Historic links between Penlee lifeboat station and a lifeboat station in France have been strengthened following a visit to Penzance and Newlyn by the mayor of Concarneau.  

Arranged by the Penzance Concarneau Twinning Association with the support of Penzance Council, mayor Marc Bigot, his wife Christine and deputy mayor Annick Martin were invited for a poignant visit to the old Penlee lifeboat station which closed following the loss of all eight crew members of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne in 1981. 

Set up in the year following the Penlee lifeboat disaster, the Twinning Association reflects a common love of Breton and Cornish cultures – including the art scene shared with the Newlyn School and Pont-Aven – and their music and languages. School exchanges are a regular occurrence, giving youngsters an invaluable opportunity to experience a different culture and language. The association is also hoping to rebuild the historic links between the twin towns’ firefighters and lifeboat crews. 

Deputy mayor of Concarneau Annick Martin visits the old Penlee lifeboat station. Photo by Penzance Council.
Deputy mayor of Concarneau Annick Martin visits the old Penlee lifeboat station (Picture: Penzance Council)

Coxswain of Penlee lifeboat, Patch Harvey, makes regular visits to Concarneau lifeboat station at Trévignon following an introduction by the Twinning Association years ago: “A twinning group came over, probably about eight years ago, and invited me to go to Concarneau and meet the crew at Trévignon. That’s how it started and we have become very good friends.  

“It’s quite important, because we all share the same attitude to saving lives at sea. It’s nice to see the difference in the boats and the stations, but the attitude of the crew is exactly the same as what we have here.” 

After the tour of the old Penlee lifeboat station with local historian Mike Sagar-Fenton, Patch Harvey showed the French visitors around the current Penlee lifeboat station and presented mayor Marc Bigot with a painting by local artist Trevor Thorne - who is also the Deputy Launch Authority at the station.   

Deputy mayor of Concarneau Annick Martin visits the old Penlee lifeboat station. Photo by Penzance Council.
Annick Martin at the old Penlee lifeboat station (Penzance Council)

The mayor of Concarneau thanked the lifeboat crew, adding: “We were very moved by our visit to the Penlee lifeboat station this morning. 

“The RNLI and the SNSM (Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer) were both founded at around the same time, and there are a lot of similarities in how they are organised. But when I see the resources you have here, thanks to the generosity of the public, I realise that we don’t have the same maritime spirit in France.  

“In Britain you are never very far from the sea, and everywhere one sees those little model lifeboats where people put their pennies and their pounds. And that’s how it works. But in France, we have nothing like the same maritime spirit.  

The Penzance Concarneau Twinning Association visit the Penlee RNLI lifeboat. Photo by Penzance Council.
The Penzance Concarneau Twinning Association visit the Penlee RNLI lifeboat (Picture: Penzance Council)

“Here in Britain, you have your own training centre, you build your own lifeboats. It’s superbly well organised. 

“Turning to our own Concarneau lifeboat station at Trévignon, we now have a new station manager, and he has asked me if we can have more exchanges with you here in Newlyn, and I’m really happy that we can build closer ties between our two maritime communities.” 

Joining Karen Bennett and Peter Crumpler from the Penzance Concarneau Twinning Association for the visit, Penzance town mayor and President of the Twinning Association Stephen Reynolds commented: “It was a great honour to be invited to Concarneau in August to join the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the town, and a great pleasure to reciprocate by inviting Marc, Annick and Christine to visit Penzance and Newlyn. 

Mayor of Concarneau Marc Bigot is shown around the Penlee RNLI lifeboat by coxswain Patch Harvey. Photo by Penzance Council.
Mayor of Concarneau Marc Bigot is shown around the Penlee RNLI lifeboat by coxswain Patch Harvey. (Picture: Penzance Council)

“It was particularly special to visit the old Penlee lifeboat station, and to pay a poignant tribute to the eight gallant lifeboatmen lost with the Solomon Browne in December 1981. 

“I would like to thank Patch Harvey, Mike Sagar-Fenton, Trevor Thorne and Tony Rendle for their warm welcome, and Karen Bennett and Peter Crumpler from the Twinning Association for all they do to keep the relationship between our towns alive. 

“Thanks also to Nick Howell and Paul Durkin of the Newlyn Harbour Commissioners, who hosted our Concarneau guests for a working lunch to discuss issues of mutual interest around the fishing industry and maritime heritage. 

Penlee lifeboat coxswain Patch Harvey with mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds and mayor of Concarneau Marc Bigot. Photo by Penzance Council.
Penlee lifeboat coxswain Patch Harvey with mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds and mayor of Concarneau Marc Bigot (Picture: Penzance Council)

“Our visit to Newlyn was a timely reminder of how large the sea still figures in the lives of both our communities, and I’m very much looking forward to building on this visit to further strengthen the close ties links between us.” 

Penzance Council serves the people of Penzance, Newlyn, Heamoor, Mousehole, Paul and Gulval.