Qualla: Groomsport Lifeboat Station

Groomsport Lifeboat Station: Introduction

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On 16 June 1897, the schooner Hollyhow was breaking up in a gale near Bangor. Aboard her were the master, his wife, their three children, and three crewmen. The Groomsport lifeboat George Pooley was hauled overland on a horse-drawn carriage and launched off the Bangor pier into a strong gale. The crew rowed against the wind, set their anchor, and veered the boat downwind until they reached the wreck. They had already rescued four men from a small fishing smack called Harp before they got to the Hollyhow. All twelve people aboard the schooner, the master and his wife, their three children, and the three crew, were brought safely into Ballyholm Bay. For their service that day, the lifeboat crew received special monetary awards on top of their usual pay. The work was rowing a boat into a gale and pulling families out of breaking waves. The reward was rent for the month.

Groomsport Lifeboat Station: Why Groomsport

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution established a station at Groomsport in 1858, drawn by the village's strategic position at the entrance to Belfast Lough. The official report described the location as appropriate, to afford a protection to the shipping frequenting that pros...

Groomsport Lifeboat Station: Three Boats, Sixty-Two Years

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Groomsport's first lifeboat, an unnamed 28-foot Peake self-righting boat, was replaced in 1867 by a larger 32-foot, ten-oared boat. A benevolent English lady had donated the funds and asked that the boat be named Florence. She came south free of charge thanks to the London and Be...

Groomsport Lifeboat Station: The Hjertness, with a Dog Named Amon

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On 27 February 1903, just after nine in the morning, the Chapman launched in response to distress signals from the barque Hjertness of Sandefjord, Norway, signalling for immediate assistance about a mile northwest of the Copeland Islands. The Hjertness was loaded with timber from...

Groomsport Lifeboat Station: Closure and Survival

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Groomsport Lifeboat Station closed in 1920. After 62 years of service, motor lifeboats had begun to replace pulling and sailing boats elsewhere along the coast, and the regional coverage from Donaghadee was judged sufficient. The Chapman went into the relief fleet for a while, th...