Old lifeboat building boasts a long and gallant history in Portrush!

As Hugh now explains, there’s been a lot of talk around the town, and in the local press, about the future of the historic building near the Lansdowne car park.

The Causeway and Glens Council is keen to see another restaurant there, but many locals, including members of the Portrush Heritage Group, would like to see it maintained in some maritime role, such as a museum or heritage centre.

There is concern that the significance of the building may be lost.

To add to the furore, references to it as a ‘boat shed’ or ‘shelter’ have also drawn criticism!

The Boathouse, for that is what it was, served in the early part of the last century as the Portrush Lifeboat Station, before the present building at the harbour was opened in 1928.

Today, the harbour building houses the smaller of the station’s two lifeboats, as well as all the high-tech equipment required by a modern rescue base.

The boathouse debate is, ironically, taking place at an historic time in the life of the Portrush Lifeboat Station, which was established exactly 160 years ago.

The first lifeboat - initially named ‘Zelinda’ - was delivered to the town by the cross-channel steamer in December 1860.

The 30-foot, two-ton vessel required six strong oarsmen to propel it - later ten - men who were easily found among the fishermen who comprised much of the town’s population back then.

Although it wasn’t known at the time, the lifeboat had been sent to Portrush by the Royal National Life Boat Institution (RNLBI) thanks to Laura, the Countess of Antrim.

A fortuitous seating plan at a formal dinner party at Bicton House near Exeter in late 1859 had placed Lady Antrim next to the RNLBI’s National Secretary, Richard Lewis, Esq.

A new lifeboat had been launched at Exmouth that day and Mr. Lewis had doubtlessly been telling her ladyship of its marvellous qualities.

He said he had another one soon to be launched and a third waiting to be allocated to a home port.

Laura Countess of Antrim took a great interest in the progress of the towns and villages within her late husband’s estate, of which she had a great love and where she was much respected.

Probably before dinner had ended she was pressing Portrush’s claim for the RNLBI’s latest vessel!

That she succeeded is history.

What is also history is that only a couple of years later the Institution was on the point of taking the lifeboat away and moving it across the bay to a new station at Greencastle.

When the news got out, there was an outcry to have the decision changed and on 7 January 1864 the Antrim Arms Hotel (later known as the Northern Counties) was the venue for a huge protest meeting.

Leading the campaign, in support of Lady Antrim, was the town’s Presbyterian minister, Rev. Jonathan Simpson.

He was a powerful man of God, the saver of countless souls as well as the lives of a dozen individuals who had got into difficulties swimming in river and sea.

Rev Simpson perfected his rescue missions in the Bann and Agivey Rivers, near his home in Aghadowey to the west of Coleraine.

Now he set about adding the saving of a lifeboat to his other achievements.

It was a short campaign, but in the face of several protest meetings spearheaded by the considerable influence of Lady Antrim and Rev Mr Simpson, and a torrent of letters, the battle was won.

However there were two conditions laid down by the Life Boat Institution - the Portrush Lifeboat Station would have to be reorganised and Mr Simpson would have to take over the critical position of Honorary Secretary, today’s Operations Manager.

It was a position Jonathan Simpson subsequently held with much distinction for 30 years and despite being a poor sailor he insisted on going out with the lifeboat crews on their regular practice runs and even while the lifeboat was on service.

He courageously admitted that he was frequently seasick, an inconvenience that didn’t prevent him making four trips to the United States to raise funds for his fledgling congregation or from sailing around the world when he was in his eighties!

He passed away in the Portrush Manse on Christmas Day 1900.

The name of the first vessel was changed in 1870 to ‘Laura’ in recognition of Lady Antrim’s pivotal role in the creation of the Portrush Lifeboat and in 1985 the station’s first inshore lifeboat was named ‘Jonathan Simpson’.

Today Portrush and the surrounding community are tremendously proud of its Lifeboat crews, the men and women who voluntarily go to sea in often terrible and appalling conditions to fulfil that noblest of acts for their fellow men and women - the saving of lives at sea.

They have done it several hundred times since 1860 and been awarded several gallantry medals as a result and save many, many lives.

All members of the crew are volunteers and part-time, with the exception of a professional, full-time coxswain.

In a world where personal gain seems to dictate so many aspects of life and politics and the world is an ever increasing worrying place, it is like a light in lockdown to know that such people exist and will continue to - hopefully many many more years to come.

So we salute you all and say thank you!

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