1981: The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster

[@thomascox123]

My dad used to regularly go shore fishing with a rod from the rocks of Penlee Point on a small six hour tidal island called Bell Rock right next to where the old Penlee lifeboat station is. He was absolutely devastated on hearing news of the loss of the lifeboat and for years spoke of the crews bravery and sacrifice with deep emotion and respect. Dad had a friend who was a local policeman at the time who later told him how terribly sad and eerie it was driving past the boathouse the very night the lifeboat went missing and seeing some of the crew members cars still left parked outside on the pavement as the search and rescue efforts continued. It was many years later as a boy that I would regularly join my dad sea fishing at Penlee Point - by now probably a decade after 1981. I always remember the presence of the old empty lifeboat station (a memorial) and its slipway jutting into the choppy waters. I remember my dad recollecting how in the past he would sometimes fondly share a 'hello' with a friendly Trevelyan Richards and Nigel Brockman at Penlee and sometimes they asked him how the fishing was going. I also remember my dad saying to me how much he enjoyed watching the Solomon Browne lifeboat regularly launch down the concrete slipway when she was doing regular sea training and what a lovely and beautifully maintained boat she was. Dad also liked the fact that Trevelyan did not allow nearshore crab pots or fishing nets to be set by boats near the launching area. Over the years i have known many people who have shared their own personal stories and connections with the old Penlee Lifeboat including a friend in Mousehole who lived next door to one of the lost crew members, a friend who had been out on the Solomone Browne, and another friend who was asked by the RNLI some years back to repaint the original boathouse as a mark of respect for the 25th anniversary. Everything inside was apparently left just as it was untouched the day the men last went out to sea. It was one cold winter's day some years after this that I actually got the opportunity to go inside the old lifeboat house myself having fished next to it for years. By chance the current Penlee crew from Newlyn were there at the boathouse with a few visiting RNLI crew from another lifeboat station. They let me come in. It was a very powerful and moving experience, especially seeing the huge wooden doors to the slipway opened and feeling the cold wind rush in from the sea before the doors were quickly closed back up again. Then it was still. I imagined the lifeboat launching into the sea there that terrible night - as I often do to this day whenever there's a powerful storm tearing into Mounts Bay in the black of night, and thinking of the ferocious seas and winds the Solomone Browne and her crew had to confront as they went out to the Union Star under the dark, lonely and treacherous cliffs near Tater Dhu..... I have recently learnt that the old station with its memorial gardens has recently been given Grade II Listed protection status and a few years ago, to mark the fortieth anniversary, a new granite memorial with carved albatrosses was erected at Tregiffian cliff in memory of the sixteen onboard both the Union Star and the Solomon Browne . The events of 19th December 1981 continue to have an enduring impact on the local community here, particularly those living by the sea. One thing is absolutely certain: The crew of the Solomone Browne are heroes and absolute legends and will never be forgotten!

[@TheCervelo100]

Such brave men .., 40yrs on ...RIP

[@tungstenkid2271]

The U Star captain goofed by refusing a tow when he was 8 miles offshore because his shipping company would have had to pay for it. Since then the rules have been changed to allow the coastguard to order a tow regardless of whether the captains want one or not.

[@paulmahy]

Sadly the accommodation was unbreached apart from the blast entrance, meaning had they stayed aboard there was a good chance of survival. Terrible. The MV Mark was also lost with all hands that night.

[@richardgiles2484]

Feel so sad every time I watch videos about this 😢

[@RealThundar1]

amazing the difference in the standards of reporting back then, almost poetical in how he describes the incident.

[@artgreen6915]

The journalist signs off 'Jon Snow', heard of him? Highly respected, very long career, just retired end of last year I think.

[@Smoneey]

@@artgreen6915 So highly respected he can’t even pronounce Mousehole

[@MrTompahallam]

He uses some artistic license tho. - He mentions that the master and his wife and children came off the ship. This was never qualified. All we know is that it was “males and females”. - he mentions the coxswain was the landlord of the local pub. Not true, that was one of the other volunteers. But despite this he does articulate it well.

[@alexandradane3672]

May those dear brave men continue to RIP.

[@Walmers27]

Almost unimaginable conditions but still they went to rescue those in peril.

[@LordFlashheart1]

On this day rip 19/12/81

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

Great life boat

[@borleyboo5613]

So sad. May those brave men on the Solomon Brown and the crew and passengers of the Union Star Rest in Peace. ⚓️⚓️🌹🌹

[@monkee1969]

And may never be forgotten.

[@kevinpierce3458]

Heroes, who very one of them

[@paulkirkpatrick6371]

Was it possible 2 recover any bodies of lifeboat crew

[@monkee1969]

8 people on the lifeboat, 8 people on the union Star. 8 bodies recovered, 4 from the Solomon Brown 4 from the Union Star.

[@richardcummins5465]

​@@monkee1969And remember the Captain's wife was pregnant, so 17 SOULS were lost that night. RIP All. ❤❤

[@Bromleycrew]

I went to the now closed lifeboat station on Sunday. Was amazing to be able to have a look around and take it all in. Would recommend it to anyone to go and have a look. ❤

[@neilhilton35]

Was in Mousehole two weeks ago. Whenever I go I pay my respects at the memorial garden next to the old lifeboat station. Men who sacrificed their own lives to try and save others. RIP you brave and selfless heroes.