Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station

Great Yarmouth received its first lifeboat in 1802. No records of a call have been found.

In 1825, the Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners (NASLSM) stationed its first lifeboat at Great Yarmouth. In 1833, the NASLSM established a No. 2 station, placing a second boat at Great Yarmouth.{{sfn|Leonard|Denton|2025|p=117}}

The station was taken over by the RNLI in 1857, and the following year, two new lifeboats were sent to Great Yarmouth. The No. 1 lifeboat was a 38-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat named Harriett, one with sails and (12) oars, originally built in 1852 by Beeching of Great Yarmouth, and later modified with an iron keel and wooden ballast, to Mr Peake's design. The boat was placed on station on a trial basis, the boatmen there used to a different design lifeboat, and the 1833 lifeboat was retained for comparison. Records show that the Harriett lifeboat was only on station for one year, with the station reverting to their much preferred 1833 boat.{{cite journal |title=Additional Life-Boat Stations and New Life-Boats |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 January 1859 |volume=IV |issue=31 |pages=117–118 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/04/31/additional-life-boat-stations-and-new-life-boats |access-date=30 March 2025}}{{sfn|Leonard|Denton|2025|p=4}}

The second lifeboat to arrive in 1858, for the No. 2 station, was the smaller 30-foot 6-oared rowing lifeboat, named Admiral Mitchell, designed for close shore work. No details have been found of it's shortcomings, but it was swiftly replaced, following the report of the RNLI district inspector. It's replacement was approved at a meeting of the RNLI committee of Management of 5 May 1859, and an unnamed 28-foot Surf lifeboat was sent to the station later that year.{{sfn|Leonard|Denton|2025|pp=6–7, 18–19}}{{cite journal |title=Summary of the Meetings of the Committee |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 October 1859 |volume=IV |issue=34 |page=212 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/04/34/summary-of-the-meetings-of-the-committee |access-date=31 March 2025}}

A new lifeboat house at Great Yarmouth was constructed and completed in 1859, to the design of the Institute's honorary architech, Mr C. H. Cooke, at a cost of £375, ({{Inflation|index=UK|value=375|start_year=1859|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}). Although with modification to the front, the Great Yarmouth lifeboat house mostly still exists, located on the southern corner of Standard Road and Marine Parade.

In 1866, the Institution received the anonymous gift of £620 from "X.Y.Z." of Chatham, Kent, which was appropriated to the Great Yarmouth station. In accordance with the donor's wishes, the 28-foot previously unnamed Great Yarmouth No.2 lifeboat was named Duff, after the first missionary ship that left England for the South Seas. In 1875, the lifeboat was renamed Abraham Thomas.{{cite journal |title=Summary of the Meetings of the Committee |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 January 1867 |volume=VI |issue=63 |page=257 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/06/63/summary-of-the-meetings-of-the-committee |access-date=29 March 2025}}{{sfn|Leonard|Denton|2025|pp=18–19}}

File:Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat House (2024).JPG

A private lifeboat had existed at Gorleston since 1802, operating under various banners, Gorleston Rangers, Gorleston Storm Company and Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat Association.

In October 1855, the boatmen of Gorleston Rangers, through local subscription, the assistance of friends, and with a donation of £50 from the RNLI, were able to order a 40-foot lifeboat, built by Beeching of Great Yarmouth, at a cost of £200.{{sfn|Leonard|Denton|2025|p=117}}{{cite journal |title=Additional Stations and New Life-Boats |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 January 1856 |volume=II |issue=19 |page=120 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/02/19/additional-stations-and-new-life-boats |access-date=30 March 2025}}

Following the capsize of the private lifeboat Rescue in December 1865,Widely reported on 13 January 1866, but recorded in the Hammersmith Advertiser and the West London Times of Sat 23 December 1865. resulting in the loss of 13 crew, the Gorleston boatmen appealed to the RNLI, to be supplied with a self-righting life-boat, as such a boat may not have cost so many lives. A new RNLI station was established at Gorleston in July 1866, when a new 33-foot self-righting lifeboat Leicester was dispatched to the station. The lifeboat was first exhibited in Leicester, where funds raised there had helped defray the costs. The lifeboat and carriage had been transported free of charge by the Great Northern and Great Eastern railway companies.{{cite journal |title=Additional Stations and New Life-Boats |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 October 1866 |volume=VI |issue=62 |page=217 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/06/62/additional-stations-and-new-life-boats |access-date=31 March 2025}}

From the 1860s, Mr Kains-Jackson collected funds each Christmas, at the London Corn Exchange, for the Mark Lane Life-Boat Fund, to be appropriated to the Gorleston station. Three successive lifeboats at Gorleston took the name Mark Lane, not after a person, but after the London address of the Exchange.{{cite journal |title=Additional Stations and New Life-Boats |journal=The Lifeboat |date=1 August 1889 |volume=XIV |issue=153 |pages=192–193 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/14/153/additional-stations-and-new-life-boats |access-date=23 April 2025}}

In 1881 a new boathouse was built at Gorleston, at a cost of £329 ({{Inflation|index=UK|value=329|start_year=1881|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) and a second boathouse (Gorleston No.2) was built alongside in 1883.

