History of the Cloughey Lifeboat Station

William's poems were sold to raise money for the new lifeboat at Cloughey. Here's a history of the Cloughey lifeboat, kindly supplied by the RNLI. (copyright on this article belongs to the RNLI):

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The Graveyard of the East Coast
Station Historical Notes
Cloughey, Co Down (1885-1965)
Cloughey-Portavogie, Co Down (1965-1981)

• The Station was established by the Institution in 1885.

• The meaning of the word "Cloughey" is "The Stony Place" and this rightly describes the coastline around the bay which is composed of rough and jagged rocks which have claimed many a gallant ship and crew. The shore from Ballyhalbert to Millisle has often been referred to as "the graveyard of the east coast".

• Cloughey lifeboat coxswains are always Young! Every coxswain since the establishment of the station in 1885 until George Young reverted to Motor Mechanic in 1954 was a Young (except for the period 1916-1919).

• 1908 - On 14 November the lifeboat rescued the crew of 26 of the barque Croisset of Rouen. The French Government awarded Gold Medals to the coxswain and the chief officer of coastguard, Silver Medals to the rest of the crew, and an Aneroid Barometer to the Honorary Secretary (Mr J McMullan).

•1913 - Decided that the practice of using horses be discontinued and that in future the boat and her carriage be transported by means of manual labour.

•1924 - Bronze Medal awarded to Acting Coxswain Andrew Young for the rescue of 5 persons from the Brig Helgoland which had run ashore on 11 January 1924. The coxswain of the lifeboat was away from the station; the second coxswain, his brother, was dying but a third doctor Andrew, left his brother's bedside to take charge of the lifeboat. The Helgoland had sunk and the crew were in the rigging. She lay surrounded by rocks and the night was very dark. There was a strong SSE gale and showers of sleet and hail. Andrew Young found on his return that his brother had died two hours after the lifeboat had been launched.

•1937 - A fire at the building yard of Messrs Groves & Guttridge, Cowes, destroyed a new lifeboat for Cloughey that was waiting to be shipped to her station.

•1939 - On 9 May the s.s. Arantzazu-Mendi of Bilbao went aground on Butter Paddy Shoals outside Kearney Point. Efforts were made to salve her and on 17 June there was a salvage party on board when the weather changed. Seas 15ft high were breaking over the steamer and were sweeping clean over her after part from which everything movable had been swept away. The 11 men on board were on the fore deck knee deep in water. For this rescue of the 11 men, Coxswain Robert Young was awarded the Silver Medal and Motor Mechanic George Young the Bronze Medal.

•1950 - Two ex-coxswains, Andrew Young (80) and his brother John (75), were drowned when their fishing coble Ricia was lost on 25 May.

• Coxswain George Young was accorded the Vellum Thanks for the rescue of the crew of seven of the South Rock light-vessel on 3 February.

•1955 - Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to Coxswain Walter Semple for the rescue of 11 persons from the Norwegian m.v. Roskva on 21 January.

•1962 - Coxswain Walter Semple was awarded the Bronze Medal for the rescue of five people from the Dutch m.v. Frida Blokzul on 7 March.

•1965 - ON 857 stationed at Portavogie on 26 November and ON 902 stationed at Cloughey was withdrawn and the station closed.

•1978 - Lifeboat station closed from 26 October because of extensive redevelopment at Portavogie Harbour. Lifeboat ON 857 stored at Robertson's Yard, Sandbank.

•1981 - Station permanently closed in July.

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Coxswains
Frank Young 1885-1890

John Young (1) Oct 1890-18/4/06 (Brother of Frank above)

Robert Young 19/4/06-9/10/1916 (Brother of Frank and John above)

Hugh Palmer 10/10/16-3/10/19

John Young (2) 17/10/19-30/10/27 (Son of John Young (1))

Andrew Young 25/11/27-31/12/35 (Brother of John (2))

Robert Young 1/1/36-29/8/49 (Nephew of John (1))

George Young 30/8/49-30/6/54 (Grandson of John (1))

Walter Semple 1/6/54-31/3/66

John Donnan 1/4/66-23/2/79

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Lifeboats

Faith (1885 - 1906) 54 lives rescued
John (1906 - 1931) 131 lives rescued
William Maynard (1931 - 1939) 36 lives rescued
Herbert John (1939 - 1952) 67 lives rescued
Constance Calverley (1952 - 1965) 21 lives rescued - this was the lifeboat William's poems helped to fund
Glencoe Glasgow (1965 - 1978) 27 lives rescued

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