Teddington History

2001 A new search and rescue service for the River Thames was announced 22 January. The RNLI was asked by the Government to provide lifeboat cover as a result of the findings of the Thames Safety Inquiries into the collision between the pleasure cruiser The Marchioness and the dredger Bowbelle, which resulted in the loss of 51 lives in 1989. This was the first time the RNLI set up lifeboat stations to specifically cover a river rather than estuarial waters.

2002 A relief D class lifeboat, D-447 Spirit of Nuneaton and Bedworth, was placed on service on 2 January.

 A new station D class lifeboat, D-576 Spirit of the Thames, was placed on service on Monday 24 June. This lifeboat was funded by various fundraising activities carried out in the local area, organised by the Twickenham and Teddington fundraising branch.

2003  Spirit of the Thames was officially named on 7 June at Teddington lifeboat station.

2005  A new D class lifeboat Spirit of Mortimer was placed on service on 20 May.