Tynemouth Lifeboat Station

Tynemouth Lifeboat Station sits overlooking the River Tyne at Fish Quay, North Shields, in the county of Tyne and Wear. A lifeboat was first stationed across the River Tyne in South Shields in 1789, with a second lifeboat placed in North Shields in 1798, both operated by the Tyne Lifeboat Institution (TLI). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) currently operates a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat 17-34 Osier (ON 1263), on station since 2021, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Little Susie (D-829), on station since 2018. History In the late 1700s, two lifeboats were operated at Tynemouth by the Tyne Lifeboat Institution (TLI), both built by Henry Greathead, to an amalgamated design of both Greathead and William Wouldhave. At the time, the mouth of the River Tyne was particularly treacherous in poor weather, with many ships lost, but many lives saved. Safety would be radically improved in later years, with the construction of the North and South Tyne Piers, with building starting in 1854, finally completed in 1910. The first lifeboat, known as Original, was wrecked in 1830. The Tyne Lifeboat Institution would not have the funds for a replacement until 1833. In 1832, a request for a lifeboat was placed by the Port of Newcastle Shipwreck Association, with the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), who supplied a 26-foot Palmer-type non-self-righting lifeboat, arriving in October 1832, to be managed by the TLI. A new boathouse had been constructed at Prior's Haven. The boat was on service for 10 years, until it was badly damaged in 1842, and scrapped. The Tyne Institution would maintain their fleet of lifeboats, providing 2 new boats and a new boathouse at South Beach, South Shields. On 4 December 1849, the Tyne Institution lifeboat Providence was launched to the aid to the brig Betsy, which had run ashore at Herd sands. It was whilst Providence was alongside the vessel, when the lifeboat capsized. The Tyne was launched, and picked up the three survivors still holding onto the Providence, and North Shields lifeboat Northumberland rescued the crew of the Betsy, plus one lifeboat man who had managed to get aboard, but 20 of the 24 crew of the Providence were lost. It was as a result of this disaster that Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland of Alnwick Castle, president of the RNIPLS, set a competition for the design of a Self-righting lifeboat, which was won by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth. This design would become the basis for lifeboats for many years afterwards. In 1862, following a series of shipwrecks in and around Prior's Haven, it was suggested that the (now) RNLI should place a lifeboat at a new station at Prior's Haven. A new boathouse was constructed, and the Constance, a 33-foot self-righting 10-oared lifeboat, arrived in November 1862. The Prior, a TLI boat, was relocated from Prior's Haven to South Beach, South Shields. Following the wreck of the Stanley in 1864, it was decided to place a second lifeboat at Tynemouth, with the RNLI building a new station at Black Middens. Both lifeboat services would operate alongside each other until the early 1900s, often responding to the same shipwreck, one or other standing by while a rescue was performed. However, in 1905, everything changed when the RNLI placed a motor-powered lifeboat at Tynemouth, followed soon after by the completion of the Piers. A motor lifeboat was far better placed to respond, and fewer rescues were required, with the mouth of the River Tyne now protected. The TLI would be renamed the Tyne Lifeboat Society (TLS) in 1905, maintaining the last of their lifeboats until the 1940s. The RNLI No.2 station was closed. After some years with the motor lifeboat moored afloat, the RNLI took over a boathouse belonging to the War-office in 1921. It was located right next to the Tyne Lifeboat Society boathouse at Clifford's Fort. The lifeboat was mounted on a trolley, which could be winched up or down a trolley-way. In 1941, bombs dropped in a war-time air-raid destroyed the Tyne Lifeboat house, containing the James Young lifeboat, and the RNLI boathouse, containing the John Pymont (ON 824). A replacement boathouse and slipway would be constructed at the same location in 1947. To commemorate the centenary of the Tynemouth lifeboat station, a stained glass window, showing a picture of the Original lifeboat, was unveiled by Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland at the Seamen's Chapel of Christ Church, North Shields on 16 September 1962. 