Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat

Last updated

Norfolk and Suffolk Class ON406 St Paul unrestored at Chatham.jpg
RNLB St Paul preserved at Chatham
Class overview
NameNorfolk and Suffolk-class
BuildersVarious
Operators Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg RNLI and others
Built1807–1925
In service1807–1953
General characteristics - motor lifeboats
Displacement14-17 tons
Length46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Installed power
  • ON 432: 32 bhp Blake 4SA 4-cyl. petrol
  • ON 663: 60 bhp Tyler D.1 4-cyl. petrol
  • ON 670: 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl. petrol
  • ON 691: 80bhp White DE6 6-cyl. petrol
PropulsionSingle screw
Speed8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Range~115 nautical miles (132 mi; 213 km)
Crew13

Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were able to operate further from shore and around the sandbanks common off East Anglia.

Contents

History

Purpose-built lifeboats first appeared towards the end of the 18th century. Some of the first were designed by Lionel Lukin who adapted local boat designs to be more buoyant so they could operate safely in rough seas. He designed one for the Suffolk Humane Society in 1807 for use at Lowestoft. It was based on a local yawl with a shallow draft and sails so it could reach offshore sandbanks, but oars were also provided. [1]

The design proved successful and was adopted by other lifeboat services in East Anglia including the Norfolk Shipwreck Association. The Suffolk Humane Society merged with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855 as did the Norfolk Shipwreck Association in 1857. [2] The RNLI continued to build lifeboats to the Norfolk and Suffolk design and stationed them at other places on the east coast between the River Thames and the Humber. [3] [4]

The last Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboat was built in 1925 and was in use until 1953. The design evolved throughout this time, the last boats being built with petrol motors.

RNLB H F Bailey (ON670) H.F. Bailey ON670 1923 to 1924.jpg
RNLB H F Bailey (ON670)

Pulling & sailing lifeboats

ONNameIn serviceStationBuiltBuilderLengthComments
––1807– Lowestoft 1807Bareham40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)		 [1]
–Solebay1841–1852 Southwold 1840Teasdel38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)
14British Workman1870–1893 Palling 187040 ft 4 in (12.29 m)Sold 1893, broken up 1995. [5]
15Anne Maria1861–1896 Winterton 186032 ft 2 in
(9.80 m)		Renamed as Edward Birbeck, date unknown.
Edward Birkbeck
16Husband1869–1879 Corton 186936 ft 0 in
(10.97 m)		 [5]
1879–1890 Winterton
17Covent Garden1883–1899 Caister 188242 ft 4 in (12.90 m) [5]
18Boys1867–1892 Caister 186732 ft 6 in
(9.91 m)		Renamed Godsend by 1877. [5]
Godsend
19Duff1859–1892 Great Yarmouth 185928 ft 3 in
(8.61 m)		Renamed Abraham Thomas in about 1875. [5]
Abraham Thomas
20Brave Robert Shedden1861–1883 Great Yarmouth 186140 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)		 [5]
Mark Lane1883–1889 Gorleston
21Leicester1870–1883 Gorleston 187029 ft 11 in
(9.12 m)		 [5]
1883–1894 Gorleston
22Samuel Plimsoll1876–1905 Lowestoft 187644 ft 4 in
(13.51 m)		 [5]
23Sisters1872–1886 Pakefield 187246 ft 3 in
(14.10 m)		 [5]
The Two Sisters1886–1890 Lowestoft
Mary and Hannah1890–1910 Pakefield
24Henry Burford RN1871–1895 Pakefield 187030 ft 3 in
(9.22 m)		 [5]
25Bolton1870–1893 Kessingland 187042 ft 3 in
(12.88 m)		 [5]
26Grace & Lalley of Broadoak1867–1870 Kessingland 186732 ft 0 in
(9.75 m)
St Michaels, Paddington1870–1897
27Charles Bury1884–1897 Kessingland 188438 ft 6 in
(11.73 m)		 [5]
28Harriett1855–1869 Southwold 185539 ft 10 in
(12.14 m)		Renamed in 1869. [6] [5]
London Coal Exchange No. 11869–1893
29Dorinda and Barbara1871–1882 Theddlethorpe 187130 ft 1 in
(9.17 m)		Displayed at the Imperial Institute in London from 1897 until 1917. [5]
Quiver No. 21882–1897 Southwold
233Mark Lane1889–1892 Gorleston 188944 ft 5 in
(13.54 m)		 [7]
Reserve No. 11892–1899Reserve Fleet
Margaret1899–1907 Winterton
270Margaret1890–1899 Winterton 188943 ft 10 in
(13.36 m)		 [7]
1899–1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1924Reserve fleet
288Stock Exchange1890–1892 Lowestoft 189046 ft 7 in
(14.20 m)		Sold 1922 and converted to a houseboat. Broken up in 1978 at Felixstowe Ferry. [8]
Mark Lane1892–1921 Gorleston
304Aldeburgh1890–1899 Aldeburgh 1890Critten46 ft 3 in
(14.10 m)		Had 14 oars, double banked. Capsized with the loss of 7 of the 18 crew in 1899. Broken up in 1900. [9] [8]
319–1891–1895Spare189032 ft 2 in
(9.80 m)		Spare boat, never named or allocated to a station. Sold to Ghana. [8]
326Thora Zelma1892–1904 Gorleston 189131 ft 5 in
(9.58 m)		 [8]
Reserve No. 81904–1913Reserve fleet
327Beauchamp1892–1901 Caister 189136 ft 5 in
(11.10 m)		Sold 1901, broken up 1966. [8]
329John Burch1892–1912 Great Yarmouth 189232 ft 5 in
(9.88 m)		Sold in 1912 and converted to a yacht. [8]
351Hearts of Oak1893–1917 Palling 189340 ft 4 in
(12.29 m)		Sold and used as a yacht. Broken up about 1990. [10]
352Bolton1893–1902 Kessingland 189343 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)		Sold 1926. Renamed Juno and now a houseboat at Horsford, Norfolk. [10]
1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1918 Kessingland
1918–1925 Southwold
353 Alfred Corry 1893–1918 Southwold 1893 Beeching Brothers 44 ft 1 in
(13.44 m)		16-oar boat. Sold 1919 but now on display at the Alfred Corry Museum, Southwold, which is the relocated Cromer lifeboat house. [11] [10]
356Stock Exchange1893–1912 Lowestoft 189346 ft 0 in
(14.02 m)		 [10]
Reserve No. 1AReserve fleet
371Leicester1894–1923 Gorleston 189431 ft 0 in
(9.45 m)		 [10]
397Edward Birkbeck1896–1925 Winterton 189634 ft 0 in
(10.36 m)		Sold 1925, now awaiting restoration at Winterton in Norfolk. [3]
405Rescue1897–1920 Southwold 189732 ft 0 in
(9.75 m)		Sold and used as a houseboat until at least 1969. [3]
406St Paul1897–1931 Kessingland 189738 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)		On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996. [3]
430 James Stevens No. 9 1899–1923 Southend-on-Sea 189938 ft 0 in
(11.58 m)		Carried a crew of 15. Sold 1923, renamed Viking but destroyed by a bomb at Dover in World War II. [12] [3]
431Covent Garden1899–1919 Caister 189940 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)		 [3]
432 James Stevens No.14 1900–1905 Walton and Frinton 1900 Thames Ironworks 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)		Stood down in 1905 for an engine to be fitted. It returned to service in 1907 and was sold in 1928. [13] [3]
482City of Winchester1902–1928 Aldeburgh 1902Thames Ironworks46 ft 0 in
(14.02 m)		12-oar boat. [14] Sold 1928 and renamed Ellen Gordon. Became a houseboat at Maldon but broken up in 1980. [15]
506Nancy Lucy1903–1929 Caister 190335 ft 0 in
(10.67 m)		 [16]
543Kentwell1905–1921 Lowestoft 190546 ft 1 in
(14.05 m)		 [17]
1905–1921 Gorleston
Reserve No. 11922–1924Reserve fleet
589Eleanor Brown1909–1924 Winterton 190944 ft 7 in
(13.59 m)		Sold and converted to be a houseboat at Blakeney. [18]
Reserve No, 1C1924–1931Reserve fleet
607James Leith1910–1919 Pakefield 191042 ft 0 in
(12.80 m)		Sold in 1936, On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996. [18]
1919–1929 Caister
1930–1935 Aldeborough
629Hugh Taylor1912–1919 Great Yarmouth 191234 ft 0 in
(10.36 m)		Sold and became the yacht Johannes J, last reported in Holland in 1987. [4]
1919–1922 Pakefield
Reserve No. 1A1922–1929Reserve fleet
1929–1931 Aldeburgh
1931–1936 Kessingland
631–1903–1913 Spurn 190334 ft 6 in
(10.52 m)		Boat never given a name. [4]
656Hearts of Oak1918–1929 Palling 191840 ft 0 in
(12.19 m)		Sold and became the yacht Wander Bird, last reported to be in Frontignan, France, in 2002. [4]
1929–1934Reserve fleet

