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- North Berwick Lifeboat is one of seven lifeboat stations operating a lifeboat funded by viewers of the BBC television programme Blue Peter. Over the last 100 years the crews have been honoured with three RNLI awards for gallantry and three Blue Peter gold badges. In May 1967 a lifeboat was stationed at North Berwick for the first time in over forty-one years, after the withdrawal of the previous lifeboat in 1925. Following an appeal by the children's BBC 'Blue Peter' TV programme, four inshore lifeboats were purchased and Blue Peter III was assigned to North Berwick in 1967. The 16 foot D-112 inflatable, was limited to a five mile radius and operational from March until November. The boat is now on display in the RNLI Lifeboat Museum at Chatham. Blue Peter III The marine rescue service in North Berwick dates back to 1857, when a Coastguard Station and Custom House was constructed. The original whitewashed building can be seen today on the Anchor Green, although the signal mast and yard-arm has long gone. The coastguard service was established in the town during the 1840s when Halbert Henderson was the officer in charge and collector of the custom duty, he was later followed by Captain Thomas Woodrow then Henry Thorne. At this time a company of volunteers was established to operate a rescue rocket apparatus supplied by the Board of Trade in 1857 and used from the shore to fire a line across the bows of a stricken vessel. The first lifeboat to be stationed in the town came about after one particular tragedy left the community feeling helpless, when a rescue boat may have saved the lives of the five crewmen who perished. The tragedy happened on the 25th October 1859, when the schooner Bubona loaded with coal from the Tyne, was making for Aberdeen with Mr Adams as master. Nearing Dunbar Bay, the wind shifted to the north-east, and a tremendous sea got up. By nine o'clock in the evening, the wind had strengthened to near hurricane force, and the vessel was spotted in difficulties inside the Bass, her sails had given-way and the crew had no choice but to make for the shore. The Bubona, landed among rocks about two hundred yards west off Canty Bay, and the Coastguard proceeded at once to the scene with the life saving apparatus. They fired four-rockets over the vessel and were successful in landing a line across the stern of the boat but the crew who appeared to be lashed in the bows, were too exhausted to take advantage of the situation. By this time a large crowd had gathered on the shore, watching in silence as the vessel continued to break up on the rocks, her masts were over the side and the sea was breaking over her. The poor crew, five in number, stuck together in the fore-part of the vessel, until she finally broke up about midnight, when they all perished. In late November two of the bodies were washed up and taken by cart to the graveyard in Kirkports. The loss of the 'Bubona' and her crew was felt deeply by the community and to avoid such a tragedy happening again, a move to have the town's first lifeboat was instigated by Rev. Stewart from Liberton and coastguards Walter Malcolm and Captain Thomas Woodrow. A committee was formed, subscriptions raised and within twelve months the Royal National Lifeboat Institution agreed to allocate a lifeboat to the town. In October 1860, the new lifeboat arrived, gifted by Messrs. Jaffray & Son of London, along with its transport carriage and equipment. Despite continuous rain on the day of the launch, the whole community turned out, lining the streets and cheering on the parade. Four horses bedecked with flowers, were yoked to the lifeboat carriage and transported from the station in Shore Street, along Back Street (Forth Street) as far as the West Links, before making a complete circuit of the burgh by High Street and Quadrant to the east beach. A number of the committee climbed on board, including the tall figure of Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple completely enveloped in oilskins, directing the procession from the bow. The crew consisted of Captain Woodrow, John Murray (coxswain), Richard Thorburn, John Thorburn, David Thomson, James McLean, Robert Marr and Alex Thomson. Protected by a broad life preserver strapped round their bodies, they took their places on board and with oar-in-hand sat ready for the launching apparatus to be brought into action. With the echo of three cheers still ringing in the air, the 'Caroline' as she was named, slid down to meet a coming wave and North Berwick's first lifeboat was successfully launched. There have been seven lifeboats stationed at North Berwick over the years and four Blue Peter inshore vessels. The latest, Blue Peter 7 is an all weather boat, on call all year round and is housed in the original boat-house (1860) in Victoria Road, where the names of the crews and the lives they have saved are listed. In October 2002, the North Berwick crew were selected to carry out trials on the new state of the art IB-1 (In-shore Boat 1) lifeboat. RNLI crews from all over Scotland travelled to the town to inspect the rescue craft and take part in the trials
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