RNLI founder honoured in charity’s birthplace in 200th anniversary year

The founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has been honoured in its birthplace during its 200th anniversary.

Douglas resident Sir William Hillary witnessed many shipwrecks around the Isle of Man's coast in the early 19th Century and decided to take action.

By lobbying important figures in the UK, he started the wide network of seagoing volunteers in 1824.

RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie has praised Sir William's "amazing vision" to "just to save lives at sea without judgement or prejudice".

Sir William would "recognise today the service that he intended to create", he added.

The charity's anniversary is to be officially celebrated around the UK on 4 March, with Manx commemorations coinciding with both Sir William's birthday, on 4 January 1771, and day he died, on 5 January 1847.

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