# Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station (not to be confused with Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight) is a RNLI base in Norfolk, England. There were originally two separate stations at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston – two coastal towns either side of the River Yare. These were merged in 1926.

## History
### Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth received its first lifeboat in 1802. It was never called out. In 1825 the Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners stationed its first lifeboat at Great Yarmouth. The station was taken over by the RNLI in 1857 and in 1859 a new lifeboat house was built at a cost of £375 (equivalent to £47,400 in 2023). The station closed in 1919.

### Gorleston

The Gorleston lifeboat station was established by the RNLI in 1866. In 1881 a new boathouse was built at Gorleston for £329 (equivalent to £41,900 in 2023) and in 1883 a second boathouse (Gorleston No.2) was built alongside. This closed in 1926 when Gorleston No.1 station was renamed Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.
During 1897 the station received its first steam lifeboat City of Glasgow (ON 362) and during 1921, its first motor lifeboat.

### Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

In 1963 an Inshore lifeboat station was established, with a D-class (RFD PB16) lifeboat. A D-class boat would remain in service until 1977. A B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboat was placed on station in 1975.
During 1993 crew facilities were upgraded, a gift-shop built and a display area created for the former Gorleston lifeboat John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood (ON 663). The boathouse was further extended in 2002.
In 1996 Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy officially named the station's new Trent-class lifeboat Samarbeta, Swedish for ‘working together’.
The current lifeboats on station are the Trent-class 14-10 Samarbeta (ON 1208) and the B-class (Atlantic 85) John Rowntree (B-925).
A new Shannon-class lifeboat 13-44 George and Frances Phelon (ON 1351) has been assigned to Gt. Yarmouth and Gorleston to replace Samarbeta, and is expected on service in 2024. She is a "Legacy Lifeboat", and will carry the names of RNLI benefactors within the numbers on her hull

## Notable rescues

In October 1922 the Gorleston pulling and sailing lifeboat and the Lowestoft motor lifeboat, after a struggle lasting 32 hours, brought to safety the whole crew of 24 and a black kitten from the steamship Hopelyn wrecked on Scroby Sands.
In 1927 lifeboats from Great Yarmouth & Gorleston, Cromer, Southwold and Lowestoft took part in the rescue of the Dutch oil tanker Georgia. This service is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of the RNLI.
The lifeboat Louise Stephens (ON 820) was one of 19 lifeboats involved in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.

## Lifeboat disasters

| Date | Lifeboat station | Lifeboat crew lost | Brief details and references |
| 1824 | Great Yarmouth | 5 | On 23 November 1824 a boat was launched by eight Great Yarmouth beachmen in an attempt to rescue the crew of the stricken vessel Jessie. Whilst attempting to board the Jessie a heavy sea fell on board their boat which immediately sunk her and resulted in the loss of five of the crew. |
| 1845 | Great Yarmouth | 7 | The yawl Phoenix was wrecked whilst going to the assistance of the collier brig Ann with the loss of seven of the fifteen people on board. Survivors were rescued by the Caister Lifeboat. |
| 1866 | Gorleston | 13 | On 13 January 1866 the private lifeboat, Rescuer, capsized in a storm with the loss of 12 of her crew. A 13th fatality occurred when rescued crew member Robert Warner succumbed just days later as a direct result of the disaster. |
| 1867 | Gorleston | 6 | While returning to harbour after a rescue a fishing lugger collided with the private lifeboat, Rescuer. She capsized and 6 of her crew and 19 other people drowned. |
| 1881 | Great Yarmouth | 6 | The lifeboat Abraham Thomas capsized on 18 January whilst attempting to rescue the mate of the schooner Guiding Star. The Abraham Thomas was struck by a heavy sea and lost six out of a crew of ten. The mate from the Guiding Star was also lost out of the lifeboat. |
| 1888 | Gorleston | 4 | The Refuge was a private lifeboat belonging to the Gorleston boatmen. After going to the assistance of the steamer Akaba the Refuge was being towed back to port when the tow-rope parted and she was driven onshore where she capsized with the loss of four of her seven crew. Henry Smith, chief boatman of the coastguard, was on the beach and, without thought for his own life, managed to save two crew members, Bonney and Woods, whilst a boatman of the coastguard named Henry Norton saved George Jacobs, who was found clinging to the stern post. The Yarmouth Independent newspaper report of the death of Jacob Philip Jacobs, dated 18 January 1913, states that he was one of the lifeboat crew who were saved. It is likely that Jacob Philip Jacobs and George Jacobs were the same person as the description of the rescue by the boatman are very similar. |

## Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboats
### Great Yarmouth

1825-1919
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| – | Phoenix | 1845 | Yawl | |
| – | Unnamed | 1833–1861 | 39-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| – | Unnamed | 1833–1858 | 25-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| | Harriet | 1858–1859 | 38-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| – | Admiral Mitchell | 1858–1859 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 19 | Abraham Thomas (Gt. Yarmouth No.2) | 1859–1892 | 28-foot 3in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | |
| 20 | Brave Robert Sheddon | 1861–1883 | 40-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Moved to Gorleston No.1 in 1883, renamed Mark Lane. |
| 329 | John Burch | 1892–1912 | 32-foot 5in Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | |
| 629 | Hugh Taylor | 1912–1919 | 34-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Station closed in 1919 |

### Gorleston
#### No.1 Station

Gorleston Lifeboat Station established by the RNLI in 1866
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| – | The Rescuer | 1866–1889 | | |
| – | Leicester | 1866–1870 | 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 21 | Leicester | 1870–1883 | 30-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Transferred to No.2 station in 1883 |
| 20 | Mark Lane | 1883–1889 | 40-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Formerly Brave Robert Sheddon at Gt. Yarmouth |
| 233 | Mark Lane | 1889–1892 | 44-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | |
| 288 | Mark Lane | 1892–1921 | 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Was Stock Exchange in Lowestoft(1890–1892), renamed Mark Lane in 1892 |
| 663 | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1921 | 46-foot 6in Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Renamed Agnes Cross when transferred to Lowestoft |
| 543 | Reserve No.1 | 1922–1924 | 46-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Formerly Kentwell at Lowestoft |
| 670 | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1924–1926 | 46-foot 6in Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Formerly H.F. Bailey 1926, Station becomes Great Yarmouth & Gorleston |

#### No.2 Station

Gorleston No.2 Boathouse built and opened in 1883.
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| 21 | Leicester | 1883–1894 | 30-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | |
| 371 | Leicester | 1894–1923 | 31-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | |
| 541 | Reserve No.7A | 1923–1924 | 35-foot Watson (P&S) | Formerly James Finlayson at Lossiemouth Station closed in 1924 |

#### No. 3 Station

Gorleston No.3 Boathouse constructed in 1891.
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| 326 | Thora Zelma | 1892–1904 | 31-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) | Station closed 1903-1907 |

#### No. 4 Station

Gorleston No.4 Station opened in 1897
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| 362 | City of Glasgow | 1897–1903 | Steam | |
| 420 | James Stevens No.3 | 1903–1908 | Steam | Station closed in 1908 |

#### Gorleston Rangers

| Name | In service | Comments |
| Elizabeth Simpson | 1889–1939 | Presented to Gorleston by Miss Elizabeth Simpson Stone of Norwich and manned by a company of boatmen known as the Gorleston Rangers. She was administered by a local committee, was launched on service 119 times, and rescued 441 lives. |

### Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

Gorleston Lifeboat Station became Great Yarmouth and Gorleston in 1926.

#### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| 670 | – | John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood | 1926–1939 | Norfolk and Suffolk (Motor) | Formerly H.F. Bailey |
| 820 | – | Louise Stephens | 1939–1967 | Watson | |
| 1002 | 44-003 | Khami | 1967–1980 | Waveney | |
| 1065 | 44-021 | Barham | 1980–1996 | Waveney | |
| 1208 | 14-10 | Samarbeta | 1996– | Trent | |

#### Inshore lifeboats
##### D-class

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| D-9 | Unnamed | 1963–1964 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-32 | Unnamed | 1964 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-1 | Unnamed | 1965 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-73 | Unnamed | 1965–1967 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-26 | Unnamed | 1967–1968 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-113 | Unnamed | 1968–1969 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-179 | Unnamed | 1970–1977 | D-class (RFD PB16) | later named Blue Peter IV at St Agnes |

##### Arancia-class

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
| A-48 | Margaret and Bruce | 2011–2012 | Arancia-class | |
| A-77 | Kingfisher | 2012–2020 | Arancia-class | |

