Whitby Lifeboat Crew's Royal Visit Surprise

Published Date: 13 September 2010.

WHITBY'S lifeboatmen had a surprise royal visitor last week who came to see historic artefacts now on display.

HRH the Duchess of Kent returned to the RNLI lifeboat station that she formally opened just over three years ago, in a special visit to see a new display cabinet which has been made by Rowan Joinery of Malton.

The Duchess, who is married to the Queen's cousin, was the first person to formally view the display cabinet, which showcases models of past lifeboats and some of the many historical artefacts which had previously been stored at the Whitby RNLI Lifeboat Museum and in the lifeboat station itself.

A regular visitor to Sandsend, the Duchess of Kent knows Coxswain Mike Russell and his wife Carolyne very well and Mr Russell said she was keen to come back to the lifeboat station.

"The Duchess is a great supporter of Whitby lifeboat station and enjoys visiting us during her holidays on the Yorkshire coast," he said.

"We were really pleased to welcome her back to show her the cabinet, which is going to be of great interest to all the school children and other visitors who come to look around the station."

Many people with connections to Whitby lifeboat, including Christopher Cone whose father was one of the voluntary doctors for the lifeboat many years ago, made donations towards the display cabinet.

This page was replicated from a page that appeared in the Whitby Gazette and on thier website.