The RNLB The Will and Fanny Kirby is an Oakley class lifeboat with a notable history of service.

Service History: The Will and Fanny Kirby served as the Seaham lifeboat from 1963 to 1979. After spending four years in the relief fleet, it was stationed at Flamborough from 1983 to 19931.

Notable Rescues: During its service, the lifeboat was involved in several significant rescues. For instance, in November 1973, while stationed at Seaham, it rescued eighteen anglers stranded on a pier in heavy seas. The coxswain, Arthur Farrington, maneuvered the lifeboat skillfully to save all the anglers, sustaining injuries in the process.

Lifesaving Record: The Will and Fanny Kirby has a proud history of service in North East England, saving a total of 109 lives—66 at Seaham and 43 at Flamborough.

References

• National Historic Ships

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The RNLB Susan Ashley is a Watson class lifeboat launched in 1948. It served at Sennen Cove from 1948 until 1973 and then at Barry Dock until 1979. Following its service at Barry Dock, it was stationed at Tynemouth, where it was used as a boarding boat to reach their own lifeboat. The Susan Ashley is now part of the RNLI's historic lifeboat collection.

n April 1973, Barry Dock took delivery of the Susan Ashley as a new reserve lifeboat. This vessel replaced a previous lifeboat that had been wrecked in a gale off the Somerset coast four years earlier. The first crew to man the Susan Ashley included five members of the original crew from the lifeboat that had been lost.

The RNLB Susan Ashley was named after Susan Ashley, the mother of Charles Carr Ashley. Charles Carr Ashley presented a lifeboat bearing his mother's name during his lifetime. This lifeboat was stationed at Lyme Regis from 1891 to 1915. The legacy of Charles Carr Ashley provided for five lifeboats, including the Susan Ashley, which were endowed to ensure they would be replaced and continue to bear the same names.

References

• 1. commons.wikimedia.org
• 2. www.mediastorehouse.com
• 2. lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org

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The RNLB J.G. Graves of Sheffield refers to a historic lifeboat named after John George Graves, a notable figure from Sheffield, England.

Construction and Service: The lifeboat was built by William Osborne and was a twin-screw motor lifeboat. It was fitted with twin Perkins P4M diesel engines. The lifeboat served at Scarborough from 1958 to 1978 and later at Clogher Head from 1988 to 1991. It was also used as a relief lifeboat from 1978 to 1988 and from 1991 to 1993

John George Graves was born on August 22, 1866, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. He moved to Heckmondwyke with his family when he was eight years old. At the age of 14, he moved to Sheffield to become an apprentice watchmaker.

He went on to establish one of Britain's first mail-order businesses, initially selling watches and later expanding to a wide range of goods. His company employed up to 3,000 people in Sheffield and had an annual turnover of £1 million.

Graves was a significant benefactor to Sheffield. He donated nearly £60,000 towards the development of art galleries, including the Graves Art Gallery and the Mappin Art Gallery. He also became Sheffield's Lord Mayor and an Alderman in 1926. He was given the Freedom of the City in 1929.

References

• 1. nationalhistoricships.org.uk
• 2. en.wikipedia.org
• 3. jggravescharitabletrust.co.uk

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The RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, features the "Spirit of Lowestoft," a notable Tyne-class lifeboat. This lifeboat, designated as RNLB Spirit of Lowestoft (ON 1132), served at the Lowestoft station in Suffolk from 1987 until it was replaced by a Shannon-class boat in 2014

One notable incident involving the Spirit of Lowestoft occurred on 29 August 1996. The lifeboat was launched, along with the Aldeburgh Lifeboat Freddie Cooper (ON 1193), to assist the yacht Red House Lugger, which had sent out a mayday signal during a storm. The yacht was approximately 30 miles southeast of Lowestoft. Upon arrival, the lifeboats found that the P&O cargo ferry MV Norking was sheltering the yacht. The lifeboats evacuated the yacht's crew, and the Lugger was towed to Harwich. The rescue operation took around 12 hours in total. For his part in the rescue, the coxswain of the Spirit of Lowestoft, John Cathpole, received the RNLI bronze medal on 27 November 1996.

Since 2019, the "Spirit of Lowestoft" has been exhibited at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, which houses the UK's largest collection of historic lifeboats. This collection showcases the evolution of lifeboats over the past century, from early pulling and sailing lifeboats to more modern designs like the Arun class and inflatable inshore lifeboats.

