The widow of a Falmouth lifeboat hero has remembered how during a Buckingham Palace garden party celebrating the RNLI'S 150th year she got too close to Queen Elizabeth 2 and was given a 'little push' by her bodyguard.
As the RNLI celebrates its 200th year this month, 92-year-old Joyce Timmins has shared a group photo with the Packet taken outside a Buckingham Palace garden party in honour of the charity's 150th year. She remembers how it came about.
Joyce from Falmouth was married to lifeboat crew member Barry Timmins until his death 20 years ago.
But in 1974 Joyce and Barry and four other couples attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace attended by the Queen herself in honour of the RNLI’s 150th year.
The group are pictured outside Buckingham Palace as they weren’t allowed to take their cameras in.
In the picture from left to right are John and Carol Mitchell, Terry and Vera Scanlon, Wall and Ida Brown, Barry and Joyce Timmins and Ron and Pat Tindle.
“I remember it well,” told the Packet. “We all went up for the weekend and there were a lot of people from the RNLI. They invited five couples from Falmouth and others from all over the country and other ports.
“The Queen was there and Duke of Edinburgh as well.
“I followed her around but I didn’t get to speak to her, there was a man who gave me a little push back because I was getting to close, but I watched her pour herself a cup of tea with a little China tea pot they had put on the table for her.
“We were there for about two hours it was lovely and i was delighted to be there.”
She added: “ It was quite nice weather and we were delighted to be invited. I still have the invitation 50 years later.
“150 years was a big celebration back then it was something special that the Queen thought was big enough to organise a tea party. Everybody was in their finery.
“There were street parties in Falmouth but they don’t seem to have done as much this time.”
Joyce is still a big supporter of the RNLI even at 92 and pays a contribution every month.
Barry Timmins was 30 years on Falmouth Lifeboats before retiring in 1986. He was the last crew member to retire at 60, before the age was lowered to 55.
He helped rescue 116 souls during his time on the crew.
His biggest rescue was when the crew was at sea for 29 hours during the deadly 1979 Fastnet Race.
The lifeboat rescued the crew of nine on board the stricken Golden Apple of the Sun and gave assistance to the yacht Big Shadow.
By the end of the 1979 Fastnet race, 24 boats had been abandoned, five boats had sunk, 136 sailors had been rescued and 15 sailors killed.
It was and still is the deadliest yacht race in history.
There are two memorial benches for Barry one on the sea front and one in All Saints Church where Joyce goes every Wednesday.
Their great nephew Jamie Wakefield is keeping up the family tradition and is currently in the Falmouth lifeboat crew.
“He wanted to join the lifeboat because he wanted to do something that his Uncle Barry did,” said Joyce.
Unfortunately Joyce won’t be able to join in this year’s celebration as she will be recovering from major surgery.
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