George Milburn

George Milburn (c1801-1886) , Shipwright of Blyth, Northumberland.

c1851 Submitted a design of lifeboat.

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1886 Obituary.

The death is announced, at the age of 84 years, of Mr. George Milburn, of Cowpen Quay, Blyth. Deceased was a well-known man in his district. A shipbuilder to trade, he had learned to sympathise with those who followed a seafaring career, and the principal aim of his life seemed to be to assist them. The outcome of considerable thought on his part was the production of what was known as the Milburn boat, a craft capable of containing several persons, and having suitable compartments for water and provisions. It had a deck with a hatchway which could be covered in, and it was claimed by the inventor that however violent the sea might be, even if violent enough to caries the boat, it would always right itself. After repeated experiments, a publics trial of Mr. Milburn's boat took place, some years ago, in the Flanker, Cowpen Quay, a band of music, several prominent shipowners, and some hundreds of persons being present on the occasion. The boat was manned by several persons, and after they had closed themselves in, it was turned many times upside down, but always immediately righted. Many enthusiastic cheers were given for the aged inventor at that time, and some efforts to induce the Board of Trade to take up the matter were made, but without success.

Mr. Samuel Smiles, author of "Self-Helps" and other well-known works, in answer to a letter from Blyth, wrote expressing his sympathy with Mr Milburn, and suggested that the interest of the National Lifeboat Institution should be secured in his invention. No such interest was, however, forthcoming, the probable cense being that the boat was more adapted for use at sea than on the coast. The deceased, who was highly respected for the integrity of his life, had the utmost confidence in the craft he had formed. It had reached, he believed, an almost perfect state for the purposes intended, an opinion that was shared by many seafaring men. He never had the satisfaction, however, of seeing it adopted, and this, after so much thought and labour, proved a source of deep disappointment to him during his latter years. Like many other inventions, the Milburn boat, or something drawn on the same lines, will probably come into general use long after the head that designed it is laid in the grave.

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