The 46 ft Watson-class was a non-self-righting displacement hull lifeboat, built between 1935 and 1946, and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) between 1935 and 1981.

Description The 46 ft Watson initially had an aft cockpit with a shelter containing the engine controls. Ahead of the shelter was the exhaust funnel and ahead of the mast was a small forward shelter. On ON 805 and 815, the cockpit shelter was lengthened, with the funnel mounted on its forward end and these two featured end boxes. ON 820 also had the lengthened shelter but retained a flush deck. From ON 828 the forward shelter was deleted. Two boats, ON 840 and ON 846 had midships cockpits, ahead of the funnel, with a shelter ahead of it as well as the rear shelter.

Four of the first five boats had two 40-bhp Weyburn CE4 4-cylinder petrol engines, but the fourth, ON 787, was fitted with two 40-bhp Ferry VE4 4-cylinder diesels, making it the first RNLI lifeboat to be built with diesel engines. The diesels became standard from the sixth boat onwards.

In the mid sixties, seven boats were re-engined with 65-bhp Ford-based Parsons Barracuda 6-cylinder diesels, after trials with Canadian Pacific (ON 803), which had been fitted with 47-bhp Parsons Marlin diesels in 1961, and then re-engined a second time, with the Parsons Barracuda in 1963.

The 46 ft type was one of the last to be adapted to suit the conditions at individual stations, with shallower draft versions (ON 805, 815, 820 and 838) being supplied to four stations, all constructed by J. Samuel White of Cowes. This practice ceased after World War Two, with lifeboats constructed to standard designs.

The 46 ft Watson-class lifeboats were long-lived, most reaching more than thirty-years-service and some topping forty years.

Boat-builders yard fire On 18 June 1937, a fire at the boatbuilders yard of Groves and Guttridge in Cowes on the Isle of Wight destroyed three lifeboats, and a large quantity of timber. A fourth lifeboat had fortunately been dispatched to only 15 hours earlier. The fire completely destroyed the 46 ft Watson-class S. G. E (ON 787), built in 1936, which had been returned to the manufacturers for maintenance work.

