The Lifeboat Baronet

In the 19th century, when shipwrecks often resulted in tragic deaths, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was established to save lives. Sir William Hillary, its founder, remains largely unknown. Born into a Liverpool slave-owner's family, Hillary was a charismatic social climber who married an heiress and mixed with royalty. Despite his reputation as a philanderer, he became a national hero. Historian Janet Gleeson, author of 'The Arcanum', reveals Hillary's transformation into the leader of the campaign for the National Institute for the Preservation of Life (now RNLI). Remarkably, Hillary never learned to swim but braved storms to rescue hundreds. Gleeson's account, based on unpublished letters, details RNLI's development and Hillary's personal struggles.