# Fraserburgh Lifeboat Station

Fraserburgh Lifeboat Station is located at the harbour town of Fraserburgh, in the NE corner of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1805, later becoming the first Scottish station of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), in 1858.
Since 2002, the station has operated a Trent-class All-weather lifeboat, 14-34 Willie and May Gall (ON 1259).

## History

It is recorded that in 1805, renowned lifeboat builder Henry Greathead was constructing a lifeboat for Fraserburgh Harbour Commissioners. No details survive, but it is likely that it was a 30-foot non-self-righting boat. A second boat was provided to Fraserburgh in 1831, manufacturer and specification unknown, but by 1851, it was recorded as unfit for purpose.
In November 1857, Mr. Lewis Chalmers, Chief Magistrate, wrote to the RNLI, to highlight 13 shipwrecks in the area, over a period of 10 years. Following a visit to the town, Capt. Ward, Inspector of Lifeboats, recommended a lifeboat station, which was agreed in March 1858. A lifeboat was ordered from Forrestt of Limehouse, London, a 30-foot 10-oared self-righting boat, costing £182-1s-2d, along with a launch carriage from Robinsons. A boathouse was constructed by the Harbour Commissioners. The boat was delayed, as it was damaged in a fire at Forrestt's workshop, only arriving in Fraserburgh on 26 October 1858. The boat was named Havelock. Lewis Chalmers was appointed Honorary Secretary.
A motor-powered lifeboat was placed at Fraserburgh in 1915. Costing £3,715, construction was started at Thames Ironworks, but completed by S.E. Saunders of Cowes, when the Thames Ironworks company failed. The 42-foot lifeboat had a 40 BHP "Tylor" petrol-engine, and delivered a speed of 7.45 knots. The lifeboat was funded by Thomas Dyer-Edwardes, as a "Thankyou" for the life of his daughter, Noël Leslie, Countess of Rothes, who had survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and was duly named Lady Rothes (ON 641).
On 9 February 1953, the first of two disasters struck the Fraserburgh lifeboat. The John and Charles Kennedy (ON 790) was launched to assist a number of fishing boats that were struggling to re-enter Fraserburgh harbour due to the poor sea conditions. Having escorted two vessels to the harbour, it would be the lifeboat that failed to make the return trip a third time, capsizing as it tried to enter the harbour. A non-self-righting 46ft Watson-class, five crew were trapped and drowned in the wreck, and the Coxswain, thrown clear of the capsize, was hit by a piece of wreckage and killed. The John and Charles Kennedy had been launched 99 times, and saved 199 lives. In just 12 days, enough volunteers had come forward to form a new crew, including Second Coxswain Charles Tait Jnr, sole survivor of the wreck, and son of Bowman, Charles Tait Snr, lost in the disaster.
After a short period with the relief lifeboat John Russell (ON 699), a replacement lifeboat Duchess of Kent (ON 908) was placed at Fraserburgh. She would serve 16 years at Fraserburgh, launching 46 times, and saving 11 lives. But in 1970, Fraserburgh would suffer a second disaster.
The Duchess of Kent was launched on 6:30am on 21 January 1970, into a force 8 to 9 gale, to the aid of the Danish fishing boat Opal, taking on water some 40 miles off Fraserburgh. She arrived on scene at 11:00am, to find the Opal in tow from a Russian trawler, and a number of other vessels, including the large Russian ship Victor Kingisepp standing by. Suddenly, a large wave lifted up the bow, and the lifeboat was capsized bow over stern. Great efforts were made to right the vessel by the crew of the Victor Kingisepp, which was achieved by 2:31pm, but too late to save the crew, with the exception of mechanic John Jackson Buchan, who had been thrown into the water, and was rescued from the upturned hull. It would be eight years later, in 1978, before another lifeboat would be placed at Fraserburgh.
In 2001, the RNLI announced that Fraserburgh would receive a new Trent-class lifeboat. Moulded in Fibre Reinforced Composite, and fitted out by Souters of Cowes, she had twin MAN diesel-engines, developing 800 BHP, giving a top speed of 25 knots. Costing £1,240,452, she arrived in Fraserburgh on 8 May 2002. At a ceremony on 7 September 2002, she was named 14-34 Willie and May Gall (ON 1259).

