Portaferry History

1980 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established at Portaferry on 1 May. A D class lifeboat was placed on service for trials and training.

1981 The ILB became operational during the summer months only.

1983 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman John Desmond Rogers for rescuing the owner of the yacht Frieda which had gone aground on Janes Rock in Strangford Lough in storm force winds and a very rough sea on the evening of 19 December 1982. The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Crew Members William Ellison and Francis Rogers.

1984 A C class lifeboat was placed on service.

1986 The C class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced with a B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

The Atlantic 21 lifeboat was named Blue Peter V and was funded by viewers of the Blue Peter television programme. She was ‘christened’ with a bottle of milk!

1987 A new boathouse was built on the north east side of the Strand for the Atlantic 21 lifeboat. It includes a crew room, galley, drying cupboards, storage and shower.

1994 The Atlantic 21 lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by the new B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-706 Blue Peter V, on 13 June.

2005 The station was awarded a Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman for the effort made to search for a teenage boy who had fallen into the sea.

2006 Helmsman Simon Rogers was accorded Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for the rescue of a survivor of the foundered fishing vessel Greenhill on 10 January. The station received a Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman for their efforts in searching for more survivors.

Station honours

At Portaferry lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 3
Bronze Medal 1