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History of the RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institution 1824
History of the RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institution 1824
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution ( RNLI ) was founded in 1824 and is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland the Channel islands and the Isle of man, as well as on selected inland waterways. It was created by Sir William Hillary who came to live on the Isle of man in 1808. He drew up plans for a national lifeboat service manned by trained crews. Initially he received little response from the Admiralty but on appealing to the more philanthropic members of London society, the plans were adopted with the help of two members of parliament Thomas Wilson and George Hibbert - the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was founded in 1824.
Thirty years later the title changed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the first of the new lifeboats to be built was stationed at Douglas in recognition of the work of Sir William.
At the age of 60 Sir William took part in the rescue, in 1830, of the packet St George, which had foundered on Conister Rock at the entrance to Douglas harbour. He commanded the lifeboat and was washed overboard with others of the lifeboat crew, yet finally everyone aboard the St George was rescued with no loss of life. It was this incident which prompted Sir William to set up a scheme to build the Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock - a project completed in 1832 which stands to this day at the entrance to Douglas Harbour.
In its first year, the RNLI added 13 boats to the existing 39 independent lifeboats. By 1908 there were 280 RNLI lifeboats and 17 independents.
The RNLI was founded on 4 March 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, adopting the name National Lifeboat Institution in 1854, and then receiving Royal Patronage from King George IV of England and Ireland shortly after. It now operates as an international service to the peoples of the UK and Ireland and has official charity status in each nation.
The RNLI operates 444 lifeboats (332 are on station, 112 are in the relief fleet), from 235 Lifeboat stations around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The RNLI's lifeboats rescued an average of 22 people a day in 2009. RNLI lifeboats launched 9,223 times in 2009, rescuing 8,235 people. The RNLI's lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 139,000 lives since 1824.
RNLI lifeguards placed on selected beaches around England and Wales, aided 15,957 people in 2009.
The RNLI Operations department defines 'rescues' and 'lives saved' differently.
In 2009, the RNLI Lifeguards service was expanded to cover more than 140 beaches. RNLI lifeguards are paid by the appropriate town or city council, while the RNLI provides their equipment and training. In contrast, most lifeboat crew members are unpaid volunteers. The RNLI is funded by voluntary donations and Legacies (together with tax reclaims), and has an annual budget of 147.7 million (168 million).
The RNLI has two main categories of lifeboat:
All weather boats - Large boats that are capable of high speed in extreme weather conditions and have a large range.
Inshore lifeboats - Smaller boats that operate closer to the shore than all weather boats and are able to operate in shallower waters and closer to cliffs.
There are other Lifeboat Services that are independent of the RNLI, available to the coastguards that provide lifesaving lifeboats and lifeboat crews 24 hours a day all year round.
Lifeboat crewmen have been awarded medals for their bravery. The RNLI awards three classes of medal; Gold, Silver and Bronze. To date the number of medals awarded are:
Gold: 150
Silver: 1564
Bronze: 793 (Bronze only issued since 1917).
One of the most notable recipients is Henry Blogg, of the Cromer lifeboat crew, who was awarded the RNLI gold medal three times (and the Silver four times). He also received the George Cross and the British Empire Medal. He is known as "The Greatest of all Lifeboatmen".
The youngest recipient of an RNLI medal was eleven-year-old Frederick Carter who, along with sixteen-year-old Frank Perry, was awarded a Silver Medal for a rescue at Weymouth in 1890.
The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum is also given for notable acts.
One lifeboat received an award. For the Daunt lightship rescue in 1936, the RNLB Mary Stanford and her entire crew were decorated.
When Grace Darling was 22 years old she risked her life in an open boat to help the survivors of the wrecked SS Forfarshire on 7 September 1838. With her father, she rowed for over a mile through raging seas to reach them.
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