大象传媒

Of all the things you can buy off the internet, a lifeboat probably isn't something which comes to mind, but it's where one of Whitby's former boats was found. This is the story of its journey home and a return to its former glory.

The lifeboat in the workshop

A popular internet auction site (need I say more) is where Dave Charlton first saw the 'William Riley' in 2005 after it was put up for sale by its owner. The boat - it's official name is 'William Riley of Birmingham and Leamington' - was based in Whitby between 1909 and 1931. One successful bid later and the way was clear for months of painstaking restoration work.

After spotting the boat Dave bought it and gave it to Whitby on the condition it was restored to its original condition.

At the time the boat was moored at Barnstaple in Devon and according to Pete Thompson, one of the team working on her, was in a shocking state.

Fast forward to Autumn 2007 and this long journey is nearing an end. For two years a team of dedicated volunteers have been working on the boat in the inauspicious surroundings of an old barn, on a farm the outskirts of Whitby. Along the way they've managed to persuade a number of businesses in the town to back the project and secured a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Pete Thompson

"This lifeboat has a special place in Whitby's history" says Pete Thompson, who chairs the Whitby Historic Lifeboat Trust, "she was involved in what is probably Whitby's most famous rescue, the Rohilla disaster in 1914."

Rohilla, a hospital ship with more than 200 people on board, ran aground just south of Whitby harbour during a storm in the early hours of October 30th. Over the next two days, as the stranded ship began to break up, lifeboat crews braved treacherous seas to try and save ships company.

Light coloured wood is new

Many people were rescued but more than 80 died in the tragedy. The 'William Riley' was one of the lifeboats used to help in the rescue. The lifeboat - which weighed around 2.5 tonnes - was lowered down a 200ft cliff.

On its return to Whitby, parts of the keel of the 'William Riley' had already disintegrated and there were numerous holes in the hull. Since then the boat has been completely stripped down and all the rotten wood removed. A large part of the keel has been replaced with fresh oak. Once the new keel was in place, the damaged mahogany (which the hull was made from) was cut away and rebuilt using layers of mahogany laminate.

The entire boat was then covered in a combination of epoxy and two layers of fine fibre glass to protect it. "The weather can't get at it, water can't get through it" says Peter Thompson. He reckons as much of a third of the original wood has had to be replaced.

Close up of the keel

"We cannot afford to leave any wood exposed where damp or any form of moisture can get in. So we seal everything and then basically we've got a 100 year old boat covered in modern materials that can be put to sea."

Once the structural work has been finished the lifeboat will be painted, blue down to the water line and white below that.

It's taken two years to get the boat to this stage, with anywhere from two to six people working on it at any one time. It's been a long hard slog, pretty much "a labour of love" according to Pete.

Once finished they hope to be able to put the boat on display, as well as use it as part of a mobile RNLI display for events like the Great Yorkshire Show. They also plan to use it as a way of raising money for the RNLI.听

"We can put it to sea" says Pete "we can do demonstrations and we'll probably do something like a sponsored row down the coat to Scarborough or something like that. Mainly we're interested in teaching the general public how old lifeboat men used to row these things.

"They're magnificent looking boats these, the old rowing lifeboat with the two boxes at either end, it's the old image of a 19th century lifeboat. They do look superb听 - it will be a focal point wherever we take it."

Records at Whitby lifeboat station show that while the 'William Riley' was stationed in the town it was launched 31 times and saved a total of 10 lives. Whitby Heritage Lifeboat Trust is still seeking members to help with fund-raising and other work. Membership costs 拢12 and is available from Mr Thomson. He can be contacted at Whitby Lifeboat Museum on 01947 602001.