James Stevens lifeboats
# James Stevens lifeboats

The James Stevens lifeboats were a series of twenty lifeboats which were purchased by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) using a £50,000 legacy received in 1894 from the estate of Mr James Stevens, of The Reform Club, Birmingham, UK, an Edgbaston property developer, which was provided for this purpose. This donation provided more boats than any other donation received by the RNLI. (Mrs Sue Denny, Spokeswoman for The RNLI).

Two of the lifeboats, No. 10 and No. 14, are still seaworthy.

## Fleet

| Boat No. | ON | Class | In service | Station | History |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. 1 | 401 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1896–1917 | Port St Mary | A ten-oared lifeboat that cost £463, launched on 22 services saving 55 lives. |
| No. 2 | | | 1898–1912 | Campbeltown, Kintyre | Costing £538, it was severely damaged in a double rescue on 28 December 1908. Captain Martin was awarded a Silver Medal by the RNLI for his bravery and seamanship that night. |
| No. 3 | 420 | Steam-class | 1898–1903 1903–1908 1908–1915 1915–1919 1919–1922 1922–1928 | Cleethorpes Gorleston Angle Yarmouth (Totland Bay) Dover Holyhead | Built by J. Samuel White. |
| No. 4 | 421 | Steam-class | 1899–1900 | Padstow | Built by J Samuel White. Lost at sea, eight of her crew of eleven were drowned. On 3 September 2009 a memorial was erected in their memory. One of the first steam powered lifeboats. |
| No. 5 | | | 1899–1917 | Newquay | Mar 1908 – capsized during a practice launch with the loss of one life. Dec 1917 – Lost whilst helping the SS Osten, her thirteen crew were saved. The old lifeboat station is now an artists studio. |
| No. 6 | 427 | Self-Righter | 1898–1924 | Eastbourne | Broken up in 1948 after service in World War II. The old boathouse is now a museum. |
| No. 7 | | | | Howth, Dublin | 1901: Captain John Angus, crew 13. |
| No. 8 | 425 | Liverpool P&S | 1899–1914 1913–1916 | Ardrossan, Ayrshire Wells-next-the-Sea | Launched 27 September 1899, replacing the Charles Skirrow. On 17 November 1899, 18 people were rescued from the four-masted sailing ship Oberon |
| No. 9 | 430 | Norfolk and Suffolk-class | 1899–1909 | Southend-on-Sea | Fifty-two lives saved from eleven craft |
| No. 10 | 435 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1899–1933 | St Ives | Was rescued and restored to offer trips round the harbour. Found submerged in the Hayle Estuary on 30 December 2015. Sank in Dec 2015 due to being neglected, recently undergone a 3 year restoration project and now offering historic lifeboat trips around St.Ives Bay https://www.stives-boat-trips.co.uk |
| No. 11 | 438 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1915–1919 | Angle | |
| No. 12 | 436 | 35 ft Self-Righter | 1900–1903 | The Mumbles | Capsized with the loss of six crew while standing by the re-float of the Waterford steamer Christina which went aground when attempting to enter Port Talbot harbour. |
| No. 13 | | | 1900–1925 | Arbroath | Storm damaged in 1925, No. 13 was replaced by James Gowland. |
| No. 14 | 432 | Norfolk and Suffolk-class | 1899–1928 | Walton and Frinton | Fully restored and re-launched in 2009 and is the world’s oldest motor lifeboat. 126 Launches, 227 Live Saved. |
| No. 15 | 442 | Watson-class P&S | 1900–1921 | Rosslare Harbour | A memorial commends the eleven crewmen of the Rosslare Port Lifeboat James Stevens and six men from the tug Wexford. For four days the lifeboatmen stood by in an open boat, battling against gales, sleet and mountainous seas before rescuing ten men from the wrecked Norwegian schooner Mexico. The James Stevens Museum at Scoil Mhuire National School relates Rosslare’s maritime and rural history. A Wreath is laid annually to commemorate the rescue. |
| No. 16 | | | 1900–1930 | Helvick Head (Dungarvan) | |
| No. 17 | | | 1900–1922 | Porthoustock | |
| No. 18 | | | 1901–1931 | Girvan | |
| No. 19 | | | 1901–1926 | Newburgh | (Relief 1926–1928). 15 November 1923, launched to rescue the Aberdeen trawler Imperial Prince, resulting in the crew being awarded two silver and a bronze RNLI medal for bravery. |
| No. 20 | 457 | | 1901–1920 | Crosshaven, Ireland | (Relief 1920–1923). Station Number 2, cost £1,739 |

* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
