Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Aldeburgh, in the English county of Suffolk.[1]
| Aldeburgh lifeboat station | |
|---|---|
 | |
.JPG) Aldeburgh lifeboat station. | |
  Aldeburgh, Suffolk | |
| General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Address | Crag Path |
| Town or city | Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5BP |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°9′11″N 1°36′10″E / 52.15306°N 1.60278°E |
| Opened | 1851 |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website | |
| Aldeburgh RNLI Lifeboat Station | |
A lifeboat station was first established at Aldeburgh by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1851. The RNIPLS became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1854.[2]
The station currently operates the B-class (Atlantic 85) Howard Bell (B-899), on service since 14 October 2024, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Susan Scott (D-808), on station since 2017. The station covers the coast between Harwich station to the south, and Southwold station to the North.[3]
History
editThe Suffolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Seamen placed a 24ft Norfolk and Suffolk class lifeboat Grafton at Sizewell in 1826, but this was crewed by men from Aldeburgh. The boat was moved to a new station at Aldeburgh, shortly after the RNLI took over in 1851.
A new 32-foot unnamed boat was stationed at Aldeburgh in 1853, later to be named Pasco in 1867, after Capt. Montague G. C. Pasco, RN, collected £451 for the RNLI. [4]
1899 lifeboat disaster
editOn 7 December 1899, the lifeboat Aldeburgh (ON 304) was launched to reports of a vessel aground on Shipwash Sands. In violent seas, the boat was capsized, coming to rest on the beach, and trapping 6 of the 18 crew underneath. A huge effort took place to lift the boat, but with no success. Another 3 hours passed until a hole was smashed through the upturned hull, but it was too late. 7 men perished in the disaster.[5]
- John Pearce Butcher, 52
- Charles Alfred Crisp, 51
- Herbert William Downing, 23
- Allen Arthur Easter, 28
- Thomas Morris, 36
- Walter George Ward, 33
- James Miller Ward jr., 21[6]
A memorial to the disaster is sited in the graveyard at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. It bears the following inscription:
On December 7th 1899, in response to signals of distress, a crew of 18 brave men manned the lifeboat “Aldeburgh” which was speedily launched in the teeth of an easterly gale and a heavy rolling sea. At duties call to rescue others with their own lives in their hands, these brave men went afloat, when alas! the boat capsizing seven of them met their end and lie buried here. By a large fund promptly raised to provide for those suddenly bereft, as well as by the monument, fellow townsmen and fellow countrymen near and far paid tribute to an example of noble self-forgetfulness.
The All-weather Mersey-class lifeboat 12-34 Freddie Cooper (ON 1193) was placed on station in November 1993. The 12 metres (39 ft) self-righting lifeboat was powered by two 285-hp turbo-charged Caterpillar 3208T diesel engines, capable of 16 knots, with a range of 140 nautical miles. She was purchased using a bequest to the RNLI from the late Mrs Winifred Cooper, in memory of her husband Freddie.
The current lifeboat station was built in 1994, to replace a smaller older one on the same site. For the first time, protective cover was provided, for both the station lifeboat and the Talus MB-H launch tractor. Incorporated into the design is a public viewing platform. The station has showers and toilet facilities for the crew, and a heated store for their foul weather suits. There are also further equipment storage rooms. This new boathouse was built using part of the 'Penza' bequest of Mrs Eugenie Boucher, who left £4 million to the RNLI when she died in 1992, specifically for the construction of new boathouses.
In 2007, Aldeburgh received the new D-class (IB1) lifeboat Christine (D-673). This boat was funded by the bequest of Florence Winifred Kemp, in memory of her daughter.[2]
The RNLI announced in 2016, that Aldeburgh would be getting a new Shannon-class lifeboat to replace the Mersey-class lifeboat, due in 2021. In July 2023, the RNLI announced that the Mersey-class All-weather lifeboat (ALB) at Aldeburgh would be replaced by an B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat.[7]
Christine was replaced with a new D-class (IB1) Inshore boat in 2017, and named Susan Scott (D-808) at a ceremony on Saturday 10 June 2017.[8]
On 14 October 2024, Mersey-class lifeboat 12-34 Freddie Cooper (ON 1193) was withdrawn to the relief fleet. The All-weather lifeboat was replaced by the B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat Howard Bell (B-899).[9]
Station honours
editThe following are awards made at Aldeburgh[2][10]
- Joseph Foster, H.M. Coastguard - 1824
- Henry Hutchinson, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard - 1825
- Mr William Smith, fisherman - 1828
- Mr Simon Fisher, Master of the Smack Alert - 1840
- James Cable, Coxswain - 1891
- William Mann, Second Coxswain - 1891
- James Cable, Coxswain - 1893 (Second-Service Clasp)
- Charles Edward Ward, Bowman - 1894
- Charles Edward Ward, Bowman - 1900 (Second-Service Clasp)
- James Cable, Coxswain - 1900 (Third-Service Clasp)
- George Chatten, Coxswain - 1938
- Reuben Wood, Coxswain - 1972
- John Marjoram, Helmsman - 1977
- Ian Firman, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1996
- Ian Firman, Coxswain/Mechanic - 2000 (Second-Service Clasp)
- The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
