Margate History
1857 The Margate Boatmen were given the lifeboat Hannah and Angela.
1860 The RNLI formally established a lifeboat station and took over the lifeboat.
1866 A new lifeboat house was built; the Town Council agreed that it could be built as long as it had a flat roof so the town band could play on it during the season!
1871 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain William Grant for saving six crew from the brigantine Sarah.
1877 A second Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain William Grant for rescuing 15 people from the barque Hero and seven people from the brigantine Louisa.
1893 A Silver Medal was awarded to William Crawford, Honorary Secretary.
1897 The RNLI lifeboat Quiver returned to station after 31 hours assisting Persian Empire that had collided with a steamer. The town’s lifeboat Friend To All Nations capsized and only four of the 13 brave crew were saved.
1898 Two slipways were built and a second lifeboat (No. 2) was placed at the station.
1905 A Silver Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Steven Clayson for the 10-hour rescue of four people from the ketch Malvoisin.
1906 Mr J Jones, a member of the Margate crew, died as a result of exposure whilst out on service in the private lifeboat Friend To All Nations.
1925 The first motor lifeboat arrived at the station.
1928 The No. 1 lifeboat was withdrawn from service.
1940 The lifeboat The Lord Southborough went to Dunkirk on 30 May to help in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force. Coxswain Edward Drake Parker was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
1951 A Bronze Medal and the Maud Smith Award were awarded to Crew Member Alfred Wilson for a service to the yacht Girland.
1952 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Dennis R Price for rescuing two men from the barque Vera.
1953 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Dennis H Price for saving seven crew and the trawler Notre Dame de la Mer.
1960 A Centenary Vellum was presented to the station.
1966 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat.
1969 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Helmsman David Lacey and Crew Member Christopher Weatherly Brown for saving four crew from the Jaroma.
1971 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Albert Joseph Scott for rescuing three crew from the motor launch Pisces.
1978 During a storm the jetty to the boathouse was destroyed. After the storm, the crew were lowered to the boathouse by helicopter and managed to launch the lifeboat.
A new lifeboat house was built.
1992 Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra named the Mersey class lifeboat Leonard Kent.
1998 An extension to the boathouse was built, providing improved crew facilities and better ILB accommodation.
1999 The new D class lifeboat Tigger Too was placed on service.
Station honours
At Margate lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 4
Bronze Medal 1
Silver Medal 5
