St Mary's History
1837 The first two lifeboats were kept in a boathouse on the town beach at Hugh Town.
1841 A Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Charles Steel and Silver Medals to William Rowe, Patrick O'Niell, James Hyde and Barnard Hicks for rescuing four people from the steamship Thames.
1855 The station closed.
1874 The lifeboat station was re-opened by the RNLI and a boathouse was built on the beach at Porth Cressa.
1889 A larger self-righting lifeboat was kept afloat on moorings in the harbour.
1891 A smaller carriage-launched lifeboat was sent to the station.
1899 A new boathouse and slipway were built at Carn Thomas.
1919 The station’s first motor lifeboat arrived at the station.
1927 On the afternoon of 27 October the steamship Isabo went aground on the Scilly Rock. The lifeboat Elsie and three other boats, Sunbeam, Czar, and Ivy, all responded and saved 32 of the 38 crew.
The following awards were made:
Elsie (lifeboat): Four lives saved – Silver Medal to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge; Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain James T Lethbridge, Motor Mechanic John Rokahr and Doctor William Ivers
Sunbeam: 12 lives saved – Silver Medal to Charles Jenkins and a Bronze Medal to Mr ER Jenkins
Czar: 15 lives saved – Bronze Medal to Mr William E Jenkins
Ivy: One life saved – Bronze Medal to Mr Ernest Jenkins
The Italian Government awarded four Silver and 34 Bronze Medals for this service.
1934 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Acting Coxswain Harry Barratt for the rescue of six men and a dog from the schooner Myonie R Kirby.
1937 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1945 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge and Second Coxswain James T Lethbridge for rescuing 15 people from the torpedoed American liberty ship Jonas Lie.
1955 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge for rescuing 25 crew from the steamer Mando.
1967 A collective Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to the Coxswain and crew for services to the tanker Torrey Canyon, which went aground on the Seven Stones on 18 March.
1967 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge Jnr, Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Ernest Guy and Motor Mechanic William Burrow and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to each of the eight other crew members for rescuing the 19 crew and saving the yacht Braemar.
1970 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge Jnr, Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Ernest Guy and Motor Mechanic William Burrow and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to each of the eight other crew members for rescuing 10 people from the Nordanhav.
1972 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge Jnr and Crew Member Rodney Terry for a service to the crew and yacht Moronel.
1975 Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge Jnr was awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours List.
1977 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge Jnr for a service to the French trawler Enfant de Bretagne. The lifeboat searched for survivors amongst the wreckage and many uncharted rocks for nine hours. Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to each of the seven other crew members.
1979 A special framed certificate was awarded to the Coxswain and crew for services to numerous yachts in difficulties during the Fastnet Race on 14 August.
1982 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge BEM for rescuing two crew from yacht Concherto.
1983 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge BEM for the rescue of six people after a helicopter had crashed in dense fog and dangerous waters.
1985 Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge BEM retired having served nearly 40 years in the St Mary’s lifeboats, the previous 29 years as coxswain.
1987 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded to station.
1993 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Barry Bennett for the rescue of the sole occupant from the yacht Bacarole, which was swamped by heavy seas in very shallow waters of Porth Cressa Bay. The survivor was hauled onboard just as the yacht was engulfed by waves and sank.
1997 The new Severn class lifeboat arrived at the station.
2004 Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain Andrew Howells and Crew Members Mark Bromham and Philip Roberts for the rescue of an injured man from a yacht on 29 October 2003. The rescue took place in north westerly force 8 winds, 12 metre seas and 40 miles from the station. Petty Officer Air Crewman David Rigg and Leading Crewman Graham Hatch were both awarded The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum. The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society awarded Coxswain Howells The Lady Swaythling Trophy for 2003 for this service.
Station honours
At St Mary’s lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 1
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 29
Bronze Medal 16
Silver Medal 9
Gold Medal 1
