Phil Heath lets
Matt try the helmsman's seat
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Back
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1987
Do you remember these BBC Blue Peter presenters
who visited the station in 1987?
Romana D'Annunzio, Richard Bacon and Katy Hill
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
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3 December 1986
Photo: BBC 'Blue Peter'
Caron Keating of BBC Blue Peter
Caron Keating from CBBC 'Blue Peter',
who had just joined CBBC Blue Peter a month earlier,
visited Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat Station on 3 December
1986 to hand over the station's first 'Blue Peter'
lifeboat, a Zodiac MK4. The lifeboat had
been funded by young 'Blue Peter' viewers and was
the fifth one of several RNLI lifeboats funded in
the same way.
Tommy Mason, an art teacher at St Columba's
School, and a Portaferry Lifeboat crew member since
a trial lifeboat was stationed in 1979, (top right
hand) with Blue Peter presenter Caron Keating and
supporters of Blue Peter and Portaferry Lifeboat..
The new lifeboat was christened by a
10 year old girl, Paula Trainor, using a bottle of
milk.
Paula Trainor, aged 10,
holding two RNLI bronze medals awarded to her great,
great grand uncle Andrew Young and her great, grand
uncle George M Young who had been coxswains of the
Cloughey Lifeboat.
Note: Caron Keating was diagnosed
with breast cancer in 1997 and after a long and brave
fight against her disease she died on 13 April 2004.
Caron's mother, the well known TV
presenter Gloria Hunniford, and her two brothers,
Michael and Paul Hunniford, set up the 'Caron Keating
Foundation' in her memory with the aim of raising
funds to assist health professionals, cancer patients,
their families and cancer charities in their quest
to improve early detection, treatment and progress
towards an ultimate cure.
For more information on the Caron
Keating Foundation click here
In 2007 an old video of Caron Keating's
visit to Portaferry RNLI was discovered and it was
thought appropriate to forward a copy the Caron's
mother, Gloria Hunniford.
In response, the following letter
from Gloria Hunniford was received;
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RNLI Lifeboat Stations
depend on volunteers who spend countless hours manning
their station's lifeboat or raising funds in support.
Just some of these
early Portaferry Lifeboat volunteers since the Station
opened on 1st May 1980 are mentioned below.
Portaferry Lifeboat Volunteer Crew
2004
2004
Station
receives 'Letter of Thanks' from Admiral Sir Jock
Slater, Chairman of the RNLI, for the 'Devotion to
Duty' of the crew and Station in the search for a
missing boy on 11th & 12th January 2004.
Holding
the framed letter is John Murray, Station Hon Secretary
Photo: RNLI - Portaferry
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2004
Photo: RNLI - B Rogers
October 2004
- Former helmsman and previous webmaster, Dr Phil
Heath, who now resides in New Zealand, paid a
visit to Portaferry Lifeboat during a business
trip to Northern Ireland.
Phil (centre)
is pictured with Desmond Rogers, DLA and former
Chief Helmsman, and Jim Brown, Station Co-ordinating
Chairman and previous Station President.
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top
2004
Jim
Brown David
Russell (incoming Chairman)
RNLI Branch Link Northern
Ireland - Spring 2004
Easter 2002
Fun at the Easter
Collection
Photo: RNLI - Jim
Brown
Pat
Browne, Liz Brown and Joan Peacock enjoying their
RNLI fundrasinig at Portaferry's RNLI Shop during
the annual Easter collection
&
our
Treasurer, Capt Eddie McGee gets a little bit
of help with counting the proceeds.
Photo: RNLI - Jim
Brown
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to top
February 2002
Fun and laughter at
the Portaferry & District Lifeboat Guild's
'Evening of Style &
Colour'
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
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December 2002
Tommy
Mason from Portaferry Lifeboat Station grew a 'Santa'
beard to raise monies for the RNLI. The 'fungus' was
removed on 2nd December at a 'Santa Shave' held at
McNamara's Bar, Portaferry and raised further funds
for the RNLI.
Newcastle
Lifeboat's coxswain, Franci Morgan and his crew came
to support Tommy's fundraising activities.
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
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13th January 2001
'To
the skipper and crew of the 'Blue Peter V'
"We just wanted to thank
you for coming to our aid on Saturday when we became
stranded at Island Hill, Comber. We have attached
some pictures taken by our son which we will keep
as a reminder to check the tides in the future!
Again
thanks for you help and professionalism - it is
incredibly reassuring to know you are protecting
the lough and surrounding area.
We
hope God keeps you all safe on future call-outs".
Photo:Family of persons
rescued
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The Crew Dinner - January 2002
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Helmsman, Phil Heath, prior to
departure for New Zealand, receives a Portaferry Lifeboat
Station plaque and a framed montage of photographs
during his years of service from Billy Brown, President
of Portaferry RNLI.
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Crew member Lynn
Brown helped once again to organise the annual Crew
Dinner
Jonathan takes command
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Mark gets a 'Black Bush' (red diesel)
refill
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
"What's that you've got Brian"
Lynn presents Tommy with the new Portaferry
RNLI crew pullover
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2 March 2001
Freedom of the Borough of Ards
Lifeboats Ireland 2001
2000
Portaferry
Lifeboat crew members and station officials
Photo: RNLI - Portaferry
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Newtownards Chronicle
Crew Dinner - 2000
Guests at the 2000 Crew Dinner
included representatives from 72 Squadron Aldergrove
Air/Sea Rescue
Photo: RNLI - Portaferry
One of editions of the station's
newsletters started in 1999
1999
The Crew Christmas Dinner
Photo: RNLI - Portaferry
Hotel
Crew members Phil Heath & Joe
Breen who helped to organise the festivities
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
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1999
Portaferry Lifeboat
Crew on one of their exercises with 72 Squadron from
Aldergrove, Co Antrim
Photo: RNLI - Colin
Watson
Gabriel Rogers and John Smyth
Photo: RNLI - Colin
Watson
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May 1999
'MAYDAY' run for Portaferry Crew
Photo: RNLI - Colin
Watson
Portaferry Lifeboat crew taking part in the Belfast
City Marathon on 'May Day' 1999
(L to R) Phil Heath, John Smyth, Geraldine
McClune, Sammy Gordon and Peter McDevitt
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April 1999
Portaferry Lifeboat website
Dr Phil Heath (Helmsman) & Jim Brown
(Station President) establish Portaferry RNLI's
Website.
