This Is Your Life: Brian Bevan

Brian BEVAN (1946-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Brian Bevan, lifeboat coxswain, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the Kodak Gallery in London, where he was guest of honour at an exhibition of photographs depicting life at sea.

Brian, who began his career as a fisherman after leaving school, became a regular crew member at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's Humber Lifeboat Station at Spurn Point, near Hull, at the age of 18, eventually taking on the role of coxswain.

Brian is the only crew member in the RNLI's long history to be presented with Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for Gallantry at the same awards ceremony.

"Dear oh dear oh dear, I'm actually lost for words!"

programme details...

Edition No: 540
Subject No: 537
Broadcast date: Wed 2 Apr 1980
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 12 Mar 1980
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 20
Edition: 19
Code name: Ernie

on the guest list...

Dennis Bailey
Joyce Bailey
Dennis Bailey Jr
Lyn Bailey
Syd Rollinson
Anne Rollinson
Ron Sayers
Ellen Sayers
Mike Storey
Dawn Storey
Pete Jordan
Anette Jordan
Bill Sayers
Pauline Sayers
Anne - wife
Jarrod - son
Capt Korver
Frank - father
David - brother
Marian - sister-in-law
Mandy - niece
David - nephew
Fred Walkington
George - uncle
Ivy - aunt
John King
Bengt Ullfors
Anne Coverdale - live link
Robin Coverdale - live link
Pat Stevenson - live link
Capt Wally Patch
Udo Blank
Sonia Korver

production team...

Researcher: Cathy Parnall
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

related pages...

Life Savers

heroes of the emergency services

Magic Book That Opens New Chapters Of Life

TV Times feature on 'The Unsung Heroes'

Screenshots of Brian Bevan This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Hanging on a wall in the Life office is a framed certificate from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which states: 'The Committee of Management Desire to Record their Warm Thanks to This Is Your Life for helping the Lifeboat Service in the field of Public Relations.'

From the youngest, then only twenty-four-years old, Brian Bevan, to the oldest, seventy-nine-year-old 'Skipper' Jack Woodhouse, the pleasure has been all ours in saluting the courage and daring of Britain's lifeboat crews.

When we surprised Brian Bevan on 12 March 1980, he had already won a clutch of awards never before equalled in the service which has recorded so many distinguished acts of bravery. The young cox of Humberside's Spurn Point had won the RNLI's bronze, silver and gold medals for gallantry at sea.

A relief crew stood in that night so he could be joined in London by his own much-decorated crew.

We heard how he earned his gold medal by racing the lifeboat into a trough between two waves in storm-lashed seas so that a ship's skipper could make a desperate last leap for life before his coaster rolled over and sank. The secret of Brian's earrings also came out – there is an old belief among fishermen that having your ears pierced results in better eyesight.

Series 20 subjects