Wikipedia

Newhaven Lifeboat Station

Newhaven Lifeboat Station is an RNLI[1] station located in the town of Newhaven in the English county of East Sussex in the United Kingdom.[2] The original station was established in 1803 and taken over by the RNLI in 1854.[3]

Newhaven Lifeboat Station
Newhaven Lifeboat Station
Newhaven Lifeboat Station is located in East Sussex
Newhaven Lifeboat Station
Newhaven, East Sussex
General information
TypeRNLI lifeboat station
Architectural styleSteel-frame boathouse
built on stanchions with
brick and block construction
AddressWest Quay,
Town or cityNewhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9BT
CountryEngland
Coordinates50°47′19″N 0°03′13″E / 50.78856°N 0.05374°E / 50.78856; 0.05374
Opened1803–1809
re-established in 1825–1829 and 1852
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Newhaven RNLI

The station operates an All-weather lifeboat, the Severn-class David and Elizabeth Acland (ON 1243), on station since 1999, and from 2022, a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat, Arthur Hamilton (D-774).[4]

Location

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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

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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.[3]

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.[4]

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.[13]

 
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.[14]

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).[4]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Newhaven[13][15]

John Sullivan, Seaman - 1827
Lt. James Rawstone, RN - 1833
Lt. Samuel Grandy, RN - 1833
Thomas Morgan, Commanding, Revenue Cutter Stork - 1833
Lt James Read, RN - 1833
Mr Abraham H Young, Chief Boatman, HM Coastguard - 1849
Charles Leese, Gunner - 1860
Richard Payne, Coxswain - 1930
Leonard Alfred John Peddlesden, Coxswain - 1944
William Harvey, Coxswain - 1955
Richard Payne, Coxswain - 1924
Mr C J Skinner, decorator - 1926
Benjamin Clark, crew member - 1944 (posthumous),
Alfred Eager, crew member - 1944
Stephen Holden, crew member - 1944
Richard Lower, crew member - 1944
Harold Moore, crew member - 1944
Frederick Parker, 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 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 crew - 1929
Richard Kenneth Sayer, Honorary Secretary - 1969[16]
Ian David Johns, Former Coxswain - 2012[17]

Newhaven lifeboats

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All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Op.No.[b] Name In Service[18] 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 from 1870– 		1867–1877 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 45ft 6in Watson [19][20]
950 – Kathleen Mary 1959–1977 47ft 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

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Op.No.[b] Name In Service [4] Class Comments
D-774 Arthur Hamilton 2022– D-class (IB1)
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Neighbouring Station Locations

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See also

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ "Newhaven Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Newhaven station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  2. ^ OS Explorer map 122: Brighton and Hove. Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. ISBN 978 0319240816
  3. ^ a b 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
  4. ^ a b c d Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  5. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b "Newhaven's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  14. ^ "1940: Dunkirk little ships". RNLI. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  15. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
  16. ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  18. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
  19. ^ "Cecil and Lilian Philpott". Dunkirk Little Ships. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  20. ^ "The Newhaven Lifeboat Cecil & Lilian Philpott". Dunkirk1940.org. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
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