‘The Heyland’ Lifeboat

‘The Heyland’ (ON38) life-boat was a 37ft by 9ft self-righting boat, named after Lieutenant Heyland who lost his life in nobly saving a seaman who had fallen overboard from ‘H.M.S Minotaur’ (pictured below) during a gale of wind on the 25th November 1880.

The History 

Built by Messrs Woolfe & Son, No.W151, at the cost of £552.16.O.d, she had 10 round oars, 9ft fore and aft sliding keels, 2 masts and standing lugs and jib, it also had a No.2 rig mizen mast racking, however had no transporting carriage, so was towed to its station free of charge by one of the steamers belonging to Messrs. Stephenson, Clarke and Co., and the Great Eastern Railway Company kindly granted a free conveyance to the boat’s transporting carriage and stores over their line.

She stayed stationed at Palling No.1, until 1884, only to be launched three times.

In 1884, she was returned to the storeyard at Limehouse and then became the reserve ‘relief fleet’ lifeboat at Clacton.

In 1886 she was appointed Station Lifeboat at RNLI Southsea. Whilst at Southsea, she was launched nine times.

In total 12 launches were made and 6 lives were saved.

In 1908 she was taken out of service and sold in November to Mr Hodgdon of Thames Iron Works and unfortunately we cannot find any further records.

H.M.S Minotaur

Lieutenant Heyland