Dover RNLI appoints first female coxswain in 188 years
Hannah Emory has already contributed to over 200 service calls. Image courtesy of RNLI/Nicholas Cobb
Dover RNLI has appointed its first female coxswain in the station’s 188-year history. The appointment marks a significant milestone for the lifeboat station, which was established in 1837.
Hannah Emory, who has served at Dover RNLI on the UK south coast since 2022, has officially joined the command team following a four-hour coxswain pass-out examination. She began as shore crew in January 2022 before joining the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) crew in August of that year. She became substantive crew in March 2023 and later completed navigator training in the same year.
Emory has taken part in more than 200 service calls during her time at the station. In October 2025, she completed her first duties as volunteer ALB coxswain aboard the Severn Class City of London II lifeboat.
“I would like to thank everyone at the station, as well as my family and friends, for their incredible support and encouragement. I could not have done it without you. I look forward to taking to sea to continue our lifesaving mission not only as Dover’s first female Coxswain, but as a proud member of this dedicated crew,” says Emory.
The RNLI is a charity providing a 24-hour search and rescue service around the coasts of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It operates 238 lifeboat stations and over 240 lifeguard units across the UK and Channel Islands.
The organisation is independent of government and relies on voluntary donations and legacies. Since its founding in 1824, RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 146,700 lives.
