A MURAL commemorating one of the Island’s most honoured lifeboat coxswains on the 200-year anniversary of the RNLI could soon adorn the Lifeboat Station on the Albert Pier, if plans are approved.
The proposed design – by the artist Bokra (Ben Robertson) – features an image of Thomas James King, a coxswain awarded several medals for his valiant service in the 20th century.
The mural aims to engage the public with an understanding of the voluntary service, made up of Islanders willing to give their time and efforts to save lives at sea. It will cover a significant portion of the north-east elevation of the lifeboat station.
Plans have been submitted by Godel Architects following recent approval for the larger ‘bunker mural’ on the Albert Pier, which has been created over one of the cast-concrete structures from the Second World War.
There will be ‘no significant impact’ or ‘detriment’ to the historical Grade 2 listing of the Albert Pier and setting, according to the application, which is supported by Ports of Jersey.
Who was Thomas James King?
In 1949, a gold medal was awarded to coxswain Thomas James King, and bronze medals to seven other crew members, after they helped rescue a yacht named Maurice Georges, which was stranded on the Demi des Pas rocks, south of St Helier. The crew had earlier been searching for eight hours for a military aircraft that had reportedly come down. Eventually, after nine hours at sea, the stricken yacht was towed back to port with its four crew.
In 1975, the Queen Mother named the Island’s new lifeboat Thomas James King. The vessel was a Waveney-class boat, built by Groves and Guttridge in Cowes at a cost of £100,000, which was funded by an appeal in Jersey.
