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Winterton Lifeboat Station

Coordinates: 52°43′01.0″N 1°41′53.0″E / 52.716944°N 1.698056°E / 52.716944; 1.698056
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Winterton Lifeboat Station
Winterton Lifeboat Station is located in Norfolk
Winterton Lifeboat Station
Winterton, Norfolk
General information
StatusClosed
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
Town or cityWinterton-on-Sea, Norfolk
CountryEngland
Coordinates52°43′01.0″N 1°41′53.0″E / 52.716944°N 1.698056°E / 52.716944; 1.698056
OpenedNASLSM 1823 / RNLI 1858
Closed1925

Winterton Lifeboat Station was located in the town of Winterton-on-Sea, on the north-east coast of Norfolk.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners (NASLSM) in 1823. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1858.[1]

The station closed in 1925.[1]

History

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A lifeboat was sent to be stationed at Winterton in 1823 by the newly formed Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners. Built in 1822, she was a 32-foot 12-oared non-self-righting lifeboat. Launched to the aid of the vessel Mariners in 1829, the lifeboat was badly damaged, and the lifeboatmen had to take refuge aboard the casualty boat until all could be rescued by other local boats.[2]

In 1857, the NASLSM made a request, that the RNLI take over responsibility for all their lifeboat stations, including Winterton. This was formally agreed in 1858. A new 30-foot 10-oared lifeboat was ordered for Winterton from Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £185-3s-5d. The new boat was sailed up from Great Yarmouth, having been towed there from London by steamer. This unnamed boat would only serve at Winterton for 3 years. She was disliked by the crew, and was subsequently transferred to Rye Harbour.[3]

The Winterton lifeboat crew requested a wide beam boat, a Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat, as used at Gt. Yarmouth, and similar to their own fishing boats. An order was placed with Beeching for a 32-foot lifeboat, and was delivered on 5 January 1861. This boat would come to be named Ann Maria (ON 15) in 1867, after a gift of £420 from Capt. E. W. Harris of Roehampton, and then 11 years later, renamed Edward Birkbeck after the RNLI Chairman.[1]

The lifeboatmen, however, were still not entirely happy with this new boat, as it wasn't long enough for all their requirements. Their further request for another boat was declined by the RNLI, so in 1868, the crew, known as the Winterton Boatmen, acquired their own 42-foot Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat Rescuer from the Gorleston Rangers lifeboat company, purchased by William Burnley Hume of Hill House, Winterton.[3]

At a meeting with the RNLI in 1879, the Winterton crew explained that for certain calls, they preferred a longer boat than the Ann Maria, and also that they could no longer afford to maintain Rescuer. A 36-foot 14-oared Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat, Husband (ON 16), was transferred from Corton Lifeboat Station in Suffolk, which had just closed, replacing Rescuer as the Winterton No.2 lifeboat. Two years later, a double boathouse was constructed, to house both lifeboats.[2]

In 1896, the station received a new No.1 lifeboat, also to be named Edward Birkbeck (ON 397). The No.2 lifeboat Margaret (ON 270) was sent for an overhaul, with Reserve No.1 (ON 233) on relief duty. Reserve No.1 seemed to find favour with the Winterton crew, who requested that it become their permanent No.2 lifeboat. In 1899, the names were exchanged, with Reserve No.1 becoming Margaret (ON 233), and Margaret (ON 270) being renamed Reserve No.1.[1]

The activity at Winterton Lifeboat Station came to rather an abrupt end. In October 1924, the No.1 lifeboat station was closed when the Edward Birkbeck (ON 397), was withdrawn. A month later, the No.2 lifeboat, by then the Eleanor Brown (ON 589) was also withdrawn, and a replacement No.2 lifeboat, a 38-foot Liverpool-class (P&S) lifeboat Reserve No.9 (ON 516) was placed at the station. Unfamiliar with this type of lifeboat, and being considered completely unsuitable for the locality, the crew absolutely refused to use the boat. On 18 December 1924, after 100 years of service, the RNLI decided to close the station completely, with the removal of the lifeboat completing the closure on 5 January 1925.[2]

Notable service

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On 26 November 1830, Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, Chief Officer of Winterton Coastguard, was in charge of the lifeboat, rescuing 7 from the Annabella. Only a month later, Lt. Leigh and his crew rescued another 4 from the Henry. On 19 March 1833, Leigh and his crew went to the aid of the Crawford Davison, rescuing 16 passengers and crew. Then, on 30 April 1835, in a severe gale, Leigh and the crew rescued 3 survivors off the Blackbird.
In a 5-year period, Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, was awarded the RNLI Gold Medal, a Second-Service RNLI Gold Boat, the RNLI Silver Medal, and the Silver Medal of the Royal Humane Society.[4]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Winterton[4]

Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, Coastguard - 1831
Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, Coastguard - 1833 (Second-Service Gold Boat)
Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, Coastguard - 1835
Lt. George Graham, RN, Coastguard - 1836
William Hodds, Coxswain - 1893
William Hodds, Coxswain - 1893 (Second-Service Clasp)
  • Silver Medal, awarded by the Royal Humane Society
Lt. Thomas Leigh, RN, Coastguard - 1833

Winterton lifeboats

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All-weather lifeboats

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No.1 Station

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ON[a] Name In service[1] Class Comments
Unnamed 1823−1858 32-foot non-self-righting [Note 1]
Pre-323 Unnamed 1858−1861 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
15 Unnamed,
Ann Maria,
Edward Birkbeck
1861−1896 32ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) [Note 3]
397 Edward Birkbeck 1896−1924 34ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

No.2 Station

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[a] Name In service[1] Class Comments
Rescuer 1868−1879 42ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) Private Lifeboat
[Note 4]
16 Husband 1879−1890 36ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
270 Margaret 1890−1899 44ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
233 Margaret 1899−1907 44ft 5in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
270 Reserve No.1 1907−1909 44ft Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) [Note 5]
589 Eleanor Brown 1909−1924 44ft 6in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S)
516 Reserve No.9 1924−1925 38ft Liverpool (P&S) [Note 6]
  1. ^ a b ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 32-foot North-Country non-self-righting lifeboat
  2. ^ 30-foot 10-oared Self-righting lifeboat, built by Forrestt, costing £185-3s-5d
  3. ^ Named Ann Maria in 1867, renamed Edward Birkbeck in 1878
  4. ^ Acquired from Gorleston Rangers Lifeboat Company, owned and operated by the Winterton Boatmen
  5. ^ Formerly Margaret (ON 270) at Winterton No.2
  6. ^ Previously Charles Deere James at St Agnes

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  2. ^ a b c Morris, Jeff (June 2006). Winterton Lifeboats 1923–1924. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–38.
  3. ^ a b "The Story of the Lifeboat Service in Winterton". Winterton-on-Sea Lifeboat Restoration Group. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
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