Largs History

1964 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established in May with a D class lifeboat. The ILB was operated from a small boathouse at Barrfields slipway, facing Great Cumbrae Island.

1971 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Helmsman John H Harrison and Crew Members Robert Watson and John Mackie for their services to a drilling rig Pontoon in difficulties off Hunterston Sands on 18 March.

1974 The D class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

1981 A new boathouse was built for the Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

1983 A Silver Medal was awarded to Crew Member Arthur Hill for his courage, determination and cool assessment of a difficult situation when he entered the water from the lifeboat and dived under the cabin top of an upturned boat to rescue a young girl trapped in a small air-pocket. Helmsman John Strachan was awarded the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum and Crew Member Dave Hewitt a Medal service certificate for their part in this rescue. The Maud Smith Award for the most outstanding act of lifesaving by a lifeboatman during 1983 was awarded to Arthur Hill.

1998  The Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-739 Peggy Keith Learmond, was placed on service; she was a gift of Mrs Margaret Keith (Peggy) Learmond from Edinburgh.

 A larger boathouse was built for the Atlantic 75 lifeboat and launching vehicle. The official opening of the new boathouse was carried out by HRH The Princess Royal on 3 July.

2004 The station celebrated 40 years as a lifeboat station.

Station honours

At Largs lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 3
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1
Silver Medal 1