Bangor History

1965 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established in May and a D class lifeboat was placed on service. This was housed in a car garage behind Bangor’s Old Tower, now the Tourist Office, and had to be pushed across the road and down the old slip by the Harbour Master’s Office to the open sea for launching.

1984 A new boathouse was built at the harbour by North Down Borough Council. The ILB was launched down the current slipway into the now sheltered waters of Bangor Bay protected by the new North and South Breakwaters.

1988 The D class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced with a B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat on 25 March.

1991 A new Atlantic 21, B584, arrived at the station. HRH Prince Edward named the new lifeboat Youth of Ulster at Bangor on 20 August. Youth of Ulster was funded by the generosity of the people of the Province of Ulster.

2002 A new boathouse was built on the current site, kindly provided by North Down Borough Council, in anticipation of the new Atlantic 85 due towards the end of 2005–early 2006. This provides room to house the larger and faster boat for future search and rescue requirements for the area. It also provides the Bangor lifeboat crew with essential space for ongoing training and the equipment needed by an RNLI lifeboat station in the 21st century.

2006 The new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Jessie Hillyard was placed on service on 8 October.

2010 Her Majesty The Queen, honoured crew member Brian Meharg in her Birthday List by making him a Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE).