On this day 84 years ago, Falmouth’s new Watson class lifeboat Crawford and Constance Conybeare, with Coxswain John “Janner” Snell in command, launched on her first service to what has been described as one of the finest rescues ever carried out by a Falmouth lifeboat.
𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 19, 𝟭𝟵𝟰𝟬 January 1940 was an eventful and important month for Falmouth and the legendary lifeboat coxswain John C “Janner” Snell, when the brand new Watson class lifeboat Crawford and Constance Conybeare arrived from the builders yard to take up station as the port’s new lifeboat.
Crawford and Constance Conybeare was donated to the RNLI by Mrs Constance Conybeare in memory of her husband Rear-Admiral Crawford Coneybeare who took part in the Arctic expedition of the Discovery and Alerte under the command of Admiral Sir Henry Stephenson in 1874.
The 46 ft long lifeboat costing £10,500 was named by Mrs Conybeare on January 18 and the next day she launched on service on what was one of the finest rescues ever carried out by a Falmouth lifeboat when 35 crew were rescued in the finest traditions of the RNLI by a very brave crew.
The lifeboat left her mooring at 9.30am in answer to a call that a large steamer was flying distress signals and dragging her anchors off Castle beach. Fully laden with grain from the South American port of Santa Fe, the Hartlepool registered steamer Kirkpool was dragging her anchors in a south easterly gale and drifting towards the shore.
Two tugs were standing by but were unable to get lines to the ship due to the weather conditions and heavy seas running.
Coxswain John “Janner” Snell took the lifeboat through the very heavy seas and easterly swell to the scene of the impending shipwreck. The Kirkpool’s master asked the lifeboat to take a line to one of the tugs. Coxswain Snell managed to pass a line after several attempts.
Within minutes the Kirkpool grounded off Castle Beach in front of the Falmouth Hotel. The coxswain took the Crawford and Constance Conybeare alongside the lee side of the ship close to the shore where 13 firemen and a badly injured crew member were rescued at the request of the Captain.
Ashore people waited and watched as the lifeboat virtually stood on end as she encountered mountainous seas.
The lifeboat landed the survivors at Custom House Quay and went straight back to the Kirkpool to rescue the remaining 21 men.
The RNLI subsequently awarded Coxswain Snell its Silver Medal for gallantry and outstanding merit, and a copy of the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum.
Mechanic Charles “Chiefy” Williams was awarded the RNLI’s Bronze medal for gallantry with the crew receiving copies of the Thanks of the Institution on vellum.
The RNLI said: ‘The lifeboat was handled by the coxswain with great skill and daring, and the mechanics and crew responded splendidly to his orders.’ Apart from the coxswain and mechanic other crew members were second coxswain Leonard Morrison, Harry Tonkin, bowman, Charles Brown, assistant mechanic, Reggie Tonkin, Norman Morrison, Tommy Soult.
The following day the lifeboat saved 27 crew members from the tanker Caroni River when she sank after hitting a mine in the bay laid by a German U Boat.
Photo of Coxswain John “Janner” Snell: RNLI archive. Other photos: David Barnicoat collection.
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