Newhaven Lifeboat Station

Newhaven Lifeboat Station
Newhaven Lifeboat Station
Newhaven, East Sussex
General information
Type	RNLI lifeboat station
Architectural style	Steel-frame boathouse built on stanchions with brick and block construction
Address	West Quay,
Town or city	Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9BX
Country	England
Coordinates	50°47′19″N0°03′13″E / 50.78856°N 0.05374°E / 50.78856; 0.05374
Opened	1803–1809 re-established in 1825–1829 and 1852
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Newhaven RNLI Lifeboat Station

Newhaven Lifeboat Station is located in the port town of Newhaven in the English county of East Sussex, on the south coast of the United Kingdom. ^[1]

The original station was established in 1803 and taken over by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1854. ^{[2] [3]}

The station currently operates a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, David and Elizabeth Acland (ON 1243), on station since 1999, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Elaine McLeod Scott (D-812), on station since 2024. ^[4]

Location

Newhaven lifeboat station is situated on the west bank of the River Ouse within the Port of Newhaven, which is one of only two navigable harbours between the Isle of Wight to the west and Dover to the east. The Port of Newhaven ^[5] is a busy commercial port with a ferry terminal. ^[6] The harbour opens out onto the English Channel, one of the busiest stretches of waterway in the world. ^[7]

History

Newhaven’s first lifeboat was established in 1803 ^[5] when a lifeboat which had been built to a design by Henry Greathead, ^[5] the pioneering rescue lifeboat builder from South Shields, was placed on station in the town. The boat was 22-feet long, and was 6-oared. The lifeboat was funded partly by a donation from Lloyd's of London, and the rest from locally raised donations. ^[8] The lifeboat was one of 31 of this type of lifeboat built by Greathead from his design of 1789 known as the Original. This type of lifeboat was designed to work in the shallow waters off the east coast of England, ^[9] but in small and open harbours like Newhaven, the Greathead-class boats were not popular because of their weight and the large number of crew needed to man them. ^[9] This may have been the case at Newhaven, as no record can be found that the boat was ever launched to a service. ^[5] In 1809 the boat was taken from the station and sent to Brighton. ^[2]

In 1825 the forerunner of the RNLI, the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, supplied a lifeboat to the town. There was still no boathouse in the town, and so this lifeboat when not in use was stored out in the open under a tarpaulin. This boat was in service at the town until 1829, when it was transferred to Cowes. ^[10]

There are no records of any other Newhaven lifeboat until 1852, when Newhaven was provided with a lifeboat by the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society . ^[11] From 1851 the Society operated lifeboats, located at Lytham, Rhyl, Portmadoc, Tenby, Llanelli, Teignmouth, Hornsea and now Newhaven, but it was soon realised that it would be wiser if one organisation concentrated on rescuing lives at sea, whilst the other helped the survivors or their bereaved families. In 1854, the Society transferred its lifeboats to the RNLI. ^[12]

The RNLI's first life boat at Newhaven arrived in 1863. It had previously been on service at Boulmer and Thorpeness, and was extended to 35-feet by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, and for Newhaven was renamed Thomas Chapman. However, she only served Newhaven for four years, performing just one service, but rescuing five crew. ^[13]

A new boat arrived in 1867, a 33-foot self-righting lifeboat, also to be named Thomas Chapman, and built by Forrestt of London, costing £290-5s-0d. To house the new boat, Newhaven Lifeboat Station would finally get a boathouse, which was a brick built building on the west bank of the harbour, costing £471-8s-0d. ^[10]

In 1904, Newhaven became the first lifeboat station to operate a motor-powered lifeboat, when former Folkestone lifeboat J McConnell Hussey (ON 343) was temporarily assigned for trials. It had been fitted with an 11 h.p. engine, giving a speed of nearly 6knts.
She served Newhaven for 5 months, before being transferred to Tynemouth for further trials, but it was much liked by the crew, who requested that their regular boat, now the Michael Henry (ON 407) be also fitted with an engine. She was sent to Thames Ironworks, with a reserve lifeboat being placed on station until the return of Michael Henry in 1908. ^[10]