- Nigel Saint, Motor Mechanic - 1972
- A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
- Reuban Wood, Coxswain - 1977
- Lee Firman. Coxswain - 2004
- David Cook, crewman - 2004
- Binocular glass
- W J Osborne, Honorary Secretary for 25 years - 1886
- Letter of appreciation and a monetary reward from the Committee of Management
- John Sharman(16) - 1955
- Medals awarded by the Norwegian Government
- Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew - 1892
- Silver cup from the Imperial Government of Russia
- James Cable, Coxswain - 1895
- Monetary Award from the Imperial Government of Russia
- Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew - 1895
- Silver Watch from the German Emperor
- Coxswain - 1903
- Second coxswain - 1903
- Bowman - 1903
- Monetary Award from the German Emperor
- Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew - 1903
- Lee Firman - 2017NYH[11]
- Nigel Anthony Saint, Motor Mechanic - 1985NYH[12]
Aldeburgh lifeboats
editNo. 1 Station
edit| ON[a] | Op. No.[b] | Name | In service | Class | Comments | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-118 | – | Grafton | 1826–1851 1851–1853 |
24-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | 1826–1851 at Sizewell [13] |
|
| Pre-261 | – | Unnamed, later Pasco |
1853–1870 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) | Renamed Pasco in 1867[13] | |
| Pre-551 | – | George Hounsfield | 1870–1890 | 40-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [13] | |
| 304 | – | Aldeburgh | 1890–1899 | 46-foot 3in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Capsized 7 December 1899. 8 men died as a result this accident | |
| 270 | – | Margaret | 1899–1901 | 44-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | ||
| 352 | – | Bolton | 1901–1902 | 43-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | ||
| 482 | – | City of Winchester | 1902–1928 | 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | .jpg)
| |
| 629 | – | Hugh Taylor | 1929–1931 | 34-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | ||
| 751 | – | Abdy Beauclerk | 1931–1958 | 41ft Watson | ||
| 946 | – | Alfred and Patience Gottwald | 1959–1979 | 42ft Watson | ||
| 948 | – | Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.32) |
1979–1982 | 42ft Watson | Ex Walmer | |
| 1068 | 37-40 | James Cable | 1982–1993 | Rother | Last displacement hull boat on station | |
| 1193 | 12-34 | Freddie Cooper | 1993–2024 | Mersey | .JPG)
|
- All-weather lifeboat withdrawn, 14 October 2024
- Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.
No. 2 Station
edit| ON[a] | Name | In service[3] | Class | Comments | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 545 | Edward Z Dresden | 1905–1929 | 38-foot Liverpool (P&S) | ||
| 620 | William Macpherson | 1930 | 43ft Watson | Ex Campbeltown. First motor lifeboat at station | |
| 607 | James Leith (Leath) | 1930–1936 | 42-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Ex Caister, Pakefield | |
| 665 | Baltic[14] | 1936–1940 | 38-foot Liverpool (P&S) | Ex Wells | |
| 832 | Lucy Lavers | 1940–1959 | Liverpool | 
|
- No.2 Station closed, 1959
Inshore lifeboats
edit| Op. No.[b] | Name | In service[3] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-111 | Unnamed | 1977–1980 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-270 | Unnamed | 1980–1988 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-376 | Unnamed | 1988–1997 | D-class (EA16) | |
| D-520 | Bob Savage | 1997–2007 | D-class (EA16) | |
| D-673 | Christine | 2007–2017 | D-class (IB1) | |
| D-808 | Susan Scott | 2017– | D-class (IB1) | |
| B-899 | Howard Bell | 2024– | B-class (Atlantic 85) | Officially on service, 14 October 2024 |
Launch and recovery tractors
edit| Op. No.[b] | Reg. No. | Type | In service[3] | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T66 | XYP 400 | Fowler Challenger III | 1975 | |
| T67 | YLD 792 | Fowler Challenger III | 1985–1987 | |
| T85 | SEL 394R | Talus MBC Case 1150B | 1987–1993 | |
| T116 | K920 DUJ | Talus MB-H Crawler | 1993–2005 | |
| T115 | K499 AUX | Talus MB-H Crawler | 2005–2021 | |
| T102 | E387 VAW | Talus MB-H Crawler | 2021– |
Gallery
edit
.JPG)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ OS Explorer Map 231 – Southwold & Bungay. ISBN 978 0 319 23805 9.
- ^ a b c "Aldeburgh's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
- ^ "Aldeburgh Lifeboats". Aldeburgh Past and Present. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Station History". Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "The legacy of the Aldeburgh acorns: How one lifeboatman's superstition lives on". RNLI. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) can today confirmed that the Mersey-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) in Aldeburgh will be replaced by an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat". RNLI. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Lifesavers at Aldeburgh RNLI Lifeboat Station were joined by special guests for the official naming ceremony of their new lifeboat on Saturday 10 June". RNLI. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ^ Litt, Jo (14 October 2024). "Aldeburgh RNLI training Atlantic 85 now on service". RNLI. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
- ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
- ^ Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboats. Author: Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul. Publisher:Tempus publishing Ltd, Edition: first 2006. work: Appendix 2. Lifeboat details, page 115. ISBN 0752438751
External links
edit