THE HISTORY OF TENBY LIFEBOAT

R.N.L.B CAROLINA MORRIS' DIVINE RESCUE.

This was the 'FLORENCE' under a new name

This was the 'FIORENCE' under a new name given to her in 1876 when she was appropriated to a legacy from Miss C. H. Morris, a procedure not uncommon in those days. Coxswain Monger had resigned in the previous October and had been awarded the Institution's Silver Medal. He was succeeded by William Ray.

The newly named boat remained on service for less than eight years. Her few effective serices' however were impressive. In February 1881 she was called to the assistance of the ketch 'Brothers' of Plymouth which had parted her anchor chain in Caldey Roads; and then lost her main boom in a heavy squall. In a bitterly cold, gale force wind and heavy seas. The 'Divine Rescue' took off the crew of four but in worsening sea conditions, she was unable to make for Tenby and sheltered under the lee of pendine until the tug 'Hero' took her in tow to Tenby with lifeboatmen and survivors suffering badly from exposure.

 

On January 2nd, 1884, after battling with very heavy seas for three hours, she rescued the crew of three of the ketch'Sarah Jane' of Bridgwalter and then proceeded to take off the crew of two of the Newport smack 'Ellen', which was dragging her anchor in Caldey Roads. Three days later the crew of two of the smack 'Margaret Alice Dale' of Milford were rescued after she, too, was dragging her anchor off Caldey.

'The Divine Rescue''s last service was in February 1884 when she landed the crew of five of the Swansea schooner 'Richard Cobden' which had lost one anchor and was dragging the other.

The government required H.M.Coastguard to cease to hold any official position in the lifeboat service. Coxswain William Ray was therefore the first Tenby coxswain to be completely independent of control by the Coastguard.

 

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