St Ives History

1839 Silver Medals were awarded to five pilots for rescuing five men from the schooner Rivals that ran aground on 24 December 1838.

1840 The first lifeboat, Hope, was operated by a local committee.

1861 The RNLI took over the station and a boathouse was built in Island Road.

1865 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Nicholas Levett for rescuing four crew from the wrecked brigantine Providence. The lifeboat capsized twice during this service.

1867 A new boathouse was built on Market Strand.

1871–1921  
Seven Silver Medals and one Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded for gallantry for rescues off the coast.

1911 The 1867 boathouse was rebuilt on the quay.

1938 The station’s first motor lifeboat was placed on service.

1938 On 31 January as the lifeboat had rescued the 23 crew from the vessel Alba a large sea capsized the lifeboat. Five of the Alba crew drowned. Coxswain Thomas Cocking was awarded the Silver Medal and the eight crew Bronze Medals. This was the first time a motor lifeboat had capsized.

1939 On 23 January the lifeboat launched in a violent gale to the aid of an unknown vessel. The lifeboat capsized north of Clodgy Point and when she righted four men were missing. As the boat drifted she capsized again and another man was lost. She capsized a third time and only Crew Member William Freeman managed to get ashore near Godrevy. Bronze Medals were awarded to Crew Member William Freeman and posthumously to Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Matthew Barber, William Barber, Richard Stevens, John Cocking, John Thomas, and Edgar Bassett.

 Within 12 months two lifeboats and 12 lives had been lost – an event unparalleled in the history of the RNLI.

1946 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain William Peters for rescuing two people from the sinking ketch Minnie Flossie.

1946 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1958 A Silver Medal and the Maud Smith award for the bravest act of lifesaving in 1958 were awarded to Mechanic Michael Peters and Bronze Medals to Coxswain Dan Roach and Signalman Dan Paynter Jnr for rescuing four people trapped in a cave. Michael Peters jumped overboard, brought one person aboard and then swam into the cave with a line attached to bring everyone to safety.

1964  An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was permanently established alongside the all weather lifeboat. A D class was placed on service.

1968 A collective Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to the Helmsman and crew for saving three people from two speedboats. During the service the ILB capsized, fortunately without the loss of life.

1972–1978
 Over a period of six years one Framed Letter of Thanks (1972), two Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum (1975 and 1977) and one Silver Medal (1978) were awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking for four rescues. Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to the six other crew members for the 1978 rescue.

1979 A special framed certificate was awarded to the Coxswain and crew for their service to several yachts in difficulties during the Fastnet Race on 14 August.

1980 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Tractor Driver J Tanner and Head Launcher J Benney when they successfully launched the lifeboat in very difficult conditions with a fault in one of the tracks on the tractor.

1981 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Helmsman P Allen when he swam from the ILB to help a helicopter winchman put a very badly injured man, who had fallen from cliffs, into a stretcher. Director’s Letters of Appreciation were sent to Crew Members I Lowe and I Tanner and the Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose.

1982  Two Bronze Medals were awarded to Helmsman Eric Thomas Ward for two rescues – one to a capsized sailing dinghy (April) and the other to a yacht aground (July). Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Crew Members William Thomas and Philip Allen (April) and Thomas Cocking Jnr and John Stevens (July).

1984 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking Snr for rescuing 14 people from the German tug Fairplay X and the Dutch coaster Orca in a strong gale and very rough seas. The Maud Smith Award for the most outstanding act of lifesaving during 1984 was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking Snr for the Orca service.

1989 A collective Framed Letter of Thanks was sent to the Coxswain and crew after the lifeboat stood by the cargo vessel Secil Japan which had grounded on rocks in Deadman’s Cove in storm force winds and very rough seas.

1994 A new boathouse and slipway were built for the station's Mersey class lifeboat, launching tractor, and ILB, providing a workshop, souvenir sales outlet and crew facilities.

1996 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1997 The new D class lifeboat, D-515 Spirit of the RTC, was placed on service.

2007 The new D class lifeboat Colin Bramley Parker was placed on service.

Station honours

At St Ives lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 6
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 13
Bronze Medal 20
Silver Medal 18