# Newburgh Lifeboat Station

Newburgh Lifeboat Station was located on the western shore of the River Ythan estuary near Newburgh, a village approximately 14 miles (23 km) north-east of Aberdeen, in the county of Aberdeenshire, on the east coast of Scotland.
A lifeboat was first placed at Newburgh in 1828 by the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), but the station closed in 1841. A new station was established at Newburgh in 1877, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Newburgh Lifeboat Station was closed in 1965.

## History

In 1828, a lifeboat station was established at Newburgh by the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), later to become the RNLI in 1854. A Palmer-class lifeboat, probably 26-foot, rowing 6 oars, was placed at the station. No records of any service have been found, and the station closed in 1841.
At a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 3 May 1877, following representation from local residents and from the Inspecting Commander of H.M. Coastguard, and following the report of his visit by RNLI Inspector of Life-boats, Rear-Admiral John R. Ward, it was decided to once again place a lifeboat at Newburgh.
A tender was accepted for the construction of a boathouse, and a 30-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with (8) oars and sails, along with its launching carriage, was sent to the station. The expense of the lifeboat, its carriage, and all equipment, was provided from the legacy of the late Miss M. A. Birtwhistle of Cheltenham. At a service of dedication and naming ceremony on 18 November 1877, the lifeboat was named Alexander Charles and William Aird, and launched for a demonstration to the assembled crowd.
Whilst setting up a Haul-off warp prior to exercise on 3 November 1899, in a strong south-west gale, the lifeboat Ellen Newman and John Bentley (ON 255) was swamped, and three crew were washed overboard. Two managed to swim ashore, but one man, the Assistant Coxswain, was seen to be in difficulties by a retired Naval Lieutenant, who swam out, and brought him ashore. Lt. Eustace William Clitherow Stracey, RN (Retd.) was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.
In what today we would term as a multi-agency rescue, the rescue of seven of the nine crew of the fishing trawler Imperial Prince of Aberdeen on 19 October 1923, in extremely difficult conditions, would involve the lifeboats of Newburgh, which was pulled 7 miles (11 km) overland, Aberdeen and Peterhead, along with the Coastguard Rocket Brigade, and 11 naval crew from HMS Vampire and HMS Vendetta. The Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners lifeboat capsized, and four crew were washed overboard, fortunately, but with some difficulty, all regaining the boat. The Newburgh lifeboat James Stevens No. 19 (ON 459) was sent out four times. Two crew of the Imperial Prince were lost during the rescue, but seven were saved. Two silver medals, and one bronze medal, were awarded for gallantry that day.
At 04:20 on 26 January 1942, the John Ryburn (ON 837) lifeboat crew were called, after reports of flares from a vessel in distress to the north, but it was soon confirmed that a ship was ashore at Cruden Bay, and that the coastguard rocket-brigade were on scene. The lifeboat crew were stood down. A second vessel was then spotted ashore at Hackley Head by assistant mechanic George Whyte, and after confirmation, the lifeboat launched at 08:40, into a strong south-east gale, heading to the SS Lesrix. The lifeboat arrived with the vessel, to find it well ashore with her back broken, with no sign of life, and in a position impossible for the lifeboat to reach. It was decided to head home. About 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the river Ythan, approximately 300 yards (270 m) from the shore, the lifeboat capsized. 15 minutes later, the seven crew were washed onto the beach, but two, crewman James Walker, and asst. mechanic George Whyte, were unconscious and could not be revived.
By 1965, it had been four years since the last call, and eight years since any lives were saved. With lifeboats stationed to the north at Peterhead, and to the south at Aberdeen, the decision was taken to close Newburgh Lifeboat Station on 30 September 1965.
Since the station reopened in 1877, 155 lives had been saved. The boathouse still stands on the shore at Newburgh. The last lifeboat on station, John Ryburn (ON 837), was sold from service in 1966, and was last reported in 2010 as having been broken up.
In 2018, the original Newburgh service board dating back to 1889, which once resided in the Newburgh lifeboat house, was donated back to the RNLI by lifeboat enthusiast Keith Webb, and presented to the nearest active RNLI station at Aberdeen.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Newburgh.
* RNLI Silver Medal
       Lt. Eustace William Clitherow Stracey, RN (Retd.) – 1899
       John Innes, Coxswain – 1923
       Petty Officer Charles Albert William Essam, RN, HMS Vampire – 1923
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       James Innes, Bowman – 1923
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       John Innes, Coxswain – 1923
       Petty Officer Charles Albert William Essam, RN, HMS Vampire – 1923
       James Innes, Bowman – 1923
       11 Naval crewmen of HMS Vampire and HMS Vendetta – 1923

## Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Newburgh lifeboat.
* Lost when the lifeboat capsized, on service to the steamship Lesrix, 26 January 1942
       George Whyte, Assistant Mechanic
       James Walker, crew member

## Newburgh lifeboats

| ON | Name | Built | In service | Class |
| Pre-128 | Unnamed | 1828 | 1828–1841 | Palmer |
| Station Closed 1841–1877 ||||||
| Pre-621 | Alexander Charles and William Aird | 1877 | 1877–1889 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 255 | Ellen Newman and John Bentley | 1889 | 1889–1901 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 459 | James Stevens No. 19 | 1901 | 1901–1926 | 34-foot Self-righting Dungeness (Rubie) |
| 504 | John and Amy | 1902 | 1926–1935 | 34-foot Self-righting Dungeness (Rubie) |
| 591 | John and Robert C. Mercer | 1909 | 1935–1941 | 34-foot Self-righting Dungeness (Rubie) |
| 837 | John Ryburn | 1941 | 1941–1965 | 32-foot Surf |
    Station Closed in 1928
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.