The interesting Newhaven Sussex Royal National Life Boat Institution Certificate of Thanks of the Society on Vellum awarded to lifeboat motor mechanic Ernest Cantell, a member of the crew of the Newhaven Motor Life-boat “Sir Fitzroy Clayton” for an incident in Newhaven harbour in Sussex on 27 November 1924. This incident, saw the lifeboat coxswain earn the Royal National Life Boat Institution Bronze Medal, when he and his crew, during a full south westerly gale with a very heavy sea, on going to the aid of the cross channel steamer Dieppe, found themselves instead assisting the four man crew of the tug Richmere, one of two tugs that had also put out to assist the Dieppe. The Richmere had been driven ashore ‘and the lifeboat went alongside her to take off her four man crew. While engaged in this, the tug rolled and ripped a large hole in the lifeboat as well as causing other damage.’ After landing the men, the lifeboat went back out to stand by the steamer until she was re-floated some three hours after she had grounded. Cantell, a local man, and employed as a shipwright and boat builder, was also awarded a Silver Cup for another incident that involved the Danish schooner, Mogens Koch, on 1 December 1928.
Royal National Life Boat Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck Certificate of Thanks of the Society on Vellum, awarded to E. Cantell ‘in recognition of his very meritorious conduct in the Newhaven Motor Life-boat when she rescued the crew of four hands of the Tug “Richmere” which was wrecked at Newhaven, during a whole S.W. gale with a very heavy sea, on the 27th: November, 1924.’ Bearing the signatures of the Chairman, Sir Godfrey Baring Bt., and the Secretary. This framed and glazed.
Condition: some staining and light evidence of damage from damp, overall Fair/Good Condition.
Ernest Cantell was born on 3 December 1871 in Newhaven, Sussex, the son of Mark Phillip and Sarah Cantell. He married Mary Ellen Robinson in Lewes in 1895, and they went on to have three children. As of 1911 he was living in Bromley, London, and working as a shipwright, and by 1911, he was back in Newhaven and working as both a shipwright and boat builder.
Cantell was a crew member of the self righting motor lifeboat Sir Fitzroy Clayton, that was based at Newhaven, Sussex, and served aboard her as the motor mechanic. Cantell was awarded the Royal National Life Boat Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck Certificate of Thanks of the Society on Vellum, ‘in recognition of his very meritorious conduct in the Newhaven Motor Life-boat when she rescued the crew of four hands of the Tug “Richmere” which was wrecked at Newhaven, during a whole south westerly gale with a very heavy sea, on 27 November 1924. The lifeboat was severely damaged in this incident.
In this incident the Coxswain of the Newhaven Lifeboat, Richard Payne was awarded the Royal National Life Boat Institution Bronze Medal, voted to him on 18 December 1924, the citation reads as follows: ’27 November 1924: While the cross channel steamer Dieppe was trying to enter Newhaven, Sussex harbour, in a full south westerly gale, she ran aground and two tugs were sent to her aid. The self righting motor lifeboat Sir Fitzroy Clayton was also launched, at 5.20 a.m., but found that the steamer did not require help. The tug Richmere, however, had been driven ashore, and the lifeboat went alongside her to take off her four man crew. While engaged in this, the tug rolled and ripped a large hole in the lifeboat as well as causing other damage. After landing the men, Coxswain Payne took the lifeboat out to stand by the steamer until she was re-floated some three hours after she had grounded.’
Subsequent to this, Cantell was still in his role as the motor mechanic aboard the same lifeboat when she went to the aid of the Danish schooner, Mogens Koch, on 1 December 1928. He is recorded as having been presented with a Silver Cup for this incident, these being presented to seven crew members, whilst the coxswain, Richard Payne was awarded a Gold Watch.
In December 1929 his wife died in Lewisham, London, and he cannot be found in the 1939 Register, however he was still alive and he died on 13 April 1947 in Newhaven, Sussex
