Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat

RNLB St Paul preserved at Chatham

Class overview
Name| Norfolk and Suffolk-class
Builders| Various
Operators|  RNLI and others
Built| 1807–1925
In service| 1807–1953
General characteristics - sailing lifeboats
Length| 30 to 46 ft (9.1 to 14.0 m)
Beam| 10 to 12 ft (3.0 to 3.7 m)
Crew| 16–22
General characteristics - motor lifeboats
Displacement| 14-17 tons
Length| 46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Beam| 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Installed power| 40 bhp to 80 bhp
Propulsion| Single screw
Speed| 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Range| ~115 nmi (132 mi; 213 km)
Crew| 13

Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were able to operate further from shore and around the sandbanks common off East Anglia.

## History

[edit]

RNLB H F Bailey (ON670)

Purpose-built lifeboats first appeared towards the end of the 18th century. Some of the first were designed by Lionel Lukin who adapted local boat designs to be more buoyant so they could operate safely in rough seas. He designed one for the Suffolk Humane Society in 1807 for use at Lowestoft. It was based on a local yawl with a shallow draft and sails so it could reach offshore sandbanks, but oars were also provided.[1]

The design proved successful and was adopted by other lifeboat services in East Anglia including the Norfolk Shipwreck Association. The Suffolk Humane Society merged with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855 as did the Norfolk Shipwreck Association in 1857.[2] The RNLI continued to build lifeboats to the Norfolk and Suffolk design and stationed them at other places on the east coast between the River Thames and the Humber.[3][4]

The last Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboat was built in 1925 and was in use until 1953. The design evolved throughout this time, the last boats being built with petrol motors.

## Pulling & sailing lifeboats

[edit]

The Lowestoft lifeboat of 1807 was 40 feet (12 m) long and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. It had wood and cork 'wales' or pads 15 in (380 mm) deep that projected up to 9 in (230 mm) from the sides. Empty 22 in (560 mm) casks along the inside of the sides with two more each at the front and back of the boat to give it buoyancy. An iron keel was fitted and a large volume of water ballast kept it lower in the water so that it cut through the waves instead of riding up and down over them. The water ballast was let in and out by plugs in the bottom to reduce the boat's weight when being launched and recovered from the beach. It had three masts, lug sails and 12 oars.[1]

Most of these features continued to be used in Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboats built during the next 85 years. The empty casks were replaced by detachable wood and canvas air cases along the sides and fixed air boxes in the bow and stern like Palmer-class lifeboats. The water ballast, up to 7 tons of it, was just left in the bottom of the boat so lifeboat crews worked in wet conditions. If too much water was taken on board, the excess drained out through gaps along the side. They were rigged with 2 lug sails.[5][6]

