Name Helen Wycherley

ON959 - HELEN WYCHERLEY is a 47ft Watson lifeboat fitted with a self-righting airbag, with 13ft beam, 2 x 60 bhp Gardner 5LW engines, built in 1961 by Groves & Gutteridge, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Built at the cost of £35,500, which was provided out of a legacy left by Mr Harry Wycherley of Rochdale, Lancashire; a gift from Miss Jane W Robb of Banchory, Kincardineshire; and RNLI funds.

HELEN WYCHERLEY was stationed at the small fishing village of Whitehills, Banffshire, Scotland, from December 1961 until the station closed in May 1969.  She carried out 11 launches with 1 life saved. 

From November 1981 - December 1987, HELEN WYCHERLEY was stationed at Courtmacsherry, Cork, Ireland, where she carried out 66 launches and saved 44 lives.  After leaving Courtmacsherry, the lifeboat was in the Relief Fleet from 1987-88, then sold out of service in 1988.

In total, HELEN WYCHERLEY was launched 78 times and saved 45 lives. There are no medals associated with this boat, but several Letters of Appreciation to crew members for notable services:

A framed letter signed by the RNLI Chairman was awarded to second coxswain/mechanic J B Madden for his part in the rescue of a fishing vessel over the night of 19th December 1981. A letter of appreciation signed by the Director was sent to Coxswain O'Mahony for his part in the rescue of a man who fell from a cliff in April 1984. A letter of appreciation signed by C.O. was also sent to Doctor L O'Brien for his part in the rescue of a sick man aboard the ore/bulk/oil carrier "Elizabeth" of Liberia in November 1984.  A letter of appreciation was sent to Mr E Butler, the Lighthouse Keeper, signed by Deputy Director & C.O. for his part in a service which took place 25/7/87 to a Motor Boat which lasted from 2300 that day until 1450 on 26/7/87. 

The Watson Class of lifeboat was not self-righting. This lifeboat's sister ship the 'T.G.B' (now on display at the Scottish Maritime Museum) capsized in a Force 9 gale and all eight crewmen died when she failed to right herself. This was around the time of arrival on station in Courtmacsherry of HELEN WYCHERLEY. Watson Class lifeboats were later fitted with a stowed air-bag which, when inflated, would aid self-righting should the need arise. It was 1974 when this feature was added to HELEN WYCHERLEY. 

When she retired from service in 1988, she was bought by Mr Twomey, a businessman in Crosshaven, and converted into an angling charter boat. However Irish Department of Marine regulations for charter vessels saw the lifeboat again go into retirement. She was to be seen for some years at anchor in Drake's Pool near Crosshaven before she moved on again to Whitby. At some point during her time in Whitby her name was changed to PARACHINAR. Work took place to restore her following extensive corrosion and disrepair.

In March 2023, the vessel was sold to a new owner for restoration and her name was changed back to HELEN WYCHERLEY.