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RNLI 175th Anniversary celebrations
RNLI Branch Link NI 1999
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August 1999
RNLI Branch Link NI
1999
Back to top
1999
Lord Mayor of Poole
receives Portaferry Lifeboat Plaque
The Mayor of Poole receives a 'Blue
Peter V' plaque from Portaferry Lifeboat Station
1999
Crew members John Smyth, Jonathan
Brownlee, Tommy Mason and Joe Breen
1999
The RNLI Northern Ireland regional
office staff
Lifeboat House - 33 Saintfield Road
- Belfast
Beth Duffin - Regional Manager Northern
Ireland
Valerie Cromie - Area Organiser Northern
Ireland
During the financial year 2000/2001 the Belfast office
was serving 40 Northern Ireland fundraising branches,
11 of which sold RNLI souveniers and supporting the
8 local RNLI lifeboat stations.
Income from the RNLI
fundraising branches was £236,086.88 and their
souvenier sales were £36,077.41. Fundraising
by the lifeboat stations was £19,785.19
Income from 33 golf
clubs was £21,388.25, from 8 yacht clubs £6,859.66,
from 6 angling clubs £2,658.73, from 4 bowling
clubs £557.00 and from 5 other miscellaneous
clubs/events £10,591.00.
The Portrush Raft Race
raised £28,000 and the Whitehead Raft Race £1,000.
Photos: NI RNLI
Newsletter 1999 Income source: Lifeboat
Ireland 2001
1998
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Lieutenant
Commander Brian Miles, Director of the RNLI and his
wife Anne visited Portaferry Station prior to his
retirement from the RNLI in December 1998. Brian Miles
(front row, 5th from left)
is pictured with members of the station's management,
crew and guild.
Brian
Miles was closely involved with the establishment
of a lifeboat station at Portaferry in 1980.
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1997
HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent,
President of the RNLI, visits Portaferry RNLI
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
HRH
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, visited Portaferry RNLI.
The Duke of Kent is shown being greeted by Mr John
Murray, Station Hon Secretary, after being introduced
by Lt Commander Brian Miles, Director of the RNLI.
In uniform is Portaferry RNLI's President, Major Brownlow,
Lord Lieutenant of County Down.
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
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1997
Champagne &
Fashion Morning
RNLI Branch Link NI 1997
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27
December 1994
The Kircubbin Disaster
Loss of five lives
One of the saddest days in the history
of the Portaferry Lifeboat station occurred on 27
December 1994.
Six men had set out earlier that day
in a 17ft single engined speedboat from the village
of Kircubbin, County Down, bound for Sketrick Island,
located on the western side of Strangford Lough.
Some of those on board had made the
3 mile crossing to Sketrick Island many times before.
During their return later that night
from Ballydornan to Kircubbin the outboard engine
of their speedboat developed problems off Sketrick
Island. One of those on board was able to advise
a relative during a brief mobile phone call that they
were in difficulties. It was a cold and
windy winter's night with heavy rain.
During attempts to restart the engine
the vessel capsized, plunging all six men into the
icy waters.
When the alarm was raised, Portaferry
and Newcastle lifeboats, two search and rescue helicopters
and coastguard search teams from Bangor, Newcastle,
Portaferry and Whiterock were tasked to the area.
For a few hours some confusion reigned
as to the numbers and names of those who were on board
the ill-fated boat. As news spread, family,
relations and friends began to arrive at Kircubbin
Sailing Club in the hope that their loved ones and
friends would be found.
Sadly, only one person, Stephen Martin,
was able to swim to safety ashore onto Trasnagh Island
where he was spotted and rescued by a SAR helicopter.
The body of Jackie McNamarra was found by coastguards
on the shoreline of Sketrick Island later that night
and two others, Hugo McCullough and Ronald Grant shortly
afterwards. Extensive searches for the two remaining
men continued throughout the night and for the following
two days with negative results.
On the afternoon of 29 December, after
all hope had gone of any survivors being found, the
coastguard service decided to scale down their official
rescue searches as the situation had changed from
one of rescue to that of recovery. Voluntary
searches continued by crews from the Portaferry Lifeboat
Station.
Due to on-going un-official searches
by diving organisations, yacht club members and the
general public, concerns were raised over the safety
and co-ordination of those involved in the search
and it was agreed with HM Coastguard to maintain the
civilian search co-ordination centre already established
at Kircubbin Sailing Club. It was agreed that
Joe Breen, an experienced diver and a helmsman of
the Portaferry Lifeboat, would co-ordinate the voluntary
under-water search teams. Jim Brown, also
from Portaferry Lifeboat Station, would continue to
co-ordinate communications and civilian shore and
water searches with the added assistance of Derek
Gilmore, Jimmy McCallister, Jim Rogers and other members
of the Kircubbin Sailing Club.
During the following three days over
100 civilian search parties were organised from the
co-ordination centre at Kircubbin Sailing Club. Each
search party, consisting of at least 4 persons, combed
the waters and shoreline of Strangford Lough, often
in difficult winter weather conditions. Dive
teams, both police and civilian, carried out many
under-water searches. A water search-dog team was
also used on several occasions. Positions of
clothing and other items found during the searches
were logged and handed over to police for investigation.
