RNLB The William Restell

William Restell

1890 - 1903

In February, 1890 the Ramonet was replaced by the William Restell; the cost of this boat was £417 and was provided by a legacy left by a Mr. W. T. Restell of London. She was also a pulling and sailing lifeboat of the self-righting type being 34 feet long with a beam of 7 feet 6 inches with a crew of thirteen and pulling ten oars. During the thirteen years she was at Shoreham she launched on service twelve times and saved nine lives.

In 1892 the lifeboat station was moved from the inner side of the harbour at Kingston to a site close to the then Coastguard station on Shoreham Beach just east of the existing footbridge. The new boathouse was constructed of timber, with a watch-room at the side, at a cost of £372 and was built by Mr. Charles Curd.

In 1903 the boathouse was moved back a safe distance from the sea at a cost of £150 and a chalk road constructed for a length of 100 feet seaward. The lifeboat was kept on a carriage and launched by horses that took her, and launched her from the beach as near to the wreck as they could get, chiefly to preserve the energy of the men at the oars.