# Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station

Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations for the sea around Land's End, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed at Sennen Cove in 1853. Since 2009 it has operated a Tamar-class all-weather boat (ALB) and a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB).

## History

Sennen Cove is situated just to the north of Land's End, the most westerly point in mainland England. Following the loss of the New Commercial on the Brisons in January 1851, the RNLI built a boathouse at the top of the beach in 1853 and extended it in 1864 when a larger lifeboat was sent to the station. In 1876 a new boathouse was built on the landward side of the road, but in 1896 it was replaced by a new one on the site of the original building.
A motor lifeboat was sent to the station in 1922. In preparation for this, the boathouse was given a new slipway in 1919 and a turntable was provided inside so that the lifeboat could be hauled up the slipway bow-first and then turned ready for its next service. Ten years later a second slipway was provided.
In 1994 an ILB was added to the station. This is kept in the boathouse. When it was to be launched it was craned onto the slipway and taken down to the water on a carriage, but a new slipway was provided to make launching the ILB easier at low tide. At the same time the boathouse was modified to take a longer Tyne-class boat, and in 2001 the roof was removed and a new one installed ready for the receipt of a taller, faster Tamar-class lifeboat. New crew facilities were installed at the same time.

### Service awards

The volunteer crews of the RNLI do not expect reward or recognition for their work, but the records include many rescues that have been recognised by letters, certificates and medals from the RNLI management. This list is just some of the most notable.
An RNLI silver medal was awarded in 1868 to both Coxswain Nichols and Coastguard Officer S Morrison for rescuing the sole survivor of the Devon. A later coxswain, Henry Nicholas, received a silver medal in 1909 for a meritorious service to the Fairport when it was in trouble.
In 1919 the Sennen Cove Lifeboat was recognised for rescuing eight people from the SS Falmouth Castle. A silver medal and three bronze medals being given to members of the crew. That same year saw Henry Nicholas receive another silver medal along with Second Coxswain Thomas Pender, while the 12 crew members were awarded bronze medals for saving eight people from a motor launch. One of the crew was 17-year-old Henry Nicholas Junior. He later became coxswain and was awarded another bronze medal in 1964 for leading the rescue of five people from the trawler Victoire Roger which had caught fire.
A search for the sinking MV Union Crystal saw Coxswain/Mechanic H E Pengilly awarded with a silver medal. Another sinking vessel, the Tungufoss, resulted in seven lives being saved and Coxswain/Mechanic Maurice Hutchens receiving a silver medal in 1981. In 1995 Coxswain Terence George was awarded a bronze medal for the rescue of five people from the fishing vessel Julian Paul.

## Station awards

The following are awards made at Sennen Cove
* RNLI Silver Medal
       Matthew Nichols, Coxswain - 1868
       Sylvester Morrison, Chief Officer of Coastguards - 1868
       Henry Nicholas, Coxswain - 1909
       Alfred Jackson - 1919
       Thomas Henry Nicholas, Coxswain - 19202
       Thomas Pender, Second Coxswain - 1920
       Horace Eric Pengilly, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1978 (posthumous)
       Maurice Hutchens, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1981
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       Thomas Hicks (Master) - 1919
       David Sleeman Jnr (fisherman) - 1919
       Edward Sleeman (fisherman) - 1919
       Edmund George, crew member - 1920
       Edward George, crew member - 1920
       Ernest George, crew member - 1920
       Thomas George, crew member - 1920
       Edward Nicholas, crew member - 1920
       Henry Nicholas, crew member - 1920
       Henry Nicholas Jnr. , crew member - 1920
       Herbert Nicholas, crew member - 1920
       James Howard Nicholas, crew member - 1920
       John Nicholas, crew member - 1920
       John Penrose, crew member - 1920
       Robert Roberts, crew member - 1920
       Henry Nicholas, Coxswain - 1964 (Second-Service Clasp)
       Terence George, Coxswain - 1995
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       The Lifeboat Crew - 1978
* A special framed certificate
       The coxswain and crew - 1979 (Fastnet Race)
* French Maritime Bronze Medals certificates
       Henry Nicholas, Coxswain - 1962
       J H Nicholas, Second Coxswain - 1962
       Edmund George, Bowman - 1962
       Richard George, Motor Mechanic - 1962
* Icelandic awards for valour presented by The President of Iceland
       The Lifeboat Crew - 1981
* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
       Philip Charles Shannon, Second Coxswain - 2010

## Description

The lifeboat station stands on the beach at the head of two slipways. The masonry walls date from 1929 but the shallowly curved metal roof was added in 2001. Inside, as well as the boathouse, is a three-storey crew facility. The ground floor is a changing room for the ILB crew, above that is a similar facility for the ALB crew, and on the top floor is a crew room.

## Area of operation

The RNLI aims to reach any casualty up to 50 miles (80 km) from its stations, and within two hours in good weather. To do this the Tamar-class lifeboat at Sennen Cove has an operating range of 250 nautical miles (460 km) and a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h). Adjacent lifeboats are at Penlee Lifeboat Station to the south, St Mary's to the west, and St Ives to the north.

## Sennen Cove lifeboats

* Susan Ashley 1948–1973
* City of London III (From 2010)

### All-weather lifeboats

| At Sennen | ON | Op. No. | Name | Class | Comments |
| 1853–1864 | — | — | (no name) | Peake | 25 ft 8 in (7.82 m) boat. |
| 1864–1880 | — | — | Cousins William and Mary Ann of Bideford | Self-righter | 33 ft (10 m) boat. |
| 1880–1893 | 182 | — | Denzil and Maria Onslow | Self-righter | 34 ft (10 m) boat. |
| 1893–1922 | 357 | — | Ann Newbon | Self-righter | 34 ft (10 m) boat. |
| 1922–1948 | 674 | — | The Newbons | Self-righter | 40 ft (12 m) motor lifeboat. Sold in 1951 for use as a yacht. |
| 1948–1973 | 856 | — | Susan Ashley | Watson | Later used at Barry Dock and Tynemouth. Retired in 1981 and preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996. |
| 1973–1991 | 999 | 37-28 | Diana White | Rother | Reported in 2023 to be out of use at Katikati, New Zealand. |
| 1991–1998 | 1176 | 12-19 | The Four Boys | Mersey | Later stationed at Amble. Sold in 2018 and then used as a pilot boat at Mostyn. |
| 1998–2010 | 1121 | 47-016 | Norman Salvesen | Tyne | Previously stationed at Wick. Sold in 2014 for further use and reported in 2023 to be at Conwy. |
| 2010– | 1294 | 16-14 | City of London III | Tamar | |

### Inshore lifeboats

| At Sennen | Op. No. | Name | Type | Comments |
| 1994–1995 | D-450 | Anthony | EA16 | Initially deployed in the Relief Fleet in 1993. |
| 1995–1996 | D-448 | Sea Ranger | EA16 | Initially deployed in the Relief Fleet in 1993. |
| 1996–2004 | D-490 | Spirit of the ACC | EA16 | |
| 2004–2013 | D-624 | Spirit of The Royal Logistic Corps | IB1 | |
| 2013-2024 | D-763 | Amy Brown | IB1 | [17] [18] |
| 2024- | D-896 | Arangy | IB1 | |