In 1909, the lifeboat house was extensively modified, and a new slipway was constructed. ^[14]

Former Newhaven Lifeboat 47ft Watson Kathleen Mary (ON 950)

On 30 May 1940, the RNLI received a request from the Ministry of Shipping, to assemble as many lifeboats as possible at Dover within 24hrs. Newhaven Lifeboat Cecil and Lilian Philpott (ON 730) arrived in Dover the following morning. She was then used for the Dunkirk evacuation, making one trip and repatriating 51 men, finally arriving back on station on 11 June. ^[15]

A new Arun-class lifeboat, 52-32 Keith Anderson (ON 1106) arrived on service at Newhaven in 1985. Built by Wm. Osbourne of Littlehampton and costing £415,000, she was funded from the auction of a collection of Jewellery, donated by Mrs Esme Anderson in memory of her late husband. ^[10]

In November 1999, Newhaven's current lifeboat arrived on station. Costing £1,725,000, she is the 25-knot Severn-class lifeboat 17-21 David and Elizabeth Acland (ON 1243). ^[16]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Newhaven ^{[14] [17]}

• RNIPLS Silver Medal

John Sullivan, Seaman – 1827

Lt. James Rawstone, RN, H.M. Coastguard, Newhaven – 1833

Lt. Samuel Grandy, RN, H.M. Coastguard, Newhaven – 1833

Thomas Morgan, Commanding, Revenue Cutter Stork – 1833

Lt. James Read, RN, H.M. Coastguard, Newhaven – 1833

Abraham Hart Young, Chief Boatman, HM Coastguard, Blatchington – 1849

• RNLI Silver Medal

Charles Leese, Gunner, Coast Brigade, RA – 1860

Richard Payne, Coxswain – 1930

Leonard Alfred John Peddlesden, Coxswain – 1944

William James Harvey, Coxswain – 1955

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Richard Payne, Coxswain – 1924

C. J. Skinner, decorator – 1926

Frederick Arthur Parker, Second Coxswain – 1944

Richard William Lower, Mechanic – 1944

Benjamin Jack Clark, Bowman / Signalman – 1944 (posthumous),

Alfred James Eager, crew member – 1944

Stephen Holden, crew member – 1944

Harold Charles Moore, crew member – 1944

Stanley Winter, crew member – 1944

• The Maud Smith Award 1954
  (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)

William James Harvey, Coxswain – 1955

• A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Leonard Patten, Coxswain – 1988

Ian Johns, Coxswain – 2006

• A Gold Watch from The King of Denmark

Richard Payne, Coxswain – 1929

• A Silver Goblet from The King of Denmark

Each of the lifeboat crew – 1929

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Richard Kenneth Sayer, Honorary Secretary – 1969QBH ^[18]

Ian David Johns, Former Coxswain – 2012NYH ^[19]

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Newhaven lifeboat. ^[10]

• Died in 1910 from the effects of exposure, after a service on 3 December 1909

Joseph Richards

• Died 3 June 1931, 18 months after injuries received on service to the Danish schooner Mogens Koch on 7 December 1929

Richard Payne, Coxswain (57)

• Washed overboard and drowned, after a collision between the lifeboat Cecil and Lilian Philpott (ON 730) and H.M. Trawler Aventurine, 23 November 1943

Benjamin Jack Clark, Bowman / Signalman (49)