Following a meeting with the families
of the those who were still missing at Kircubbin Sailing
Club on 2 January 1995 that was attended by HM Coastguard,
Portaferry RNLI and others involved in the search,
it was agreed that it was time to discontinue the
daily co-ordinated searches. Further co-ordinated
searches would continue at the weekend following the
meeting, and thereafter during following weekends
until the remains of those still missing were found.
On 15 January 1995, the wreckage of
the speedboat was located by divers and eventually
raised for examination.
A few weeks later the bodies of both
missing men, George Sweeney and Christopher Bell,
were washed ashore on different dates and locations
in Strangford Lough.
Over these weeks, hundreds of local
people and organisations had given their moral and
physical support to the rescue efforts and the recovery
of those who were missing.
Some, but not all, of the organisations
from outside the immediate area who gave their assistance
were;
Queen's University - Sub-Aqua
Team Neil
Powell & his water search dogs
Paddy Prunty & teams from
Lough Neagh Search and Rescue
Ballyholme Yacht Club - Diving
Club Don
Clarke SLYC Drogheda
Sub-Aqua Club
Trim Divers North
West Mountian Rescue Team
Strangford Lough
Memorial Plaque
On 24 May 2004, a plaque was unveiled
close to the old Kircubbin Harbour, off Shore Road,
Kircubbin, by the Mayor of Ard's Borough Council,
Councillor Jim McBriar, in memory of all those who
had lost their lives on Strangford Lough. The
service of dedication was conducted by Rev Richard
Seymour-Whitley, Rev Bill Cameron and Father's Jim
Sheppard & Pat O'Neill.
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
The memorial plaque
at Kircubbin, looking north-westwards across Strangford
Lough towards Kircubbin Sailing Club from where the
six men had departed on 27 December 1994
Photo: RNLI - Jim Brown
Back to top
17 September 1994
Portaferry Lifeboat
Crew
with Atlantic 75
- Blue Peter V
Photo: RNLI Colin Watson
Tim Vincent from BBC Blue Peter named the new
Atlantic 75 lifeboat 'Blue Peter
V'
Photo: RNLI Colin Watson
Some
of the large crown who witnessed the Naming Ceremony
Back to top
1990
Newspaper clipping - Spectator Newspapers
Back to top
1989
Portaferry RNLI celebrates the
opening of their new Lifeboat Shop and 100 years of
life-saving in the area.
Mrs
Anne Miles (left) with Portaferry & District Lifeboat
members, Liz Brown and Lea Bradshaw
Photo: Portaferry RNLI
Lieut-Commander Brian Miles, Director
of the RNLI, and his wife Mrs Anne Miles, attended
celebrations on 23 September 1989 to celebrate 100
years of RNLI life-saving in the Ard's Peninsula and
the 10th anniversary of the trials to establish a
lifeboat station in Portaferry. The celebrations
also coencided with the official opening of the new
Souvenier Shop of the Portaferry & District Lifeboat
Guild.
An ecumenical Service of Thanksgiving
was held at the Portaferry Parish Church on the afternoon
of 23 September 1989 at which Cannon F W A Ball welcomed
those present. An Anthem was then sung by the
the Portavogie Fishermen's Choir. The 1st lesson
from Psalm 107 was read by Major William Brownlow,
Chairman of Portaferry Lifeboat, and the 2nd lesson
by Thomas (Tommy) Mason, a crew member of the Portaferry
Lifeboat. This was followed by prayers
offered by the Rev. W. Caughey and the Rev. R G Bagnall.
Following this, an address was given by Lieut-Commander
Brian Miles RD MNI RNR, Director of the RNLI, which
was followed by prayers and a blessing by the Rev
Father G Laverty P.P. The organist was
Mrs E Palmer.
Following the Ecumenical Service
of Thanksgiving a Centenary Party was held in the
evening, organised by members of the crew and the
Portaferry Lifeboat Guild.
At this time the officers of the
Portaferry Lifeboat Guild were;
President - Mrs W S Brownlow; Chairman
- Mrs Bernadette Rogers; Hon Secretary - Mrs Jess
Brown; Hon Treasurer - Capt N Brownlee
Press clipping: Down
Recorder 1989
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to top
1988
Jess Brown names 'Voluntary Worker'
in Poole
Photo - RNLI
Jess Brown, Honorary
Secretary of Portaferry Lifeboat Guild, was invited
by the RNLI to name a new 'Tyne Class' lifeboat, 'Voluntary
Worker', at the RNLI's headquarters in Poole,
Dorset. The name of the new lifeboat was chosen
to honour all RNLI fundraisers.
'Voluntary Worker'
will be used in the RNLI's 'relief fleet' that provides
RNLI Lifeboat Stations with temporary 'replacement'
lifeboats when their lifeboat has to be withdrawn
from service due to mechanical or other problems.
Funding for the new
relief lifeboat, costing £560,000, was met in
part from the Institution's 'general funds', to which
the majority of money raised by branches and guilds
is allocated. The remaining funding of £287,000
was provided through the RNLI Lottery, run in conjunction
with Volvo Concessionaires Ltd. Tickets
from the lottery were sold by RNLI volunteers from
branches and guilds, whose efforts, with the added
generosity of Volvo Consessionaires Ltd, contributed
enormously to the appeal's success.
The Naming Ceremony
took place on 23rd September 1988.
Photo: By kind permission
of Mrs Heather Kennedy
Jess Brown named Voluntary Worker
Jess Brown was accompanied
by her husband, Dr Billy Brown, Portaferry Station's
Honorary Secretary. Several members of
Jess's family also attended the ceremony, as did some
of her friends and members of the Portaferry Lifeboat
Guild who had travelled to Poole from Northern Ireland.
