Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station

RNLI Lifeboat Station in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station, England

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station

General information
Type| RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location| Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station
Address| Riverside Road, Gorleston, Norfolk, NR31 6PU
Country| England
Coordinates| 52°34′31.51″N 1°43′55.34″E﻿ / ﻿52.5754194°N 1.7320389°E﻿ / 52.5754194; 1.7320389
Opened| 1825 / RNLI 1857
Owner|  Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station (not to be confused with Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight) is a RNLI base in Norfolk, England. There were originally two separate stations at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston – two coastal towns either side of the River Yare. These were merged in 1926.

## History

[edit]

### Great Yarmouth

[edit]

Great Yarmouth received its first lifeboat in 1802. It was never called out. In 1825 the Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners stationed its first lifeboat at Great Yarmouth. The station was taken over by the RNLI in 1857 and in 1859 a new lifeboat house was built at a cost of £375 (equivalent to £47,400 in 2023). The station closed in 1919.[1]

### Gorleston

[edit]

The Gorleston lifeboat station was established by the RNLI in 1866. In 1881 a new boathouse was built at Gorleston for £329 (equivalent to £41,900 in 2023) and in 1883 a second boathouse (Gorleston No.2) was built alongside. This closed in 1926 when Gorleston No.1 station was renamed Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.[1]

During 1897 the station received its first steam lifeboat City of Glasgow (ON 362) and during 1921, its first motor lifeboat.[1]

### Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

[edit]

In 1963 an Inshore lifeboat station was established, with a D-class (RFD PB16) lifeboat. A D-class boat would remain in service until 1977. A B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboat was placed on station in 1975.[1]

The Trent-class lifeboat Samarbeta (ON 1208) at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.

During 1993 crew facilities were upgraded, a gift-shop built and a display area created for the former Gorleston lifeboat John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood (ON 663). The boathouse was further extended in 2002.[1]

In 1996 Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy officially named the station's new Trent-class lifeboat Samarbeta, Swedish for ‘working together’.[1]

The current lifeboats on station are the Trent-class 14-10 Samarbeta (ON 1208) and the B-class (Atlantic 85) John Rowntree (B-925).[2]

A new Shannon-class lifeboat 13-44 George and Frances Phelon (ON 1351) has been assigned to Gt. Yarmouth and Gorleston to replace Samarbeta, and is expected on service in 2024. She is a "Legacy Lifeboat", and will carry the names of RNLI benefactors within the numbers on her hull[3]

## Notable rescues

[edit]

In October 1922 the Gorleston pulling and sailing lifeboat and the Lowestoft motor lifeboat, after a struggle lasting 32 hours, brought to safety the whole crew of 24 and a black kitten from the steamship Hopelyn wrecked on Scroby Sands.[1]

In 1927 lifeboats from Great Yarmouth & Gorleston, Cromer, Southwold and Lowestoft took part in the rescue of the Dutch oil tanker Georgia. This service is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of the RNLI.[1]

The lifeboat Louise Stephens (ON 820) was one of 19 lifeboats involved in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.[1]

## Lifeboat disasters

[edit]

Date  | Lifeboat station  | Lifeboat crew lost  | Memorial  | Brief details and references

|
|
|
|

1824 | Great Yarmouth |

|  | On 23 November 1824 a boat was launched by eight Great Yarmouth beachmen in an attempt to rescue the crew of the stricken vessel Jessie. Whilst attempting to board the Jessie a heavy sea fell on board their boat which immediately sunk her and resulted in the loss of five of the crew.[4]
1845 | Great Yarmouth |

|  | The yawl Phoenix was wrecked whilst going to the assistance of the collier brig Ann with the loss of seven of the fifteen people on board. Survivors were rescued by the Caister Lifeboat.[5]
1866 | Gorleston |

|  | On 13 January 1866 the private lifeboat, Rescuer, capsized in a storm with the loss of 12 of her crew.[6] A 13th fatality occurred when rescued crew member Robert Warner succumbed just days later as a direct result of the disaster.[7]
1867 | Gorleston |

|  | While returning to harbour after a rescue a fishing lugger collided with the private lifeboat, Rescuer. She capsized and 6 of her crew and 19 other people drowned.[6]
1881 | Great Yarmouth |