Newhaven lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON [a]	Op.No. [b]	Name	On Station [20]	Class	Comments
–	–	Unnamed	1803–1809	Greathead	[Note 1] Transferred to Brighton in 1809. [10]
–	–	Adeline	1807–????	Unknown	[Note 2] [10]
Pre-099	–	Unnamed	1825–1829	18-foot Norfolk & Suffolk (P&S)	[Note 3] Transferred to Cowes in 1829 [10]
Pre-245	–	Friend in Need	1852–1863	29-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 4]
Pre-247	–	Thomas Chapman	1863–1867	30-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 5] Previously Prudhoe at Boulmer
Pre-485	–	Thomas Chapman Elizabeth Boys	1867–1870 1870–1877	33-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 6] [10]
Pre-571	–	Michael Henry	1877–1881	37-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 7]
211	–	Michael Henry	1881–1897	37-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 8]
407	–	Michael Henry	1897–1905	37-foot Self-righting (P&S)	[Note 9]
343	–	J. McConnel Hussey	1904	38-foot Self-righting (Motor)	[Note 10]
265	–	Quiver No.1	1905–1908	37-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S)
407	–	Michael Henry	1908–1912	37-foot Self-righting (Motor)
628	–	Sir Fitzroy Clayton	1912–1918	38-foot Self-righting (Motor)	[Note 11]
Station Temporarily Closed 1918–1919
628	–	Sir Fitzroy Clayton	1919–1930	38-foot Self-righting (Motor)
730	–	Cecil and Lilian Philpott	1930–1959	45-foot 6in Watson	[21] [22]
950	–	Kathleen Mary	1959–1977	47-foot Watson	Last slipway launched boat
1045	44-019	Louis Marchesi of Round Table	1977–1985	Waveney
1106	52-32	Keith Anderson	1985–1999	Arun
1243	17-21	David and Elizabeth Acland	1999–	Severn

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

Inshore lifeboats

Op.No. [b]	Name	On Station [23]	Class	Comments
D-774	Arthur Hamilton	2022–2024	D-class (IB1)
D-812	Elaine McLeod Scott	2024–	D-class (IB1)

1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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

Notes

1. 22-foot Greathead lifeboat, built by Henry Greathead of South Shields, costing £120 when new.
2. Built by Christopher Wilson of London
3. 18-foot (4-oared) Norfolk & Suffolk (P&S) lifeboat, built by William Plenty of Newbury, Berkshire, costing £90.
4. 29-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £125.
5. 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, extended to 35-foot by Forrestt of Limehouse.
6. 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse.
7. 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse.
8. 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, costing £430.
9. 37-foot (12-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by the Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £728.
10. First RNLI motor-powered lifeboat
11. Lifeboat sent away for trials at The Lizard.

References

1. OS Explorer map 122: Brighton and Hove. Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. ISBN   978 0319240816
2. For Those In Peril – The Lifeboat Service of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, Station by Station. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher: Silver Link Publishing Ltd, First Issue 1999. Work:Part 2, South Coast of England – Eastbourne to Weston-super-Mare, Page 71, Newhaven Lifeboat Station. ISBN   1 85794 129 2
3. "Newhaven's station history". Newhaven Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
4. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. p. 128.
5. Heroes All! – The story of the RNLI. Author: Beilby, Alec. Publisher: Patrick Stephens Ltd, First edition, 1992. Work; Chapter 17, Page 170, description of the Station. ISBN 9 781852604196
6. Ports of the World – 1979. Editor: Reithmuller, John. Publisher: Derek H. Deere. Thirty Second Edition. Work: Page 109, The Port of Newhaven. ISBN   0510491553
7. "The Dover Strait". Reference to the amount of shipping in the channel. Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
8. "Historic Newhaven". Reference to the funding of the Greathead lifeboat. Newhaven Town Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
9. Riders of the Storm – The story of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Author: Cameron, Ian. Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. First Edition, 2002. Work: Chapter 1, Beyond all human aid. Page 19. reference to the Greathead lifeboat and its utilization. ISBN   9780297607908
10. Morris, Jeff (December 1999). The Story of the Newhaven Lifeboats (3rd ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–30.
11. "History of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society". History Details about the SFMRBS. Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
12. "Our History". Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
13. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 4.
14. "Newhaven's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
15. "1940: Dunkirk little ships". RNLI. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
16. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 70.
17. Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0907605893.
18. "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
19. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
20. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 4–70.
21. "Cecil and Lilian Philpott". Dunkirk Little Ships. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
22. "The Newhaven Lifeboat Cecil & Lilian Philpott". Dunkirk1940.org. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
23. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 98–99.