In 2009, after being left derelict for many years in the boathouse at Blackpool’s Stanley Park Boating Lake, the boat was moved to make space for other projects.
A team set about trying to save the boat and it was transferred to the TS Queenborough Sea-Cadets site in Bispham, with a view to restoration.
In 2012, after failing to find funding to start a restoration, the boat was moved again and placed in storage in the Blackpool Council’s Lightworks yard.
There were hopes that £25,000 would be raised and the boat would be restored and placed in the new proposed museum at the Winter Gardens.
In 2017 new museum plans were passed and the museum site was amended to the old Sands site. Unfortunately, there was insufficient room to exhibit the boat.
In 2018 a small team of local life boat enthusiasts has taken on the restoration of the Samuel Fletcher of Manchester Lifeboat.
We will be updating our exploits over the coming months on this site…