Lt. Cdr. Brian Miles
RD, MNI, RNR, Director of the RNLI, opened the proceedings
and, following the Service of Dedication, introduced
Jess Brown to the large audience and praised her voluntary
work for the RNLI, linking this to the many volunteers
who carried out similar fundraising work for the RNLI
throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Photo: By kind permission
of Mrs Heather Kennedy
Jess Brown was
then invited to name the new 'Tyne Class' lifeboat,
'Voluntary Worker'.
Music during the ceremony
was provided by the Queen Elizabeth School's band.
UPDATE
1 - 31 October
2015
After 27 years, Tyne
Class lifeboat 47-031, 'Voluntary Worker',
still remains in service and is currently stationed
at Selsey RNLI Lifeboat Station, West Sussex, England.
'Voluntary Worker' was built
by Fairey Allday Marine and joined the RNLI relief
fleet following her naming ceremony in September 1988.
She was stationed for her first year at
Lytham St Annes and then served in various lifeboat
relief duties. In February 2006 she was
sent to Selsey where she took over from the Tyne Class
47-001, 'City of London'.
She is expected to remain in service
at Selsey until replaced by a new Shannon Class lifeboat,
scheduled for delivery in 2017.
Update
2 - 1 July 2017
Selsey Lifeboat 47-031, 'Voluntary
Worker', retired on 1 April 2017 after 29 years
of service with the RNLI. She is being kept
afloat on sercice on a mooring at the station until
being replaced in the near future by a Shannon Class
lifeboat.
'Voluntary
Worker' on her last slipway launch from Selsey
Lifeboat Station on 1 April 2017
UPDATE
3 - 17 July 2018
Voluntary Worker has been sold out
of service by the RNLI to a museum in Lancanshire
and is expected to be used as a floating exhibit at
some time in the future.
Photo: Martin Fish
'Voluntary Worker' entered service
for the first time in the RNLI Relief Fleet on 23
November 1988 when she arrived on station at Lytham
St Annes.
Voluntary Worker served in the relief
fleet at various lifeboat stations until 26 February
2006 when she was sent to Selsey to replace their
'City of London'. In April 2017 she was replaced
by a new Shannon Class lifeboat, 'Denise and Eric',
and subsequently decommissioned shortly afterwards
by the RNLI.
During her years as a relief lifeboat
she was launched on service 198 times and saved 41
lives.
Back to top
1988
RNLI Shop
On 3 February 1988, Anthony Oliver,
Head of RNLI Fundraising, wrote to all RNLI stations
about the need to use their facilities to full potential
in supporting souvenier sales and generallly bringing
the RNLI to the notice of the public.
As a result, Portaferry Lifeboat
Guild decided to support the establishment of a Lifeboat
Shop at the station's newly completed boathouse and
a letter was written to confirm this by the guild's
Secretary, Jess Brown, to the RNLI. Planning
permissions were approved on 17 October 1988 and construction
of the lifeboat shop started shortly afterwards.
Completion occurred in the summer
of 1989.
Portaferry Lifeboat Guild's officers
at that time were; President: Mrs Eveleigh Brownlow,
Chairman: Mrs Bernadette Rogers, Honorary Secretary:
Mrs Jess Brown, Asst Hon Secretary: Mrs Liz Brown,
& Honorary Treasurer : Cptn N Brownlee.
Photo: By kind permission
of Mrs Heather Kennedy
Jess Brown, Honorary Secretary Portaferry
Lifeboat Guild, with crew members Gabriel Rogers and
Jackie Harris on board the new Atlantic 21 lifeboat,
'Blue Peter V'
Back to top
1987
'Allo Allo'
It's Yvette in her 'search' for René in
our 'Atlantic 21'
Vicki Michelle (Yvette,
Rene's waitress, in the BBC comedy series 'Allo Allo')
with crew members Billy Ellison, Francis Rogers and
Gabriel Rogers during a visit to Portaferry
Photo: Portaferry
RNLI
Back to top
1987
Photo: RNLI - Jim
Brown
Photo: RNLI - Jim
Brown (June 2012)
A
small stone is imbedded in one of the entrance
pillars to Portaferry Lifeboat Station. Underneath
there is a plaque which reads;
This stone
is from the first lifeboat house in Britian built
at Formby in 1776.
The RNLI
took the house over in 1824.
The house
was abandoned in 1918.
(The stone referred
to above was retrieved by the late Jess Brown
from the last remains of the first recorded Lifeboat
Station at Formby, England, the foundations of
which had almost disappeared through errosion
by the sea. The stone was placed into one of the
old gate pillars at the entrance to Portaferry's
first lifeboat station 210 years after the Formby
lifeboat station was built)
The remains of Formby lifeboat
station in 1986
Photo: RNLI - Jess
Brown
Back to top
9th May 1987
Opening of the new boathouse
Photo: RNLI
Major
Brownlow, Lord Lieutenant of County Down and Chairman
of Portaferry Lifeboat Station, addresses those present
at the opening of the Station's new Boathouse and
naming of the Atlantic 21 Lifeboat, 'Blue Peter
V'. Seated 2nd from right, front row,
is Dr Barry Bramwell, the Station's 2nd President.
1st left standing is Jeff Mankertz, Inspector of
Lifeboats Ireland.
