History
Rev. R. Redman wrote to the RNLI in London in January 1864, requesting a lifeboat station for Blackpool, with his request endorsed by coastguard officer Capt. L. Barstow, RN.
The Inspector of Lifeboats Capt. J. R. Ward, RN, then visited the town in February of the same year, and fully supported the request.
A location for a boathouse was found on Lytham Road, just off the promenade, and was built by Forshaw Bros. of Preston, at a cost of £193 14s 7d, offset by a donation of £100 from Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bt. [2]
The cost of the boat and carriage, £298 in total, was gifted by Miss Atherton, of Kersal Cell, Salford, and a 33 ft. x 8 ft. 10-oared pulling and sailing lifeboat was constructed by Forrestt, of Limehouse, London. The boat was transported to Blackpool free of charge by the London and North Western Railway and arrived on 12 July 1864.
All the extra kit required was provided by a gift of £250 from the widow and daughter of the late Mr. R. W. Hopkins of Preston, with the boat being named Robert William on 14 July 1864, at a ceremony attended by 20000 people. Rev. Redman was appointed Honorary Secretary, Robert Bickerstaffe (Coxswain), John Swarbrick (Second Coxswain) and Will Parr (Bowman). [3]
The promenade was widened in 1904, and the lifeboat had to be taken half a mile, pulled by hand, before reaching the only slipway. However, it was only in 1930 when a launch and recover tractor was provided to Blackpool, which was of great benefit moving the boat, and launching on soft sand and shallow water. [3]
In 1936, it was decided to send a new motor lifeboat to Blackpool. This boat required a new bigger boat-house, which was constructed alongside Blackpool Central Pier. The Liverpool-class lifeboat Sarah Ann Austin (ON 800) was delivered to the station in June 1937. She was fortunate to arrive at all, as a fire had consumed Groves and Guttridge's boat builders yard, and three other new lifeboats, only 15 hours after she was launched. [2]
Blackpool received the first of its D-class inshore lifeboats in May 1965, with the first services in June of the same year soon proving it to be a valuable new asset.
In 1975, it was decided to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat from Blackpool. A B-class (Atlantic 21) was placed on trial between 1975 and 1979, but at the time, it was felt that the Atlantic 21 didn't fit the requirements at Blackpool, and so instead, a second D-class was placed on service at Blackpool in 1979. However, in 1992, a B-class (Atlantic 75) (B-700) was trialed for 2 weeks and felt to be much better suited to the station. Rotaract 1 (B-718) was placed on station in 1996, with the two D-class boats being retained. [2]
With the need for a larger boathouse, and concrete degradation being found in the 1930s boathouse, a new building was commissioned in 1996, located along the promenade, to house all three boats and launch tractors, with a visitor centre and souvenir shop. It was constructed by F. Parkinson Ltd, and formally handed over to the RNLI in September 1998. [2]
Royal National Lifeboat Institution 
