# Runswick Lifeboat Station

Runswick RNLI Station, not to be confused with Runswick Bay Rescue Boat, was located in the village of Runswick Bay, approximately 7 mi (11 km) north-west of Whitby, in the county of North Yorkshire, England.
A lifeboat station was established here in 1866 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
In 1978, the nearby lifeboat station at Staithes was reopened as in Inshore lifeboat station, and renamed Staithes and Runswick. The All-weather lifeboat 37-11 The Royal Thames (ON 978) was withdrawn, and Runswick Lifeboat Station closed.
Following a meeting of the local population, and with the view that a rescue service was still required, the independent Runswick Bay Rescue Boat was established in 1982.

## History

The first lifeboat to be stationed at Runswick was The Sheffield in 1866. She was a 32-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails.
In April 1901, all the fit and able men were fishing in the bay, when a sudden storm erupted over the area. Older men from the village were drafted in to man the lifeboat, but it was pushed into sea by the women of the village.
In 1910, a new station was erected on the site of the previous lifeboat house. The enlarged station was necessary to accommodate the new 35-foot (11 m) lifeboat Hester Rothschild (ON 612).
In 1933, a new motor-powered Liverpool-class lifeboat was received on station, and was named The Always Ready (ON 766). Soon afterwards, Coxswain of the lifeboat Robert Patton died at sea, attempting to rescue a disabled seaman. The lifeboat was renamed Robert Patton - The Always Ready in 1934.
In 1978, following a coastal review by the RNLI, the lifeboat station at Staithes was re-opened as an Inshore lifeboat station. With motor-powered lifeboats at Whitby and Teesmouth, the Runswick station was closed. Staithes lifeboat station became Staithes and Runswick.The Runswick lifeboat The Royal Thames (ON 978), was transferred to Pwllheli.
Following the withdrawal of the Runswick lifeboat, it was still felt that with the popularity of the bay, particularly in the holiday season, some sort of rescue cover was still required. A meeting was held in 1980, and the local population at Runswick Bay set about to raise £4000 for their own rescue boat. Runswick Bay Rescue Boat (RBRB) was established at Runswick Bay in 1982, and this now operates in conjunction with all rescue services on the coast, coordinated by HMCG.

## Coxswain Robert Patton

At 04:25 on 8 February 1934, the new Runswick lifeboat The Always Ready (ON 766) launched to the aid of the steamship Disperser, which had started to sink whilst under tow in gale force conditions. Seven of the eight crew were taken off by the tugboat, but the eighth, with young man with a physical handicap, was still aboard. Reaching the vessel an hour after launch, the lifeboat eventually managed to get alongside. However, the man didn't jump, but lowered himself over the side, and then wouldn't let go. Coxswain Patton grabbed the man, but still he wouldn't let go. As the lifeboat was swept away, the Coxswain was left clinging to the man, and then fell into the sea. He was crushed three times as the lifeboat moved in and out to the vessel. The man was eventually dragged into the lifeboat, but the Coxswain had been badly injured, and was taken to hospital with broken ribs, a broken pelvis, fractured vertebrae, and other injuries. Visited in hospital by a representative of the Institution, he said, " I could not let the poor lad go, as he might have drowned". Patton died nine days after the event.
Robert Patton, Coxswain of Runswick Lifeboat, was posthumously awarded the RNLI's highest honour, the RNLI Gold Medal. The medal, and the vote, inscribed on vellum, and signed by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, president of the Institution, was presented to Mrs Patton by the Prince of Wales in London on 20 April 1934.
At a ceremony on 20 September 1934, the new lifeboat, The Always Ready (ON 766), which had not yet been officially named, was named Robert Patton–The Always Ready by the Princess Royal.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Runswick.
* RNLI Gold Medal
       Robert Patton, Coxswain – 1934 (posthumous)
* RNLI Silver Medal
       George Tose, Coxswain – 1893
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       Andrew Tose, Coxswain – 1924
       Thomas Patton, Second Coxswain – 1924

## Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Runswick lifeboat.
* On service to the steamship Disperser, 8 February 1934
    Robert Patton, Coxswain (46)

## Runswick RNLI lifeboats

| ON | Op. No. | Name | On Station | Class | Comments |
| Pre-463 | – | The Sheffield | 1866–1880 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 207 | – | Margaret and Edward | 1880–1893 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 341 | – | Cape of Good Hope | 1893–1908 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [Note 3] [14] |
| 455 | – | Forester | 1908–1910 | 34-foot Self-righting (Rubie) | |
| 612 | – | Hester Rothschild | 1910–1933 | 35-foot Self-righting (Rubie) | [Note 5] [15] |
| 766 | – | The Always Ready, Robert Patton–The Always Ready | 1933–1934 1934–1953 | Liverpool | [Note 6] [16] |
| 918 | – | Elliot Gill | 1954–1970 | Liverpool | [Note 7] [17] |
| 978 | 37-11 | The Royal Thames | 1970–1978 | 37-foot Oakley | |
    RNLI Station closed in 1978.
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

### Launch and recovery tractors

| Op. No. | Reg. No. | Type | On Station |
| T16 | YW 3377 | Clayton | 1940–1942 |
| T46 | KGP 1 | Case LA | 1949–1957 |
| T54 | KXX 566 | Case LA | 1957–1966 |
| T55 | KXX 565 | Case LA | 1966–1969 |
| T66 | XYP 400 | Fowler Challenger III | 1969–1974 |
| T57 | NYE 351 | Fowler Challenger III | 1974–1976 |
| T62 | PLA 698 | Fowler Challenger III | 1976–1978 |
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.