Not one but three interesting photos of a similar theme for you all this week!
Firstly, the photo above (click for larger) was kindly sent in by Syd Bird and its a view of the Hoylake lower lighthouse, dated around the 1890’s. Look to the left hand of the photo and you’ll notice the lifeboat cannon, used to alert the RNLI crew of a shout.
Below are photos of two former lifeboats kindly sent in by Julian Triggs. Firstly there’s an old photo of the Hilbre Island lifeboat with crew.
And finally we jump the 1970’s for a photo of a former lifeboat called the Mary Gabriel – you can click on the photo for a larger view. Look at the sign above the station doors …would be great to see that back on the lifeboat museum!
I remember the Mary Gabriel – I watched her launch more than once and as a kid was transfixed by the boat, whether on land or in the water…
Does anyone know about the big blue tractor – was it ex WWII or perhaps a machine built for the purpose?
As far as I remember and understand, the RNLI converted them from old bulldozers, if you imagine a bucket on the front you can envisage it. It is also my understanding it wasn’t until the RNLI designed Talus-MBH tractor arrived that they finally stopped using ex commercial vehicles. Look up Talus MBH, it is quite a fascinating vehicle.
You may also be interested in the small trailer that was also designed by the RNLI. On the next open day or a Sunday go and have a look at it, see if you notice the big anchor flukes built into the chassis. This was an addition to the launch kit after Hoylake’s Talus tractor got stuck and sank into soft sand during the launch of the MAy Gabriel on exercise about 1990. It is hoped a repeat will allow the tractor to pull itself free using the shore crew trailer as an anchor.
The tractor on that occasion was closed up using it’s water tight doors and left for the tide to come in and out over it, we pulled it out with a local bulldozer around 3 am the following morning. Sadly we were told not to bring cameras so there is no visual record of this event. I was surprised how quiet it was kept as the Talus proved her design and started up and drove home without incident, she had maybe a couple of cups of water in the engine room when the doors were opened.
Hi I used to recondition these fowlers at Percy Hendy Ltd when I was 18 as an apprentice
These crawlers were purpose built and were reconditioned in the sixties by Percy Hendy Ltd at Chandlersford they also used to build the ford barracuda engines for the lifeboats
Reference the lifeboat boat cannon,several of my ancestors used to tell me that the sound of the cannon firing also alerted the lifeboat horses as well as the crew. Apparently the horses on hearing the cannon would make their way to the beach without any prompting.
Thanks Julian!
With reference to the promenade I have noticed in the last few weeks we have seen a few images around the lower light taken within a few years of each other yet the difference is stark with the building of the North Parade. It seems this one project changed Hoylake from a sleepy backwater to as it was a busy holiday destination where the great and good would promenade along the shore. How intriguing that people would dress up to visit the beach.
Now I remember the plaque by the old lifeboat slipway, but I can’t remember the date inscribed, I wonder if anyone has an image of this plaque or can remember the date upon it. I am sure it is mostly pretty well buried under the sand by now.
Thank for the image Syd, it is fascinating and more so if added to the set we seem to be finding at different points in history. I don’t suppose you have any of the promenade during the building do you, surely the project must have raised interest for the photographers that carefully captured the history of our village as it grew.
I would suggest that it was , perhaps ,the opening of the Railway direct to Liverpool ,rather than the promende , that led to the rapid expansion of Hoylake , although I don’t know which pre-dated the other .
Hi Julian,
I have never come across any good photos of the promenade under construction, which is rather amazing considering what a major undertaking that would have been for a small town like Hoylake in the 1890`s. No doubt there should be a photographic record somewhere,perhaps in the Hoylake U.D.C archives?
The plaque you have mentioned has the dates of construction as being 1897/1898 if my memory serves me correctly. I remember that John C included a photo of it on this site a few months back.
I think Hoylake`s real expansion started with the arrival of the railway in 1866 but no doubt the construction of the promanade would really have made our town a popular place to visit as can be seen from some of early photos of the prom thronged with folk.
Here’s the plaque: http://www.hoylakejunction.com/friday-photo-090925
I am pretty sure the lifeboat tractor which pulled the “Oldham III” lifeboat was a Fowler Challenger 3 derivative.
There is a nice photo on Flikr of reg PXF 163.
You can google it or follow the link below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/homer—-simpson/4614954364/
I don’t know when PXF 163 was retired, but the photo shows it has been preserved in someone’s collection.
I allways thought the Fowler could be sealed and left for the tide to cover, but from extra research, it looks like it can only be secured for use in up to six feet of water. This would be needed as the launch proceedure required the trailer and boat to be pulled out to a depth where the boat would float (the tractor moving to the rear to “catapult” the lifeboat off the trailer). I think the front steerable wheels were also removed prior to launch, the trailer staying on the rear tracks.
The wheels weren’t removed but locked with rather hefty pins.
Thanks Julian, I guess that is sensible as the nose of the trailer would have to drop to the sand if they were removed. The tyres look like they would not do damage to the lifeboat if it drifted sideways in a strong wind or current.
I also remember someone (maybe the tractor driver) had to unhitch the slingshot rope from the eye in the bow of the lifeboat. Not a nice job on a windy cold day They were/are all very brave men (and women?).
Hi Bert, what years were you at The Parade school?
T63 is indeed a Fowler Challenger III, one of 13 built for the RNLI between 1953 and 1960. They were standard Fowler Challenger IIIs waterproofed for the RNLI by the manufacturer. All had a 95 hp Meadows diesel engine. T63 was stationed at:
Rhyl 1955-63
Reserve 1963-65
Pwllheli 1965-75
Hoylake 1975-78
Wells 1979-83
Scarborough 1984-88
She is now preserved in the John Myers collection in Huddersfield.
BTW Julian is mistaken; the RNLI have never converted any of their crawler tractors from old bulldozers! All their official tractors, like their boats, were always brand new and the very bestmachines that money could buy.
Does anybody have a photograph of Rev William Stuart Pass Skelding. Vicar of Hoylake aroung 1890?