the harbour. However, after six years during which no active services were carried out the station was closed in 1933, and the "Ernest Dresden" left the village. To-day she is known to be in a private Lifeboat collection situated in France!

So there was no RNLI presence in Port Isaac until the early 1960s when the Institute started to introduce the new "0" class Inshore Lifeboats. In 1967 one of the new "0" Class Inshore lifeboats was introduced to the newly opened station, to be replaced every ten years or so by new and often improved models. Since 1967 the station has carried out some 550 calls and over 140 lives have been saved.

During this time there have been several "vellum award" service, the last of these being on the 6th. September 1998 when a father and son were trapped in a cave at Bossiney Cove.

The stations "0" class boat, the "Spirit of PCS RE" was wrecked during this service. She had been provided through the fund-raising efforts of the Royal Logistics Corps" of the British Army in commemoration of Postal and Courier Services of the Royal Engineers. More recently four members of the crew. in company with the Coastguard Cliff Rescue team, received certificates from the RSPCA in recognition of their assistance in carrying out the succesful rescue of a Roe Deer that had fallen into the sea off the cliff edge at Port Gaverne. The present "0" Class boat No is 0546 and is named "PCS. RE 11" helps to continue to provide the safety cover given for over 1 00 years for this very dangerous stretch of north Cornwall coastline by the Volunteer Crew, Shore Helpers and Committee of Port Isaac RNLI.

Port Isaac Lifeboat Station

Dangerous workAlthough the first lifeboat station in Cornwall was established at Penzance in 1803, it was not until the mid 1800s that the majority of the lifeboat stations in the county were established.

The origins of the RNLI date back to 1824 when Sir William Hillary whose appeal to the nation led to the foundation of the National Institution for the Prevention of Life from Shipwreck which was later to become the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Port Isaac's first lifeboat Richard and Sarah arrived in 1869 and was housed in a new boathouse built half way up the village at a cost of £230. This first lifeboat was provided from a gift of Mr & Mrs R T West of Streatham and Exeter.

But a local fisherman, Charles Mitchell had been awarded an RNLI Silver Medal earlier than this, in 1859, when he put off at great risk to himself in a local fishing boat to rescue the crew of four from the sloop Busy.

In 1870 Charles Mitchell was awarded a Silver Second-Service clasp when assisting with the rocket apparatus to save five from the brig Stephano Grosso of Genoa.

Ten years later on the 25 March 1880 the lifeboat capsized while on exercise without loss of life. The Richard and Sarah were eventually replaced in 1887 having carried out 8 services and having saved 57 lives.
In 1885 James Hayes was also awarded a Silver Medal in recognition of his good services, which he had rendered over many past years.
The original Richard and Sarah was to be replaced by two further boats of the same name, the first serving from 1887 to 1905 during which time she launched nine times and saved 28 lives. The second serving from 1905 to 1927, launching 10 times and saving one life.

In 1927 the station received its fourth and final rowing / sailing lifeboat, the Ernest Dresden. She was paid for from the legacy of Ernest Dresden of London. The lifeboat was larger that those that had gone before and it was not long before a new boathouse was built at the bottom of the village near the harbour. But six years later in 1933 it was decided to close the station and Ernest Dresden left the station having carried out no services during her short period of service.

But in the early 1960s the RNLI began to introduce the Inshore Lifeboat, and in 1967 the Port Isaac Station was reopened with a new D class inshore lifeboat. Since that date many D class lifeboats have served the station carrying out 550 calls and saving over 140 lives.

Today the crew and shore helpers at Port Isaac with over 100 years service to the RNLI continue a tradition of life saving that has been passed down from generation to generation. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year the crew of the stations current D class lifeboat Spirit of PCS RE II provide cover on the North coast of Cornwall, and hope their services will not be required.