|  | The lifeboat Abraham Thomas capsized on 18 January whilst attempting to rescue the mate of the schooner Guiding Star. The Abraham Thomas was struck by a heavy sea and lost six out of a crew of ten. The mate from the Guiding Star was also lost out of the lifeboat.[8]
1888 | Gorleston |

|  | The Refuge was a private lifeboat belonging to the Gorleston boatmen. After going to the assistance of the steamer Akaba the Refuge was being towed back to port when the tow-rope parted and she was driven onshore where she capsized with the loss of four of her seven crew.[9] Henry Smith, chief boatman of the coastguard, was on the beach and, without thought for his own life, managed to save two crew members, Bonney and Woods, whilst a boatman of the coastguard named Henry Norton saved George Jacobs, who was found clinging to the stern post. The Yarmouth Independent newspaper report of the death of Jacob Philip Jacobs, dated 18 January 1913, states that he was one of the lifeboat crew who were saved. It is likely that Jacob Philip Jacobs and George Jacobs were the same person as the description of the rescue by the boatman are very similar.

## Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboats

[edit]

### Great Yarmouth

[edit]

1825-1919

ON[a] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

–  | Phoenix | 1845  | Yawl  |
–  | Unnamed | 1833–1861  | 39-foot Self-righting (P&S)  | [11]
–  | Unnamed | 1833–1858  | 25-foot Self-righting (P&S)  | [11]
| Harriet | 1858–1859  | 38-foot Self-righting (P&S)  | [11]
–  | Admiral Mitchell | 1858–1859  | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S)  | [11]
19  | Abraham Thomas
(Gt. Yarmouth No.2) | 1859–1892  | 28-foot 3in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) |
20  | Brave Robert Sheddon | 1861–1883  | 40-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Moved to Gorleston No.1 in 1883, renamed Mark Lane.
329  | John Burch | 1892–1912  | 32-foot 5in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) |
629  | Hugh Taylor | 1912–1919 | 34-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Station closed in 1919 [1]

### Gorleston

[edit]

#### No.1 Station

[edit]

Gorleston Lifeboat Station established by the RNLI in 1866 [1]

ON[a] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

–  | The Rescuer | 1866–1889  |  |
–  | Leicester | 1866–1870  | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S)  | [11]
21  | Leicester | 1870–1883  | 30-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Transferred to No.2 station in 1883
20  | Mark Lane | 1883–1889  | 40-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Formerly Brave Robert Sheddon at Gt. Yarmouth
233  | Mark Lane | 1889–1892  | 44-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) |
288  | Mark Lane | 1892–1921  | 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Was Stock Exchange in Lowestoft(1890–1892), renamed Mark Lane in 1892
663  | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1921  | 46-foot 6in Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Renamed Agnes Cross when transferred to Lowestoft
543  | Reserve No.1 | 1922–1924  | 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Formerly Kentwell at Lowestoft
670  | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1924–1926 | 46-foot 6in Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Formerly H.F. Bailey
1926, Station becomes Great Yarmouth & Gorleston [1]

#### No.2 Station

[edit]

Gorleston No.2 Boathouse built and opened in 1883.[1]

ON[a] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

21  | Leicester | 1883–1894 | 30-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) |
371  | Leicester | 1894–1923  | 31-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) |
541  | Reserve No.7A | 1923–1924 | 35-foot Watson (P&S) | Formerly James Finlayson at Lossiemouth
Station closed in 1924 [1]

#### No. 3 Station

[edit]

Gorleston No.3 Boathouse constructed in 1891.[1]

ON[a] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

326  | Thora Zelma | 1892–1904 | 31-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Station closed 1903-1907 [1]

#### No. 4 Station

[edit]

Gorleston No.4 Station opened in 1897 [1]

ON  | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

362  | City of Glasgow | 1897–1903  | Steam |
420  | James Stevens No.3 | 1903–1908 | Steam | Station closed in 1908

#### Gorleston Rangers

[edit]

Name  | In service [10] | Comments

|
|

Elizabeth Simpson | 1889–1939 | Presented to Gorleston by Miss Elizabeth Simpson Stone of Norwich and manned by a company of boatmen known as the Gorleston Rangers. She was administered by a local committee, was launched on service 119 times, and rescued 441 lives.[1]

### Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

[edit]

Gorleston Lifeboat Station became Great Yarmouth and Gorleston in 1926. [1]

#### All-weather lifeboats

[edit]

ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|
|

670  | –  | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1926–1939 | Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Formerly H.F. Bailey
[12]
820  | –  | Louise Stephens | 1939–1967  | Watson |
1002  | 44-003  | Khami | 1967–1980  | Waveney |
1065  | 44-021  | Barham | 1980–1996  | Waveney |
1208  | 14-10  | Samarbeta | 1996–  | Trent |

#### Inshore lifeboats

[edit]

##### D-class

[edit]

Op. No.[b] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

D-9  | Unnamed | 1963–1964  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-32  | Unnamed | 1964  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-1  | Unnamed | 1965  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-73  | Unnamed | 1965–1967  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-26  | Unnamed | 1967–1968  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-113  | Unnamed | 1968–1969  | D-class (RFD PB16) |
D-179 | Unnamed | 1970–1977 | D-class (RFD PB16) | later named Blue Peter IV at St Agnes

##### Arancia-class

[edit]

Op. No.[b] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

A-48  | Margaret and Bruce | 2011–2012  | Arancia-class |
A-77  | Kingfisher | 2012–2020  | Arancia-class |

##### B-class

[edit]

Op. No.[b] | Name  | In service [10] | Class  | Comments

|
|
|
|

B-531  | Foresters | 1975–1988  | Atlantic 21-class |
B-574 | Joseph B Press | 1988–2002 | Atlantic 21-class |
B-786  | Seahorse IV | 2002–2021  | Atlantic 75-class |
B-925  | John Rowntree | 2021–  | Atlantic 85-class |

1. ^ a b c d e ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. ^ a b c d Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

## Station honours

[edit]

The station has been awarded 1 gold medal, 21 silver medals, 24 bronze medals, 5 vellum inscriptions and 9 framed letters of thanks.[1][13]

The following are awards made at Gt Yarmouth and Gorleston

* Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM)

William George Fleming - 1924[14]

* George Cross
converted from EGM

William George Fleming - 1941

* RNLI Gold Medal

William George Fleming, Coxswain - 1922

* RNLI Silver Medal

Captain Chaplin, master of the Royal William steam packet - 1833

Charles Salmon - 1855
George Fleming - 1855
Cdr Thomas Kisbee RN - 1855

William Johnson - 1858

Captain Thomas Davies RN - 1860
George Milligan, Coxswain - 1860

Captain David Robertson RN - 1870

E W Woods, Coxswain - 1891

William Todd, Coxswain - 1898

Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1904
James Sclanders, chief engineer of the steam lifeboat, - 1904

Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1905 (Second-Service Clasp)

Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1909 (Silver Third-Service Clasp)

Ellery Harris, Second Coxswain - 1909

James Cowie - 1910

Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1912 (Silver Fourth-Service Clasp)

Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1916 (Fifth-Service clasp)
Edward Bensley - 1916

William G Fleming, Coxswain - 1927

Charles A Johnson, Coxswain - 1941

* RNLI Bronze Medal

Samuel B Parker (Jnr), Second Coxswain -1922
Charles W Chilvers, Bowman -1922
James Fleming, crew member -1922
William Gosling, crew member -1922
George Arthur Harris, crew member -1922
Ellery Harris, crew member -1922
Arthur Harris, crew member -1922
Walter Halfnight, crew member -1922
Charles Ambrose Johnson, crew member -1922
Harry Leggett, crew member -1922
Thomas Morley, crew member -1922
Albert Newson, crew member -1922
Wwilliam Newson, crew member -1922
James Stubbs, crew member -1922
Ernest Stubbs, crew member -1922

William George Fleming, Coxswain - 1926

Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1938 (Second-Service Clasp)

Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1940 (Third-Service Clasp)

G F Mobbs, Motor Mechanic - 1941

Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1941 (Fourth-Service Clasp)

John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1970

John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1975 (Second-Service Clasp)

Richard John Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1980

David Mason, Coxswain - 1996

* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

David Bennington, Acting Coxswain - 1974

Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1982

Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1987

Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1991

Stephen Bartram, Assistant Mechanic - 1996

* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Coxswain and Crew - 1966

Paul Carter, crew member - 1982

David V Mason, Second Coxswain - 1991

Bob Keegan - 1998
Steve Gowing - 1998
Simon Phillips - 1998
from the Great Yarmouth Port Authority

