# Blackpool Lifeboat Station

Blackpool Lifeboat Station is located in-between the North and Central Piers on the promenade in the town of Blackpool in Lancashire. A lifeboat was first stationed in Blackpool by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1864.
The station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) and two smaller D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboats.

## History

Rev. R. Redman wrote to the RNLI in London in January 1864, requesting a lifeboat station for Blackpool, with his request endorsed by coastguard officer Capt. L. Barstow, RN. The Inspector of Lifeboats Capt. J. R. Ward, RN, then visited the town in February of the same year, and fully supported the request. A location for a boathouse was found on Lytham Road, just off the promenade, and was built by Forshaw Bros. of Preston, at a cost of £193 14s 7d, offset by a donation of £100 from Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bt.
The cost of the boat and carriage, £298 in total, was gifted by Miss Atherton, of Kersal Cell, Salford, and a 33 ft. x 8 ft. 10-oared pulling and sailing lifeboat was constructed by Forrestt, of Limehouse, London. The boat was transported to Blackpool free of charge by the London and North Western Railway and arrived on 12 July 1864. All the extra kit required was provided by a gift of £250 from the widow and daughter of the late Mr. R. W. Hopkins of Preston, with the boat being named Robert William on 14 July 1864, at a ceremony attended by 20000 people. Rev. Redman was appointed Honorary Secretary, Robert Bickerstaffe (Coxswain), John Swarbrick (Second Coxswain) and Will Parr (Bowman).
The promenade was widened in 1904, and the lifeboat had to be taken half a mile, pulled by hand, before reaching the only slipway. However, it was only in 1930 when a launch and recover tractor was provided to Blackpool, which was of great benefit moving the boat, and launching on soft sand and shallow water.
In 1936, it was decided to send a new motor lifeboat to Blackpool. This boat required a new bigger boat-house, which was constructed alongside Blackpool Central Pier. The Liverpool-class lifeboat Sarah Ann Austin (ON 800) was delivered to the station in June 1937. She was fortunate to arrive at all, as a fire had consumed Groves and Guttridge's boat builders yard, and three other new lifeboats, only 15 hours after she was launched.
Blackpool received the first of its D-class inshore lifeboats in May 1965, with the first services in June of the same year soon proving it to be a valuable new asset.
In 1975, it was decided to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat from Blackpool. A B-class (Atlantic 21) was placed on trial between 1975 and 1979, but at the time, it was felt that the Atlantic 21 didn't fit the requirements at Blackpool, and so instead, a second D-class was placed on service at Blackpool in 1979. However, in 1992, a B-class (Atlantic 75) (B-700) was trialed for 2 weeks and felt to be much better suited to the station. Rotaract 1 (B-718) was placed on station in 1996, with the two D-class boats being retained.
With the need for a larger boathouse, and concrete degradation being found in the 1930s boathouse, a new building was commissioned in 1996, located along the promenade, to house all three boats and launch tractors, with a visitor centre and souvenir shop. It was constructed by F. Parkinson Ltd, and formally handed over to the RNLI in September 1998.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Blackpool
* RNLI Silver Medal
       Robert Bickerstaffe, Coxswain – 1880
       Robert Bickerstaffe, Coxswain – 1887 (Second-Service Clasp)
       William Reuben Parr, Coxswain – 1940
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       Thomas Edward Rimmer, Mechanic – 1940
       Keith Horrocks, Helmsman – 1988
       Philip Denham, Helmsman – 1988
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       Stuart Cottam, crew member – 1988
       Terence Rogers, crew member – 1988
       Robert Browell, crew member – 1988
       Alan Parr, crew member – 1988
* A Letter of Thanks signed by the Director of the Institution
       PC Pat Jackson – 1988
* Scroll awarded by The Liverpool Shipwreck Association
       Keith Horrocks – 1980
       Peter Canham – 1980
* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       Keith Horrocks, Helmsman – 1981
* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
       Keith Horrocks – 1999NYH
* British Empire Medal
       Dorothy May Charnley, Shop Manager – 2022NYH

## Blackpool lifeboats and tractors
### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Name | In service | Class |
| Pre-416 | Robert William | 1864−1885 | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 74 | Samuel Fletcher of Manchester | 1885−1896 | 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 393 | Samuel Fletcher of Manchester | 1896−1930 | 36-foot 2in Watson (P&S) |
| 542 | John Rowson Lingard | 1930−1937 | 36-foot Liverpool (P&S) |
| 800 | Sarah Ann Austin | 1937−1961 | Liverpool |
| 916 | Maria Noble | 1961−1970 | Liverpool |
| 861 | Edgar, George, Orlando and Eva Child | 1970−1975 | Liverpool |
    All-weather lifeboat withdrawn 1975, replaced with B-class (Atlantic 21) Inshore lifeboat.

### Inshore lifeboats
#### B-class

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| B-525 | Unnamed | 1975 | Atlantic 21 |
| B-528 | Unnamed | 1976−1978 | Atlantic 21 |
| B-537 | Unnamed | 1978−1979 | Atlantic 21 |
| B-718 | Roteract 1 | 1996−1998 | Atlantic 75 |
| B-722 | Beatrice Dorothy | 1998 | Atlantic 75 |
| B-748 | Bickerstaffe | 1998−2013 | Atlantic 75 |
| B-867 | William and Eleanor | 2022− | Atlantic 85 |

#### D-class (No.1)

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| D-57 | Unnamed | 1965 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-9 | Unnamed | 1965 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-57 | Unnamed | 1965−1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-156 | Unnamed | 1971 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-117 | Unnamed | 1972−1981 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-167 | Unnamed | 1981−1982 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-192 | Unnamed | 1982−1984 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-310 | Unnamed | 1984−1993 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-442 | Edgar Law | 1993−2001 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-566 | Norah Cadman | 2001−2010 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-732 | Basil Eric Brooks | 2010−2022 | D-class (IB1) |
| D-864 | Blackpool Endeavour | 2022− | D-class (IB1) |

#### D-class (No.2)

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| D-116 | Unnamed | 1979−1982 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-178 | Unnamed | 1982−1983 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-300 | Lodge of Peace No.322 | 1983−1992 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-429 | R.J.M. | 1992−2000 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-558 | William and Rose Nall | 2000−2010 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-729 | Eileen Mary George | 2010−2022 | D-class (IB1) |
| D-862 | Phyllis Rowan | 2022− | D-class (IB1) |

### Launch and Recovery tractors

| Op. No. | Reg. No. | Type | In service |
| T11 | BT 4414 | Clayton | 1930–1937 |
| T12 | LLY 75 | Clayton | 1937–1938 |
| T31 | FGU 821 | Case L | 1938–1956 |
| T30 | FGO 975 | Case L | 1956–1964 |
| T36 | FYM 853 | Case L | 1964–1965 |
| T47 | KGP 2 | Case LA | 1965–1970 |
| T48 | KGP 853 | Case LA | 1970–1976 |
| T79 | DLB 481C | Case 1000D | 1976–1977 |
| TW03 | RLJ 367R | Talus MB-764 County | 1977–1979 |
| TW17H | H593 PUX | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) | 1996–2001 |
| TW16H | H610 SUJ | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) | 2001–2009 |
| TW61H | DX09 LRZ | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) | 2009–2022 |
| TW26H | M423 OAW | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) | 2022– |
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* 1 2 3 4 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number carried on the hull or vehicle.
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.