A 1960s model lifeboat man has been gifted to Whitby RNLI Lifeboat Museum.
Head to Whitby museum and you may spot this larger than life, lifeboat crew member... but he's no ordinary crew member, Billy is a lifelike model used back in the 1960s as a collecting aid.
Originally from Leeds, where he belonged to the Leeds Shoreline Branch, Billy was part of many displays at local galas and fetes and also made appearances at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.
He then moved on to Knaresborough and as part of the Knaresborough Ladies’ Lifeboat Guild’s fundraising activities he was always on display at events and the very popular and successful annual Gymkhana.
With the demise of the Knaresborough Guild Billy has spent the last 15 years stored in a garage owned by Knaresborough supporter Paula Letts. However, after all these years Paula felt it was only right that Billy should be returned to the RNLI and duly made arrangements with Whitby RNLI Museum.
Neil Williamson, Whitby RNLI Museum Curator and Whitby’s Coxswain Howard Fields met with Mr and Mrs Letts when they handed Billy over. Luckily he was transported in two halves as he stands over two meters tall!
It is thought that Billy was an offshoot of the fashion in the 1950-70s to have a life-size figure outside your High Street shop. Landers Butchers on Baxtergate, Whitby still have a model of a butcher similar to Billy in their shop.
The figures were often slightly larger than life and caught attention being out on the pavement (likely scaring or amusing small children equally). The earlier ones were plaster, later were of resin or GRP plastic.
Neil Williamson said:
'Billy has no makers name but he is marked with a Number 3 on him. Unfortunately the RNLI have no records about the commissioning of the ‘Billies’, but the question is are there still any other Billies in existence elsewhere? We'd love to hear from you if you know of any or even have an old photos of a Billy.'
Billy is presently at the Whitby Museum but longterm the RNLI’s Heritage Department would like to have Billy on display at the RNLI’s HQ at Poole.
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