Motor lifeboats

ONNameIn serviceStationBuiltBuilderLengthComments
432 James Stevens No.14 1907–1928 Walton and Frinton 1900 Thames Ironworks 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m)		Auxiliary engine fitted to a sailing lifeboat in 1905/1906, returned to service in 1907. Sold in 1928, now in store at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze. [13] [3]
663John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood1921 Gorleston 1921S. E. Saunders46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)		Renamed in 1921 when transferred to Lowestoft, the original name was reused by ON 670 in 1924. Used at Dover for a while during World War II. Sold October 1952. Last reported as workboat Wimp in Aden in 1955. [4]
Agnes Cross1921–1939 Lowestoft
1940–1941 Dover
1941–1952Reserve fleet
670H.F. Bailey1923–1924 Cromer 1923 J. Samuel White 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)		Renamed in 1924, the original name was then reused on Watson-class lifeboat ON 694. Sold October 1952. On display at Gorleston Lifeboat House since June 1994. [4]
John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood1924–1939 Gorleston
1939–1952Reserve fleet
691Mary Scott1925–1940 Southwold 1925J. Samuel White46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m)		Sold March 1953. In April 2022 it was reported to be at Littlehampton as a yacht with a cabin added. [19]
1940–1953Reserve fleet

Notes

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    References

    1. 1 2 "Sketch of the progress made in the construction of coast life-boats 1795-1900". Life-boat. Vol. 17, no. 195. 1905. p. 551–554.
    2. ↑ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 102–103.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 18–19.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 28–29.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 4–5.
    6. ↑ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 73. 1872. p. 244.
    7. 1 2 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 12–13.
    8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 14–15.
    9. ↑ "Aldeburgh - New Lifeboat". Eastern Daily Times. 3 January 1891.
    10. 1 2 3 4 5 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 16–17.
    11. ↑ "Alfred Corry Lifeboat" . Retrieved 29 January 2024.
    12. ↑ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
    13. 1 2 "The experimental motor life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 20, no. 225. 1907. p. 243–247.
    14. ↑ "New Life-Boat for Aldeburgh". Framlingham Weekly News. 8 November 1902.
    15. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 20–21.
    16. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 22–23.
    17. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 24–25.
    18. 1 2 Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 26–27.
    19. ↑ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 30–31.
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