ON | Name  | In service | Station  | Built  | Builder  | Length  | Comments

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

–  | Frances Ann | 1807–1850  | Lowestoft | 1807  | Bareham  | 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)  | Suffolk Humane Society.[1][7]
[Note 1] | –  | 1833–1861  | Great Yarmouth | 1833  |  | 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)  | Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855.[8]
[Note 2] | –  | 1833–1858  | Great Yarmouth | 1833  |  | 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)  | [8]
[Note 3] | Marianne | 1840–1872  | Pakefield | 1840  | Teasdel  | 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m)  | Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Marianne was renamed Sisters in 1868.[9] [8]
Sisters
–  | Solebay | 1841–1852 | Southwold | 1840  | Teasdel  | 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)  | [10][8]
[Note 4] | –  | 1846–1865  | Caister | 1846  | Branford  | 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)  | Norfolk Shipwreck Association, to RNLI in 1857.[11][8]
[Note 5] | Victoria | 1850–1876  | Lowestoft | 1850  | Sparham  | 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)  | Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Victoria was renamed Laetitia by 1874.[8]
Laetitia
–  |  | 1852–1858  | Palling | 1852  | Teasdel  | 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)  | Norfolk Shipwreck Association, to RNLI in 1857.
[Note 6] | Birmingham No. 2 | 1865–1883  | Caister | 1865  |  | 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)  | Birmingham No. 2 was renamed Covent Garden by 1879.[8]
Covent Garden
14  | British Workman | 1870–1893  | Palling | 1870  |  | 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)  | Sold 1893, broken up 1995.[12]
15  | Anne Maria | 1861–1896  | Winterton | 1860  |  | 32 ft 2 in
(9.80 m)  | Anne Maria was renamed as Edward Birkbeck at an unknown date.
Edward Birkbeck
16  | Husband | 1869–1879  | Corton | 1869  |  | 36 ft 0 in
(10.97 m)  | [13][12]
1879–1890  | Winterton
–  | George | 1870–  | Lowestoft | 1870  |  | 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)  | [13]
17  | Covent Garden | 1883–1899  | Caister | 1882  |  | 42 ft 4 in (12.90 m)  | [12]
18  | Boys | 1867–1892  | Caister | 1867  |  | 32 ft 6 in
(9.91 m)  | Renamed Godsend by 1877.[12]
Godsend
19  | Duff | 1859–1892  | Great Yarmouth | 1859  |  | 28 ft 3 in
(8.61 m)  | Renamed Abraham Thomas by 1875.[12]
Abraham Thomas
20  | Brave Robert Shedden | 1861–1883  | Great Yarmouth | 1861  |  | 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)  | [12]
Mark Lane | 1883–1889  | Gorleston
21  | Leicester | 1870–1883  | Gorleston | 1870  |  | 29 ft 11 in
(9.12 m)  | [12]
1883–1894  | Gorleston
22  | Samuel Plimsoll | 1876–1905  | Lowestoft | 1876  |  | 44 ft 4 in
(13.51 m)  | [12]
23  | Sisters | 1872–1886  | Pakefield | 1872  |  | 46 ft 3 in
(14.10 m)  | [12]
The Two Sisters | 1886–1890  | Lowestoft
Mary and Hannah | 1890–1910  | Pakefield
24  | Henry Burford RN | 1871–1895  | Pakefield | 1870  |  | 30 ft 3 in
(9.22 m)  | [12]
25  | Bolton | 1870–1893  | Kessingland | 1870  |  | 42 ft 3 in
(12.88 m)  | [12]
26  | Grace & Lalley of Broadoak | 1867–1870  | Kessingland | 1867  |  | 32 ft 0 in
(9.75 m)  |
St Michaels, Paddington | 1870–1897
27  | Charles Bury | 1884–1897  | Kessingland | 1884  |  | 38 ft 6 in
(11.73 m)  | [12]
28  | Harriett | 1855–1869  | Southwold | 1855  | Beeching  | 39 ft 10 in
(12.14 m)  | Renamed in 1869.[14][10][12]
London Coal Exchange No. 1 | 1869–1893
29  | Dorinda and Barbara | 1871–1882  | Theddlethorpe | 1871  |  | 30 ft 1 in
(9.17 m)  | Displayed at the Imperial Institute in London from 1897 until 1917.[12]
Quiver No. 2 | 1882–1897  | Southwold
233  | Mark Lane | 1889–1892  | Gorleston | 1889  |  | 44 ft 5 in
(13.54 m)  | [10][15]
Reserve No. 1 | 1892–1899  | Reserve Fleet
Margaret | 1899–1907  | Winterton
270  | Margaret | 1890–1899  | Winterton | 1889  | Beeching  | 43 ft 10 in
(13.36 m)  | [16][15]
1899–1902  | Aldeburgh
1902–1924  | Reserve fleet
288  | Stock Exchange | 1890–1892  | Lowestoft | 1890  | Ellis  | 46 ft 7 in
(14.20 m)  | Sold 1922 and converted to a houseboat. Broken up in 1978 at Felixstowe Ferry.[16][17]
Mark Lane | 1892–1921  | Gorleston
304  | Aldeburgh | 1890–1899  | Aldeburgh | 1890  | Critten  | 46 ft 3 in
(14.10 m)  | Had 14 oars, double banked. Capsized with the loss of 7 of the 18 crew in 1899; broken up in 1900.[18][19][17]
319  | –  | 1891–1895  | Spare  | 1890  |  | 32 ft 2 in
(9.80 m)  | Spare boat, never named or allocated to a station. Sold to Ghana.[17]
326  | Thora Zelma | 1892–1904  | Gorleston | 1891  |  | 31 ft 5 in
(9.58 m)  | [17]
Reserve No. 8 | 1904–1913  | Reserve fleet
327  | Beauchamp | 1892–1901  | Caister | 1891  |  | 36 ft 5 in
(11.10 m)  | Sold 1901, broken up 1966.[17]
329  | John Burch | 1892–1912  | Great Yarmouth | 1892  |  | 32 ft 5 in
(9.88 m)  | Sold in 1912 and converted to a yacht.[17]

