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Lowestoft Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 52°28′18″N 1°45′11″E / 52.47167°N 1.75306°E / 52.47167; 1.75306
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Lowestoft Lifeboat Station
Lowestoft Lifeboat Station.
Lowestoft Lifeboat Station is located in Suffolk
Lowestoft Lifeboat Station
Lowestoft, Suffolk
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationSouth Pier
AddressRoyal Plain
Town or cityLowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0AE
CountryEngland
Coordinates52°28′18″N 1°45′11″E / 52.47167°N 1.75306°E / 52.47167; 1.75306
Opened1801
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat Station

Lowestoft Lifeboat Station is located at the mouth of Lowestoft's outer harbour, on South Pier in Lowestoft, the most easterly settlement in the UK, and a port town on the coast of Suffolk.

It is one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom, having been established in 1801, although it only operated for just one year. A lifeboat station was re-opened by the Suffolk Humane Society in 1807, with management passing to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855.[1]

Lowestoft Shannon-class lifeboat 13-05 Patsy Knight (ON 1312)

The station currently operates 13-05 Patsy Knight (ON 1312), a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, on station since 2014.[2]

History

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In 1801, a lifeboat built by Henry Greathead was placed at Lowestoft on a trial basis. Vessels wrecked in the area were usually some distance from the shore, and a rowing boat without sails quickly proved unsuccessful, due to the strength of the currents and tides encountered.[3]

At 12 noon on 19 November 1807, the first 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, the 39-foot Frances Anne, was launched at Lowestoft, under the eye of designer Lionel Lukin of Long Acre, London. It had been constructed by R. Sparrow of Worlingham Hall, and performed to high satisfaction, with 16 crew aboard.[3][4][5]

The station was managed by the Suffolk Humane Society (SHS), who would come to place lifeboats at Pakefield, Sizewell, Southwold, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh and Bawdsey. At the Annual General Meeting of the RNLI on 26 April 1855, it was announced that the SHS, now with just three stations at Lowestoft, Pakefield and Southwold, had voluntarily joined the Institution, thereby transferring all remaining stations to the management of the RNLI.[6]

RNLI lifeboat man statue at Lowestoft

The Frances Anne had been replaced in 1850, with a larger 42-foot lifeboat, built by Sparham of Lowestoft, named Victoria. Whilst the Southwold lifeboat was immediately replaced in 1855, it is assumed that the Lowestoft lifeboat was in good condition, as it was retained by the RNLI, and served at Lowestoft until 1876.[7]

On 1 November 1859, the Lowestoft lifeboat Victoria was launched to the aid of the steamship Shamrock of Dublin, wrecked in a gale on Holm Sands. With seas breaking over the vessel's masthead, the lifeboat anchored, and veered down. Managing to get a line aboard, all 14 crew were pulled through the surf one at a time. Eight of the lifeboat crew were awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.[8][9]

At the meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 7 May 1868, it was reported that the Institution was in receipt of £620 from an anonymous lady, to defray the costs of a lifeboat station. The gift was appropriated to Lowestoft, and the Victoria was renamed Laetitia, in accordance with the donor's wishes.[10]

An additional lifeboat arrived in February 1870, having been transported to Great Yarmouth, and then sailed to Lowestoft. A 32-foot lifeboat, it was designed for close shore work. This No.2 lifeboat was funded from Miss Leicester of London, and was named George after her late brother. Miss Leicester had previously funded a lifeboat for Whitehaven. A new boathouse was constructed.[11]

In 1921, Lowestoft received their first motor-powered lifeboat. She was renamed Agnes Cross, after the donor, who gifted £3,500 to the Institution in 1919, followed by a further gift of £1,500, for the provision of a lifeboat for Lowestoft. For reasons unknown, the lifeboat had served briefly at Gorleston No.1 as the John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood (ON 663) in 1921, before being transferred to Lowestoft. The serving Lowestoft lifeboat, Kentwell (ON 543), was relocated to Gorleston No.1.[12]

Lowestoft Tyne-class All-weather lifeboat 47-020 Spirit of Lowestoft (ON 1132)

The 46-foot Watson-class lifeboat Michael Stephens (ON 838) was placed on service in 1939. Just one year later, she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. With a Royal Navy crew instead of lifeboat men, the boat was initially used to ferry troops from the harbour and beaches, to larger vessels. It is not known how many men were rescued, but she did eventually return to Dover with 52 soldiers on board.[13]

South Broads Lifeboat Station, an Inshore lifeboat station, was established on the outskirts of Lowestoft in 2001. It operated at Oulton Broad until 2011, when a coastal review decided better coverage for the area was better served from Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.[14]