Fleet 46ft Watson-class (std) ON Name Built Stations Comments777H. F. Bailey1935 1935–1945 Cromer No.1Legacy of Mr H. F Bailey, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 40-hp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol engines, and internal rudder, costing £7,308.Sold in 1973.On display since 2009 at the Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer. In storage during museum refurbishment. February 2026. 1946–1960 1960–1973 Relief fleet778Edward and Isabella Irwin1935 1935–1963 Legacy of Mrs Irwin, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 40-hp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol engines, costing £7,378. Sold 1971.Renamed Lady Clare C. Last reported as the hull of Edward and Isabella Irwin at Liverpool Sailing Club, Garston, Liverpool, May 2018. 1963–1966 Relief fleet 1966–1967 1967–1969 Relief fleet784 Civil Service No.61935 1936–1956 Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with twin 40-hp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol engines, costing £7,618.Renamed Swn-Y-Mor (Civil Service No.6) in 1956.Swn-Y-Mor(Civil Service No.6) 1956–1963 Sold February 1973.Renamed Swn-y-Mor. At Suffolk Yacht Harbour, November 2025. 1964–1967 1967–1972 Relief fleet 787 S.G.E. 1936 1936–1937 Legacies of Mr Altschul, Miss Gartside and Mr Edmunds, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £8,505.Destroyed by fire at Groves & Guttridge, 18 June 1937. 788 Jeanie Spiers 1936 1937–1961 Gift of Mrs Paterson, built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, with internal rudder, and twin 40-hp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol engines, costing £8,434. Sold April 1961.Believed lost at Largs, 1974. 789 R.P.L. 1936 1937–1962 Legacies of Mr Rignal, Miss Phillips and Mrs Butterworth, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with internal rudder, costing £8,191. Sold September 1962.Renamed Blue Gannet, Southern Cross and Maid of Sker. Destroyed by fire at Grangetown, Cardiff, April 1999. 790 John and Charles Kennedy 1936 1937–1953 Legacy of Mrs Kennedy, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £8,178.Capsized on service with six crew lost, 9 February 1953, and subsequently broken up.801Sir Arthur Rose1938 1938–1947 Gift of Miss M. Lithgow, built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, with internal rudder, costing £8,358. Sold February 1973.Renamed Belmura. Last reported as Rose Marion at Tidemill Yacht Harbour, Woodbridge, Suffolk, May 2022. 1948–1957 1958–1969 1969–1973 Relief fleet8021938 1938–1968 Funded by the RNLI, built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, with internal rudder, costing £8,155. Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1966. Sold July 1976.Renamed Stadab. As Saltire at South Harbour, Whitehaven, September 2025. 1969–1976 Relief fleet803Canadian Pacific1938 1938–1969 Gift of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Co., built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, with internal rudder, costing £8,314. Twin 47-bhp Parsons Ford Marlin 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1961, and twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1963. Sold February 1978.Renamed Scrabster Pilot, Kelmar, and Tusack. In unaltered condition as Canadian Pacific at Dornie, Kyle of Lochalsh, September 2024. 1969–1970 1970–1977 Relief fleet804S.G.E.1938 1938–1943 Legacies of Mr Altschul, Miss Gartside and Mr Edmunds, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, costing £8,266.Replacement for ON 787.Sold April 1964. Renamed John Dutton at Saint Helena. Believed lost in 2000. 1943–1945 Relief fleet 1945–1963 Yarmouth814Dunleary II1938 1938–1967 Fundedby the RNLI, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, costing £8,258. Sold August 1974.At Wapping Wharf, Bristol, August 2025. 1967–1969 1969–1972 Relief fleet 1972–1973 818Mabel Marion Thompson1939 1939–1952 Legacy of Miss Thompson, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, costing £9,649. Sold April 1975.Renamed Carstiona .Last reported under restoration at Kinvarra, County Galway, December 2011. 1952–1968 1968–1970 1970–1974 Relief fleet819Julia Park Barry of Glasgow1939 1939–1969 Gift of Mrs Park-Barry, built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, costing £9,055. Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1964. Sold March 1979.Renamed Savell-o-Hicks. Fully restored, on display as Julia Park Barry of Glasgow at Admiralty Gateway / Peterhead Prison Museum, December 2025. 1969–1979 Relief fleet821The Good Hope1939 1939–1972 No.1An anonymous gift, built by Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sandbank, Argyll, costing £9,070. Shelter added, 1966, Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1966. Sold in 1981.Renamed Myra Jane, Soraya, and The Good Hope of Montrose. Last reported at Albion dockyard, Bristol, August 2021. 1972–1980 Relief fleet822Jesse Lumb1939 1939–1970 Legacy of Miss Lumb, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £9,455. Shelter added, 1964. Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1964. Sold July 1981. Previously at Imperial War Museum Duxford, now at the Classic Boat Museum, West Cowes, Isle of Wight, December 2025. 1970–1980 Relief fleet828The Princess Royal(Civil Service No.7)1939 1939–1968 Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £9,455. Shelter added, 1964. Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1964. Sold 1976.Renamed La Rochelle. Stored as The Princess Royal at Hartlepool Marina, December 2025. 1968–1969 Humber No.2 1969–1976 Relief fleet829Crawford and Constance Conybeare1939 1940–1968 Gift of Mrs Conybeare, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £10,268. Sold August 1974Renamed Three Seas, Bilitis and Connie. Last reported being shipped to Singapore, January 1997. 1968–1974 Relief fleet830Annie Blanche Smith1940 1940–1970 Legacies of Mrs Smith and Mrs Lucas, and funds from the executors of the late Mr Stephens, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, costing £10,279. Sold July 1971Renamed Dunmore East Lifeboat. Later reverted to Annie Blanche Smith, but broken up at Bideford Quay, September 2011. 1970–1971 Relief fleet 842 (Millie Walton) 1940 No () Destroyed in air raid during build at Groves & Guttridge, Cowes, 4 May 1942. 843 (Charles Henry Ashley) 1940 No () Destroyed in air raid during build at Groves & Guttridge, Cowes, 4 May 1942.841Manchester and Salford XXIX1943 1943–1953 Gift of the Manchester and Salford LB fund, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with stern cockpit, costing £11,912. Sold August 1974Renamed Maureen Mary, Paul David II, and Frederick William. A houseboat, Manchester and Salford XXIX RNLI ON 841 at A. W. Marine, Canvey Island, July 2024. 1953–1972 1972–1974 Relief fleet840 Millie Walton1945 1945–1947 Cromer No.1 Legacy of Mrs Walton, built by the Sussex Yacht Co. of Shoreham, with internal rudder, and first to be fitted with midships cockpit, and internal rudder, costing £15,245. Originally built for . Renamed Henry Blogg in 1947.Henry Blogg 1947–1966 Cromer No.1Sold April 1977.Renamed Blogg of Cromer, but broken up in October 2016. 1966–1976 Relief fleet846Field Marshal and Mrs Smuts1945 1945–1977 Gift of the South Africa branch of the RNLI, built by Morgan Giles of Teignmouth, with internal rudder and mid-ship steering, costing £13,865. Sold August 1979.Renamed Kenanda, later Llas-Sah-D, Broken up at Peel, Isle of Man, 13 August 2025. 1977–1979 Relief fleet847Gertrude1946 1946–1968 Legacy of Lady Struthers (née Gertrude Hill), built by Rowhedge Ironworks of Rowhedge, Essex, with internal rudder and stern cockpit, costing £17,048. Shelter added, 1968. Twin 65-bhp Parsons Ford Barracuda 6-cyl. diesel engines, 1966. Radar, 1973. Sold February 1982.Unaltered at Mevagissey harbour, December 2025. 1968–1970 1970–1974 1974–1980 Relief fleet 1980–1981 848Millie Walton1946 1946–1956 Legacy of Mrs Walton, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, with internal rudder and stern cockpit, costing £14,462. Sold October 1977.Renamed Tyne Winder. Returned to be Millie Walton, but was broken up at Charlotte Quay, Grand Canal Basin, Dublin, July 2015. 1956–1974 1974–1977 Relief fleet

46ft Watson-class (shallow draft) ON Name Built Stations Comments 805 Samuel and Marie Parkhouse 1938 1938–1962 Legacy of Mrs Parkhouse, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, and turtle-decks fore and aft, costing £8,450. Sold September 1963.Renamed Oniros, at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze, December 2025. 815 Violet Armstrong 1938 1938–1962 Gift of Mr Armstrong, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, with internal rudder, and turtle-decks fore and aft, costing £8,600. Sold October 1962.Under restoration at Albion Yard Marina, Bristol, April 2025.820Louise Stephens1939 1939–1967 Legacy of Mrs Stephens, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £9,351. Sold August 1974.Renamed Mid Tyne Mariner, Tyne Star and Louise. Under restoration as Louise Stephens at Hewitt's boatyard, Stiffkey, Norfolk, December 2025. 1967–1974 8381939 1939–1963 Legacy of Mrs L. Stephens, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £10,104. Sold January 1976.Last reported in unaltered condition, on the River Yealm, Newton Ferrers, Devon, December 2023. 1963–1968 1968–1976 Relief fleet

See also Watson-class lifeboat Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

References

External links RNLI