Selsey History
1838 A Silver Medal was awarded to Lieut E B Westbrook RN for saving three men from the sloop Ann.
1861 A lifeboat station was established at Selsey. The lifeboat was launched over the beach on skids.
1886 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain James Lawrence.
1920 A new slipway was built. The lifeboat was hauled on a trolley on rails until it reached this slipway, 25m out to sea.
1925 A new boathouse was built on piles.
1930 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Frederick Barnes for rescuing two men from the motor yacht Lucy B.
1939 During the Second World War the Selsey lifeboat, Canadian Pacific, was launched on service 50 times.
1950 The Maud Smith Award, for the bravest act of lifesaving was awarded to Crew Member W Arnell, who rescued a man from a capsized boat.
1952 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Leslie C Pennycord for the rescue of six crew from the Swift.
1956 Coxswain Douglas Grant was awarded a Silver Medal for the rescue of 18 people from the yachts Maaslust, Coima and Bloodhound.
1960 A new slipway, with a gradient of 1:5, and new station were completed.
1961 A Centenary Vellum was presented to the station.
1968 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat.
1978 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Michael Grant when the lifeboat saved three crew from the fishing vessel, Jenny.
1979 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Michael Grant for rescuing two crew from the sinking fishing vessel, New Venture.
1979 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Michael Grant when the lifeboat rescued the entire crew of 20 from the cargo vessel Cape Coast, which was listing and rolling violently.
1984 A second Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Michael Grant when the llifeboat rescued the crew of six and saved the yacht Enchantress.
1984 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman David Frank Munday when the ILB rescued the three crew from the motor cruiser Joan Maureen in October 1983.
The Ralph Glister Award, for 1983, went to Helmsman David Munday and Crew Members Anthony Delahunty and Nigel Osbourn for this service.
1985 Ten lifeboat crew and committee members of Selsey lifeboat station were admitted to the Freedom of the City of London. The Tyne class all weather lifeboat, City of London, was funded by the City of London Special Appeal.
1987 A boathouse was built for the D class lifeboat and contains a crew room, store and souvenir shop.
2005 It was decided that Voluntary Worker would replace City of London after 22 years' exemplary service by the latter.
Station honours
At Selsey lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Thanks of the Institution on Vellum 2
Bronze Medal 3
Silver Medal 5