S.S. Hopelyn

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After 21:00 on 19 November 1922, the steamship Hopelyn of Newcastle-upon-Tyne was wrecked in a north-east gale on North Scroby Sands, near Great Yarmouth. The Caister lifeboat was called, but was unable to launch. The Gorleston No.1 lifeboat Kentwell (ON 543) was launched at 23:00, and towed to the vessel by the tugboat George Jewson. The lifeboat stood by until daybreak, but after two hours, and no onboard activity, concluded there were no survivors, and returned home at 09:00.At 10:00 on 20 November, a flag was spotted on the wreck. The Gorlston lifeboat launched again, but couldn't get close, due to the conditions and an old wreck nearby.[15]

The motor-powered Lowestoft lifeboat Agnes Cross was called at 15:45, calling first at Gorleston to collect Cmdr. Edward Carver, District Inspector of Lifeboats, before heading to the wreck. On arrival, it was decided too dangerous to attempt any rescue in the dark, so the lifeboat returned to Gorleston, launching again at 04:30. Still in gale-force conditions, the lifeboat veered down to the vessel, 24 men, and a black kitten were rescued, and all were landed at Gorleston at 07:00 on the 21 October, some 32 hours after the first launch. For this service, 27 RNLI medals for gallantry were awarded to the Lowestoft and Gorleston crews.[15]

Station honours

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Crews from Lowestoft have received 45 awards for gallantry, including 39 medals. The RNLI Gold Medal has been awarded twice. The first award was to Lieutenant R. B. Matthews, RN, in October 1827. Coxswain John Swan was the second recipient, for his actions during the rescue of the crew of the merchant ship SS Hopelyn, wrecked on North Scroby Sands in October 1922.

The following are awards made at Lowestoft.[16][8]

John Thompson Swan – 1924[17]
Lt. Robert Bates Matthews, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1827
John Thompson Swan, Coxswain – 1922
Lt. John Crouchley Evison, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1834
Lt. Richard Joachim, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1836
Francis Stannard, Master of the sloop Glenmoriston – 1853
Lt. Richard Joachim, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1855 (Second-Service clasp)
Cpt. Richard Joachim, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1857 (Third-Service clasp)
Robert Hook, Coxswain – 1859
James Butcher, crew member – 1859
Richard Butcher crew member – 1859
Nathaniel Colby, crew member – 1859
Thomas Liffen, crew member – 1859
Alfred Mewse, crew member – 1859
William Rose, crew member – 1859
Francis Smith, crew member – 1859
Cpt. Richard Joachim, RN, H.M. Coastguard Lowestoft – 1861 (Fourth-Service clasp)
Robert Hook, Coxswain – 1873 (Second-Service clasp)
George Edward Hall, Master of the fishing boat Trial – 1882
John Thompson Swan, Coxswain – 1914
John Thompson Swan, Coxswain – 1918 (Second-Service clasp)
Ralph A. W. Scott, Motor Mechanic – 1922
Albert Spurgeon, Coxswain – 1927
  • Silver Medals, awarded by the Austrian Government
Crew of 1866 Lowestoft Lifeboat – 1893
George William Ayers, Second Coxswain – 1918
George William Ayers, Second Coxswain – 1922 (Second-Service clasp)
John Rose, Bowman – 1922
H. Allerton, crew member – 1922
J. Ayers, crew member – 1922
W. Butcher, crew member – 1922
C. Mewse, crew member – 1922
Albert Spurgeon, crew member – 1922
F. Swan, crew member – 1922
Albert Spurgeon, Coxswain – 1943 (Second-Service clasp)
Thomas Victor Knott, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1974
Peter Gibbons, Second Coxswain – 1974
Thomas Victor Knott, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1976 (Second-Service clasp)
John William Catchpole, Coxswain – 1988
Shane Gordon Coleman, Coxswain, and sole crew member of the Lowestoft Pilot boat,
(also Second Coxswain/Mechanic of the Lowestoft lifeboat) – 1990
John William Catchpole, Coxswain – 1996 (Second-Service clasp)
  • The Maud Smith Award 1988
    (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)
John William Catchpole, Coxswain – 1988
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Each of the crew of the Lowestoft lifeboat – 1922
Shane Gordon Coleman, Second Coxswain/Mechanic – 1996
John Fox, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2010
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Michael Knott – 1976
John William Catchpole, Second Coxswain – 1981
John William Catchpole, Coxswain – 1989
Shane Gordon Coleman, Second Coxswain/Mechanic – 1990
  • Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Shane Gordon Coleman, Second Coxswain/Mechanic – 1989

Lowestoft lifeboats

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Lowestoft / Lowestoft No.1 Station

