The commemorative sculpture was officially unveiled at the weekend.
Earlier this year, Whitby RNLI's station mechanic Richard Dowson came up with the idea of creating a sculpture to celebrate 200 years of the RNLI in 2024.
After seeing a trail of similar sculptures around the town created by artist Emma Stothard, Richard suggested creating one of lifeboat Henry Freeman.
Henry Freeman was the sole survivor of a lifeboat disaster in 1861, he survived as he was the only crew member wearing a new cork lifejacket, and he went on to win a medal for his bravery.
A descendent of Henry Freeman, Lesley Jackson (nee Freeman) heard about Richard's idea and generously donated the full cost of the sculpture.
On Saturday the Whitby RNLI crew and volunteers gathered for an official unveiling. The old rowing lifeboat was brought for the event, a reminder of how much technology has advanced since the early days of lifeboating.
RNLI Head of Region George Pickford welcomed members of the public and Lesley and her family to the unveiling and told briefly of the RNLI's history of saving lives at sea.
Lesley gave a poignant speech, telling the crowd how much the sculpture means to her and her family, and said:
'It not only represents Henry Freeman's bravery but the bravery of the volunteers who continue to save lives at sea to this day.'
The sculpture was revealed to a round of applause from the crowd, and will now stand pride of place, on Khyber Pass.
Whitby RNLI station mechanic Richard Dowson said:
'It was a fantastic turn out for the event. Emma Stothard has worked tirelessly on the sculpture, perfectly capturing Henry's character, not as easy task with wire! But she has done a fantastic job.
We hope that both locals and visitors to the town will enjoy the sculpture and pop into the museum to learn more about the RNLI's history in Whitby.
Many thanks to Lesley for her kind donation which has made this project possible and also many others who have helped along the way. Special thanks to Wilf Nobles for installing the sculpture free of charge and to Neil Trillo for his generous donation of an MG Midget towards the project.'
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