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Littlehampton Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 50°48′28.9″N 0°32′40.1″W / 50.808028°N 0.544472°W / 50.808028; -0.544472
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Littlehampton Lifeboat Station
Littlehampton Lifeboat Station
Littlehampton Lifeboat Station is located in West Sussex
Littlehampton Lifeboat Station
Location of Littlehampton Lifeboat station within West Sussex
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
Architectural styleSteel-frame Boathouse
with brick and block construction
LocationFisherman's Quay
Town or cityLittlehampton, West Sussex , BN17 5BL
CountryEngland
Coordinates50°48′28.9″N 0°32′40.1″W / 50.808028°N 0.544472°W / 50.808028; -0.544472
Opened1884
re-established in 1967
Closed1921
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Littlehampton RNLI

Littlehampton Lifeboat Station is located in the town of Littlehampton, in West Sussex, on the south coast of England.The station is on the harbour side on the eastern bank of the River Arun, a quarter mile from the harbour entrance and the pier. The current lifeboat house on Fisherman's Quay was built in 2002.[1]

A lifeboat station was first established here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)in 1884.[2]

The lifeboat station currently operates with two inshore lifeboats: a B-class (Atlantic 85) lifeboat, Renee Sherman (B-891) and a D-class (IB1) lifeboat, Ray of Hope (D-769).[3]

History[edit]

With lifeboats placed at Hayling Island, Bembridge and Selsey, it was decided in 1884 to close the station at Chichester Harbour, and create a new station at Littlehampton. A boathouse was constructed for £311-1s-7d, on a site provided by the War Department, on the east bank of the River Arun, near what is now the Harbour Park amusement park.[4][5]

The 32-foot 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat (a lifeboat using oars and sail, with no engine), James and Elizabeth, by this time already 19 years old, was transferred from Chichester on 25 August 1884. The boat, manned by fishermen and local coastguard, was paraded around the town to the station, where she was renamed Undaunted. On station for only 4 years, she would be launched just twice, but was not required to rescue anyone.[5]

A new 34-foot lifeboat, James, Mercer and Elizabeth (ON 172), was placed at Littlehampton in 1888. On 2 November 1901, the lifeboat was launched to the aid of the brigantine Amy of Plymouth, on passage from Sunderland to Exeter with a cargo of coal, and now driven ashore ashore. With extreme difficulty, the Littlehampton lifeboat got along side, and rescued the crew of six. In the poor conditions, the boat was beached at East Preston, and later returned to station on her carriage. This lifeboat would rescue 12 people in her 16 years on station.[5]

In 1903, the Coastguard site at Littlehampton was re-developed, and a row of terraced cottages were constructed along what became Coastguard road. The boathouse had to be moved, and was reconstructed at the end of the terrace, at the junction with Arun Parade, at a cost of £240. A new 35-foot lifeboat was placed at Littlehampton in 1904, provided from the legacy of Mr. Francis J. Freeman, of Abbey Road, St John's Wood, London, and named Brothers Freeman (ON 531). The boat would be launched 14 times in the next 17 years, and rescue 10 lives.[1][5]

Following the retirement in November 1918 of Coxswain G. J. Pelham, who had served in this role since the station opened in 1884, and also Second (and latterly Acting) Coxswain Alonzo Allen in January 1919, Honorary Secretary Mr. Griffiths reported that no replacement officers were appointed to the lifeboat, and finding a crew was proving extremely difficult. Littlehampton lifeboat station was closed temporarily in February 1921. However, with a motor-lifeboat planned to be placed at Selsey in 1922, Littlehampton Lifeboat Station was closed on 5 December 1921. Brothers Freeman (ON 531) was withdrawn, and transferred to Plymouth.[4][5][6]

Reopening and Blue Peter appeals[edit]

Increased leisure boating in the area led to a corresponding rise in marine rescues, including swimmers and small craft washed out to sea, necessitating a faster local response. The Littlehampton lifeboat station was re-opened in 1967, as an Inshore lifeboat station, operating a D-class (RFD PB16) lifeboat, housed in a garage on the east bank of the river Arun.[2]

The cost was defrayed by a fundraising appeal on the BBC TV programme Blue Peter. The lifeboat was named Blue Peter I (D-115). The original Blue Peter I lifeboat would come to be replaced five times, with subsequent lifeboats being of the larger twin-engined Atlantic type. Funded each time by appeals on Blue Peter, each replacement lifeboat retained the name Blue Peter I until 2016.[7][8][9][10]

1979–present[edit]

In 1979, a new boathouse was built for the station near Fishermen's Quay, enabling quick launch down a short ramp into the Arun.[6]

In 2002, the station underwent a large re-development to fit in with the recent waterside changes in the area. The new station has been designed specifically as a two-boat station at a cost of £550,000. At this time, the station was provided with a B-class (Atlantic 75) lifeboat, Blue Peter I (B-779), at a cost of £100,000.[10]

A new D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Spirit of Juniper (D-631), was donated by the Campaign for Real Gin in 2004, at a cost of £25,000, and served until 2014. She was replaced by Ray of Hope (D-769), a later version of the D-Class IB1, funded by a private donor at a cost of £42,000.[10][11]

The final Blue Peter I was replaced in 2016 by a B-class (Atlantic 85) boat, Rennee Sherman (B-891).[12]

The Littlehampton lifeboat station was the busiest in the West Sussex area, with 61 call outs in 2020 and 913 between 2008 and 2020.[13]

Station honours[edit]

The following are awards made at Littlehampton[1][14]

