‘DAVID and ELIZABETH KING & EB’ 1970 - 1988
(Supplied by money given to RNLI from Legacy of Miss Charlotte King and an anonymous donor)
Number of Launches:- 77
Number of Lives Saved:- 32
The ‘David and Elizabeth King& EB’ was a twin engined, steel hulled, 48 foot 6 inch Solent class, self-righting lifeboat built by Groves and Gutteridge of Cowes at a cost of £58,936 in 1970. She was the replacement of the TGB and was the first self-righter since the reserve boat ‘Christopher North Graham’ in 1906. During her 18 years of service she also faced some dramatic weather to aid in rescues, 2 of her most dramatic services were :
the ‘Glengair’ (an Aberdeen trawler) in 1972 where she stood by with the Stromness lifeboat, she removed 8 crew taking them to Longhope before an about turn to stand by, the service lasted 29 hours.
the ‘Ross Tern’ (a Grimsby trawler) in 1973 (which earned her cox a bronze medal) which came ashore on the Tarff Tail on Swona.
The ‘Lans’ (a Danish trawler) in 1974 where she stood by for 13 hours while the crew of 9 men were rescued by helicopter from the ‘Lans’ at the base of a 600 ft cliff face.
Coxswain:- John Leslie 1970 - 1988
1973 Bronze medal awarded to Coxswain Jack Leslie for the rescue of the crew of eleven of the trawler 'Ross Tern' which was hard aground on the Tarf Tail, Swona Island.
1974 Centenary Vellum awarded to Station.