Here are a series of pictures of the past life of Jane Hannah MacDonald III lifeboat. She was active in Appledore between 1910-1922. Richard, a current crew member of the Appledore Lifeboat Station kindly got in touch with to share these images.
This photo below, taken from above, is very interesting as it clearly depicts her internal layout – hard box like seats for the oarsmen; how they must have pitched about on stormy seas!
She is drawing quite a crowd here along the quay in this picture above!
The quality of the image is not too good, but so glad the old photograph survived to see those who rowed her. This looks like a practice training exercise perhaps, and I wonder who took the picture?
Although the pictures show calm seas, this lifeboat’s first mission in winter gales. When she first arrived in 1920, she went to the help a three-masted schooner transporting copper ore from Venezuela. On 13th December Katie of Carnarvon became stranded on Saunton Sands while seeking shelter from high winds. JHM III went to her rescue, and brought two sick passengers ashore for medical attention. The boat was later re-floated and continued on its way.
And perhaps someone can shed light on this picture below. Are they trialling capsize in a training exercise or has she been caught in a tide? The lifeboat was one of the first self-righting boats with a double steel keel to help to keep her upright in rolling waves.
Thank you so much for sharing these with us – it motivates us to keep raising money to complete the renovation on the old boat; so we may once again see her draw crowds along the quay as she sails up the Torridge.