Full Report Launch of The Cyclist
24th December 1887
In weather dry and boisterous, the new lifeboat subscribed for by the cyclists of the United Kingdom was launched on Saturday in the presence of a large and thoroughly representative gathering. A strong breeze from the north west had prevailed during the whole of the morning , and had made the water exceedingly choppy at sea, but had interfered very little with the harbour entrance, where the ceremony took place. Numbers of men were astir shortly after daybreak engaged in erecting flags, banners, festoons, &c., upon various available coigns of vantage in the vicinity of the boathouse, which also had been appropriately decorated. Upon most of the vessels in the two harbours, flags of numerous colours, shapes, and makes, floated on the breeze, whilst most of the yards and works on the dock sides were appropriately festooned.
Trips from Whitby, Leeds, Lotus, Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Hawes, Newcastle and south Shields were run to Seaton Carew, West Hartlepool and East Hartlepool, bearing a large number of cyclists, together with their friends and numerous patrons of the Lifeboat Institution. Long before the time announced for the commencement of the procession large crowds assembled in the vicinity of the borough Hall at Hartlepool, whilst on the sands at Middleton numbers congregated near and about the lifeboat house, on the breakwater, the Quayside, Town Wall, ferry landings, Messrs. Withy and Co.’s yard, upon their newly launched steamer – the Melbourne, upon the piles of timber, and in fact wherever there was a chance of catching a glimpse of the proceedings, many thousands being the aggregate number. As we have already described the boat, we need only say that she cost £650, that Messrs. Iliffe and Sturmey founded the subscription to defray her cost.
Just before the time for the ceremony had arrived, the new tug steamer William Gray brought alongside Hartlepool Quay a number of ladies from West Hartlepool, relatives and friends of the gentlemen invited to take part in the proceedings. The Blanche was crowded with Hartlepool ladies. The Conqueror, which had previously taken on board the orchestra, composed of well-known amateurs from both the Hartlepools, and the choir of ladies and gentlemen, lay to the south east of Middleton Lifeboat House. The channel was dotted with boats of various shapes and sizes, conspicuous amongst which were two steam launches.
There follows a very lengthy discourse which includes the order of procession. Noteworthy that the Mayor of Hartlepool, Ald. T. Richardson, is mentioned by name. The Mayor of West Hartlepool is not.
Mr. Sturmey addressed the vat audience in presenting the lifeboat and said there had been 6,000 subscriptions to the fund and that Messrs. Iliffe and Sturmey had defrayed all the costs of the fund so that all subscriptions had gone towards the cost of the boat and that the boat was presented by the cyclists of the United Kingdom in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee.
The new lifeboat was then christened by the Mayoress of Hartlepool “The Cyclist” and after the traditional breaking of a bottle of wine the boat glided down into the sea.
Under the direction of Lieut. Beddoes arrangements were then completed for buoyancy and self righting testing. The vessel performed these tests to perfection.
After the conclusion of the launching ceremony a large number of gentlemen lunched at the King’s Head Hotel, Ald. Thomas Richardson JP, Mayor of Hartlpool, presiding and many toasts were drunk and in particular a telegram was read out from the London Social Cycling Club, who were the largest single subscribers. The day’s affairs were concluded by recitations and other entertainment.
Cyclists were present from London, Leeds, Newcastle, Coventry, Birmingham, Stockton (the banner of the Stockton Club was displayed), Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Shields, and from West Hartlepool and Hartlepool, the members of the Cycling Club of the 4th Durham Artillery Volunteers, appearing in uniform..
It is also worthy of note that the cycling delegation was led by Mr. Sturmey of Coventry, who presented the lifeboat, and was editor of “The Cyclist”, and I would imagine that he would be the Mr. Sturmey of Sturmey Archer Gears fame.
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