Portaferry Lifeboat Atlantic 21 'Blue
Peter V' pictured at the Strangford Bar
1987
- brochure printed for the opening of the new boathouse
Back to top
1987 - Portaferry Lifeboat Guild
Some
of Portaferry Lifeboat Guild members in 1987
Photo:
RNLI - Jess Brown
Back
to top
1985
Newspaper clipping from The Mirror
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15 May 1984
Her Majesty, The Queen Mother, presents
Desmond Rogers with his Bronze Medal in recognition
for his part in the 'Jane's Rock rescue' on 19 December
1982 at the RNLI Annual General Meeting in the Royal
Festival Hall, London
Photo: RNLI
Sir John
Andrews, first President of Portaferry Lifeboat
Station, congratulates Desmond Rogers, Frank
Rogers and Billy Ellison.
Photo: RNLI - Portaferry
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to top
1983
The 'Routen Wheel Row'
The entrance to Strangford
Lough is located a few miles south of the most easterly
point of the island of Ireland.
Strangford Lough is
tidal and is fed with waters from the Irish Sea through
a narrow channel called 'The Narrows'.
'The Narrows' are approximately
5 Nautical Miles in length but with a navigable channel,
in places, only a few cables wide.
Mid-way along 'The
Narrows' there are a group of whirlpools known as
the 'Routen Wheel'. The tidal stream at the 'Routen
Wheel' can reach 8 knots during spring tides.
In the early 1980's
a Mr McCullough from the local village of Kircubbin
presented a large ship's wheel to Portaferry Lifeboat
Station following a rescue by Portaferry Lifeboat.
He asked that the trophy be used in rowing races
to raise monies for the RNLI and that the event should
be called the 'Routen Wheel Row'.
A
couple of years earlier, on 16 May 1981, members of
the lifeboat crew had raised £2,100 during a
17 mile sponsored row, using two 16ft rowing boats
with six rowers each. The crew set off for Kircubbin
Sailing Club at 8:50 am on a wet and windy morning
and then travelled on to Strangford Lough Yacht Club
where they received lunch, after which they made their
long return journey back to Portaferry, arriving at
5:30pm..
May 1981 - Crew members and
supporters of the 'Around the Lough Row'
The first 'Routen Wheel
Row' took place in 1983. The 6 mile race, using traditional
rowing boats, was from Whiterock to Portaferry via
Killyleagh.
Killyleagh Yacht Club
won the first event and in subsequent years the trophy
changed hands between Killyleagh Yacht Club and Portaferry
Sailing Club.
Each event was followed
by festivities, a BBQ and friendly banter.
1986 - Jim Ferris,
Honorary Secretary of Killyleagh Yacht Club, accepts
the 'Routen Wheel' from Beth Duffin, RNLI Regional
Organiser. Looking on is Portaferry Lifeboat
Station's Honorary Secretary, Billy Brown
Rowing races for ladies
and RNLI lifeboat crews were introduced a short
time later.
By 1987 there were 4
trophies;
The 'Routen Wheel'
- men's rowing race
(Presented by Mr McCullough from Kircubbin))
The 'Golden Rowlocks'
- ladies rowing race
(Presented by Daft Eddies - Whiterock.
Previously used as a trophy by Daft Eddies
during the 'Hen Island Raft Race' to raise monies
for the RNLI)
The 'Lifeboat Bell'
(formerly the Portaferry Bell) - RNLI crew rowing
race
(Obtained from the Cairndhu Rowing
Club in 1987 by Liz Brown - formerly presented for
rowing races between teams from Portaferry and those
on the Antrim coast)
The 'Lifeboat Shield'
- sailing club team raising the most monies for the
RNLI
(Presented by Killyleagh Yacht Club)
Photo: RNLI - Liz Brown
Plaques presented to all participants
following the 1989 and 1990 rows
Ulster Television
recorded a 30 minute documentary in 1991 about Portaferry
that included the history of rowing and sailing in
the area. The documentary includes footage of
the Galway Hooker Festival and the Routen Wheel Row.
Click here
to view this interesting and
historical recording.
July 1996
Photo: RNLI - courtesy
Newcastle Lifeboat Station
Pictured above are various
crew members of the Newcastle & Portaferry lifeboats
who participated in the 'Routen Wheel Row' for the
'Lifeboat Bell' (formerly named
the Portaferry Bell) with RNLI Area Organiser,
Valerie Cromie (seated front row),
Bernadette Rogers, Hon Sec Portaferry & District
Lifeboat Guild (seated 2nd row)
Pat Browne, Chairman of Portaferry & District
Lifeboat Guild (standing 3rd row)
and David Dunlop, who sponsored the event (1st
right 4th row)
Note
- Owing to the growing difficulty in obtaining sufficient
numbers of traditional rowing boats the rowing races
were abandoned in 2001 and the 'Routen Wheel' became
mainly a sailing event. The
last 'Routen Wheel' event took place in August 2003.
January
2014 - ROWING RACES IN STRANGFORD LOUGH TO BE REVIVED
Eight
'St Ayles' rowing skiffs are to be built along
the County Down coast in towns and villages between
Donaghadee to Dundrum with funding through the European
Agricultural Fund for Rural Development with support
from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Down
Rural Area Partnership and Down District & Ards
Borough councils. This community and tourism
initiative was developed by the Strangford Lough and
Lecale Partnership and the Police Service of Northern
Ireland.
The goal of the initiative
is to revive traditional wooden boat building in the
area and to encourage rowing races through the re-introduction
of an annual rowing race, the be called 'Narrows Challenge',
to be held in the Strangford Narrows, between Strangford
and Portaferry.
Note - Rowing club
races took place in Strangford Lough until 1986. These
races were known as the 'Strangford Lough Challenge'
and were for a trophy known as the 'Portaferry Bell'.
The last rowing club races were held in the
summer of 1986 and were won by the Cairndhu Rowing
Club who were awarded the Portaferry Bell trophy.