[edit]
On Station[18] ON[a] Name Built Class Comments
1801–1802 – Unnamed 1800 Greathead [3]
1807–1850 – Frances Anne 1807 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 1].[3]
1850–1868
1868–1876 		Pre-229 Victoria,
Laetitia 		1850 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 2][19]
1876–1905 22 Samuel Plimsoll 1876 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 3][20]
1905–1921 543 Kentwell 1905 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 4][21]
Transferred to Gorleston No.1 in 1922.
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Lowestoft No.2 Station

[edit]
On Station[22] ON[a] Name Built Class Comments
1870–1886 Pre-521 George 1869 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 5][23]
1886–1890 23 The Two Sisters, Mary and Hannah 1872 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 6]
On loan from Pakefield
1890–1892 288 Stock Exchange 1890 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 7][24][25]
Transferred to Gorleston No.1 in 1892.
1893–1912 356 Stock Exchange 1893 Norfolk and Suffolk [Note 8][26]
Station closed, 1912

Motor lifeboats

[edit]
On Station[27] ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name Built Class Comments
1921–1939 663 – Agnes Cross 1921 46-foot 6in Norfolk and Suffolk Previously John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood at Gorleston.
1939–1963 838 – Michael Stephens 1939 46-foot Watson Later stationed at Exmouth. Sold in 1976 and now used as a pleasure boat on the River Yealm.[28]
1963–1986 970 – Frederick Edward Crick 1963 47-foot Watson
1986–1987 924 – Archibald and Alexander M. Paterson 1955 52-foot Barnett [29]
1987–2014 1132 47-020 Spirit of Lowestoft 1987 Tyne On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since June 2019.
2014– 1312 13-05 Patsy Knight 2014 Shannon [30]
  1. ^ a b c ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 39 ft (12 m) lifeboat, built by R. Sparrow of Worlingham Hall
  2. ^ 42 ft (13 m) x 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) (14-oared) Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) lifeboat, built by Sparham of Lowestoft.
  3. ^ 44 ft 4 in (13.51 m) x 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m) (14-oared) Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) lifeboat.
  4. ^ 46 ft (14 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m) (14-oared) Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) lifeboat.
  5. ^ 32 ft (9.8 m) x 10 ft (3.0 m) (12-oared) Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) lifeboat, built by Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £150.
  6. ^ 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m) (14-oared) Norfolk & Suffolk-class (P&S) lifeboat, costing £276 when new.
  7. ^ 46 ft (14 m) x 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m) (14-oared) Norfolk & Suffolk-class (P&S) lifeboat, built by W. T. Ellis of Lowestoft.
  8. ^ 46 ft (14 m) x 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m) (14-oared) Norfolk & Suffolk-class (P&S) lifeboat.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 117.
  2. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 71.
  3. ^ a b c d "Launch of a Lifeboat". Hull Packet: 4. 15 December 1807.
  4. ^ "Sketch of the progress made in the construction of coast life-boats 1795-1900". Life-boat. Vol. 17, no. 195. 1905. pp. 551–554.
  5. ^ Wake-Walker, Edward (2007). The Lifeboats Story. The History Press. p. 13. ISBN 9780750948586.
  6. ^ "Annual Report 1855". The Lifeboat. II (16): 26, 32. May 1855. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  7. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 4.
  8. ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  9. ^ "Lifeboat Services During The Late Storms". Daily News. No. 4205. London. 4 November 1859.
  10. ^ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee". The Lifeboat. VI (70): 749. October 1868. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 77. 1870. p. 509.
  12. ^ "Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management". The Lifeboat. XXIV (268): 19. February 1920. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Michael Stephens". Falmouth Classics Regatta. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  14. ^ RNLI closes South Broads lifeboat station at Oulton Broad, BBC news website, 2011-11-15. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  15. ^ a b "The S.S. Hopelyn". The Lifeboat. XXIV (277): 310–312. November 1922. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Lowestoft's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Medal of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Gallantry" (PDF). London Gazette. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  18. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 4–39.
  19. ^ "Annual Report 1867". The Lifeboat. VI (64): 272–273. 1 April 1867. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Annual Report". The Lifeboat. X (104): 38–39. 1 May 1877. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  21. ^ "Annual Report. 1906". The Lifeboat. XIX (220): 618–619. 1 May 1906. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  22. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 12–31.
  23. ^ "Annual Report". The Lifeboat. VII (76): 322–323. 1 April 1870. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  24. ^ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 157. 1890. pp. 395–399.
  25. ^ "Annual Report. 1891". The Lifeboat. XIV (160): 476–477. 1 May 1891. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  26. ^ "Annual Report. 1894". The Lifeboat. XV (172): 584–585. 1 May 1894. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  27. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 42–71.
  28. ^ "Michael Stephens". Assoc. Dunkirk Little Ships. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Archibald & Alexander M Paterson". National Historic Ship Register. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Historic occasion is celebrated as Duke of Kent attends lifeboat naming ceremony in Lowestoft". The Lowestoft Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
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