Stephen Bartram, Coxswain - 2005
Kevin Bennington, crew member - 2005

* A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Richard Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic
David Mason, Second Coxswain
Patrick Lee, Assistant Mechanic
David Beale, crew member - 1996
Ian Everson, crew member - 1996
Geoffrey Wing, crew member - 1996

* Freedom of the Borough of Great Yarmouth

More than 100 lifeboat crew - 1983

* American Cross of Honour

S J Harris, Coxswain - 1912

* A silver watch awarded by the Queen of The Netherlands

William G Fleming, Coxswain - 1927

* A letter of thanks from the Queen of The Netherlands

The Lifeboat Crew - 1927

* The Thanks of the Royal Danish Navy

The Institution and the crew of the lifeboat - 1952

* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Margaret Bibby-Cheshire - 2000[15]

* British Empire Medal

Reverend Albert Thomas Cadmore - 2024[16]

## See also

[edit]

* Gorleston
* Great Yarmouth
* List of RNLI stations
* Royal National Lifeboat Institution
* Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "History". RNLI. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
2. ^ [1] Archived 26 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "Always be remembered on a legacy lifeboat". RNLI. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
4. ^ see: The Norfolk Chronicle. 27 November 1824. p.3.
5. ^ "Dreadful Shipwreck". The Times. No. 18834\. London. 30 January 1845. col F, p. 3.
6. ^ a b Higgins, David (1987). The Beachmen. Terence Dalton Limited. p. 49-51. ISBN 0-86138-047-9.
7. ^ see: "The Late Life-boat Accident: The Norfolk News" 27 January 1866
8. ^ "Station history | RNLI".
9. ^ see: "Lifeboat Disaster at Yarmouth: The Eastern Daily Press" 12 November 1888
10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
11. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
12. ^ "JOHN AND MARY MEIKLAM OF GLADSWOOD". National Historic Ship Register. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
13. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
14. ^ "Medal of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Gallantry" (PDF). London Gazette. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
15. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
16. ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station.

* Official website
* RNLI Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station

|  | Caister lifeboat station | North Sea

|
|

|  |

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

| North Sea
|  |
| Lowestoft lifeboat station
| North Sea

* v
* t
* e

RNLI and independent lifeboats and stations in Norfolk

Caister|

| Notable crew|

* James Haylett
* Charles Bonney George

|

Lifeboat disaster|

* 1901 Caister lifeboat disaster

Cromer|

| Beach station
lifeboats|

* Benjamin Bond Cabbell II (ON 12)
* Louisa Heartwell (ON 495)
* Harriot Dixon (ON 770)

|

Pier station
lifeboats|

* H F Bailey (ON 670)
* H F Bailey (ON 694)
* H F Bailey II (ON 714)
* H F Bailey III (ON 777)
* Millie Walton (ON 840)
* Henry Blogg (ON 840)
* Ruby and Arthur Reed (ON 990)
* Ruby and Arthur Reed II (ON 1097)
* Lester (ON 1287)

Notable crew|

* Henry Blogg
* Henry Thomas Davies

Notable rescues|

* Alf
* Cantabria
* English Trader
* Gallois
* Georgia
* Meriones
* Monte Nevoso
* Mount Ida
* HMS Vortigern
* Stuart Hill

Great Yarmouth &
Gorleston|

| Notable crew|

* William Fleming

|

Notable rescues|

* Hopelyn

Happisburgh|

Hunstanton|

Mundesley|

Sea Palling|

Sheringham|

| Private lifeboats|

* Augusta
* Henry Ramey Upcher

|

RNLI
lifeboats|

* Duncan
* William Bennett (ON 11)
* J C Madge (ON 536)
* Foresters Centenary (ON 786)
* The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (ON 960)
* Lloyds II (ON 986)
* B-536
* Lions International (B-539)
* Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (B-702)
* RNLB Susan Peacock (B-700)
* RNLB Vera Skilton (B-705)
* RNLB Eva Pank (B-756)
* The Oddfellows (B-818)

Notable rescues|

* Eaglescliffe Hall
* Wimbledon

Wells-next-the-Sea|

| RNLI
lifeboats|

* Cecil Paine (ON 850)
* Lucy Lavers (ON 832)

|

Lifeboat disaster|

* 1880 Wells lifeboat disaster

Related topics|

* George William Manby
* Hammond's Knoll
* Haisborough Sands
* Scroby Sands

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