Following the ending of organised rowing races
in Strangford Lough, Liz Brown, the then chairman
of Portaferry Lifeboat Guild, approached the Cairndhu
Rowing Club to have the 'Portaferry Bell' returned
to Portaferry for safekeeping by the Portaferry Lifeboat
Guild on the understanding that it was to be used
as a trophy for rowing races between RNLI lifeboat
crews during the annual 'Routen Wheel Row'.
For several years thereafter Newcastle and Portaferry
lifeboat crews participated in the 'Routen Wheel Row'
until 2001 when there were in-sufficient numbers of
4 manned rowing boats to hold the Routen Wheel Row
races.
5
October 2014 - The 1st Narrows Challenge coastal rowing
races take place
On 5th October 2014
the first 'Narrows challenge' races took place in
Castle Ward Bay, Strangford Lough, with eight newly
built St Ayles skiffs from local coastal towns taking
part.
In 2014 the Down Coastal
Rowing Club was formed by the Strangford Lough and
Lecale Partnership to co-ordinate rowing activities
in the area and beyond.
As of January 2015
there are nine participating St Ayles Skiffs in the
County Down area.
For further information
about the 'Narrows Challenge' and other future rowing
events go to the websites of the Down
Coastal Rowing Club or the Strangford
Lough & Lecale Partnership
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19 December 1982 - The Jane's Rock
Rescue
On the early evening of 19 December
1982 reports were received that the yacht, Frieda,
with two yachtsmen on board, had not arrived at Ringhaddy
having left Killyleagh earlier in the day.
Belfast Coastguard requested the
Portaferry Lifeboat to launch in a search for the
missing yacht.
The Portaferry Lifeboat was launched
at 18:55 with Chief Helmsman, Desmond (Dessie)
Rogers at the helm and Helmsman, Francis (Frank)
Rogers and William (Billy) Ellison as crew. They
proceeded in gale force winds towards the west side
of Strangford Lough and began a search in the dark
between Holm Bay and Island Taggart.
The yacht was eventually sighted
by searchlight, hard aground on Jane's Rock, adjacent
to the Long Sheelagh. Unable to land at
that position, the lifeboat made its way to the northern
end of Jane's Rock where Helmsman Francis Rogers was
able to get ashore. With the aid of illumination
from a SAR helicopter's searchlight he was able to
get to the yacht and found that one male survivor
was on board.
The survivor reported that his fellow
crew member was missing. The missing crew member
had been in their 14ft tender working with the anchor
when it was swept away in a north-westerly direction.
With the male survivor on board the
lifeboat proceeded slowly towards Kircubbin Bay through
the Bird Island Passage. White flares were used
to illuminate the narrow channel. Winds had
now increased to storm force and as shelter from the
southerly wind was gradually lost high seas were experienced,
at times almost swamping the lifeboat.
On reaching Kircubbin Bay the lifeboat
stood off until shore help arrived shortly afterwards
and the male survivor was then landed to safety ashore
at Kircubbin at 21:45.
Portaferry's 'D' Class in 1982 - Zodiac
Mk 4 with twin 40 HP Mariner outboards
At daylight, in strong to gale force
winds, the search was resumed for the missing crew
member.
Later that morning the missing yachtsman
was found on an island by a coastguard auxiliary.
Fortunately, he had been driven ashore in the
yacht's tender and had taken shelter under it during
the night.
Having been released from service
the lifeboat had a difficult passage back to Portaferry
in stormy conditions.
For their rescue, Chief Helmsman,
Desmond Rogers was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal;
and Helmsman, Francis Rogers & William Ellison,
the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum.
The presentation of the RNLI Bronze
Medal to Desmond Rogers was made by Her Majesty, The
Queen Mother, on 15 May 1984. (See
photo above)
Back to top
The Crew - May 1980
1980 - Portaferry Lifeboat crew & station
officials with the Mayor of Ards Borough Council
Back to top
Portaferry Lifeboat Ladies Guild
- formed in 1979
Portaferry
Lifeboat Ladies Guild was formed in November 1979
with Mrs Eveleigh Brownlow as Chairman, Mrs Bernadette
Rogers (Secretary), Mrs Pat Browne (Treasurer) and
four committee members, Mrs Jess Brown, Mrs Joyce
Brown, Mrs A Lawson (Sen) and Mrs M Murray.
By early
1980 Guild numbers had swelled to 22 members and in
the first year the Guild had raised £1,400.
On 16
May 1981 the sum of £2,100 was raised as the
result of a sponsored row by crew members around Strangford
Lough. Two 16ft rowing boats, each with 6 crew
members, left Portaferry at 8:50am in wet and windy
conditions and rowed to Whiterock via Kircubbin where
the lifeboat crew were kindly supplied with lunch
by the ladies of Strangford Lough Yacht Club. Following
lunch they left Whiterock at 13:30 on their return
journey via Ringhaddy, East Down Yacht Club, inside
the Town Rock off Killyleagh, the Salt Island limit
mark, Castleward, around Swan Island off Strangford
and then to the finish at 18:30 at the quay at Portaferry,
after which all involved made their way to Portaferry
Sailing Club for refreshments.
Sir John Andrews, 1st President of
Portaferry Lifeboat Station, with Guild members in
1981
One of the early and
unusual fund raising events, suggested by a Guild
member, Mrs C Stephens, was a pancake and punch party.
It was held on Shrove Tuesday, 1983. Gas
cookers for the event were kindly supplied by Mr S
Quinn of Portaferry and several of the Guild members
donned RNLI aprons when the 'guests were served
freshly cooked crepes with various sweet and savoury
fillings'. Such was the success of
the event that it was repeated the following year
when 'several new supplies of batter had to be
prepared to satisfy the demand'.
