Craster Lifeboat Station

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Craster Lifeboat Station
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Craster Lifeboat Station - geograph.org.uk - 5690825.jpg
Craster Lifeboat Station
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Craster, Northumberland
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
AddressWest End
Town or city Craster, Northumberland, NE66 3TS
Country England
Coordinates 55°28′21.6″N1°35′38.6″W / 55.472667°N 1.594056°W / 55.472667; -1.594056
OpenedAugust 1969
Owner Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Craster RNLI Lifeboat Station

Craster Lifeboat Station is located at West End, in the small harbour village of Craster, situated mid-way between Seahouses and Amble, on the coast of Northumberland, England.

Contents

An Inshore lifeboat was first stationed in Craster by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in August 1969. [1]

The station currently operates a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Skpr James Ballard RNVR DSC (D-839), on station since 2019. [2]

History

In 1964, in response to an increasing amount of water-based leisure activity, the RNLI placed 25 small fast Inshore lifeboats around the country. These were easily launched with just a few people, ideal to respond quickly to local emergencies. [3]

More stations were opened, and in August 1969, a lifeboat station was established at Craster, with the arrival of a D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore lifeboat, the unnamed (D-130). In 1975, D-130 was replaced with a new D-class (Zodiac III) lifeboat, D-228. [2]

In July 1977, a harbour fete day was organised in aid of Craster RNLI Lifeboat Station. The star guest was stage and screen actress Joyce Grenfell OBE, maybe most well known for her role as Police Constable Ruby Gates, in the St Trinian's film trilogy. A total sum of £1531 was raised on the day, including £16 raised by Mrs Grenfell signing autographs. [4]

On Saturday, 1 May 1982, the lifeboat was launched at 11:10, to the aid of a crew of a fishing boat, who had moored their vessel. They had tried to row the boat's rowing boat ashore in gale force 7 conditions, but had been blown onto the rocks at Newton Haven, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Craster. The RAF Search and Rescue helicopter was also called, but it was decided to rescue the men by lifeboat. With great skill, Helm Neil Robson guided the Inshore lifeboat to the rowing boat, and the three men were recovered to Newton Haven Bay. At 12:40, the lifeboat was launched again with the same crew, to reports of a single man in the water after his dinghy capsized, also at Newton Haven. Unable to locate anyone, the lifeboat beached, but were told the man had made it safely ashore. For their service that day, Neil Robson and Keith Williams were each presented with a 'Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution'. [5]

On 3 February 1999, a new D-class (EA16) lifeboat was provided to the station, funded by John Bagley, who had raised over £16,000 from a series of talks and presentations, about his adventures taking part in the British Steel Challenge Round the World yacht race. His grandson Adam Bagley, aged just two-and-a-half, became the youngest person to name a lifeboat, which was duly named AB-One (D-542) [6]

Recovery of Craster lifeboat AB-One (D-542) Craster Harbour. - geograph.org.uk - 284864.jpg
Recovery of Craster lifeboat AB-One (D-542)

The latest D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat to be placed at Craster arrived in 2019. At a naming ceremony on Saturday 12 October, the boat was named Skpr James Ballard RNVR DSC (D-839), in memory of the captain of an armoured trawler, that had captured German sailors off the north east coast of Scotland in World War I. The boat was funded from the legacy of Mr Charles B. Campbell. [7]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Craster. [1]

A. Neil Robson, Helm - 1982
J. Keith Williams, crew member - 1982

Craster lifeboats

Op.No. [a] NameIn service [2] ClassComments
D-130Unnamed1969–1975 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-228Unnamed1975–1982 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-290Unnamed1983–1989 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-395Bob1990–1999 D-class (EA16)
D-542AB-One1999–2008 D-class (EA16)
D-703Joseph Hughes2008–2019 D-class (IB1)
D-839Skpr James Ballard RNVR DSC2019– D-class (IB1)
  1. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat or vehicle carried on the hull.

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. 1 2 "Craster's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    2. 1 2 3 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
    3. ↑ "Inshore Rescue Boats". The Lifeboat. XXXVIII (407): 3. March 1964. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    4. ↑ "Some Ways of Raising Money" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XLV (462): 99. Winter 1977. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    5. ↑ "Two Calls". The Lifeboat. XLVIII (481): 116–117. Autumn 1982. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    6. ↑ "Starting young!" (PDF). The Lifeboat (548): 4. Summer 1999. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
    7. ↑ "On Saturday 12 October 2019 Craster RNLI held their lifeboat naming ceremony during a day of beautiful weather". RNLI. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
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