During 1897 the station received its first steam lifeboat City of Glasgow (ON 362) and during 1921, its first motor-powered lifeboat.

By 1919, both Great Yarmouth stations had been closed, and in 1924, the Gorlestone station, which at times had as many as four lifeboats, was now operating just one lifeboat, the 46-foot 6in motor-powered John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood (ON 670). Great Yarmouth and Gorleston branches of the RNLI merged in 1926, and the station was renamed Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station.

In 1963, a {{Lbc|D|RFD PB16}} Inshore lifeboat was placed at the station, joined in 1975 with the larger {{Lbc|B|Atlantic 21}} Inshore lifeboat Foresters (B-531). The {{Lbc|D}} was subsequently withdrawn in 1977.

File:RNLB Samarbeta ON-1208 13 September 2009.jpg

During 1993 crew facilities were upgraded, a gift-shop built and a display area created for the former Gorleston lifeboat John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood (ON 663). The boathouse was further extended in 2002.

In 1996 Princess Alexandra officially named the station's new {{lbc|Trent}} lifeboat 14-10 Samarbeta (ON 1208), Swedish for ‘working together’.

A new {{Lbc|Shannon}} lifeboat 13-44 George and Frances Phelon (ON 1351) had been assigned to Gt. Yarmouth and Gorleston to replace Samarbeta, and was expected to be on service in 2022. She is a "Legacy Lifeboat", and carries the names of RNLI benefactors within the numbers on her hull. However, ongoing problems with the mooring at the station prevented the new lifeboat from going on service, with the boat remaining in storage. In October 2024, it was announced that George and Frances Phelon would begin operations with the relief fleet, and as of February 2025, is currently operating at {{Lbs|Falmouth}}.{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Andrew |last2=Gordon-Farleigh |first2=Neve |title='Legacy lifeboat' to join RNLI relief fleet |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2mdp55xy9o |access-date=30 March 2025 |publisher=BBC |date=11 October 2024}}{{cite web |title=Always be remembered on a legacy lifeboat |url=https://rnli.org/support-us/give-money/leave-a-gift-in-your-will/always-be-remembered-on-our-legacy-lifeboat |publisher=RNLI |access-date=1 January 2024}}

In October 1922 the Gorleston pulling and sailing lifeboat and the Lowestoft motor lifeboat, after a struggle lasting 32 hours, brought to safety the whole crew of 24 and a black kitten from the steamship {{SS|Hopelyn||2}} wrecked on Scroby Sands.

In 1927 lifeboats from Great Yarmouth & Gorleston, Cromer, Southwold and Lowestoft took part in the rescue of the Dutch oil tanker {{SS|Georgia||2}}. This service is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of the RNLI.

The lifeboat Louise Stephens (ON 820) was one of 19 lifeboats involved in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.

The following are awards made at Gt Yarmouth and Gorleston.{{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Barry |title=Lifeboat Gallantry |date=1998 |publisher=Spink & Son Ltd |isbn=0907605893}}

• Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM)

::William George Fleming – 1924{{cite web |title=Medal of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Gallantry |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32953/page/5157/data.pdf |publisher=London Gazette |access-date=29 January 2024}}

• George Cross, {{small|converted from EGM}}

::William George Fleming, Coxswain – 1941

• RNLI Gold Medal

::William George Fleming, Coxswain – 1922

• RNIPLS Gold Medal

::Cpt. Chaplin, master of the steam packet Royal William – 1833

• RNLI Silver Medal

::Charles Salmon, Fisherman – 1855

::George Fleming, Fisherman – 1855

::Cmdr Thomas Kisbee, RN, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Great Yarmouth – 1855

::William Johnson – 1858

::Cpt. Thomas Davies, RN, Inspecting Commander, H.M. Coastguard, Great Yarmouth – 1860

::George Milligan, Coxswain – 1860

::Cpt. David Robertson RN, Asst. Inspector of Lifeboats – 1870

::Edgar West Woods, Coxswain, Gorleston No.1 lifeboat – 1891

::William Todd, Coxswain, Gorleston No.2 lifeboat – 1898

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain – 1904

::James Sclanders, Chief Engineer of the steam lifeboat – 1904

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain Superintendent – 1905 (Second-Service Clasp)

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain Superintendent – 1909 (Third-Service Clasp)

::Ellery Harris, Second Coxswain, Gorleston No.1 lifeboat – 1909

::James Cowie, Fisherman – 1910

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain Superintendent – 1912 (Fourth-Service Clasp)

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain Superintendent – 1916 (Fifth-Service clasp)