Lt. Timothy Macnamara, RN, coastguard - 1840
Lt. George Davies, RN, coastguard - 1840
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
C R Cole, crew member - 1970
C J Pelham, crew member - 1970
David William Woollven, Helmsman - 1982

Littlehampton lifeboats[edit]

All-weather lifeboats[edit]

ON[a] Name In service[15] Class Comments
Pre-435 Undaunted 1884–1888 32-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 1]
Previously Joshua at Newquay and James and Elizabeth at Chichester Harbour.
172 James, Mercer and Elizabeth 1888–1904 34-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 2]
531 Brothers Freeman 1904–1921 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 3]
Station Closed in 1921
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats[edit]

D-class[edit]

Op.No.[b] Name In service[2] Class Comments
D-115 Blue Peter I 1967–1972 D-class (RFD PB16) D-class withdrawn, B-class placed on station in 1972
D-431 Veronica 2003–2004 D-class (EA16) D-class reintroduced, placed on station in 2003
D-458 Maureen Samuels 2004 D-class (EA16)
D-631 Spirit of Juniper 2004–2014 D-class (IB1) [16]
D-769 Ray of Hope 2014– D-class (IB1) [17]

B-class[edit]

Op.No.[b] Name In service [2] Class Comments
B-504 Blue Peter I 1972–1973 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-517 Blue Peter I 1973–1974 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-523 Blue Peter I 1974–1985 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-564 Blue Peter I 1985–2001 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-779 Blue Peter I 2002–2016 B-class (Atlantic 75) [18]
B-891 Renée Sherman 2016– B-class (Atlantic 85) [19]
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Gallery[edit]

  • The Littlehampton Atlantic 75-class lifeboat Blue Peter 1 (B-779) being retrieved by the stations TC45 tractor in its launch cradle on the slipway outside the lifeboat station at Fishermen’s Quay on the banks of the River Arun.
    The Littlehampton Atlantic 75-class lifeboat Blue Peter 1 (B-779) being retrieved by the stations TC45 tractor in its launch cradle on the slipway outside the lifeboat station at Fishermen’s Quay on the banks of the River Arun.
  • The Littlehampton D-class Spirit of Juniper (D-631) was on station from 2004 to 2014, here inside the boathouse at Fishermen’s Quay, Littlehampton.
    The Littlehampton D-class Spirit of Juniper (D-631) was on station from 2004 to 2014, here inside the boathouse at Fishermen’s Quay, Littlehampton.
  • Rennee Sherman (B-891) being launched in a cradle in the river Arun, Littlehampton Lifeboat Station, 9 May 2016.
    Rennee Sherman (B-891) being launched in a cradle in the river Arun, Littlehampton Lifeboat Station, 9 May 2016.
  • Rennee Sherman (B-891) in the river Arun heading out to sea, 9 May 2016.
    Rennee Sherman (B-891) in the river Arun heading out to sea, 9 May 2016.
  • Rennee Sherman (B-891) being launched from Littlehampton Lifeboat Station, 9 May 2016.
    Rennee Sherman (B-891) being launched from Littlehampton Lifeboat Station, 9 May 2016.

Neighbouring Station Locations[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ 32-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse.
  2. ^ 34-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Woolfe & Son, of Shadwell, costing £328.
  3. ^ 35-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S), built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £800.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Littlehampton Lifeboat Station". RNLI. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  3. ^ "Littlehampton's lifeboats". RNLI. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "A Brief History of Littlehampton". Reference to the early work of the RNLI at Littlehampton. Arun District Council. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e Morris, Jeff (April 1997). The Story of the Littlehampton Lifeboats (Second ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–48.
  6. ^ a b For Those In Peril – The Lifeboat Service of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, Station by Station. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher: Silver Link Publishing Ltd, First Issue 1999. Work:Part 2, South Coast of England – Eastbourne to Weston-super-Mare, Page 74, Littlehampton. ISBN 1 85794 129 2
  7. ^ Strong to Save – Dramatic first-hand accounts of the RNLI lifeboat rescues around the British Isles. Author: Kipling, Ray and Susannah. Publisher:Patrick Stephens Ltd, re-printed addition – 1998. Work: Blue Peter to the Rescue – references to the Blue Peter appeals and involvement with the RNLI, Page 104. ISBN 1-85260-495-6
  8. ^ "Shorething! - Blue Peter lifeboats and rescue". Description of the relationship of Blue Peter 1 to Littlehampton. RNLI. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  9. ^ Never Turn Back – The RNLI since the Second World War. Author:Kipling, Ray and Susannah. Publisher:Sutton Publishing, 2006. Work: Chapter 7, page 154, From Whitehall to White City – Blue Peter book appeal, ISBN 0-7509-4307-6
  10. ^ a b c "Station History – Littlehampton Lifeboat Station". Littlehampton History – reference to new station and Lifeboat. Copyright © 2014 RNLI Littlehampton. All Rights Reserved. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  11. ^ Ash, Tim (13 October 2014). "Official naming ceremony for new lifeboat at Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat station". RNLI. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  12. ^ "The latest news on our new Atlantic 85 lifeboat". littlehamptonlifeboat.org.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Littlehampton lifeboat busiest in West Sussex". Sussex World. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  14. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
  15. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
  16. ^ "Naming Ceremony and Service of Dedication of Spirit of Juniper". The Campaign for Real Gin. Retrieved 21 May 2005.
  17. ^ "Littlehampton lifeboat crew welcomes its new craft". Sussex World. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Littlehampton's Blue Peter lifeboat to be retired". BBC. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  19. ^ "New Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat to be named in honour of French-born donor". RNLI. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
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