NEWS

Jeremy Hall was approached in January 2008 by Mr John Green with a design brief to produce a simple, classic table to incorporate a glass engraving of Barrow-in-Furness’s lifeboat, the ‘James Bibby’.

Barrow Lifeboat Station was established in 1864 and Barrow’s last lifeboat, the ‘James Bibby’ was on station from September 1986 to February 2008 during which time it carried out 204 services, 148 rescues and saved 16 lives.

The James Bibby Lifeboat

The ‘James Bibby’ was donated to Barrow by Mr J Ben Bibby in memory of his great grandfather, the founder of their family milling business J Bibby & Sons Ltd in Liverpool. To show their appreciation to Mr Bibby and his wife Sue for their extremely generous support of the Barrow Lifeboat Station and their friendship over the past 21½ years, the Branch Committee, the Ladies Lifeboat Guild and most importantly the Crew wished to present them with a unique gift in recognition of the very high esteem in which they are held.

A unique gift - Engraved Glass Wood Coffee Table

An engraved glass topped wood coffee table from Peter Hall & Son Ltd fitted the bill perfectly for a unique gift, with its elegant and timeless design, beautifully crafted wood and topped by an engraving of the Barrow Lifeboat underway, suitably flanked by the RNLI flag and a compass rose, with details of the boat’s services and lives saved, engraved by the highly skilled Neil Yates of Cumbria Crystal.

The table was presented to Mr and Mrs Bibby in February. In thanking the Barrow Lifeboat Station for the gift Mr Bibby said ‘The table is a magnificent piece of work which improves every time I look at it. We have already assigned it to a place of honour in our drawing room, where I am sure it will become a conversation piece’.