1. ^ The 39-foot Great Yarmouth lifeboat of 1833 is number 160 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
2. ^ The 25-foot Great Yarmouth lifeboat of 1833 is number 162 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
3. ^ The 1840 Pakefield lifeboat is number 195 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
4. ^ The 1846 Caister lifeboat is number 218 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
5. ^ The 1850 Lowestoft lifeboat is number 229 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
6. ^ The 1865 Caister lifeboat is number 427 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.

## Improved design

[edit]

The RNLI staged a trial of sailing lifeboats in 1892. Of the four different boats, the Norfolk and Suffolk class was deemed the least effective. The trial was held at Lowestoft and that station's two-year-old lifeboat was used. The water ballast proved to be a problem, the boat getting into difficulty in the surf close to the beach before the water ballast could be taken in. Even when properly ballasted, the boat could become unstable as water was able to shift side-to-side and back-and-front. Boats built after the trial had the water ballast constrained in tanks beneath a deck in the centre of the boat where it was not able to shift so much. Valves were fitted to allow water above the deck to drain out. An alteration was also made to the shape of the wales so that waves flowed over them better; in the past they sometimes waves coming from the side got caught under the wale and pushed the boat over the opposite side.[20] [1]

ON | Name  | In service | Station  | Built  | Builder  | Length  | Comments

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

351  | Hearts of Oak | 1893–1917  | Palling | 1893  |  | 40 ft 4 in
(12.29 m)  | Sold and used as a yacht. Broken up about 1990.[21]
352  | Bolton | 1893–1902  | Kessingland | 1893  |  | 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)  | Sold 1926. Renamed Juno and now a houseboat at Horsford, Norfolk.[21]
1902  | Aldeburgh
1902–1918  | Kessingland
1918–1925  | Southwold
353  | Alfred Corry | 1893–1918  | Southwold | 1893  | Beeching Brothers | 44 ft 1 in
(13.44 m)  | 16-oar boat. Sold 1919 but now on display at the Alfred Corry Museum, Southwold, which is the relocated Cromer lifeboat house.[10][22][21]
356  | Stock Exchange | 1893–1912  | Lowestoft | 1893  |  | 46 ft 0 in
(14.02 m)  | [21]
Reserve No. 1A | 1912–1918  | Reserve fleet
371  | Leicester | 1894–1923  | Gorleston | 1894  |  | 31 ft 0 in
(9.45 m)  | [21]
397  | Edward Birkbeck | 1896–1925  | Winterton | 1896  |  | 34 ft 0 in
(10.36 m)  | Sold 1925, now awaiting restoration at Winterton in Norfolk.[3]
405  | Rescue | 1897–1920  | Southwold | 1897  |  | 32 ft 0 in
(9.75 m)  | Sold and used as a houseboat until at least 1969.[3]
406  | St Paul | 1897–1931  | Kessingland | 1897  |  | 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)  | On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996.[3]
430  | James Stevens No. 9 | 1899–1923  | Southend-on-Sea | 1899  |  | 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)  | Carried a crew of 15. Sold 1923, renamed Viking but destroyed by a bomb at Dover in World War II.[23][3]
431  | Covent Garden | 1899–1919  | Caister | 1899  |  | 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)  | [3]
432  | James Stevens No.14 | 1900–1905  | Walton-on-the-Naze | 1900  | Thames Ironworks | 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)  | Stood down in 1905 for an engine to be fitted. It returned to service in 1907 and was sold in 1928.[24] [3]
482  | City of Winchester | 1902–1928  | Aldeburgh | 1902  | Thames Ironworks  | 46 ft 0 in
(14.02 m)  | 12-oar boat.[25][26] Sold 1928 and renamed Ellen Gordon. Became a houseboat at Maldon but broken up in 1980.[27]
506  | Nancy Lucy | 1903–1929  | Caister | 1903  |  | 35 ft 0 in
(10.67 m)  | [28]
543  | Kentwell | 1905–1921  | Lowestoft | 1905  |  | 46 ft 1 in
(14.05 m)  | [29]
1922–1924  | Gorleston
Reserve No. 1 | 1924–1928  | Reserve fleet
589  | Eleanor Brown | 1909–1924  | Winterton | 1909  |  | 44 ft 7 in
(13.59 m)  | Sold and converted to be a houseboat at Blakeney.[30][31]
Reserve No. 1C | 1924–1931  | Reserve fleet
607  | James Leith | 1910–1919  | Pakefield | 1910  |  | 42 ft 0 in
(12.80 m)  | Sold in 1936, On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996.[31]
1919–1929  | Caister
1930–1935  | Aldeburgh
629  | Hugh Taylor | 1912–1919  | Great Yarmouth | 1912  |  | 34 ft 0 in
(10.36 m)  | Sold and became the yacht Johannes J, last reported in Holland in 1987.[4]
1919–1922  | Pakefield
Reserve No. 1A | 1922–1929  | Reserve fleet
1929–1931  | Aldeburgh
1931–1936  | Kessingland
631  | –  | 1903–1913  | Spurn | 1903  |  | 34 ft 6 in
(10.52 m)  | Boat never given a name.[4]
656  | Hearts of Oak | 1918–1929  | Palling | 1918  |  | 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)  | Sold and became the yacht Wander Bird, last reported to be in Frontignan, France, in 2002.[4]
1929–1934  | Reserve fleet