##### B-class

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| B-531 | Foresters | 1975–1988 | Atlantic 21-class |
| B-574 | Joseph B Press | 1988–2002 | Atlantic 21-class |
| B-786 | Seahorse IV | 2002–2021 | Atlantic 75-class |
| B-925 | John Rowntree | 2021– | Atlantic 85-class |
* 1 2 3 4 5 ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* 1 2 3 4 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

## Station honours

The station has been awarded 1 gold medal, 21 silver medals, 24 bronze medals, 5 vellum inscriptions and 9 framed letters of thanks.
The following are awards made at Gt Yarmouth and Gorleston
* Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM)
       William George Fleming - 1924
* George Cross converted from EGM
       William George Fleming - 1941
* RNLI Gold Medal
       William George Fleming, Coxswain - 1922
* RNLI Silver Medal
       Captain Chaplin, master of the Royal William steam packet - 1833
       Charles Salmon - 1855
       George Fleming - 1855
       Cdr Thomas Kisbee RN - 1855
       William Johnson - 1858
       Captain Thomas Davies RN - 1860
       George Milligan, Coxswain - 1860
       Captain David Robertson RN - 1870
       E W Woods, Coxswain - 1891
       William Todd, Coxswain - 1898
       Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1904
       James Sclanders, chief engineer of the steam lifeboat, - 1904
       Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1905 (Second-Service Clasp)
       Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1909 (Silver Third-Service Clasp)
       Ellery Harris, Second Coxswain - 1909
       James Cowie - 1910
       Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1912 (Silver Fourth-Service Clasp)
       Sidney Harris, Coxswain - 1916 (Fifth-Service clasp)
       Edward Bensley - 1916
       William G Fleming, Coxswain - 1927
       Charles A Johnson, Coxswain - 1941
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       Samuel B Parker (Jnr), Second Coxswain -1922
       Charles W Chilvers, Bowman -1922
       James Fleming, crew member -1922
       William Gosling, crew member -1922
       George Arthur Harris, crew member -1922
       Ellery Harris, crew member -1922
       Arthur Harris, crew member -1922
       Walter Halfnight, crew member -1922
       Charles Ambrose Johnson, crew member -1922
       Harry Leggett, crew member -1922
       Thomas Morley, crew member -1922
       Albert Newson, crew member -1922
       Wwilliam Newson, crew member -1922
       James Stubbs, crew member -1922
       Ernest Stubbs, crew member -1922
       William George Fleming, Coxswain - 1926
       Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1938 (Second-Service Clasp)
       Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1940 (Third-Service Clasp)
       G F Mobbs, Motor Mechanic - 1941
       Charles Ambrose Johnson, Coxswain - 1941 (Fourth-Service Clasp)
       John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1970
       John Bryan, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1975 (Second-Service Clasp)
       Richard John Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1980
       David Mason, Coxswain - 1996
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       David Bennington, Acting Coxswain - 1974
       Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1982
       Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1987
       Richard J Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1991
       Stephen Bartram, Assistant Mechanic - 1996
* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       Coxswain and Crew - 1966
       Paul Carter, crew member - 1982
       David V Mason, Second Coxswain - 1991
       Bob Keegan - 1998
       Steve Gowing - 1998
       Simon Phillips - 1998 from the Great Yarmouth Port Authority
       Stephen Bartram, Coxswain - 2005
       Kevin Bennington, crew member - 2005
* A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       Richard Hawkins, Coxswain/Mechanic
       David Mason, Second Coxswain
       Patrick Lee, Assistant Mechanic
       David Beale, crew member - 1996
       Ian Everson, crew member - 1996
       Geoffrey Wing, crew member - 1996
* Freedom of the Borough of Great Yarmouth
       More than 100 lifeboat crew - 1983
* American Cross of Honour
       S J Harris, Coxswain - 1912
* A silver watch awarded by the Queen of The Netherlands
       William G Fleming, Coxswain - 1927
* A letter of thanks from the Queen of The Netherlands
       The Lifeboat Crew - 1927
* The Thanks of the Royal Danish Navy
       The Institution and the crew of the lifeboat - 1952
* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
       Margaret Bibby-Cheshire - 2000
* British Empire Medal
       Reverend Albert Thomas Cadmore - 2024