Having been transported by rail from London to Burnmouth, the lifeboat and carriage were hauled by six horses through the town on 6 October 1876, to a ceremony at the beach, where the boat was named James & Rachel Grindlay by Mrs Grindlay, the boat being funded from the legacy of Mr. T Grindley of Edinburgh.

The Anne Francis was launched on 6 March 1917 to the aid of the schooner Livlig of Norway, wrecked off St Abb's Head, One crewman had been lost, with the seven remaining crew clinging to the rigging.

With considerable skill in violent seas, Coxswain William Miller got the lifeboat alongside, and the seven men were rescued.

Considering the conditions, the lifeboat then made the long journey around to Granton, Edinburgh to find safe harbour.

Frank Oates (1840–1875) was a British naturalist, and along with his brother William, had explored Africa.

[2] A new single-story station building was constructed on Gunsgreen Quay in 1992, followed by the arrival in 1996 of a new Trent-class lifeboat 14-11 Barclaycard Crusader (ON 1209), a 25-knot boat, costing £1,060,000.