## Motor lifeboats

[edit]

The RNLI deployed its first experimental motor lifeboat in 1904 and in 1905 converted three pulling and sailing lifeboats into motor lifeboats. One of these was Walton-on-the-Naze's Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat James Stevens No.14. It was fitted with a Blake 40 hp petrol engine with 4 cylinders and running at 550 rpm. Tests on 7 June 1906 measured the converted lifeboat's speed to be 6.952 knots (12.875 km/h). It was then sent to Harwich for sea trials in October. These were completed in February 1907, after which the boat returned to Walton-on-the-Naze to take up duty.[32] [24]

The engines in motor lifeboats were regarded as a supplement to sails at first but the experimental conversions were deemed a success. Construction of new motor lifeboats was protracted as it was difficult to obtain the parts and skilled staff, especially during World War I. Three Norfolk and Suffolk class motor lifeboats were built for service at East Anglian stations in the 1920s.[33] The engines were a 4-cylinder 60 bhp unit in John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood of 1921, and 6-cylinder engines of 80 bhp in the two boats built in 1923 and 1925.

ON | Name  | In service  | Station  | Built  | Builder  | Length  | Comments

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

432  | James Stevens No.14 | 1907–1928  | Walton-on-the-Naze | 1900  | Thames Ironworks | 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)  | Auxiliary engine fitted to a sailing lifeboat in 1905/1906, returned to service in 1907. Sold in 1928, now in store at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.[24][3]
663  | John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood | 1921  | Gorleston | 1921  | S. E. Saunders  | 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)  | Renamed in 1921 when transferred to Lowestoft, the original name was reused by ON 670 in 1924. Used at Dover for a while during World War II. Sold October 1952. Last reported as workboat Wimp in Aden in 1955.[4]
Agnes Cross | 1921–1939  | Lowestoft
1940–1941  | Dover
1941–1952  | Reserve fleet
670  | H.F. Bailey | 1923–1924  | Cromer | 1923  | J. Samuel White | 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)  | Renamed in 1924, the original name was then reused on Watson-class lifeboat ON 694. Sold October 1952. On display at Gorleston Lifeboat House since June 1994.[34][4]
John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1924–1939  | Gorleston
1939–1952  | Reserve fleet
691  | Mary Scott | 1925–1940  | Southwold | 1925  | J. Samuel White  | 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)  | Sold March 1953. In April 2022 it was reported to be at Littlehampton as a yacht with a cabin added.[34][35]
1940–1953  | Reserve fleet

