Class overview
Name45ft Watson-class
Builders
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded byvarious
Succeeded by45ft 6in Watson-class
Cost£6,000-£8,500
Built(1912), 1919-1925
In service1912-1956
Completed22
Lost1
Retired21
General characteristics
Class and type45ft Watson-class motor lifeboat
Length45 ft (14 m)
Beam12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Propulsion
  • 1 x 60bhp Tylor D1 4-cyl petrol
  • 1 x 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl petrol
Speed8 knots
Range125 nm
Crew8-12

The 45 ft Watson-class was a non self-righting displacement hull lifeboat built between 1919 and 1925 and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution between 1919 and 1956.

History

In 1898 the first 45 ft Watson was built, one of the largest pulling and sailing lifeboats built for the RNLI. Only three of these 45 footers were built, the last in 1901. This third boat, Albert Edward ON 463, was based at Clacton-on-Sea and after eleven years service was taken in hand for rebuilding with a motor. A 40 bhp Tylor C 4-cylinder petrol engine was fitted but little else was changed and, like all single engine lifeboats, a full sailing rig and drop keel was retained. The boat returned to service at Clacton in 1912 and served there until 1929. With the conversion of ON 463 deemed a success, plans were put in hand for the production of a series of 45 ft Watson motors, but due to the First World War, the first boat did not appear until 1919.

Description

Like ON 463 the first eleven production boats were open decked and retained full sail plans and a drop keel. The first seven boats were powered by a 60 bhp Tylor D1 6-cylinder petrol engine, while the rest had an RNLI designed 80 bhp DE6 6-cylinder petrol engine, nine of which were built by Weyburn Engineering and five by J. Samuel White. Experience showed that the open deck layout was inadequate for the longer services operated by the motor lifeboats and from the late 1920s a shelter was added ahead of the steering position. The final ten boats, built from 1923(ON 684), were to a revised design with a cabin capable of taking twenty survivors ahead of the engine room.

Fleet

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name Built Builder In service Stations Comments[1]
463 Albert Edward 1901 Thames Ironworks 1901–1929 Clacton-on-Sea A 40 bhp Tylor C 4-cylinder petrol engine was fitted in 1912.

Sold October 1932. Reported in December 2018 as yacht at Haven Marina, Ipswich.

1929–1932 Arranmore
648 Elsie 1919 S. E. Saunders 1919–1930 St Mary's Sold January 1951. Renamed Happy Return. Reported as a yacht in Tahiti, 1960.
1930–1946 Helvick Head
1946–1951 Relief fleet
649 Duke of Connaught 1919 S. E. Saunders 1919–1950 Baltimore Originally named Duke of Connaught but renamed Shamrock in 1920.

Sold February 1952. Reported in June 1991 as under conversion at Bowling Canal Basin, Dunbarton.

