The second Bembridge Lifeboat arrived on
station on 20th July
1887 and was named at a launching ceremony on the 28th
by HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh. The boat was named in honour of
Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee.
The Queen had been asked to choose a place for a new boat to be
stationed and She selected Bembridge.
The 35 foot "Queen Victoria" was sold out of service in
1902 to a crew member who converted her to a houseboat in
Bembridge Harbour, and renamed her "The Ark".
The "Queen Victoria" therefore has the double
distinction of being the first houseboat in Bembridge harbour and
the oldest surviving RNLI lifeboat in Britain.
After being acquired by the Bembridge Maritime Museum
in 1990, the "Queen Victoria" has been virtually
rebuilt at the Classic Boat Museum at Newport (I.o.W.) where she
now resides, except when out and about on fund raising visits.
Some events in the Queen Victoria's
recent career
|
| 1998 |
Sat 22nd
August |
Rowed
round the Nab Tower
by a sponsored crew |
| |
Sun 23rd
August |
Attended
the Bembridge Lifeboat Regatta |
| |
Sat 19th
December |
Attended
the Bembridge Lifeboat Annual Dinner Dance at The
Bembridge Coast Hotel |
| 1999 |
|
Re-enactment of an overland launch in the
West of England |
| |
Sun
30th
May 
Leaving Lane End
|
Re-enacted the 1877
overland launch to aid the brig "John Douse".
Four Shire horses - supplied by Brickfields - and
manpower pulled the lifeboat the five miles from the
Bembridge Lifeboat Station to Sandown Bay.
More
Details
|
| |
Sun 15th
August 
|
The
Queen Victoria attended the 1999 Bembridge Lifeboat
Open day. |
| 2000 |
Sun 20th
August |
The
Queen Victoria attended the 2000 Bembridge Lifeboat
Open day. |
A charitable trust, "The Isle of Wight
Historic Lifeboat Trust" is presently being formed to own
and display the restored lifeboats, "Queen Victoria"
and "The Langham",
the latter is awaiting restoration by The Classic Boat Museum in
Newport, Isle" of Wight. Another ex-Bembridge Lifeboat
"The Jesse Lumb"
can be seen at the Duxworth Air Museum, in a static display of
WWII air-sea rescue techniques.
The RNLI is dedicated to saving life at
sea and is supported entirely by voluntary contributions, please
help them.
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