Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat

RNLB H F Bailey (ON 670)

Class overview
Name| Norfolk and Suffolk-class
Builders|

* Beeching Brothers, Great Yarmouth
* S. E. Saunders, Cowes
* J. Samuel White, Cowes
* Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Blackwall
* Summers and Payne, Southampton

Operators|  Royal National Lifeboat Institution
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|

* ON 432: 32 bhp Blake 4SA 4-cyl. petrol
* ON 663: 60 bhp Tyler D.1 4-cyl. petrol
* ON 670: 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl. petrol
* ON 691: 80bhp White DE6 6-cyl. petrol

Propulsion| Single screw
Speed| 8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Range| ~115 nautical miles (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.

## Description

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Norfolk and Suffolk class of non-self-righting lifeboats were designed to operate further from shore, and specifically around East Anglia.

At one time, the engines in motor lifeboats were regarded as an auxiliary and boats retained their full sailing rig. In 1906, the Walton-on-the-Naze's lifeboat RNLB James Stevens No. 14 (ON 432), originally a pulling and sailing design built in 1900, was fitted with a 32 bhp petrol engine and served at the station until 1928.

The conversion of James Stevens No. 14 was deemed a success, and a further number of new motor lifeboats were built for service at East Anglian stations.

## Pulling & sailing lifeboats

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ON[a] | Name  | Built  | Builder  | Length  | In service  | Station  | Comments[1]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Solebay |  |  | 40 ft (12 m)  | 1841–1852 | Southwold No.1  |
28  | Harriett | 1855  |  | 40 ft (12 m)  | 1855–1893  | Southwold No.1  | Renamed, date to be confirmed. Sold 1893.
London Coal Exchange No. 1
270  | Margaret | 1889  |  | 44 ft (13 m)  | 1890–1899  | Winterton | Sold 1924.
1899–1902  | Aldeburgh
1902–1924  | Reserve fleet
304  | Aldeburgh | 1890  | Critten, Great Yarmouth | 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m)  | 1890–1899  | Aldeburgh | Had 14 oars, double banked.[2]

Capsized with the loss of seven of the 18 crew in 1899. Broken up in 1900.

353  | Alfred Corry | 1893  | Beeching Brothers | 44 ft (13 m)  | 1893–1918  | Southwold No.1  | Fitted with two-masts and 16 oars.

Sold 1919. By December 2022 was on display at the Alfred Corry Museum, Southwold, which is the relocated Cromer lifeboat house.[3]

352  | Bolton | 1893  |  | 42 ft (13 m)  | 1893–1902  | Kessingland | Sold 1926. Renamed Juno and became a houseboat at Saint Helena, Horsford, Norfolk.
1902  | Aldeburgh
1902–1918  | Kessingland
1918–1925  | Southwold No.1
430  | James Stevens No. 9 | 1899  |  | 38 ft (12 m)  | 1899–1923  | Southend-on-Sea | [4]

12-foot (3.7 m) beam inside, 14-foot (4.3 m) outside, carried a crew of 15. Sold 1923. Renamed Viking but destroyed by a bomb at Dover in 1940 or 1941.

432  | James Stevens No.14 | 1900  | Thames Ironworks | 43 ft (13 m)  | 1900–1928  | Walton and Frinton | Engine fitted in 1906.

Sold June 1928. Reported in December 2022 to be on sea-going display at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.

482  | City of Winchester | 1902  | Thames Ironworks  | 46 ft (14 m)  | 1902–1928  | Aldeburgh | Had 12 oars, double banked[5]

Sold 1928. Renamed Ellen Gordon. Became a houseboat at Maldon. Broken up in 1980.

## Motor lifeboats

[edit]

ON  | Name  | Built  | Builder  | In service  | Station  | Comments[1]

|
|
|
|
|
|

432  | James Stevens No.14 | 1900  | Thames Ironworks | 1900–1928 | Walton and Frinton | Sold June 1928. Reported in December 2022 to be on sea-going display at the Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.
656  | Hearts of Oak[6] | 1918  | Summers and Payne
/ S. E. Saunders | 1918–1929  | Palling No.2  | Length: 40 ft (12 m), beam: 10 ft (3.0 m)

Sold 1934. Renamed Wander Bird. Reported in July 2002 to be in Frontignan, France,, as a yacht with a cabin added.

1929–1934  | Reserve fleet
663  | John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood | 1921  | S. E. Saunders  | 1921  | Gorleston No.1 | Renamed in 1921 when transferred to Lowestoft, The original name was reused by ON 670 in 1924.

Sold October 1952. Last reported as workboat Wimp in Aden in 1955.

Agnes Cross | 1921–1939  | Lowestoft
1940–1941  | Dover
1941–1952  | Reserve fleet
670  | H.F. Bailey | 1923  | J. Samuel White | 1923–1924  | Cromer No.1  | 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.

John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1924–1939  | Gorleston
1939–1952  | Reserve fleet
691  | Mary Scott | 1925  | J. Samuel White  | 1925–1940  | Southwold | Sold March 1953. In April 2022 it was reported to be at Littlehampton as a yacht with a cabin added.
1940–1953  | Reserve fleet

## Notes

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1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
2. ^ "Aldeburgh - New Lifeboat". Eastern Daily Times. 3 January 1891.
3. ^ "Alfred Corry Lifeboat". Retrieved 29 January 2024.
4. ^ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
5. ^ "New Life-Boat for Aldeburgh". Framlingham Weekly News. 8 November 1902.
6. ^ Diss Express, and Norfolk and Suffork Journal, 28 June 1918

## External links

[edit]

* RNLI

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

* v
* t
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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

Royal National Lifeboat Institution
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