RNLI: Isle of Wight lifeboat families mark 200th anniversary

During the RNLI's 200 years, generations of the same families have taken to the sea to save lives.

Yarmouth lifeboat station on the Isle of Wight, like many others, has seen children follow parents into the lifeboat service.

As the organisation marks its bicentenary, crew members, past and present, have been talking about their pride in following in their family traditions.

Stuart, Alex and Richard Pimm and Hebe Gregory

Three generations of the Pimms family have served on the Yarmouth lifeboat (left to right: Stuart, Alex, Hebe and Richard)

Richard and Alex Pimm were born into the RNLI - both brothers were christened on board the Yarmouth lifeboat - their father Stuart was second coxswain and mechanic during his time on the crew.

Alex, 27, recalled: "What sticks out is the sound of the pagers going off at any time of day or the maroons [rockets] going off when I was at school.

"I'd be excited to get home and hear all the stories dad would tell from the shout. He saved people."

Joining the RNLI at 17, Alex and has gone on to serve as deputy mechanic and is a trainee deputy coxswain.

"I wanted to take after my father. I'd have joined when I was younger if I could," he said.

He now goes out alongside his brother Richard who attends every shout as fulltime mechanic.

Richard, 33, said: "I've been out in challenging conditions - you don't really get time to worry and the feeling you have helped the community when you get back - its a good feeling."

Lifeboats operating out of Yarmouth have helped keep the Solent safe for more than a century

Their father Stuart, 74, retired from the lifeboat in 2005, having served more than 30 years. He said he was "very proud" to see his sons follow in the family tradition.

His late father, Maurice, also joined the crew in the late 1970s.

"As a young man it was exciting - you fitted in well with the crew, you trusted each other. It's like a big family," Stuart said.

"I don't miss the cold nights and the howling gales. The time came to leave it and let the younger people get on with it."

Completing the family's lifeboat connections, Richard's partner Hebe Gregory, 30, works as volunteer press officer at the Yarmouth station.

"At the start I would worry and watch the tracker and find out any information - I now know the training is vigorous and the equipment is so high end. I just know he's fine, I really do.

"It's special to witness the family tradition continue - seeing the passion all of them have for the charity, the stories you hear are incredible.

"Its a family unit, that is part of a bigger family unit that is the RNLI."

David and Pete Lemonious

Pete Lemonious followed his father David into the lifeboat service

Former coxswain David Lemonious, 78, served on the Yarmouth lifeboat for 25 years, having been "inspired by all the old boys" on the boat in the 1960s.

During his "exciting and challenging" 25 years, he said the shout that stuck in his memory was a cargo ship in distress in heavy seas off Swanage.

"It took us took us quite a long time to get down there, going straight in to the hurricane," he explained.

"It was rough - they put a cargo net down the back of the ship - two chaps climbed down it, we had two on the bow who went in and dragged them off the net. Then the helicopter came and took them - that was a fairly hairy experience.

"Over the years you learn to trust the boats and trust the crews around you."

His son Pete, 52, also followed in his father's footsteps, signing up at the age of 17 and is currently deputy volunteer coxswain.

"At an early I was just inspired by what my father was doing," he said.

"When the rockets were fired, everyone in the town knew what was going on - I was really proud my father was part of the team going out to sea rescuing people.

"When the pager goes - it's the unknown. It could be in the middle of a dark windy night or at work when you down tools and just go.

"It could be anything or everything - it's just drives the adrenaline rush to get there."

Joseph and Howard Lester

Joseph and Howard Lester are another father-and-son lifeboat partnership

Now 87, Joseph Lester was "roped in" to the RNLI as a young man, and was followed into the lifeboat by his son Howard.

Despite going out in the worst of sea conditions, "going through the Needles in 100mph winds", he said he did not feel worried on rescues.

"There was no time for that, never gave it a thought. Once you're back, you soon forget it and do it again," he said.

Current coxswain Howard Lester, 52, said his father's career "inspired me hugely" and the pair still discuss rescue operations.

"It's the adventure and the teamwork and going out on the boat with like-minded people.

"Lots of shouts are challenging, but it's a good team and we're well-rehearsed," he said.

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