Flamborough Lifeboat Station

Flamborough Lifeboat Station can be found at South Landing on South Sea Road at Flamborough, a village approximately 44 miles (71 km) to the east of York, on the promentory of Flamborough Head in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Two lifeboat stations were established at Flamborough, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1871, at both the North Landing, and the South Landing. The South Landing station closed in 1938. In 1993, the remaining All-weather lifeboat was withdrawn from North Landing, and the station closed, but an Inshore lifeboat was provided in the same year, operated from the South Landing station. The station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore Lifeboat Forever Yibba (B-820), on station since 2026. History A north station at Flamborough was built in 1871 as No. 1 station, Flamborough. No. 2 site was built in the same year, but closed in 1938. Both sites were opened after the Great Gale of 1871 when many ships were wrecked along the east coast of England. As the coastline at Flamborough Head juts out for 6 miles (9.7 km) into the North Sea, having two sites on either side of the Head would mean that from wherever the wind was blowing in bad weather, at least one of the lifeboats could be launched. A slipway was added to the No. 1 site in 1890, but ultimately, the two Flamborough sites were amalgamated into one on the northern site in the 1930s. Both sites used skids and poles to aid the launching of the lifeboats into the water, and in 1934, when the No. 1 lifeboathouse was enlarged for the Elizabeth and Albina Whitley (ON 772), a turntable was also added at the top to aid recovery of the vessel. In 1992, the south site was demolished and rebuilt to accommodate lifeboats in one location. A rebuild was also necessary as the old No. 2 site was not big enough to accommodate the newer lifeboats and had been in use as a fishing store. The move to the old No. 2 site involved a withdrawal of the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and an inshore lifeboat (ILB) being installed in its place. The crew at Flamborough were reluctant to take on an ILB instead of an ALB, which they put down to the tides and waters around Flamborough being particularly tricky. The new site was opened in 1993. In 2018, the Flamborough lifeboat Elizabeth Jane Palmer featured in an episode of the BBC2 documentary Saving Lives at Sea. On 30 June 2026, Flamborough welcomed the arrival of a new B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat Forever Yibba (B-959), replacing Elizabeth Jane Palmer. Notable incidents Carol Sandra and North Wind (1984) On the morning of 7 May 1984, the fishing coble, Carol Sandra left port at Bridlington to take her lobster and crab pots further out to sea. A storm was coming in and when she left harbour, the weather was deteriorating, so by the time she was out of the harbour, the waves were rolling at a height of 15 feet (4.6 m). At some point in the morning, the Carol Sandra sank without any signs, warnings, mayday calls or distress signals sent out. Just before noon, someone noticed the bow of a ship sticking up vertically out of the water and called the coastguard. A search was conducted by an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter, as well as the Flamborough Lifeboat and staff from the coastguard searching from the clifftops. A pleasure boat on a fishing trip, the North Wind III also helped with the search. As the North Wind III approached something that her crew had seen in the water, she was capsized by the rough sea, which catapulted all seven aboard into the water. En route to the search area, the Flamborough Lifeboat's engine developed problems, so the Bridlington Lifeboat was launched so that the Flamborough Lifeboat could return for repairs. Unfortunately the Bridlington Lifeboat struck one of the pieces of wreckage from the Carol Sandra which jammed between her propeller and her hull. This meant deploying the Filey Lifeboat to the scene whilst the others went back to port. The RAF winchman in the helicopter was transferring one casualty from the water into the lifeboat when he bumped awkwardly into the wheelhouse and broke his pelvis. The casualty went into the water on one side of the boat, and then popped up on the other side where a lifeboatman rescued him. The winchman was taken to hospital, whilst another man managed to be rescued from the water on the winch without the winchman being present. The captain of the North Wind III and one other crew member (his son) found an air pocket underneath the upturned boat and were dragged ashore. Three of the fishermen drowned. In all seven men drowned with only three of the bodies being found. The ashes of those who died were scattered in the North Sea. There is a memorial to the seven men lost in the village and another in the churchyard of St Oswald's in Flamborough. Station honours The following are awards made at Flamborough: RNIPLS Silver Medal Capt. William Dunn, Master of the Providence – 1839 William Parker, Capt. of the Pearl – 1853 John Parker, Mate of the Pearl – 1853 RNLI Silver Medal Robert Pockley, Coxswain – 1895 George Leng, Coxswain – 1937 RNLI Bronze Medal Edward A. Slaughter, Motor Mechanic – 1937 George Pockley, Coxswain – 1971 Mrs Porter’s gift 1937,(awarded for the Bravest Deed of the year by a lifeboat crew member) Edward A. Slaughter, Motor Mechanic – 1937 Mrs Porter’s gift 1952,(awarded for the Bravest Deed of the Year by a lifeboat cre member} Robert Leng, Assistant Mechanic – 1952 The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2007(for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year) Darren Pollard, Helm – 2008 The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Richard Chadwick, Coxswain – 1930 Robert Leng, Assistant Motor Mechanic – 1952 Alwyn Emmerson, crew member – 1971 Alwyn Emmerson, crew member – 1975 Darren Pollard, Helm – 2008 A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution George Pockley, Coxswain – 1975 L. Robson, Second Coxswain/Mechanic – 1987 R. Sunley, Assistant Mechanic – 1987 B. James, boat owner – 1987 A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Simon Robson, Helm – 1998 Nigel Atkinson, crew member – 1998 James Cross, crew member – 1998 Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving Flamborough: Drowned when their coble Two Brothers capsized, trying to effect the rescue of three men in the coble Gleaner, who also drowned. 55 February 1909 Melchoir Chadwick (37) George Gibbon (34) Thomas Leng Major (18) Flamborough lifeboats No. 1 Station (North Landing) 1871-1993 Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list. Motor lifeboats No.1 Station (North Landing) closed 1993. No. 2 Station (South Landing) 1871–1938 Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats No.2 Station (South Landing) closed 1938. Flamborough Lifeboat Station (South Landing) 1993– Launch and recovery tractors See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Notes References Sources Chrystal, Paul (2012). Lifeboat Stations of North East England; From Sunderland to The Humber, Through Time. Stroud: Amberley. ISBN 978-1-4456-1376-5. Leach, Nicholas (2018). The Lifeboat Service in England; the North East Coast, Station by Station. Stroud: Amberley. ISBN 978-1-4456-6832-1. External links Flamborough RNLI Lifeboat Station Footage from the last Flamborough Lifeboat Day in 1991