Harwich Lifeboat Station | |
---|---|
General information | |
Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
Location | Harwich Lifeboat Station, The Quay, Harwich, CO12 3HH |
Country | England |
Coordinates | 51°56′55.01″N1°17′13.56″E / 51.9486139°N 1.2871000°E |
Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
Harwich Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Harwich in the English county of Essex. [1] The station is positioned on the southern side at the mouth of the River Orwell estuary. The station serves a particularly busy section of coastline with Harwich being a very busy ferry terminal. [2] Across the estuary is the Port of Felixstowe which is the United Kingdom's busiest container port. [3]
The first lifeboat at Harwich was called Braybrooke, and it was first stationed there in 1821. [2] It was named in honour of Richard Griffin, 2nd Baron Braybrooke, Lord Lieutenant of Essex. [4] The lifeboat was financed by the Essex Lifeboat Association, but no funds were available for a boathouse, so the Braybrooke was moored in the harbour.[ citation needed ] On the Suffolk side of the estuary at Landguard Fort there was a second lifeboat, the Orwell , which was eventually sold and converted to a yacht.[ citation needed ] The Harwich lifeboat had ceased operations by 1825, and the Braybrooke's fate is unknown. [2]
After the passenger steamship SS Deutschland was wrecked on Kentish Knock on 6 December 1875, it was decided that another lifeboat was needed at Harwich. A new boathouse was built at Timberfields in 1876 and a lifeboat called Springwell arrived in January 1876. [4] The New lifeboat was 35 feet long by 9 feet wide and was self-righting. The Springwell remained at Harwich from 1876 until 1881 and was credited with saving the lives of 61 people, 23 of which had been saved during the launch to the barque Pasithea of Liverpool on 16 February 1883.[ citation needed ]
In 1889 the RNLI obtained its first steam-powered lifeboat, the Duke of Northumberland (ON 231), which was sent to Harwich in 1890. The station with Springwell became known as Harwich No. 1 station, whilst the mooring near Halfpenny Pier where the Duke of Northumberland was kept afloat became the No. 2 station. [2] [4] In 1892, the Duke of Northumberland was sent to New Brighton on Merseyside. It was replaced in 1894 by another steam lifeboat, the City of Glasgow (ON 362).[ citation needed ]
In 1902 the No. 1 station lifeboat Springwell (ON 317), the second boat to bear that name, was scrapped. In 1904 station No. 1 was given another Watson-class lifeboat, Ann Fawcett (ON 517). In the years leading up to World War I, Harwich was used for the testing of new motor lifeboats which were sent to other stations. [5] In 1912 the Ann Fawcett was withdrawn from service once again leaving the City of Glasgow the only lifeboat on station. [6]
By the breakout of the First World War in 1914, the City of Glasgow (ON 446), the second to bear this name, was the only lifeboat at Harwich. In 1917 the Admiralty commandeered the lifeboat for patrol duties. [6] Harwich Lifeboat Station was closed, leaving the area to be covered by Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station to the north and Walton Lifeboat Station to the south. [7]
Harwich Lifeboat Station did not reopen until 1965, when increased traffic to the Harwich ferry as well as the Port of Felixstowe across the estuary necessitated more lifeboats in the area. A 16 ft inshore inflatable lifeboat boat was stationed for the summers of 1965 and 1966. [2] In September 1967, a 44 ft Waveney-class lifeboat, Margaret Graham (ON 1004), was sent to Harwich. [2] [6] After a successful two-year trial period, the Margaret Graham was made a permanent fixture at Harwich, where she remained until being replaced by the John Fison (ON 1060) in 1980. [6]
The most notable incident attended by a Harwich station lifeboat was the European Gateway incident of 19 December 1982. The roll-on roll-off car ferry European Gateway was leaving Felixstowe for Zeebrugge when it collided with the train ferry Speedlink Vanguard approaching Harwich Harbour. The bow of the Speedlink Vanguard struck the European Gateway amidship, and she quickly capsized to the point where only half the starboard side of the vessel was above the water. Numerous lifeboats and tugs responded to the scene and began rescuing passengers from the European Gateway within minutes. The Speedlink Vanguard launched her own lifeboat to assist. Within an hour all passengers but six had been rescued. [8] By the time the John Fison arrived, all that remained was to search for the bodies. The John Fison recovered two bodies, three others were located by other boats, and one remained unaccounted for. [9]
In 1997, Harwich acquired 17-03 Albert Brown (ON 1202), a Severn-class, fast afloat boat built by Green Marine in 1995. [10] She is 17 meters long, 5.5 meters wide with a depth of 1.38 meters, with a top speed of 25 knots and a range of 250 nautical miles. [11] The Albert Brown was financed with bequest from Victoria Brown to commemorate her husband Albert Brown, and christened by Terry Waite CBE on 25 May 1997. [6]
In 2002, Harwich acquired the Sure and Steadfast (B789), an B-class (Atlantic 75) second generation rigid inflatable boat (RIB). [12] She was named on 18 May 2003 after the motto of the Boys' Brigade in recognition of the fund raising efforts for the RNLI by that organization. [13]
In 2003, funds were secured for a new boathouse and facilities, at a cost of £1.25 million. [14]
On 21 May 2018, the new Atlantic 85-class lifeboat Tierney Harvey & Sonny Reid (B-907) arrived in the town to a warm welcome from crowds and supporters. She was funded by The John & Elizabeth Memorial Trust, which was set up in 1998. [15]
As of 2024, 17-03 Albert Brown and Tierney Harvey & Sonny Reid (B-907) are on service at Harwich. [16]
ON [lower-alpha 1] | Name | In service [16] | Class | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Braybrooke | 1821−1825 | Norfolk and Suffolk | ||
Springwell | 1876−1881 | 35ft Self-Righting (P&S) | [17] | |
317 | Springwell II | 1881−1902 | 45ft Self-Righting (P&S) | |
206 | Reserve No.3 | 1890−1891 | 38ft 2in Self-righting (P&S) | |
517 | Ann Fawcett | 1904−1912 | 43ft Watson (P&S) | |
ON | Name | In service [16] | Class | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
231 | Duke of Northumberland | 1890−1892 | Steam | |
362 | City of Glasgow | 1894−1897 | Steam | |
362 | City of Glasgow | 1898−1901 | Steam | |
446 | City of Glasgow | 1901−1917 | Steam | |
ON | Op. No. [lower-alpha 2] | Name | In service [16] | Class | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1004 | 44-005 | Margaret Graham | 1967−1980 | Waveney | |
