The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the world’s oldest charity lifeboat service, founded in 1824. Its stations are situated around the coast of the UK and Ireland; they provide cover up to 50 miles out to sea. Their crews have saved over 140,000 lives.

In 1958 naval engineer Richard Oakley settled a century-old argument over whether it was better to have a self-righting lifeboat, which capsizes more easily, or a non self-righting lifeboat, which is more stable. The introduction of the Oakley class lifeboats succeeded in combining the best features of the previously very different types of boats and marked the successful re-introduction of the self-righting principle into modern lifeboat design. The trials of the first boat built in 1958 were most encouraging; the unique design proved to be a great success and another twenty-six boats were built, the last going to her station in 1972.

“The Royal Thames” was a 37 ft Oakley class self-righter designed for launching from either a carriage or down a permanent slipway; it was built in 1964. During her service from 1964 to 1993 she had 30 launches and saved 15 lives. She is currently under private ownership.