Grimsby Lifeboat Station

Grimsby Lifeboat Station
Grimsby, Lincolnshire
General information
Status	Closed
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Address	Port of Grimsby
Town or city	Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Country	England
Coordinates	53°34′57.6″N0°03′59.0″W / 53.582667°N 0.066389°W / 53.582667; -0.066389
Opened	1882
Closed	1927

Grimsby Lifeboat Station was located at the Port of Grimsby, in the county of Lincolnshire.

A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1882 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station. ^[1]

With a motor lifeboat firmly established at Humber Lifeboat Station at Spurn Point, the Grimsby lifeboat station was closed in 1927. ^[1]

History

Following difficulties in both maintaining a crew, and also with launching, the RNLI decided to close Cleethorpes lifeboat station and relocate to Grimsby, opening a new station there in January 1882. The Cleethorpes lifeboat, a 33-foot Self-righting Pulling and Sailing lifeboat (using both oars and sail), built in 1868 by Woolfe and Sons, was transferred to the station. A gift of the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity, she was duly named Manchester Unity. A boathouse was constructed on the north-west side of the Tidal Basin. ^[2]

On the 7 October 1887, a new boat was provided to Grimsby, a 38-foot self-righting boat constructed by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £624. She too was funded by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity, and again named Manchester Unity (ON 123). Tragedy struck when the boat was called out on the evening of 18 November 1893. Coxswain Charles Barr was thrown overboard by the violent seas before the boat had even left the harbour, and was killed when he was crushed between the lifeboat and the harbour wall. The boat was sent for repairs, but was so badly damaged that she was withdrawn from service. ^[2]

A reserve boat, Reserve No.3 (ON 206) was placed on service temporarily, but was so well liked, it was made to be the permanent Grimsby lifeboat, and renamed Manchester Unity. ^[1]

In 1898, a new Steam-class lifeboat, the James Stevens No.3 (ON 420), was sent to Grimsby for evaluation. She was over 56-feet long, had a top speed of 8½ knots, and cost £3,298. Initially a No.2 boat, she was able to cover a period from 1901 to 1903 as No.1, when Manchester Unity (ON 206) was loaned to Hull Trinity House for use at Spurn Point, whilst their regular boat was being repaired. ^{[1] [2]}

Manchester Unity was only back at Grimsby for a short time, before being replaced by the Charles Burton (ON 526) in 1904. A 38-foot non-self-righting Liverpool-class (P&S) lifeboat, the boat was built by Thames Ironworks, and named after her benefactor, the late Charles T. M. Burton. A new boathouse and roller slipway were constructed at the entrance to the No. 1 Fish Dock. However, by 1911, the RNLI had taken over the Humber Lifeboat Station from Hull Trinity House, and had placed a motor-powered lifeboat there in 1919. As a result, Grimsby Lifeboat Station was closed in 1927. ^[2]

In a 45-year period, the Grimsby lifeboat had been called 40 times, and saved 19 lives. Charles Burton (ON 526) went on to serve at Caister until 1941. A busy port location, the redundant boathouses were quickly demolished, and no evidence remains today. ^{[1] [2]}

In 2023, the Humber Lifeboat Station was forced to permanently abandon their base on Spurn Point due to a failing jetty, and further coastal erosion, and relocated to Grimsby. The docks site of the current station is virtually in the same place as the 1904 boathouse. It remains to be seen if the station will one day be known as Grimsby Lifeboat Station. ^[3]

Grimsby lifeboats

ON [a]	Name	In service [4]	Class	Comments
Pre-511	Manchester Unity	1882−1887	33-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 1]
123	Manchester Unity	1887−1893	38-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 2]
206	Manchester Unity	1893−1901	38-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S)	Previously Reserve No.3 [Note 3]
420	James Stevens No.3	1898−1903	56-foot 6in Steam	[Note 4]
206	Manchester Unity	1903−1904	38-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S)
526	Charles Burton	1904−1927	38-foot Liverpool (P&S)	[Note 5]

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

Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

1. 33-foot 10-oared Self-righting lifeboat, built by Woolfe & Sons
2. 38-foot Self-righting lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London
3. 38-foot 2in Self-righting lifeboat, built by Livie
4. 56-foot 6in Steam lifeboat, built by J.S White of Cowes
5. 38-foot non-self-righting Liverpool-class lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks

References

1. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
2. Morris, Jeff (October 1987). The Closed Lifeboat Stations of Lincolnshire. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–5.
3. "Humber lifeboat station leaves Spurn Point after 213 years of rescues". BBC News. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
4. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.

External links

• Cleethorpes RNLI Lifeboat Station