Bembridge History
1867 The lifeboat station was established and a boathouse was built at Lane End. The first lifeboat was carriage launched and messages were passed by foot messenger or by a man on horseback.
1877 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Charles Searle for rescuing two people from the brigantine John Douse during a hurricane. Coxswain Searle was washed overboard in the night but was safely rescued with great difficulty due to darkness and heavy seas.
1888 A new lifeboat was named Queen Victoria to mark the Jubilee of Her Majesty.
The second coxswain and another man were lost overboard from Brooke lifeboat as she launched to the ship Sirenia. Bembridge Coxswain Attrill walked 15 miles to Brooke and volunteered to replace the man who had been killed. The lifeboat launched again and rescued the ship’s crew.
1899 The lifeboat rescued 14 men from a Navy torpedo boat grounded on Bembridge Ledge.
1902 A new lifeboat was launched by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh.
1915 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Holbrook for rescuing 110 men from HM Transport Empress Queen that was stranded on the Ring Rocks Foreland.
1919 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Holbrook for rescuing 13 people from the steamship Wakulla.
1922 The first motor lifeboat sent to the Isle of Wight arrived at Bembridge. A concrete pier, 250 yards in length, was built with a boathouse on piles at the seaward end. The lifeboat launched directly into deep water down a slipway.
The lifeboat stations at Brooke and Brighstone Grange were closed.
1940 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Harry J Gawn for rescuing 21 crew from the Navy minesweeper Kingston Cairngorm.
During the Second World War the lifeboat was provided with a couple of rifles to repel any attack by the enemy.
1964 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established and the D class lifeboat was kept in the 1867 boathouse.
1967 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1970 Framed Letters of Thanks were sent to ILB Crew Members Martin S Humphrey and Barry L Dyer for rescuing two men from two motor boats.
1972 The British Empire Medal was awarded to Coxswain Peter Smith.
1987 The boathouse was adapted for the new Tyne class lifeboat.
1989 The slipway was extended to recover the lifeboat at low tide.
1993 A Framed Letter of Thanks was presented to Coxswain Archibald Henley for rescuing, with Hayling Island lifeboat, 17 people from the yacht Donald Searle.
1994 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Alan Attrill for rescuing three crew from the yacht Bari aground on Bembridge Ledge.
Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Helmsman Alan Attrill and Crew Members Graeme White and Geoffrey Attrill for rescuing three crew from the motor cruiser Jade.
Improved crew facilities were provided; major slipway repairs were carried out; and a boathouse winch was installed.
1996 A new D class lifeboat was placed on service.
2004 Former Coxswain Martin Woodward was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty The Queen.
2005 The new D class lifeboat Dorothy Beatrice May Gorman was placed on service on 10 August.
Station honours
At Bembridge lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 7
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1
Bronze Medal 1
Silver Medal 2
