The Jane Hannah MacDonald III (JHM III) was the third gift of Mrs Jane Hannah MacDonald of Brighton to the RNLI in the late 19th. Century. JHM III was built at the Thames Iron Works & Ship Building Company in Blackwall, East London in 1909 at a cost of £931 with the Thames Iron Works Production Number: TL56. She is a fine example of a Self-Righting, ‘Pulling & Sailing’ ketch rig of standing lugsails rigged Lifeboat. Built with two drop keels, 10 oars and weighing just short of 4 tons, registered with the RNLI: ON611 in 1910.

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JHM III was launched on 31st. August 1910 and served at Appledore from 1910 to 1922, launching 22 times and saving 23 lives. In 1929 JHM III was assigned No.2 Lifeboat at Eastbourne but was never called out. Finally, JHM III served from 1933 to 1938 as the No.1 Lifeboat at Flamborough, and was called out three times but did not save any lives.

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Jane Hannah MacDonald was sold out of the service in Jan 1939 for £50 to Mr R C Dunn of North Shields. In 1940 schoolboy Graham Chase saw her advertised in a yachting magazine and persuaded his father Bernard to buy her and she was relocated to Blakeney, North Norfolk. He remembered that she was 'in marvellous condition.' When she was called to go to Dunkirk, George and 'Fat Freddie' Long took Jane Hannah to Newhaven, where the Royal Navy took charge of her. It was reported that she was so heavily laden with troops at Dunkirk that the water came up through her valves. JHM III was reported lost at sea on 7th June, just when  Bernard Chase had given up all hope of getting his boat back, he discovered that she had been found floating in the English Channel and towed home, she was returned to Bernard in Broxbourne and repaired before being taken back to Blakeney.

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HM III remained in Blakeney until Jan 1953 suffering near-catastrophic damage during the floods on the East coast. Having been repaired in Blakeney, JHM III was used as a Fishing boat by ‘Billy’ Long, and again reused for fishing by Stratton Long and sold in 1962. JHM III was then bought by a succession of owners until 1992. Simon Evans of Evans Marine International in France bought JHM III in 1992 taking her to France, again storing her for future restoration until Oct 2019.

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Brothers Simon and James Morris with Robert Braddick from North Devon bought JHM3 Oct 2019, and in June 2020 transported JHM3 back to Bideford, North Devon. Simon, James and Robert donated JHM3 to the Appledore Maritime Heritage Trust where she will be restored in the coming months. John Vistuer, who researched the history of JHM III over many years, rediscovered JHM III in France.  Simon and James Morris and Robert Braddick, who brought JHM III back to Bideford, N. Devon, are keen to ensure JHM III does not remain in storage but is restored to full RNLI Operational Condition for the benefit of the people of Appledore and the surrounding area. Appledore Maritime Heritage Trust, who now own JHM III, was set up to preserve the local maritime heritage. Further details about the Trust and the Jane Hannah MacDonald III Lifeboat can be found here: www.amhtrust.org

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National Historic Ships - Key dates

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·         1910-08-31                  RNLI Lifeboat ON611 named 'Jane Hannah MacDonald' III and slipped from her Carriage into the                                                                           River Torridge Bideford at 3:30pm after Bideford Regatta Events had concluded.

·         1922-08-23                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III retired from Appledore Services as V.C.S. Motor Lifeboat takes over at                                                                         Appledore Lifeboat Station. Saved 23 Lives in 22 rescues.

·         1929-01-14                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III serve as No 2 Lifeboat at Eastbourne Lifeboat Station. Never                                                                                          launched.

·         1933-03-11                  Sent to Flamborough Lifeboat Station. Launched 3 times, no lives saved.

·         1939-01-31                  Sold out of Service to Mr Cann Whitley Bay, North Shields used as Fishing Boat. 'Jane Hannah                                                                                 MacDonald' renamed to 'Jane Hannah'.

·         1940-03-01                  Sold to Mr B Chase Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.

·         1940-05-25                  Requisitioned for Operation Dynamo, Dunkirk. Motored from Blakeney, North Norfolk to                                                                                         Ramsgate.

·         1940-10-10                  Jane Hannah returned to Broxbourne, Hertfordshire Mr Chase family home to be repaired by local                                                                         Boat Yard, then returned to Blakeney, North Norfolk. Skippered initially by Mr G Long then Mr                                                                                 W. Long.

·         1953-01-31                  Jane Hannah suffered near catastrophic damage to port side following Norfolk coastline floods                                                                               after being driven into the stone wall of a house on Blakeney Quay.

·         1962                             Sold out of Blakeney, North Norfolk.

·         1992                             Succession of owners intending to restore lifeboat.

·         1992-02-28                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III, sold to Simon Evans Lifeboat enthusiast and restorer of Evans Marine                                                                          International, Migennes, France.

·         2019-10-17                  Lifeboat sold to brothers Simon & James Morris & Robert Braddick, all of Bideford, N. Devon.

·         2020-06-03                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III transported back to Bideford.

·         2020-06-04                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III donated by Simon & James Morris and Robert Braddick to the                                                                                        Appledore Maritime Heritage Trust

·         2020-06-05                  Jane Hannah MacDonald III Lifeboat in storage awaiting restoration.                                                                                                                             Registered with National Historic Ships.

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