Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station

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Aldeburgh lifeboat station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station 8 April 2012 (1).JPG
Aldeburgh lifeboat station.
Suffolk UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Aldeburgh, Suffolk
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
AddressCrag Path
Town or city Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5BP
CountryEngland
Coordinates 52°9′11″N1°36′10″E / 52.15306°N 1.60278°E / 52.15306; 1.60278
Opened1851
Owner Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Aldeburgh RNLI Lifeboat Station

Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is located on Crag Path in Aldeburgh, a town on the East coast of Suffolk. [1]

Contents

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) Inshore lifeboat Ralph (B-949), on service from 2025, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Susan Scott (D-808), on station since 2017. The station covers the coast between Harwich to the south, and Southwold to the North. [3]

History

The 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

On 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 six of the 18 crew underneath.

A huge effort took place to lift the boat, but with no success. Another three hours passed until a hole was smashed through the upturned hull, but it was too late. Seven lifeboatmen perished in the disaster. [5]

A memorial to the disaster is sited in the graveyard at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, and 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."
Aldeburgh Mersey-class lifeboat 12-34 Freddie Cooper Aldeburgh Lifeboat 12-34 Freddie Cooper (2).jpg
Aldeburgh Mersey-class lifeboat 12-34 Freddie Cooper

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. [6]

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. [7]

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). [8]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Aldeburgh [2] [9]

Joseph Foster, Boatman, H.M. Coastguard, Sizewell Gap – 1824
Henry Hutchinson, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Orford Ness Lighthouse – 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, Helms – 1977
Ian Firman, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1996
Ian Firman, Coxswain/Mechanic – 2000 (Second-Service clasp)
Nigel Saint, Motor Mechanic – 1972
Reuban Wood, Coxswain – 1977
Lee Firman. Coxswain – 2004
David Cook, crewman – 2004
W. J. Osborne, Honorary Secretary for 25 years – 1886
John Sharman(16) – 1955
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew – 1892
James Cable, Coxswain – 1895
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew – 1895
Coxswain – 1903
Second coxswain – 1903
Bowman – 1903
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Crew – 1903
Lee Firman – 2017NYH [10]
Nigel Anthony Saint, Motor Mechanic – 1985NYH [11]

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Aldeburgh lifeboat. [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)

Aldeburgh lifeboats

No. 1 Station

ON [a] Op. No. [b] NameBuiltOn Station [13] ClassCommentsPhoto
Pre-118–Grafton18261826–1851
1851–1853		 24-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) 1826–1851 at Sizewell
Pre-261–Unnamed,
Pasco		18531853–1870
1867–1870		32-foot Self-righting (P&S)
Pre-551–George Hounsfield18701870–189040-foot Self-righting (P&S)
304–Aldeburgh18901890–1899 46-foot 3in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) Capsized 7 December 1899. 8 men died as a result this accident
270–Margaret18891899–1902 44-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
352–Bolton18931902 43-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) On load from Kessingland
482–City of Winchester19021902–1928 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) Running ashore with the lifeboat (5020717746).jpg
629–Hugh Taylor19121929–1931 34-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
751– Abdy Beauclerk 19311931–1958 41ft Watson
946–Alfred and Patience Gottwald19581959–1979 42ft Watson
948– Charles Dibdin
(Civil Service No.32) 		19591979–1982 42ft Watson Ex Walmer
106837-40James Cable19821982–1993 Rother Last displacement hull boat on station
119312-34 Freddie Cooper 19921993–2024 Mersey Aldeburgh Lifeboat 8 April 2012 (4).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

ON [a] NameBuiltOn Station [14] ClassCommentsPhoto
545Edward Z Dresden19051905–1929 38-foot Liverpool (P&S)
620William Macpherson19121930 43ft Watson Ex Campbeltown. First motor lifeboat at station
607James Leith (Leath)19101930–1936 42-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) Ex Caister, Pakefield
665Baltic [15] 19161936–1940 38-foot Liverpool (P&S) Ex Wells
832 Lucy Lavers 19401940–1959 Liverpool Lucy Lavers Lifeboat.jpg
No.2 Station closed, 1959

Inshore lifeboats

D-class

Op. No. [b] NameOn Station [16] ClassComments
D-111Unnamed1977–1980 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-270Unnamed1980–1988 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-376Unnamed1988–1997 D-class (EA16)
D-520Bob Savage1997–2007 D-class (EA16)
D-673Christine2007–2017 D-class (IB1)
D-808Susan Scott2017– D-class (IB1)

B-class

Op. No. [b] NameOn Station [17] ClassComments
B-899Howard Bell2024–2025 B-class (Atlantic 85) Officially on service, 14 October 2024
B-949Ralph2025– B-class (Atlantic 85) [18]

Launch and recovery tractors

Op. No. [b] Reg. No.TypeOn Station [19] Comments
T66XYP 400 Fowler Challenger III 1975
T67YLD 792 Fowler Challenger III 1985–1987
T85SEL 394RTalus MBC Case 1150B1987–1993
T116K920 DUJ Talus MB-H Crawler 1993–2005
T115K499 AUX Talus MB-H Crawler 2005–2021
T102E387 VAW Talus MB-H Crawler 2021–
  1. 1 2 ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

References

  1. ↑ OS Explorer Map 231 – Southwold & Bungay. ISBN   9780319238059.
  2. 1 2 3 "Aldeburgh's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 127.
  4. ↑ "Aldeburgh Lifeboats". Aldeburgh Past and Present. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Station History". Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ Litt, Jo (14 October 2024). "Aldeburgh RNLI training Atlantic 85 now on service". RNLI. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0907605893.
  10. ↑ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "The legacy of the Aldeburgh acorns: How one lifeboatman's superstition lives on". RNLI. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 2–69.
  14. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 38–51.
  15. ↑ 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
  16. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 88–99.
  17. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 85.
  18. ↑ "RNLI Aldeburgh Atlantic 85, Ralph, first operational shout". RNLI. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  19. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 105–106.