Minehead's station history

Lifeboat house constructed westward of the entrance to the pier at a cost of £785.

Transporting carriage supplied.

Death of member of crew, W Slade, accelerated by exposure on service.

Mr W P Slade died from the effect of a service.

The lifeboat Kate Greatorex had a new method of propulsion. She was a light surf type with two 12 HP engines driven by Gill Propulsion. It is a method much in use in ferry boats in Norway and Sweden.

On 18 December the Naval Authorities asked for the lifeboat to be launched but it was arranged that a shore boat should go. Coxswain G Slade and shore signalman T Escott went out in the coxswain's boat. The object they had gone out to investigate exploded and completely destroyed the boat, killing both men. The Institution granted an allowance to the widows.

A D class lifeboat sent to station in April.

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by Chairman of the Institution, Commander F R H Swann, CBE, RNVR, to Helmsman David James in recognition of the service by the D class lifeboat on the 2 July. David James scaled a cliff face to rescue a man in difficulty up Culver Cliff 50 feet above sea level.

Conventional lifeboat withdrawn on 20 May.

An experimental type of inshore lifeboat, subsequently numbered C500, was sent to station on 19 June 1974.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Helmsman Christopher Rundle for his courage, seamanship and determination when the D class lifeboat rescued the crew of three of the yacht Svea on 13 September. The rescue was carried out in near gale force winds, a rough sea and driving rain.

C Class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by an Atlantic 21 class lifeboat in July.

New D class lifeboat D420 was placed on service on 21 April.

Boathouse adapted for the station's Atlantic 21 class lifeboat. This included extension to the front and side of the boathouse to provide improved crew facilities and souvenir sales outlet.

Atlantic 21 lifeboat withdrawn and replaced by the new Atlantic 75 class lifeboat B708 which was placed on service on 13 November.

New D class lifeboat D549 was placed on service 15 July.  D420 was withdrawn.

A Centenary Vellum awarded to the station in celebration of 100 years of service.

The new Atlantic 85 lifeboat B-824 Richard and Elizabeth Deaves was placed on service on 1 December.  This lifeboat was provided by the generous bequest of Miss Joan Batty in memory of her mother Florence Alice Batty.  Lifeboat B-708 was withdrawn.

The new station D class lifeboat D-712 Christine was placed on service on 9 July, D-549 Geoge and Christine has been withdrawn.