Built in 1934 by Charles Hill & Son of Bristol, VOLUNTEER is a harbour tug of steel construction with a British Polar K56 diesel engine. She was delivered to C J King & Sons Limited at Bristol and then sold in 1959 to F A Ashmead & Son Limited and renamed ROBERT A. She was later laid up in Gloucester and sold in 1983 to Drake Towage in Wisbech, whereupon she was renamed SEA FITTER. She was sold in 1999 to Mr Aykroyd in Wisbech and again renamed ROBERT A. In 2002, she was sold to Mr Patterson, moved to Whitehaven and renamed VOLUNTEER. She was then bought by her present owner who plans to return her to her birthplace and restore her to near original condition.