14 May 08 Walmer Lifeboat

Walmer is situated on the east Kent coast a few miles north of Dover, England.

At one time the area had 3 lifeboats, but these days Walmer is an inshore lifeboat station with semi-rigid inflatable craft. Dover and Ramsgate lifeboat stations take care of the treacherous Goodwin Sands.

The photograph shows the Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No 32). I took this photograph in July 1969, while on vacation in the area.

The boat was named for Charles Dibdin (4 March 1745 – 25 July 1814). Charles was an English musician, dramatist, novelist, actor and songwriter. He wrote numerous patriotic sea-songs, which did wonders for the national spirit, and which were used by the Royal Navy while they were at war with France in the early 1800′s.

The Government of the day, under William Pitt, went so far as to pay him to write such songs.

The boat itself saved 115 lives, and in 1977 it was gifted to Eastbourne, in East Sussex.

Here are a couple more links to show the lifeboat

http://www.eastkent.freeuk.com/walmer/walmer_lifeboat.htm

http://eastbournernli.org.uk/images/CharlesDibden.jpg

Walmer is situated on the east Kent coast a few miles north of Dover, England. At one time the area had 3 lifeboats, but these days Walmer is an inshore...

Tags: charles dibdin, civil service, dramatist, east kent, east sussex, english musician, goodwin sands, inflatable craft, inshore lifeboat, kent coast, lifeboat station, lifeboat stations, lifeboats, national spirit, novelist, ramsgate, rigid inflatable, royal navy, sea songs, william pitt