Alice Rawson
1907...send the lifeboat to the rescue!!!
2006...who will help
rescue the
lifeboat???
David Sheedy is seeking support to preserve Sydney's famous Century-old lifeboat
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UPDATE:
On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 9:51 AM, david sheedy <david.sheedy@bigpond.com> wrote:Dear Mori,You will be pleased to hear that the Alice Rawson went finally up on the slip at Cammeray Marina on Friday afternoon for "temporary" repairs and will be put back on its mooring early next week.
Unfortunately it needs more permanent work done to it in the near future and it is going to cost a fair bit of money.I have put out feelers for some sympathetic boat yard to help in this regard so we are waiting to see what will happen.
The Vaucluse Yacht Club people have been very helpful in offering a mooring for it if we cannot get approval for it to be placed back at or near the Watson's Bay Pilot Station.One of the office bearers at the club is a Mr. Bob Hearn who has been helpful and he was asking if his name could be put on the lifeboat website as a contact.His email address is : bob@aprilshowers.net and his mobile phone number is : 0411074911
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David Sheedy wrote:
"Sydney Harbour's pilot service was established in the early years of the 19th century and following the wreck of the sailing ship Dunbar a lifeboat service was formed during 1858 in the Watson's Bay area. Both the pilot service and the lifeboat were strongly associated with Watson's Bay during the 19th and 20th centuries although the lifeboat station closed during the 1950's to be replaced by the present pilot station in 1959.
"It is proposed to establish a maritime heritage centre at Watson's Bay which will provide for the public a historical display of both services, the centrepiece being the restored lifeboat Alice Rawson, Watson's Bay's last lifeboat. This vessel will reach its centenary in 2007 and will be able to take part in traditional lifeboat rescue displays and training, regattas and other special harbour events. When returned to its shore base it can then demonstrate at close view its special qualities and details.
"The proposed centre will bring to life an educational and colourful aspect of Sydney Harbour's history and will be able to involve the local community through school, sailing, surf and rowing club participation. To this end it is intended that a Pilot and Lifeboat Trust be established to assist in the long term preservation of the lifeboat, other suitable craft, and the historical collection and display that will be formed with volunteer participation.
"This project will be able to provide a unique opportunity to preserve the rich history of Sydney Harbour's pilot and lifeboat service in Watson's Bay.
"A dedicated group of maritime historians based in the Eastern Suburbs are proposing to restore the last Sydney Harbour rescue lifeboat which was built at Cockatoo Island and served as the Watson's Bay lifeboat in its own station at Gibson's Beach where the present Pilot Station is located.
"Remarkably, the 11.5 metre long vessel is still afloat and agreement has been reached for the local history group to acquire it and start the restoration process so that it can be returned to Watson's Bay in its original appearance.
"It is also proposed that the boat will become a local tourist attraction and take part in harbour regattas and support life saving training for youngsters in the harbour.
"To that end a support facility will be needed that will ultimately become a lifeboat and pilot boat museum so that the history of the boats and their service can be more fully appreciated.
"The lifeboat group is therefore seeking some financial support to start the restoration of the boat and its ongoing maintenance as well as assisting in the provision of a shore based facility.
"....I foresee that this project will play a major part in bringing to life this important part of Watson's Bay's heritage.
Details of Alice Rawson
Name: Alice Rawson
Type: Lifeboat/Training/Houseboat
Year Built: 1907
Builder: Government Dockyard, Biloela
Where built: Cockatoo Is, Sydney, NSW
Material: Wood
Propulsion: Sail & Oars
Decks: Cockpit
PORTS AND OWNERS: SYDNEY@'07b36 NSW Dept of Navigation: '36b38b46b49b54 Maritime Services Board of NSW: '54 Sea Scouts (Boy Scouts Association): b84 private owners: b02b05 Si Lawson
Dimensions: 37' 4" x 9' 6" x 3' 8"
Stem: Round
Stern: Canoe
Status: Stationary 2005 Houseboat at Cammeray.History and details: Named after Governor's daughter. Turtle-back raised decks at ends. 6 pairs of oars. Double diagonal construction. 1907-38 lifeboat for Port Jackson stationed at Watson's Bay. Cost 606 pounds. 1908 attended stranding of barque Vincennes at Manly. 1909 Alice Rawson taken up to Newcastle to replace Victoria II (qv) while Victoria II being refitted after Alpena rescue. 1921/06 request by Navigation Dept for crane lighter Samson (qv) to put lifeboat cradle on rails at Watson's Bay. 1937/03/07 usefulness of lifeboat under scrutiny after not used at wreck of launch Voyager (qv). 1937/05/11 now that Endeavour (qv) is completed, recommended that Alice Rawson be transferred to Newcastle & Victoria II (qv) be replaced. 1938/02 reported that 2 valves in ballast tanks have carried away & that centreboards are difficult to lower. 1938 replaced by Endeavour. 1938/12 under overhaul at Goat Island, senior shipwright surveyor reported that repairs were required to hull planking in way of copper fastenings, also defects in buoyant tanks & corrosion in iron centreboards. 1939/04 reported that vessel completely overhauled & repaired at Goat Island, now in good condition. 1945/05 coxswain reported that centre-board required attention. 1946/02/07 Treasury advised that maintenance of lifeboats at Sydney & Newcastle is not warranted owing to availability of pilot steamers. 1946/06 paid off from lifeboat duty after never saving a life, largely redundant because of pilot steamer always at readiness for rescue. 1946/11 withdrawn from active service & is of no further use to MSB, boat to be sold. 1949/06 hired to D.Luckett, agreement expired 1949/09/11. 1954/07 donated to Boy Scouts Association for training Sea Scouts. Fitted with 2 mis-matched engines nd, and operated for some years by Sea Scouts, only one engine had astern power, other may not have had even a clutch. 1950s used by the sea scouts at Ryde/Abbottsford? c1959 towed by Sea Ranger. 1961/04 attached to 1st Manly-Seaforth Sea Scouts. 1963-64 with Manly sea scouts. Became houseboat at Cammeray. 1984/06 for sale for $10,000. 1990 houseboat at Cammeray, Sydney, NSW. 2004/10 sighted at Salt Pan Creek, Middle Harbour, extreme sheer, large deckhouse. Rudder fell off when pintles rusted through prior to 2005.
References: AllAboard^5/1979(P):Ash^67,70:DavidSheedy:Dt^1937/3/11:Fla1: GraemeAndrews:MSB19293,48355,19294(P):MSBM:MsbM:Sighted(P):SundaySun^9/6/1946:TomHughes
If you would like to become involved in this
project, or have any information about the history of Alice Rawson, please contact
David Sheedy on 02 9371 9031
or
email Mori Flapan at: ...
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