|
1839 |
Silver Medals
were awarded to five pilots for rescuing five men from the schooner
Rivals
that ran aground on 24 December 1838. |
|
1840 |
The first
lifeboat, Hope,
was operated by a local committee. |
|
1861 |
The RNLI took
over the station and a boathouse was built in Island Road.
|
|
1865
|
Silver Medal
was awarded to Coxswain Nicholas Levett for rescuing four crew from the
wrecked brigantine
Providence.
The lifeboat capsized twice during this service. |
|
1867 |
A new
boathouse was built on Market Strand. |
|
1871–1921 |
Seven Silver
Medals and one Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded
for gallantry for rescues off the coast. |
|
1911 |
The 1867
boathouse was rebuilt on the quay. |
|
1938 |
The station’s
first motor lifeboat was placed on service. |
|
1938 |
On 31 January
as the lifeboat had rescued the 23 crew from the vessel
Alba a
large sea capsized the lifeboat. Five of the
Alba crew drowned. Coxswain Thomas
Cocking was awarded the Silver Medal and the eight crew Bronze Medals. This
was the first time a motor lifeboat had capsized. |
|
1939 |
On 23 January
the lifeboat launched in a violent gale to the aid of an unknown vessel. The
lifeboat capsized north of Clodgy Point and when she righted four men were
missing. As the boat drifted she capsized again and another man was lost.
She capsized a third time and only Crew Member William Freeman managed to
get ashore near Godrevy. Bronze Medals were awarded to Crew Member William
Freeman and posthumously to Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Matthew Barber, William
Barber, Richard Stevens, John Cocking, John Thomas, and Edgar Bassett.
Within 12
months two lifeboats and 12 lives had been lost – an event unparalleled in
the history of the RNLI. |
|
1946 |
A Silver Medal
was awarded to Coxswain William Peters for rescuing two people from the
sinking ketch
Minnie Flossie. |
|
1946 |
A Centenary
Vellum was awarded to the station. |
|
1958 |
A Silver Medal
and the Maud Smith award for the bravest act of lifesaving in 1958 were
awarded to Mechanic Michael Peters and Bronze Medals to Coxswain Dan Roach
and Signalman Dan Paynter Jnr for rescuing four people trapped in a cave.
Michael Peters jumped overboard, brought one person aboard and then swam
into the cave with a line attached to bring everyone to safety. Thanks of
the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were also awarded to Thomas Cocking,
Martin Roach, Jack Paynter and Richard Lander |
|
1964 |
An inshore
lifeboat (ILB) station was permanently established alongside the all weather
lifeboat. A D class was placed on service. |
|
1968 |
A collective
Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to the Helmsman and crew for saving
three people from two speedboats. During the service the ILB capsized,
fortunately without the loss of life. |
|
1972–1978 |
Over a period
of six years one Framed Letter of Thanks (1972), two Thanks of the
Institution Inscribed on Vellum (1975 and 1977) and one Silver Medal (1978)
were awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking for four rescues. Thanks of the
Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Newel Perkin, Philip
Penberthy, Eric Ward, David Smith, John Thomas and Thomas Cocking Jnr for
the 1978 rescue. |
|
1979 |
A special
framed certificate was awarded to the Coxswain and crew for their service to
several yachts in difficulties during the Fastnet Race on 14 August. |
|
1980 |
Framed Letters
of Thanks were awarded to Tractor Driver J Tanner and Head Launcher J Benney
when they successfully launched the lifeboat in very difficult conditions
with a fault in one of the tracks on the tractor. |
|
1981 |
A Framed
Letter of Thanks was awarded to Helmsman P Allen when he swam from the ILB
to help a helicopter winch man put a very badly injured man, who had fallen
from cliffs, into a stretcher. Director’s Letters of Appreciation were sent
to Crew Members I Lowe and I Tanner and the Commanding Officer of the Royal
Naval Air Station at Culdrose. |
|
1982 |
Two Bronze
Medals were awarded to Helmsman Eric Thomas Ward for two rescues – one to a
capsized sailing dinghy (April) and the other to a yacht aground (July).
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Crew Members
William Thomas and Philip Allen (April) and Thomas Cocking Jnr and John
Stevens (July). |
|
1984 |
A Bar to the
Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking Snr for rescuing 14
people from the German tug
Fairplay X
and the Dutch coaster
Orca in a
strong gale and very rough seas. The Maud Smith Award for the most
outstanding act of lifesaving during 1984 was awarded to Coxswain Thomas
Cocking Snr for the Orca service. Medal service certificates we awarded to
the crew. |
|
1989 |
A collective
Framed Letter of Thanks was sent to the Coxswain and crew after the lifeboat
stood by the cargo vessel
Secil Japan
which had grounded on rocks in Deadman’s Cove in storm force winds and very
rough seas. |
|
1994 |
A new
boathouse and slipway were built for the station's Mersey class lifeboat,
launching tractor, and ILB, providing a workshop, souvenir sales outlet and
crew facilities. |
|
1996 |
A 150th
Anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station. |
|
1997 |
The new D
class lifeboat, D-515
Spirit of the RTC,
was placed on service. |
