Bude History
1837 A lifeboat station was established with a lifeboat funded by King William IV.
1844 The lifeboat capsized and two of her crew drowned.
1845 Silver Medals were awarded to Coastguards James Perkins, Thomas Paul and Simon Bolitho for rescuing four people from the wrecked schooner Margaret.
1853 The RNLI took over the lifeboat station.
A Silver Medal was awarded to WH Tregidgo for rescuing two people from the wrecked smack Margaret.
1858 Silver Medals were awarded to Coastguards WH Tregidgo, J Stone, JP Sharrock, WR May and H Ellis for saving 17 people from the ship Defence.
1860 A Silver Medal was awarded to J Dyer for wading into the surf and rescuing the Master of the schooner Beverley.
A third Silver Medal was awarded to WH Tregidgo for rescuing 11 men from the wrecked schooner Union and lugger Anais off Newquay.
1877 Coxswain James Maynard drowned after the lifeboat capsized returning from the schooner Elizabeth Scown.
1881 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Bate for saving four men from the wrecked ketch Stucley.
1923 The lifeboat station closed when a motor lifeboat was placed at Padstow and there was also a decline in the coasting trade.
1966 An inshore lifeboat station was established in May with a D class lifeboat.
Royal Humane Society’s resuscitation certificates were awarded to M Moyle and AJ Lovejoy after they rescued a swimmer.
1984 A Vellum was awarded to the station to commemorate 105 years of total service.
1991 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Crew Member Simon Chadwick for swimming ashore through breaking surf to the yacht Mary E. He climbed a cliff and assisted in the rescue, by helicopter, of the sole occupant who was found on the cliff face.
1993 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Michael Sims for rescuing two climbers cut off by the tide at the base of a cliff. One had fallen 10m. Framed Letters of Thanks were presented to Crew Members James Wade and Keith West.
1996 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to the crew members and shore helpers who helped search for a five-year-old girl who was swept from the rocks at Sandymouth Beach. They were sadly unable to find the girl.
A Framed Letter of Thanks was presented to Crew Member Gary Parkinson for assisting two people in heavy surf at the harbour entrance.
1996 A new D class lifeboat was placed on service.
2004 A new boathouse for the lifeboat, carriage and launching tractor was completed, also providing new crew facilities and a souvenir shop. The funding for the boathouse was donated by Bridget Blundell OBE.
A new D class lifeboat, D-617 Henry Philip, was named and placed on service. This is the third lifeboat to be donated by Mr Underdown.
Station honours
At Bude lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 4
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum
Silver Medal 12
