[3] On 6 December 1859, the barque Mirabita of Malta, on passage from Marseille to London, was driven ashore and wrecked at Chale Bay.

"It is a matter of painful notoriety, that 14 lives were lost by shipwreck at the back of the Island, about three weeks ago.

The barque Cedarine of Bermuda, a convict ship on its maiden voyage from Bermuda to Portsmouth, ran aground just 100 yards (91 m) to the east of Grange Chine.On board were 13 crew, 27 passengers, and 191 convicts, who had served their sentence and were due to be released.

[2] On 3 February 1873, Brighstone lifeboat was launched to the aid of the steamship Woodham of Christiania (Oslo), Norway, on passage from Newcastle upon Tyne to New York, when her main shaft failed.

[10][11] By 1880, the Rescue was deemed too small, and a 34-foot self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Woolfe & Sons of Shadwell, was ordered.

The boat was funded by monies raised by the staff and cadets of the Thames Nautical Training College known as HMS Worcester.

[12] The Worcester Cadet was launched to the full-rigged ship Sirenia on 9 March 1888, on passage from San Francisco, to Dunkirk, when she ran aground on Atherstone Ledge in thick fog.

A handful of people were taken off on the first trip, including the captain's wife, children, a servant and an apprentice.

As the 20th century progressed, there was a massive decline in the number of sailing ships, always at the mercy of the weather, in favour of motor-powered vessels, and lifeboats were required less and less.

The last boat on station, Brothers Brickwood, was transferred to the relief fleet, later serving at Scarborough from 1918 to 1924.