1965 would see the arrival of the first Tynemouth Inshore lifeboat, one of the earliest inshore D-class (RFD PB16) boats numbered D-12. When a new All-weather Arun-class lifeboat arrived in 1980, the boat would once again be moored afloat. A replacement station building, housing the Inshore lifeboat, launched with the use of a davit, and a mooring for the All-weather boat, were provided in 1997. A 25-knot Severn-class lifeboat, 17-20 Spirit of Northumberland (ON 1242), would be placed on service in 1999. After serving 22 years, she was withdrawn in 2021, replaced by 17-34 Osier (ON 1263). Spirit of Northumberland was sent to the RNLI Headquarters at Poole, to be the second Severn-class boat to receive what was known as a "SLEP" upgrade (Severn Life Extension Programme), to allow a further 25 years of service. Just two boats were upgraded, before the programme was officially abandoned in 2025. The Tyne lifeboat of the Tyne Lifeboat Institution is restored and on display at South Shields. The Bedford lifeboat of the Tyne Lifeboat Institution has been restored, and is in storage awaiting a suitable display location. On the 2 October 2025, following a complete review of coastal operations, the RNLI announced that a Tamar-class All-weather lifeboat would replace the Severn-class lifeboat 17-34 Osier in 2026. Tamar-class lifeboat 16-19 Irene Muriel Rees (ON 1299), formerly at Walton and Frinton, arrived at Tynemouth on Saturday 17 June 2026, and will assume duties following a period of training. Station honours The following are awards made at Tynemouth: RNLI Gold Medal Capt. Herbert Edgar Burton – 1914 Robert Smith, Coxswain – 1914 Gold Medals, awarded by the Tynemouth Trust The Tynemouth Lifeboat Crew – 1914 RNIPLS Silver Medal Henry Strachan, River Pilot – 1829 William Tully, Pilot – 1832 T. Thorp, storekeeper of the rockets – 1839 John Cunningham, Rocket Apparatus Superintendent – 1843 William Wheeler, Thames River Pilot – 1851 RNLI Silver Medal Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, – 1864 James Gilbert, Coxswain – 1886 James Gilbert, Coxswain – 1898 (Second-Service Clasp) Capt. H. E. Burton – 1913 Coxswain Robert Smith – 1913 James S. Brownlee, Second Coxswain – 1914 Cmdr. Basil Hall, RN, Lifeboat Inspector – 1914 Robert Smith, Coxswain – 1916 (Second-Service Clasp) James S. Brownlee, Second Coxswain – 1916 (Second-Service Clasp) John Hogg, Coxswain – 1986 Silver Medal Service Certificate Martin Kenny, Second Coxswain – 1986 John Watson, Motor Mechanic – 1986 Trevor Fryer, crew member – 1986 James Griffiths, crew member – 1986 David Lisle, crew member – 1986 John Norris, crew member – 1986 Silver Cup, awarded by The King of Norway Coxswain – 1918 Silver Medals, awarded by The King of Norway The Tynemouth Lifeboat Crew – 1918 Medals, awarded by The King of Norway The crew of the private lifeboat Tom Perry – 1918 RNLI Bronze Medal Michael Campbell, Ordinary Seaman, RNVR – 1926 Edward Selby Davidson, Honorary Secretary of the Tynemouth Branch – 1941 George Lisle, Coxswain – 1941 Trevor Fryer, crew member – 1974 Frederick Arkley, crew member – 1974 The Maud Smith Award 1986, (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew) Capt. John Hogg, Coxswain – 1986 The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Trevor Fryer, Helm – 1982 A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Martin Kenny, Coxswain – 1998 Kevin Mole, Helm – 2003 Michael Nugent, Coxswain – 2022 A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Kevin Mole, Mechanic - 1998 Geoffrey Cowan, Assistant Mechanic – 1998 Edwin Chapple, crew member – 1998 Michael Nugent, crew member – 1998 Commendations by the Lifesaving Operations Director of the Institution Dan Howe, crew member – 2022 Michael Brown, crew member – 2022 Rob Blake, crew member – 2022 Andrew King, crew member – 2022 Joe Smiles, crew member – 2022 American Cross of Honour for services and good seamanship Maj. H. E. Burton – 1916 The Morley Medal of the Outward Bound Trust Kenneth Smith, crew member – 1959 Testimonial on Parchment, awarded by the Royal Humane Society PC Robert Rutherford, crew member – 1959 Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Kenneth Middlemiss, Honorary Secretary – 1993 Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving Tynemouth lifeboat: Lost when the lifeboat Providence capsized on service to the brig Betsy, 4 December 1849. Washed out of the lifeboat Constance and lost, on service to the schooner Friendship and the steamship Stanley, 24 November 1864 James Grant, crew member E. Robson, crew member Washed off the pier and drowned, attempting a rescue of the barque Consul, 17 December 1872 Robert Thirlaway Arkley, Customs Officer and lifeboat crew member (16) Lost when the lifeboat Northumberland was hit by a large wave, on service to the brig Gleaner, 18 December 1872 James Watson, crew member (21) John Wheatley, crew member (21) Tynemouth lifeboats Tyne Lifeboat Institution South Shields, Coble Landing North Shields, Clifford's Fort North Shields, Prior's Haven South Shields, South Beach Royal National Lifeboat Institution No.1 Station (Prior's Haven) No.2 Station (Black Middens) Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list. All-weather motor lifeboats (Clifford's Fort and Fish Quay) More post-service details can be found on the respective lifeboat class pages. Inshore lifeboats See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Notes References External links Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat Station Maritime Coastguard Agency