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Fraserburgh
* RNLI Gold Medal
       Lt. Charles Holcombe Bowen, RN, H.M Coastguard - 1827
       Lt. Charles Turner, RN - 1831
* RNLI Silver Medal
       Capt. James Scott, Master of the Sarah - 1835
       Godfrey Bosville McDonald Beatson, Chief Officer of H.M. Coastguard - 1858
       Godfrey Bosville McDonald Beatson, Chief Officer of H.M. Coastguard - 1863 (Second-Service Clasp)
       Alexander Forbes, Shipbuilder - 1863
       Mrs Whyte, Farm Labourer's wife - 1884
       Andrew Noble, Coxswain - 1909
       Andrew Noble, Coxswain - 1909 (Second-Service Clasp)
       James Stuart Sim, Second Coxswain (For a service in 1912) - 1929
       Capt. Andrew Stephen, Harbour Master, Joint Honorary Secretary - 1940
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       James Stuart Sim, Coxswain - 1936
       David Hay, Coxswain - 1940
       Capt Andrew Stephen, Harbour Master, Joint Honorary Secretary - 1940
       George Flett Duthie, Mechanic - 1940
       John Downie May, crew member - 1940
       Alexander John Duthie, Acting Coxswain - 1960
       Frederick Alexander Kirkness, Mechanic - 1960
       Albert Sutherland, Coxswain - 1997
* Medal Service Certificate
       J. Stephen, Acting Second Coxswain - 1960
       J. Strachan, Bowman - 1960
       C. Baillie, Assistant Mechanic - 1960
       G. Duthie, crew member - 1960
       B. Strachan, crew member - 1960
       J. Reid, crew member - 1960
       Victor Sutherland, Second Coxswain - 1997
       Thomas Summers, Motor Mechanic - 1997
       Alan Smith, Deputy Second Coxswain - 1997
       Graeme Campbell, Assistant Mechanic - 1997
       Rafael Alcarez, crew member - 1997
       David Sutherland, crew member - 1997
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       Capt. Alexander Thomson, Master of the Lively - 1909
       Alexander Ritchie, crew member - 1929 (For a service in 1912)
       Andrew Ritchie, crew member - 1929 (For a service in 1912)
       James Mitchell, crew member - 1929 (For a service in 1912)
       Robert Strachan, Assistant Mechanic - 1940
       John Buchan, crew member - 1940
       Andrew Ritchie, crew member - 1940
       James May, crew member - 1940
       William Noble, crew member - 1940
       Albert Sutherland, Coxswain - 1989
* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       Albert Sutherland, Coxswain - 1995

## Roll of Honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Fraserburgh lifeboat.
* On service to H.M. vessel Eminent, 28 April 1919,
       Andrew Noble, Coxswain
       Andrew Farquhar, Acting Second Coxswain
* On service to multiple fishing boats, 9 February 1953
       Andrew Ritchie, Coxswain
       George Duthie, Mechanic
       Charles Tait Snr, Bowman
       James Noble, Assistant Mechanic
       John Crawford, crew member
       John Buchan, crew member
* On service to Danish fishing boat Opal, 21 January 1970
       John Stephen, Coxswain
       Frederick Kirkness, Mechanic
       William Hadden, crew member
       James R S Buchan, crew member
       James Buchan. crew member

## Fraserburgh lifeboats
### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Op.No. | Name | In service | Class |
| − | − | Unknown | 1805−1831 | Greathead |
| − | − | Unknown | 1831−1851 | A Lifeboat |
| Pre-326 | − | Havelock | 1858−1868 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| Pre-351 | − | Havelock | 1868−1874 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| Pre-487 | − | Charlotte | 1874−1880 | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| Pre-651 | − | Cosmo & Charles | 1880−1887 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 108 | − | Cosmo & Charles | 1887−1894 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 366 | − | Anna Maria Lee | 1894−1897 | 38-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 402 | − | Anna Maria Lee | 1897−1915 | 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 641 | − | Lady Rothes | 1915−1937 | 42-foot Self-righting (motor) |
| 790 | − | John and Charles Kennedy | 1937−1953 | 46ft Watson |
| 699 | − | John Russell | 1953−1954 | 45ft 6in Watson |
| 908 | − | Duchess of Kent | 1954−1970 | 46ft 9in Watson |
| Station Closed 1970–1978 ||||||
| 1013 | 48-010 | The Royal British Legion Jubilee | 1978−1979 | Solent |
| 1011 | 48-008 | R Hope Roberts | 1979−1985 | Solent |
| 1021 | 48-016 | Douglas Currie | 1985 | Solent |
| 1109 | 47-007 | City of Edinburgh | 1985−2002 | Tyne |
| 1259 | 14-34 | Willie and May Gall | 2002− | Trent |
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.