::Edward Bensley, crew member – 1916

::William George Fleming {{small|EGM}}, Coxswain – 1927

::Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain – 1941

• RNLI Bronze Medal

::Samuel B. Parker (Jnr), Second Coxswain – 1922

::Charles W. Chilvers, Bowman – 1922

::James Fleming, crew member – 1922

::William Gosling, crew member – 1922

::Walter Halfnight, crew member – 1922

::Arthur Harris, crew member – 1922

::Ellery Harris, crew member – 1922

::George Arthur Harris, crew member – 1922

::Charles Ambrose Johnson, crew member – 1922

::Harry Leggett, crew member – 1922

::Thomas Morley, crew member – 1922

::Albert Newson, crew member – 1922

::William Newson, crew member – 1922

::Ernest Stubbs, crew member – 1922

::James Stubbs, crew member – 1922

::{{small|(All crew of the Gorleston No.1 lifeboat)}}

::William George Fleming {{small|EGM}}, Coxswain – 1926

::Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain – 1938 (Second-Service Clasp)

::Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain – 1940 (Third-Service Clasp)

::George Frederick Mobbs, Motor Mechanic – 1941

::Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain – 1941 (Fourth-Service Clasp)

::John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1970

::John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1975 (Second-Service Clasp){{cite journal |title=Biscaya |journal=The Lifeboat |date=Summer 1975 |volume=XLIV |issue=452 |pages=6–7 |url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/44/452/biscaya |access-date=24 April 2025}}

::Richard John Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1980

::David Victor Mason, Coxswain – 1996

• Medal Service Certificate

::David Bennington, Second Coxswain – 1975

::Brian Coleman, crew member – 1975

::Herbert Appleton, crew member – 1975

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

::Each of the crew of the Gorleston No.1 lifeboat – 1922

::Tugboat George Jewson – 1922

::A. B. Snell, Honorary Secretary (temp), Gorleston – 1922 (plus a set of Binoculars)

::David Bennington, Acting Coxswain – 1974

::Richard J. Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1982

::Richard J. Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1987

::Richard J. Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic – 1991

::Stephen Bartram, Assistant Mechanic – 1996

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

::Coxswain and Crew – 1966

::Paul Carter, crew member – 1982

::David Victor Mason, Second Coxswain – 1991

::Bob Keegan – 1998

::Steve Gowing – 1998

::Simon Phillips – 1998

::{{small|(all from the Great Yarmouth Port Authority)}}

::Stephen Bartram, Coxswain – 2005

::Kevin Bennington, crew member – 2005

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

::Richard Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic

::David Mason, Second Coxswain

::Patrick Lee, Assistant Mechanic

::David Beale, crew member – 1996

::Ian Everson, crew member – 1996

::Geoffrey Wing, crew member – 1996

• Freedom of the Borough of Great Yarmouth

::More than 100 lifeboat crew – 1983

• American Cross of Honour

::Sydney James Harris, Coxswain – 1912

• A silver watch awarded by The Queen of the Netherlands

::William George Fleming, Coxswain – 1927

• A letter of thanks from The Queen of the Netherlands

::The Lifeboat Crew – 1927

• The Thanks of the Royal Danish Navy

::The Institution and the crew of the lifeboat – 1952

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

::Margaret Bibby-Cheshire – 2000NYH{{cite web |title=Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/55710/supplement/21 |publisher=The Gazette |access-date=10 February 2024}}

• British Empire Medal

::Reverend Albert Thomas Cadmore – 2024NYH{{cite web |title=British Empire Medal (Civil Division) |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/64269/supplement/N31 |publisher=The Gazette |access-date=10 February 2024}}

:Station closed in 1883{{cite web |title=History |url=https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/great-yarmouth-and-gorleston-lifeboat-station/station-history-great-yarmouth |publisher=RNLI |access-date=30 December 2023}}

:Station closed in 1919{{cite web |title=History |url=https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/great-yarmouth-and-gorleston-lifeboat-station/station-history-great-yarmouth |publisher=RNLI |access-date=30 December 2023}}

Gorleston Lifeboat Station established by the RNLI in 1866

:Station becomes Great Yarmouth & Gorleston in 1926

Gorleston No.2 Boathouse built and opened in 1883.

:Station closed in 1924

Gorleston No.3 Boathouse constructed in 1891.

:Station closed 1904

:Station closed in 1908

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

{{notelist}}

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

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website|http://www.greatyarmouthandgorlestonlifeboat.org.uk/ }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090109165231/http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/GreatYarmouthandGorlestonNorfolk/ RNLI Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station]

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

|North=Caister lifeboat station

|Northeast=North Sea

|East=North Sea

|Southeast=North Sea

|South=Lowestoft lifeboat station
x20px

}}

{{Lifeboat Stations in Norfolk}}

Category:Lifeboat stations in Norfolk

Category:Buildings and structures in Great Yarmouth

Category:Gorleston-on-Sea

Category:Norfolk