Shamrock
1950–1952 Relief fleet
653 William Evans 1921 Summers & Payne / S. E. Saunders 1921–1927 Wexford Sold November 1940.
1927–1927 Rosslare Harbour
1927–1939 Galway Bay
654 Joseph Adlam 1921 S. E. Saunders 1921–1948 Blyth Sold February 1952.
1948–1951 Relief fleet
658 Dunleary
(Civil Service No.7)		 1919 S. E. Saunders 1919–1938 Dun Laoghaire Sold May 1951. Reported in May 2022 to be under restoration at Coal Harbour, Dun Laoghaire.
1939–1951 Lytham St Annes
659 Frederick and Emma 1921 S. E. Saunders 1921–1938 Wick Sold August 1950. Renamed Stadats. Reported in September 2021 as a yacht at Melton Boatyard, Melton, Suffolk.
1939–1950 Amble
668 Duke of Connaught 1921 S. E. Saunders 1921–1939 Peterhead No.2 Sold October 1951. Renamed King John II. Reported in July 2012 as a pleasure boat at Uppsala, Sweden.
1939–1951 Relief fleet
671 The Brothers 1922 J. Samuel White 1922–1931 Penlee Sold August 1952. Reported in October 2022 to have been possibly to be broken up at Gweek Classic Boatyard.
1931–1934 Falmouth
1934–1937 Relief fleet
1937–1938 Selsey
1938–1946 Relief fleet
1946–1947 Plymouth
1948–1952 Workington
678 Edward, Prince of Wales 1924 J. Samuel White 1924–1947 The Mumbles Capsized on service 23 April 1947, eight crew lost. Boat later burned.
679 Elizabeth Newton 1923 J. Samuel White 1924–1939 Hartlepool Sold May 1953. Renamed Viking. Lost at Rhyl in 1981.
1939–1940 Berwick upon Tweed
1940–1953 Relief fleet
680 City of Bradford 1923 J. Samuel White 1923–1929 Humber Renamed as City of Bradford I in 1929. Sold October 1952. Renamed Hammer. Last seen in the 1980s.
City of Bradford I 1929–1930 Relief fleet
1930–1932 Humber No.2
1932–1952 Relief fleet
684 John R. Webb 1923 J. Samuel White 1923–1930 Tenby Renamed as 684 RM in 1931 and then as Hearts of Oak in 1934.

Reported as stored for restoration on the River Yonne at Migennes, France, in December 2021.

684 RM 1931–1932 Barra Island
1932–1934 Relief fleet
Hearts of Oak 1934–1936 Yarmouth
1937–1955 Relief fleet
685 J.W. Archer 1924 J. Samuel White 1924–1950 Teesmouth Sold July 1956. Reported in November 2022 to be in storage in North East England.
1950–1954 Amble
1954–1956 Relief fleet
686 T.B.B.H. 1924 J. Samuel White 1924–1949 Portrush Sold January 1953. Reported in September 2022 to be a motor yacht on the River Hamble.
1949–1953 Relief fleet
687 B.A.S.P. 1924 J. Samuel White 1924–1934 Yarmouth Sold February 1955. On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since April 1996.
1934–1940 Falmouth
1940–1947 Relief fleet
1947–1951 Valentia
1951–1955 Relief fleet
688 The Lord Southborough
(Civil Service No.1)		 1924 S. E. Saunders 1925–1951 Margate Sold January 1955. Reported as a y acht in Cyrenaica in 1955 but by November 2001 it was owned at Sholing in Southampton.
1951–1955 Relief fleet
689 Manchester and Salford 1924 S. E. Saunders 1924–1946 Douglas Sold October 1954. Reported in December 2022 to be under restoration at the Douglas Boatyard in Hesketh Bank, Lancashire.
1946–1954 Relief fleet
690 C. and S. 1925 S. E. Saunders 1925–1940 Dunmore East Sold November 1947. Renamed Caradoc. In July 1985 it was reported to be in Victoria, British Columbia.
1940–1943 Pwllheli
1943–1946 Relief fleet
1946–1947 Valentia
692 Milburn 1925 S. E. Saunders 1925–1946 Holy Island Sold September 1955. Renamed Rosanaed.
February 2020, yacht at Denton Island, Newhaven, East Sussex.
1946–1955 Relief fleet
694 H.F. Bailey 1924 J. Samuel White 1924–1928 Cromer No.1 Originally named H.F. Bailey, it was renamed J.B. Proudfoot in 1936. Sold September 1956. Renamed Gramarie, in June 2019 it was seen as a yacht on hard at Marbella, Spain.
1929–1935 Cromer No.1
J.B. Proudfoot 1935–1941 Relief fleet
1941–1945 Southend-on-Sea
1945–1947 Relief fleet
1947–1949 Dover
1949–1956 Relief fleet
695 M.O.Y.E. 1925 J. Samuel White 1926–1949 Porthdinllaen Sold April 1956.
1949–1956 Relief fleet
  1. ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

References

  1. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
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