Samuel Kelly saved the lives of 33 passengers during Princess Victoria disaster

The lifeboat has an iconic status because of its role in rescuing 33 people from the Princess Victoria disaster.

It was stationed at Donaghadee from 1950 until 1976, after which it served in the reserve fleet in Ireland.

At the end of its service life it featured in the headlines again seeing action during the ill-fated Fastnet Yacht Race disaster in August 1979, whilst stationed at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork.

On retirement, the lifeboat was purchased by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and arrived back in NI in 1980. Ownership of the boat transferred to council-run North Down Museum in late 2017.

During 2018, the Donaghadee Heritage Preservation Company signed a loan agreement for the Sir Samuel Kelly with Ards and North Down Borough Council in addition to a lease for the compound in which it is located.

The company wants to restore the lifeboat to its 1953 state and bring it up to exhibition condition in a permanent home.

The campaign to save this most famous of lifeboats has been supported by adventurer Bear Grylls, whose great grandfather, Sir Walter Smiles, was among 130 people who died in the tragedy

Bear Grylls said: “The restoration and preservation of the Sir Samuel Kelly lifeboat, and the construction of a heritage centre in Donaghadee to provide it with a permanent home, will create a fitting memorial to all those who were touched by the Princess Victoria tragedy.

"The dead include my great grandfather Sir Walter Smiles at whose home in Donaghadee I spent many happy summer days as a boy.”