Also, in 1983, the first
'Routen Wheel Row' took place in July during the station's
Lifeboat Day. The starting point for the
first event was Strangford Lough Yacht Club. Killyleagh
Yacht Club were the winners. As the winners,
KYC hosted the start in 1984 and, as subsequent winners,
for several years thereafter.
Following the races a BBQ
and music was provided by Portaferry Sailing Club.
(see
Routen Wheel Row history above for further information)
Portaferry
Lifeboat's 'D Class' lifeboat had been housed for
several years in premises kindly lent by Queens University
and subsequently at those owned by Billy Reid and
Donald Elliott.
On
27 August 1979 a pre-meditated explosion occured on
the yacht 'Shadow V' whilst off Oilean
Ruadh, near Mullaghmore, Co Sligo. As a result,
two teenage boys, an
82 year old lady and Earl Louis Mountbatten
of Burma were killed. The Belfast Newsletter decided
to run a public appeal to establish a memorial fund
in their memory. The appeal raised £10,600
and it was decided to use the monies for the 'Saving
of Lives at Sea'. To this purpose the monies
were allocated to assist in the building of a purpose
built boathouse to house the Portaferry Lifeboat.
During the 1984 AGM
of the Ladies Guild the name was changed to 'Portaferry
Lifeboat Guild' to encourage men to join and assist
the lady members in helping to raise the £30,000
target towards the cost of the new Boathouse. During
the 1984 AGM, Mrs Brownlow was appointed President,
Mrs M Maxwell - Chairman, Mrs Jess Brown - Secretary
and Mrs N Davis remained as Treasurer.
With the support of
the crew, yacht clubs and the local community, £6,094.21
was raised during the financial year 1984/85. A
fun event, the 'Hen Island Race' in man-made boats
and rafts, held at Ballydornan, raised £10,250
over two years.
Many of those who contributed
to fundraising for the Boathouse Appeal included crew
member Lucinda Hubbard who competed in the Liverpool
Marathon and other events, raising £692.60.
The ladies of the 'Daft Eddies' rowing team
raised over £1,000 during the Routen Wheel Row.
Others, including children, raised large and
smaller amounts, every donation being special and
very much appreciated.
In 1985 the BBC childrens
programme Blue Peter ran a 'Pieces of Eight' appeal
to fund several lifeboats but had raised enough to
fund a fifth boat. Guild member, Mrs A Lawson
(the mother of crew member Leonard Lawson)
heard that Blue Peter were looking for a suitable
home for the additional lifeboat and she approached
the BBC. In November 1985 the station received
the great news that BBC 'Blue Peter' had decided to
fund a 'Blue Peter Lifeboat' at Portaferry, an Atlantic
21 lifeboat to be named Blue
Peter V.
Some of Portaferry
Lifeboat Guild members in 1987
On 3rd December 1986,
Caron Keating and other members of BBC Blue Peter
came to Portaferry and amid rain and strong winds
named the new Atlantic 21 lifeboat Blue
Peter V.
Assisting them was a
10 year old girl, Paula Trainor, who christened the
new lifeboat with a bottle of milk. Paula was
a decendant of the Young family from Cloughey that
had been much involved in the former Cloughey Lifeboat
Station.
The new boathouse, built
to house Blue Peter V, was opened in 1987.
Portaferry Lifeboat
Guild members - 1987
President: Mrs Eveleigh
Brownlow
Chairman: Mrs Bernadett
Rogers
Hon Secretary: Mrs
Jess Brown
Hon Treasurer: Capt.
N Brownlee
Committee: Mrs Pat
Browne, Mrs Liz Brown, Mrs Lily Devlin, Mrs Joan McCoy
Mrs Maurren Quinn and Mr Fred Storey.
Guild Members: Mr
Jim Black, Mrs Cherry Boaden, Mrs Joyce Brown, Mrs
Mary Brownlee, Mrs Margaret Byres, Mr Tom Byres, Mrs
J Johnston, Mrs Anne Lawson, Miss McClelland, Mrs
Margaret Maxwell, Mr Gabriel Rogers, Mrs Earrol Steel,
Mrs Cecilia Stephens, Mrs Mary Toman and Mrs P Willis.
1979
THE BEGINNING
The Cloughey/Portavogie Lifeboat
was withdrawn from service in 1978 due to improvements
taking place in Portavogie harbour and representations
were made to the RNLI by Portaferry Sailing Club and
others to provide lifeboat coverage for Strangford
Lough and its approaches.
In 1979 the RNLI agreed to
trial a single engined 'C' Class lifeboat at Portaferry.
One of the first shouts of the 'trial
lifeboat' was on 23 September 1979 when in the late
afternoon it was returning after an exercise in the
Irish Sea and was called to respond to a SOS from
the fishing vessel 'Rueben Bulmer II' with
engine failure, giving a last known location as 3
NM South of Portavogie Harbour. The
casualty vessel was sighted by the lifeboat crew 1.5
NM East of the North Rock and on arrival on-scene
it was found to have a faulty fuel system. Two
persons were on board, the skipper and his son. The
lifeboat stood by the casualty until the MFV Miss
Josephine arrived to tow the casualty to Portavogie.
The lifeboat then escorted both vessels into Portavogie
and was then recovered and taken by road trailer back
to Portaferry. The lifeboat crew on the shout
were Jackie Harrison, John Murray (Sen) and K Wilson.
(& possibly George Rogers)
Another shout for the 'trial lifeboat'
occured a few days later, on 6 October 1979, again
whilst the lifeboat was on exercise near Round Island,
Strangford Lough. The call was to assist a small
boat with an orange hull reported to be in trouble
at the Strangford Bar. The lifeboat proceeded
from Round Island to the Strangford Bar arriving at
15:20. After a lengthy search of the area no
orange hulled vessel could be located and the lifeboat
returned to the station. The crew on board during
this shout were Tommy Mason and Herbie Taylor.
