Workington's station history

Four men had attempted to rescue the crew of the Margaret on 19 September 1885. Their boat capsized and Alexander Dunnan was drowned. The RNLI made a grant of £15 to his widow.

Lifeboat house and slipway constructed at a cost of £395. Lifeboat DODO (ON79) comes into service.

Lifeboat house removed to beach south of Johns Pier.

Theodore and Herbert (ON33) begins service at a cost of £300.

Station closed pending negotiations for site for lifeboat house.

New station established to increase the protection of the shipping in the Solway Firth. This station was reopened on a trial basis for 12 months to increase the protection of the shipping in the Solway Firth due to Maryport Lifeboat, a few miles to the north, being unable to launch due to silting. The station became permanent when Maryport Lifeboat station closed in 1949. 

The Brothers (ON671) begins service.

N.T. (ON701), costing £10,826, begins service.

Manchester and Salford XXIX (ON841) comes into service.

Sir Godfrey Baring (ON887) begins service, costing £24,628.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Albert Brown in recognition of his courage, determination and fine seamanship, when the lifeboat City of Edinburgh, on temporary duty at Workington, rescued seven people from the fishing vessel Kia-Ora, which was dragging her anchor half a mile east of Hestan Island in a storm force wind and a very rough sea on 27/28 January 1974.

Francis W Wotherspoon of Paisley (ON951) begins service.

The Tyne class lifeboat Sir John Fisher (ON1141) was placed on service on 8 June. The lifeboat was provided by a gift from the Sir John Fisher Foundation, the bequests of Frances Elizabeth Jackson and Mabel Annie Young together with other gifts and the Institution's general funds. The lifeboat is housed in a newly constructed boathouse which provides a workshop, drying room, shower/toilet facilities, a fuel storage tank and crewroom. 

A special launching crane system was also installed which enabled the lifeboat to be launched and recovered over the dock wall.

The Mersey class lifeboat Lifetime Care (ON1148) was on station for carriage launching and recovery trials from 4 July 1990 until 3 January 1991.

Coxswain John Stobbart was accorded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for the rescue of the crew of three and the fishing vessel Siskin in the early hours of 13 December 2000.  The disabled fishing vessel was located and towed back to Workington in atrocious weather conditions, heavy seas and force 11 winds.

Following the visit on 13 October 2003 by the Coast Review delegation, led by Rear Admiral John Tolhurst, it was agreed by the Operations Committee on 4 February 2004 and resolved by the Trustee Committee at their meeting on 31 March 2004 that there be no change to the ALB cover provided at Workington Lifeboat Station.  It was also resolved that a D class ILB be co-located at this station.

The new class of lifeboat IB1, D-629 The Shannock was placed on service on Thursday 12 August. D-461 Spirit of RAOC has been withdrawn to the Relief Fleet.

Coxswain John Stobbart and Divisional Maintenance Manager Andrew Philip Rodgers were accorded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum in recognition of their leadership, seamanship, courage and initiative when the lifeboat saved the fishing vessel George Lou-N on 7 December 2011. The fishing vessel had mechanical problems and was being battered against the North Pier at Whitehaven in force 10 winds and a three metre swell. There was a severely injured man on board. Mr Rodgers jumped on board from the pier. A tow was established and, despite the severe conditions, the fishing vessel was safely brought through a narrow entrance and into the inner harbour without any damage being sustained - thereby enabling the man’s life to be saved, his fellow crew members landed and the fishing vessel itself being saved as well.