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Sketch of the progress made in the construction of coast life-boats 1795-1900". Life-boat. Vol. 17, no. 195\. 1905. pp. 551–554.
2. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 102–103.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 18–19.
4. ^ a b c d e f Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 28–29.
5. ^ Ward, John Ross (1862). "Norfolk and Suffolk life-boats men". Life-boat. Vol. 5, no. 45\. pp. 132–135.
6. ^ Tansley, F J (1889). "South Norfolk and Suffolk life-boat men". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 151\. pp. 12–14.
7. ^ Wake-Walker, Edward (2007). The Lifeboats Story. The History Press. p. 13\. ISBN 978-0-7509-4858-6.
8. ^ a b c d e f g Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society.
9. ^ "Summary of the meetings of the committee". Life-boat. Vol. 8, no. 83\. 1868. p. 748.
10. ^ a b c d Cooper, Ernest (1917). "The Southwold life-boats 1840-1916". Life-boat. Vol. 23, no. 262\. pp. 160–168.
11. ^ Tooke, Colin (1986). Caister Beach Boats and Boatmen (1st ed.). Poppyland. p. 6.
12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 4–5.
13. ^ a b "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 77\. 1870. p. 509.
14. ^ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 73\. 1872. p. 244.
15. ^ a b Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 12–13.
16. ^ a b "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 157\. 1890. pp. 395–399.
17. ^ a b c d e f Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 14–15.
18. ^ "The Life-Boats of the United Kingdom". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 159\. 1891. pp. 444–447.
19. ^ "Aldeburgh - New Lifeboat". Eastern Daily Times. 3 January 1891.
20. ^ "Competitive trials with sailing life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 15, no. 165\. 1892. pp. 219–231.
21. ^ a b c d e Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 16–17.
22. ^ "Alfred Corry Lifeboat". Retrieved 29 January 2024.
23. ^ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
24. ^ a b c "The experimental motor life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 20, no. 225\. 1907. pp. 243–247.
25. ^ "New life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 19, no. 211\. 1904. pp. 11–13.
26. ^ "New Life-Boat for Aldeburgh". Framlingham Weekly News. 8 November 1902.
27. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 20–21.
28. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 22–23.
29. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 24–25.
30. ^ "New life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 20, no. 234\. 1909. pp. 858–859.
31. ^ a b Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 26–27.
32. ^ "The advent of the motor-boat". Life-boat. Vol. 19, no. 218\. 1905. pp. 551–554.
33. ^ Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 78–82. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
34. ^ a b "Inaugural ceremonies of motor life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 26, no. 288\. 1926. pp. 309–314.
35. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 30–31.

## External links

[edit]

* Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norfolk and Suffolk class lifeboats.

* v
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Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Operational fleet

All-weather lifeboats|

* Mersey
* Severn
* Shannon
* Tamar
* Trent

Inshore lifeboats|

* B-class: Atlantic 85
* D-class: IB1
* E-class: Mark II
* Mark III
* H-class (Hovercraft)

Small inflatables|

* Arancia
* X-class
* XP-class
* Y-class

Historic lifeboats

Pulling and sailing lifeboats|

* Cromer
* Greathead
* Liverpool
* Norfolk and Suffolk
* Palmer
* Peake
* Plenty
* Watson

All-weather motor lifeboats|

| Up to 10 knots|

* 35ft 6in Self-righting
* Barnett
* Liverpool
* Norfolk and Suffolk
* Oakley
* Ramsgate
* Rother
* Solent
* Steam
* Surf
* Watson

|

Above 10 knots|

* Arun
* Brede
* Clyde
* Fast Afloat (1929)
* Thames
* Tyne
* Waveney

Inshore lifeboats|

* A-class: Hatch
* McLachlan
* Boston Whaler
* B-class: Atlantic 21
* Atlantic 75
* C-class: Zodiac IV
* D-class: RFD PB16
* RFD 320
* Avon S650
* Dunlop
* EA16
* Humber
* Zodiac III
* E-class: Mark I

Experimental lifeboats|

* Keith Nelson
* Medina

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