Many of the initial exercises in
the 'trial lifeboat' were used to gather information
about boat headings, transits and to survey suitable
launching or landing sites within Strangford Lough
and along the nearby Irish Sea coastline. With
no Decca or GPS available for inshore lifeboats in
1979 these recorded compass headings and bearings
were used time after time by the lifeboat crew to
effect successful rescues. Since the range
of the small single engined 'C' class lifeboat was
somewhat limited, on many occasions the lifeboat
was transported by road to be launched at one location
and recovered, sometimes at another. In this
way maximum knowledge of the local sea area was quickly
built up by the crew.
It soon became apparent that there
was indeed a need for a RNLI Lifeboat Station to cover
Strangford Lough and its approaches and in early in
1980 the good news was received that the RNLI had
decided to establish a permanent lifeboat station
in Portaferry on 1st May 1980 using a single engined
D class lifeboat..
Photo: Portaferry RNLI
L to R - Stuart Nourse (RNLI Poole),
Sir Arthur Hazlett (RNLI Committee of Management),
Dr W (Billy) Brown (to be apponted
station Honorary Secretary), Tony Course
(RNLI Divisional Inspector Ireland} and Desmond (Dessie)
Rogers (to be appointed Senior
Helmsman).
On 19 March 1980 the first meeting
of the new 'Portaferry Lifeboat Station Committee'
took place in the Queens University marine biology
center in Portaferry. Those present were;
Col. William Brownlow - Chairman, D
K Elliott - Treasurer, Dr Billy Brown - Station Honorary
Secretary, Leonard Lawson (representing the Ladies
Guild) and Dr Pat Boaden from Queens University
Belfast.
During the meeting it was agreed
to:
1. Open a Lifeboat Station
account at the Northern Bank, Portaferry
2. The Chairman to approach
Sir John Andrews to become the first President of
Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat Station.
On 28 April 1980 a meeting was held
in Portaferry by Tony Course, Inspector of Lifeboats
Ireland, with the station's committee at which the
operational parameters were established for the new
station as follows;.
The station will be operational from
1 May 1980 using a twin-engined D Class lifeboat from
late spring to autumn each year and in daylight hours
only.
a. Max operational wind speed
- force 6
b. Max operational wind speed
at Strangford Bar - force 6 but reduced to force 5
during ebb tides in winds N thru E to SSW.
c. Obligitory radiotelephone calls
required if lifeboat is leaving Strangford Lough;
On leaving: At lifeboat's departure
from Portaferry quay, before Rock Angus, clear of
the race.
On returning: before the race, after
Rock Angus, at the lifeboat's return to Portaferry
quay.
d. Radio frequencies to be used:
Call on Ch16 and leave or always return
radio to Ch16. Work as directed by coastguard
on Ch 0 or Ch 67 but otherwise leave radio on Ch 16.
e. Callsigns to use: "Portaferry
ILB" - for lifeboat & use "Portaferry
Base" - for Lifeboat Station. Use the portable
Pye Bantam for the base station radio.
f. Maroons: 2 to be kept at 212
Shore Street and 6 to be kept in the boathouse at
QUB
On 1 May 1980, Portaferry
Lifeboat Station was officially established by the
RNLI to carry on the historic life-saving work of
the former Cloughey and Cloughey/Portavogie lifeboat
stations.
In 1980 the station's crew list was
recorded as;
HELMSMEN: Dessie Rogers (Sen Helm),
John Murray Sen, John Murray Jnr, Desmond Swail, Mark
Browne, Jackie Harrison & Philip Johnston.
CREW: Billy Ellison, Leonard Lawson,
Tommy Mason, Frank Rogers, Gabriel Rogers, Heather
Brown, Trevor Lawson, Padrig Rogers, Billy Reid, Herbie
Taylor, Henrie Taylor, Graham Savage, Allison Ashworth
& Jonathan Barry.
Such was the enthusiasm of the local
community that a 'Junior Lifeboat' was established,
as recorded in the minutes of 8 June 1981, to encourage
local youth to become members of the crew. The
'Junior Lifeboat' was under the supervision of John
Murray, Phillip Johnston, Herbie Taylor and Tommy
Mason. Members of the new 'Junior Lifeboat'
were recorded as, Rickie Brown, William Brown, Danny
Miskelly, Tommy McNamara, David Ritchie, Martin Swail,
Paul Boaden, Patrick Mullen, William Kyle, Ruth Taylor,
Gwen Taylor and Garret McBrian. The last recorded
mention of the 'Junior Lifeboat' was in the minutes
of 25 August 1982.
In the same minutes of 25 August
1982 there was the first record of discussions about
the building of a 'new boathouse'.
Following an explosion on 27 August
1979 aboard the small motor yacht 'Shadow V'
off Oilean Ruadh, Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, two teenage
boys, an 82 year old woman and the Lord Louis Mounbatten
of Burma were killed and several others were seriously
injured. (On the same
day 17 British Army soilders had been killed in an
explosion at the Narrow Waters near Warrenpoint)
Shortly afterwards a memorial fund
was established by the Belfast Newsletter in memory
of all those who had lost their lives in the explosion
on board 'Shadow V' off Oilean Ruadh.
In 1982 it was decided to use the
£10,600 raised by the fund for the 'Saving of
Lives at Sea' and to this end it was agreed to assist
the RNLI in providing a purpose-built boathouse for
the housing of the Portaferry Lifeboat. At the
same meeting on 25 August a committee was formed to
persue the matter, consisting of Leonard Lawson, John
Murray, Herbie Taylor and Major William Brownlow.
After several years of planning and
the hard work to raise additional funds by the station's
Lifeboat Guild, a boathouse was completed in 1986.
Page updated 22 August
2018
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THE
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