26-05-2025
New Montrose lifeboat officially named in poignant ceremony
Montrose has officially named its new inshore lifeboat in memory of a lifelong supporter of the charity with a love of the sea.
The D-class Margaret Olive arrived on station in January.
Margaret Olive has already been launched to eight callouts. It joins the all-weather Shannon-class RNLB Ian Grant Smith at Montrose.
On Saturday, the town station staged a service of dedication for the new lifeboat.
It saw north-east man Ken Brown officially hand over the craft named in honour of his late wife.
Margaret ran a dental practice in Inverurie for almost 30 years.
She grew up in Glasgow and met Ken while at Glasgow University.
The couple worked in Lancashire for around 10 years before moving to Aberdeenshire in 1981.
Margaret's passions included sailing, outdoor adventures and travelling.
She was a lifelong supporter of the RNLI. Margaret was always grateful when at sea that its crews were available if required.
The weekend ceremony was opened by Mike Neil, chairman of Montrose lifeboat management group.
The local crew and community representatives were joined by Jill Hepburn, RNLI head of region for Scotland.
The D-class lifeboat is highly manoeuvrable and ideal for operating close to shore in confined locations such as close to cliffs. It has been the charity's workhorse for over 50 years.
Montrose RNLI coxswain/mechanic Scott Murray said: 'Today is a special day for all of us here in Montrose as we celebrate our brand new inshore lifeboat, Margaret Olive.
'The RNLI is funded entirely by generous donations from the public.
'We're grateful to Ken Brown for his generous donation in memory of his late wife, Margaret, who loved the sea and supported the RNLI throughout her life.
'We're honoured to have Margaret Olive here with us in Montrose to help us save lives at sea.'
The new lifeboat is the latest chapter for one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the British Isles.
Montrose was established in 1800.
Its first boat was built by Henry Greathead. He was responsible for the design of Original in 1789, the first boat to be built expressly for the purpose of saving life from shipwreck.
The current Montrose station was opened in 1989.
In 2015, it became the first in Scotland to receive the revolutionary Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat.