References

• en.wikipedia.org
• rnli.org
• rnli.org
• thedockyard.co.uk

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The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) operates various classes of inshore lifeboats (ILBs), which are designed for quick response and maneuverability in shallow waters. The E class is one of the types of inshore lifeboats used by the RNLI.

Design and Build: The E class lifeboat is an inflatable boat with a rigid hull. It is designed to be lightweight and highly maneuverable, making it suitable for operations close to shore and in shallow waters.

Speed and Range: The E class is known for its speed, which is crucial for rapid response to emergencies. It can reach speeds of up to 40 knots, allowing it to quickly reach casualties in distress.

Crew: Typically, the E class lifeboat is operated by a crew of three, including a helm and two crew members. The crew is trained to handle a variety of rescue scenarios, including those involving swimmers, surfers, and small boats.

References

• 1. www.irishlifeboats.com
• 2. en.wikipedia.org
• 3. rnli.org

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The Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from various stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. These lifeboats were designed to operate further from shore and were particularly suited for the sandbanks common off East Anglia

Design and Features: The Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were non-self-righting and featured detachable wood and canvas air cases along the sides, as well as fixed air boxes in the bow and stern. These design elements were similar to those found in Palmer-class lifeboats

Historical Context: The RNLI conducted a trial of sailing lifeboats in 1892, which included the Norfolk and Suffolk class. However, this class was deemed the least effective during the trial held at Lowestoft

Motorization: The RNLI began experimenting with motor lifeboats in the early 20th century. In 1905, the Walton-on-the-Naze's Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat, James Stevens No. 14, was converted into a motor lifeboat by fitting it with a Blake 40 hp petrol engine. This conversion was considered successful, leading to the construction of additional motor lifeboats for East Anglian stations in the 1920's.

References

• 1. en.wikipedia.org
• 2. www.rnli-photostore.co.uk

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Funded by "Blue Peter" Appeals: D-112 Blue Peter III was one of a series of D-class inshore lifeboats funded by the annual appeals held by the "Blue Peter" TV program. The first of these appeals in 1966 was incredibly successful, raising enough money from the sale of donated paperback books to fund not just one, but four new D-class lifeboats.

Stationed at North Berwick: D-112 Blue Peter III (an RFD PB16 D-class lifeboat) was specifically assigned to North Berwick Lifeboat Station in Scotland, going into service in 1967. This marked the re-establishment of the North Berwick station as an Inshore Lifeboat Station.

A Legacy of the Name: It's important to note that "Blue Peter III" isn't just one boat. Over the years, as D-class lifeboats reached the end of their operational life, subsequent boats stationed at North Berwick were also named "Blue Peter III." In total, five different D-class lifeboats bore the name "Blue Peter III" at North Berwick between 1967 and 2013, collectively performing numerous rescues.

Inshore Lifeboat (D-class): The D-class lifeboat is the smallest and most agile in the RNLI fleet. Introduced in 1963, these inflatable boats revolutionized inshore lifesaving, allowing the RNLI to respond quickly to incidents close to shore, in shallower waters, and among hazards that larger all-weather lifeboats couldn't access. D-112 is an example of the early D-class (RFD PB16) models.

References

• 1. en.wikipedia.org
• 2. dbpedia.org
• 3. rnli.org
• 4. rnli.org

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The No.1 Caister Lifeboat, originally known as the "Boys," was renamed "Godsend" in 1875 following a donation by Lady Jane Barbara Bourchier of Hampton Court Palace. This lifeboat was part of the Caister Lifeboat Station, which has a rich history dating back to the late 1700s when a group of fishermen formed the "Caister Company of Beachmen" to provide additional boat services and rescue operations

In 1878, the No.1 lifeboat was renamed "Covent Garden" after receiving donations from the Covent Garden Lifeboat Funds. The lifeboat station at Caister has seen significant events, including the 1901 Caister lifeboat disaster during the "Great Storm," which resulted in the loss of several crew members. The station was re-established as an independent lifeboat station in 1969 after the RNLI withdrew, and it continues to operate today as the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Servic

References

• 1. Caister Lifeboat Station
• 2. 1901 Caister lifeboat disaster
• 3. Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service

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