Troon Lifeboat Station

1871

Station was established at the request of local inhabitants. The first station was constructed at a cost of £250 and housed a 32ft rowing boat.

1905

It was decided that the lifeboat should be kept afloat all year round and that the present house be sold. Lifeboat House sold to Ayr County Council.

1931

Death of Bowman Thomas Warren attributed to exposure on passage of new lifeboat station.

1941

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain William McAuslane and Bronze Medal to Albert J Ferguson for the rescue on 6th December 1940 of seven people for the steamer Moyallon of Belfast in a whole northwest gale with heavy seas and fierce squalls of rain. It was a service in which great courage and splendid seamanship was shown.

1949

Second Coxswain J McCaull collapsed and died whilst on exercise on 12th November. McCaull had 33 years of lifeboat experience and he had been coxswain from 1901 to 1920. His grandfather had also been coxswain.

1953

A bottle of rum, which had lay sealed on two successive Troon Lifeboats for 16 years, was opened during an exercise trip when an American airman who was to be ‘rescued’ by helicopter was accidentally knocked out.

1971

         Centenary Vellum awarded.

1980

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Johnson in recognition of his courage, leadership and fine seamanship when the lifeboat went alongside the Dutch dredger Holland I, in danger of breaking her moorings off Irvine Harbour fairway beacon, on five occasions to rescue her crew of five in a westerly storm and a very rough sea on 12 September 1980

A framed letter of appreciation signed by the Chairman, The Duke of Atholl, awarded to crewmember Roy Trewern in recognition of his commendable action on 8th December 1979, when he volunteered to take a dingy being carried on the lifeboat to the Black Rocks to assist two wildfowlers stranded by the flooding tide. A letter was also sent to Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Johnson in recognition of the skilful manner in which the rescue was carried out.

1985

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to Acting Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Laurence Devenny in recognition of the skill and initiative he displayed when the lifeboat rescued the crew of three and saved the fishing vessel Golden Years in a south-south-westerly storm and a very rough sea on 18 October 1984.

1987

Boathouse constructed to provide a workshop and store, a fuel store, crewroom and toilet facilities.

New Arun Class Lifeboat, City of Glasgow III, was placed on station late 1987 and in order for her to be moored satisfactorily remedial dredging of the berth was carried out.

1989

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Emergency Mechanic David Seaward and crewmember Paul Aspin who manned the lifeboat’s Y Boat in difficult and dangerous sea conditions on 14th July 1988 and rescued ten female cadets from Training Ship Mountbatten, which was aground outside of Ayr Pier. Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Johnson received a framed letter of appreciation signed by the chairman, The Duke of Atholl for his cool professional control of the service in difficult conditions

1993

A collective framed letter of appreciation signed by the Chairman, Mr Michael Vernon was presented to Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Johnson, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic William Arnold, Deputy Second Coxswain Stephen Aspin and Crewmembers Charles Davies, William Fergusson, Brian Hannah, Brian Hedges and Colin Millar in recognition of a fine display of teamwork when the City of Glasgow III rescued the four crew of the yacht Anat and saved the boat on 23rd May 1992. The yacht, with two men and two teenage boys onboard, had suffered steering and engine failure in winds gusting to gale force and rough seas three miles east of Holy Isle.

1996

An extension to the boathouse was completed which provided, on the groundfloor, an improved workshop and souvenir sales outlet, and a crewroom and galley on the first floor.

2002

Colin Millar appointed as Coxswain and Andrew Alston appointed as Mechanic.

2004

Trent Class RNLB Jim Moffat and relief D Class Colin Martin placed on station replacing the Arun class City of Glasgow III.