1060 | 44-020 | John Fison | 1980−1996 | Waveney | |
1202 | 17-03 | Albert Brown [18] | 1996− | Severn | |
Op. No. | Name | In service [16] | Class | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
D-71 | Unnamed | 1965−1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
D-14 | Unnamed | 1968 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
D-201 | Unnamed | 1971 | D-class (Avon S650) | |
D-201 | Unnamed | 1973 | D-class (Avon S650) | |
D-206 | Unnamed | 1974−1975 | D-class (Zodiac III) | |
D-240 | Unnamed | 1976−1978 | D-class (Zodiac III) | |
D-225 | Unnamed | 1977−1978 | D-class (Zodiac III) | |
B-526 | Unnamed | 1978−1987 | B-class (Atlantic 75) | |
B-571 | British Diver II | 1987−2002 | B-class (Atlantic 75) | |
B-789 | Sure and Steadfast | 2002−2018 | B-class (Atlantic 75) | [13] |
B-907 | Tierney Harvey & Sonny Reid | 2018− | B-class (Atlantic 85) | [15] |
The following are awards made at Harwich [19] [20]
Padstow Lifeboat Station has been at Trevose Head west of Padstow, Cornwall, since 1967. Before that it was at Hawker's Cove on the Camel estuary between the town and the sea. The lifeboat station is run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and since 2006 has been the base for Tamar-class RNLB Spirit of Padstow.
Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station is a RNLI base in Norfolk, England. There were originally two separate stations at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston – two coastal towns either side of the River Yare. These were merged in 1926.
Ramsgate Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the Port of Ramsgate in the English county of Kent. The station is one of the oldest to operate in the British Isles and has launched to many notable services. Among the awards won by its crews over the years are 42 RNLI medals, including 2 gold, 39 silver and 1 bronze, the last being awarded in 2000.
Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station in the town of Wells-next-the-Sea in the English county of Norfolk. The station, run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), operates both inshore and offshore lifeboats. The inshore boat is a D-class (IB1) lifeboat named Peter Wilcox (D-707), whilst the offshore lifeboat is Shannon-class 13-46 named Duke of Edinburgh . The station boathouse is located at the beach on the western side of Wells Harbour mouth.
The Mumbles Lifeboat Station opened in 1835 with a lifeboat that was funded and managed by Swansea Harbour Trustees and was known as Swansea Lifeboat Station. The station was taken over by the RNLI in 1863 and moved to Mumbles in 1866. The station only officially became The Mumbles Lifeboat Station in 1904.
The Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.
Appledore Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1825 and the present station was opened in 2001. It operates a Tamar-class all-weather boat (AWB) and an Atlantic 85 B Class inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Weymouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Weymouth in Dorset, England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869. Since 2002 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and an Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Salcombe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Salcombe, Devon in England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869. The Salcombe Lifeboat has twice capsized, in 1916 with the loss of 13 lives, and in 1983 with no loss of life. Since 2008 the station has operated a Tamar-class all weather boat (ALB) and an Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Torbay Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Brixham, Devon in England. Brixham Lifeboat Station was opened in 1866 but since 1924 has been known as 'Torbay'. Since 2005 it has operated a Severn-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) together with a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Fishguard Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station.
Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Aldeburgh in the English county of Suffolk.
Cardigan Lifeboat Station, at Poppit Sands, North Pembrokeshire, near Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales, is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station opened in 1849. The station closed in 1932 but reopened in 1971 as an inshore lifeboat station.
Dover Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station located in the town of Dover in the English county of Kent. The station first opened in 1837, coming under the RNLI’s control in 1855.
Skegness Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station located in the town of Skegness, Lincolnshire, England, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The station is located on the seafront of the south-east coast, north of the Wash and south of the Humber Estuary. This area of the British coastline is characterised by many shoals and constantly changing sandbanks, many of which lie between the town and the East Dudgeon Lightship. The building dates from 1990 and was the first in the British Isles constructed especially for a Mersey-class lifeboat. The boathouse also accommodates an Inshore Lifeboat and a souvenir shop.
Bembridge Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the village of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom.
Eastbourne Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the town of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Founded two years before the RNLI was established, the station has operated continuously since 1822 and its lifeboats have been responsible for saving over 700 lives. There are two active lifeboat stations in Eastbourne, an all-weather station with the Trent-class 14-02 Esme Anderson at Sovereign Harbour and the D-class (IB1) The David H (D-876) at the inshore lifeboat station a couple of miles to the west at Fisherman's Green. An older lifeboat station, west of Eastbourne Pier, is now used as an RNLI museum.
Holyhead Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the coastal town of Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales. It is one of the three oldest lifeboat stations situated on the North Wales coast, a disused building of which houses the Holyhead Maritime Museum.
Fleetwood Lifeboat Station is located on The Esplanade at the port of Fleetwood, a Lancashire town at the north end of The Fylde, situated at the mouth of the River Wyre.
Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Clacton-on-Sea in the county of Essex. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the RNLI in 1878.