1976-1467 Model of rowing lifeboat Roman Govenor

3D Model

Montrose was one of the first places in the British Isles to establish a lifeboat station. It was opened in 1800, twenty-four years before the ‘National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck’ was founded by Sir William Hillary. This foundation would later become the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Montrose once had a busy harbour with fishing, whaling and merchant shipping and although the harbour was sheltered, the entrance was narrow and hazardous. The Roman Governor of Caer Hun was an 8-oared lifeboat - lifeboats were rowed for the first 125 years. It was so named because of a Roman earthwork on the land of financial donor to the station, Mr David Griffith of Wales. The Governor was in operation as a second boat of the station between 1869 and 1889, where it alone saved 89 lives.

This model was brought to you with help from Museums Galleries Scotland as part of the ‘Exploring the Ship Model Collection at the McManus’ project.