L. Barstow, RN, Inspecting Commander of Coastguard, wrote to the RNLI requesting that a lifeboat be stationed at Barrow.

[1] The first boat supplied to the station had previously served at Berwick-upon-Tweed, and was a 30-foot self-righting pulling & sailing type lifeboat.

For Barrow, it was modified to be a 12-oared boat, and extended to 36-feet, at a cost of over £200, funded by Mr. W. Bishop and Mr. R. Affleck of Manchester, and a group of commercial travellers.

In 1889, after the arrival of the slightly larger 38-foot William Birkitt (ON 122), the RNLI Inspector recommended that the lifeboat be relocated to moorings at the harbour yard in Barrow.

However, it was soon noted that the boat's hull was being fouled by worms, and also that the crew often ended up getting soaked, even before their struggle to board the moored lifeboat.

[3] Circumstances were still not satisfactory, and much discussion was held regarding the return to Roa Island, with improved crew availability, and its location being better suited, as considered back in 1864.

But problems persisted with boarding the moored boat, which proved impossible in bad conditions.

[1] The RNLI introduced the small fast inshore lifeboats in 1963, and Barrow received one of the first ones, a D-class (RFD PB16) (D-15), on 11 April 1964.

James Bibby was relieved from service at Barrow in 2008, handing over to the Tamar-class lifeboat 16-08 Grace Dixon (ON 1288).