200 years of lifeboats

Sir William Hillary’s vision for a service dedicated to saving lives at sea became a reality in Bishopsgate’s trendy London Tavern on 4 March 1824.

Sir William lived in Douglas on the Isle of Man. Here he witnessed many shipwrecks and came to understand how treacherous the sea can be. At the time there was an average of 1,800 shipwrecks a year around our coasts and the danger of a shipwreck was an accepted way of life at sea.

After intense lobbying of both Parliament, the Admiralty and wealthy philanthropics his vision eventually became reality and so the Royal National Lifeboat Institution ( RNLI ) was borne.

In the intervening 200 years thousands of brave men and women have taken to the seas around the British Isles, in all types of weather, to save the lives of people in distress. All crew members are volunteers, giving their time and sometimes their lives, to help others.

So on Tuesday March 4th 2024 celebrations were held around the UK to celebrate and commemorate those brave individuals who risk their own lives daily to save others. In Liverpool a flotilla of rescue craft from various local stations sailed along the River Mersey at midday. These are a few shots from the day.