Snowy Angove stands down at Falmouth RNLI after 46 years

Forty-six years is longer than most people spend in any job. Snowy Angove gave more than that to one Cornwall lifeboat station as a volunteer, and he has now stood down from his duties at Falmouth RNLI.

Up through the ranks

Snowy worked his way through the crew ranks across those years, and became Senior Helmsman on Falmouth’s inshore lifeboat. That is the seat that carries the decisions on the boat and the responsibility for everyone in it.

📷Credit: Alan Barnes collection

From the boat to the shore team

He later moved to a shore-based role as a Launching Authority, part of the Station Management Team. It is the job of deciding whether a lifeboat goes out, which keeps a person at the centre of every shout without being aboard. That is where more than 46 years with the volunteer lifeboat service came to an end.

‘A privilege and honour’

The tribute from the station was written by someone who had served under him. “He was and remains an inspiration to many, including myself, who can say it was a privilege and honour serving under him,” it said.

Not going far

Retiring from the service does not mean vanishing from the station. Falmouth RNLI said Snowy will no doubt still be around the place, and wished him the best in his retirement.

The sign-off was the kind only decades of shared shouts earn. “Thanks Neddy!!!!”

📷Credit: Jon Crane project 1998