Lady of Mann

Current boat name

Lady of Mann

Boat class

7489

Function

Service

Type

Length (m / ft)

8.53 / 28

Beam (m / ft)

2.57 / 8ft 5in

Leeward

Keel

Masts

One Wood

Propulsion

Oar

Designer

Vickers Armstrong

Date of build

1929

Place of build

Barrow

Present use

Sailing

Built as lifeboat No 8 (of ten) for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co's T.S.S. LADY OF MANN (3040 reg. tons) in 1929. This ship was requisitioned as a personnel ship at the outbreak of WW II and was heavily involved in the evacuation at Dunkirk, rescuing in total over 7000 troops. Soon after she was involved in rescuing some 5000 troops from Le Havre. From August 1940 until April 1944 she was on trooping duties between Invergordon, Aberdeen and Lerwick to the Faroes, as well as acting as tender to RMS QUEEN MARY ferrying allied troops from the QUEEN MARY in Belfast Lough to Greenock. She was then converted to a Landing Ship Infantry and took part in landings at Juno beach, Normandy. After repairs, she returned to carry troops and displaced persons across the Channel for the remainder of the war. In May 1946 she was reconditioned and returned to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co., and used until 1971 when she was broken up on the Clyde ( see Tom Lee, Paddle Steamer Picture Gallery). The No 8 lifeboat was salvaged in 1972 by Mr B Warr and converted into cabin cruiser. Fitted with a foredeck and cabin and a Lister aircooled 19.5 hp engine, she was used as apleasure craft from Tollesbury marina in Essex. In 2003 she was purchased by Mr Daniel King who replaced the engine with a Beta diesel of 35 hp. She was purchased by her present owner ( a Manxman) in 2009 and is now used on the Thames. She awaits some restoration. February 2011 (Archives)