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Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat

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RNLB St Paul preserved at Chatham
Class overview
NameNorfolk and Suffolk-class
BuildersVarious
Operators RNLI and others
Built1807–1925
In service1807–1953
General characteristics - sailing lifeboats
Length30 to 46 ft (9.1 to 14.0 m)
Beam10 to 12 ft (3.0 to 3.7 m)
Crew16–22
General characteristics - motor lifeboats
Displacement14-17 tons
Length46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Installed power40 bhp to 80 bhp
PropulsionSingle screw
Speed8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Range~115 nmi (132 mi; 213 km)
Crew13

Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were able to operate further from shore and around the sandbanks common off East Anglia.

History

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RNLB H F Bailey (ON670)

Purpose-built lifeboats first appeared towards the end of the 18th century. Some of the first were designed by Lionel Lukin who adapted local boat designs to be more buoyant so they could operate safely in rough seas. He designed one for the Suffolk Humane Society in 1807 for use at Lowestoft. It was based on a local yawl with a shallow draft and sails so it could reach offshore sandbanks, but oars were also provided.[1]

The design proved successful and was adopted by other lifeboat services in East Anglia including the Norfolk Shipwreck Association. The Suffolk Humane Society merged with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855 as did the Norfolk Shipwreck Association in 1857.[2] The RNLI continued to build lifeboats to the Norfolk and Suffolk design and stationed them at other places on the east coast between the River Thames and the Humber.[3][4]

The last Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboat was built in 1925 and was in use until 1953. The design evolved throughout this time, the last boats being built with petrol motors.

Pulling & sailing lifeboats

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The Lowestoft lifeboat of 1807 was 40 feet (12 m) long and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. It had wood and cork 'wales' or pads 15 in (380 mm) deep that projected up to 9 in (230 mm) from the sides. Empty 22 in (560 mm) casks along the inside of the sides with two more each at the front and back of the boat to give it buoyancy. An iron keel was fitted and a large volume of water ballast kept it lower in the water so that it cut through the waves instead of riding up and down over them. The water ballast was let in and out by plugs in the bottom to reduce the boat's weight when being launched and recovered from the beach. It had three masts, lug sails and 12 oars.[1]

Most of these features continued to be used in Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboats built during the next 85 years. The empty casks were replaced by detachable wood and canvas air cases along the sides and fixed air boxes in the bow and stern like Palmer-class lifeboats. The water ballast, up to 7 tons of it, was just left in the bottom of the boat so lifeboat crews worked in wet conditions. If too much water was taken on board, the excess drained out through gaps along the side. They were rigged with 2 lug sails.[5][6]

ON Name In service Station Built Builder Length Comments
– Frances Ann 1807–1850 Lowestoft 1807 Bareham 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m) 		Suffolk Humane Society.[1][7]
[Note 1] – 1833–1861 Great Yarmouth 1833 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m) Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855.[8]
[Note 2] – 1833–1858 Great Yarmouth 1833 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m) [8]
[Note 3] Marianne 1840–1872 Pakefield 1840 Teasdel 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m) Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Marianne was renamed Sisters in 1868.[9] [8]
Sisters
– Solebay 1841–1852 Southwold 1840 Teasdel 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m) 		[10][8]
[Note 4] – 1846–1865 Caister 1846 Branford 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) Norfolk Shipwreck Association, to RNLI in 1857.[11][8]
[Note 5] Victoria 1850–1876 Lowestoft 1850 Sparham 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Victoria was renamed Laetitia by 1874.[8]
Laetitia
– 1852–1858 Palling 1852 Teasdel 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m) Norfolk Shipwreck Association, to RNLI in 1857.
[Note 6] Birmingham No. 2 1865–1883 Caister 1865 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) Birmingham No. 2 was renamed Covent Garden by 1879.[8]
Covent Garden
14 British Workman 1870–1893 Palling 1870 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m) Sold 1893, broken up 1995.[12]
15 Anne Maria 1861–1896 Winterton 1860 32 ft 2 in
(9.80 m) 		Anne Maria was renamed as Edward Birkbeck at an unknown date.
Edward Birkbeck
16 Husband 1869–1879 Corton 1869 36 ft 0 in
(10.97 m) 		[13][12]
1879–1890 Winterton
– George 1870– Lowestoft 1870 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m) [13]
17 Covent Garden 1883–1899 Caister 1882 42 ft 4 in (12.90 m) [12]
18 Boys 1867–1892 Caister 1867 32 ft 6 in
(9.91 m) 		Renamed Godsend by 1877.[12]
Godsend
19 Duff 1859–1892 Great Yarmouth 1859 28 ft 3 in
(8.61 m) 		Renamed Abraham Thomas by 1875.[12]
Abraham Thomas
20 Brave Robert Shedden 1861–1883 Great Yarmouth 1861 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m) 		[12]
Mark Lane 1883–1889 Gorleston
21 Leicester 1870–1883 Gorleston 1870 29 ft 11 in
(9.12 m) 		[12]
1883–1894 Gorleston
22 Samuel Plimsoll 1876–1905 Lowestoft 1876 44 ft 4 in
(13.51 m) 		[12]
23 Sisters 1872–1886 Pakefield 1872 46 ft 3 in
(14.10 m) 		[12]
The Two Sisters 1886–1890 Lowestoft
Mary and Hannah 1890–1910 Pakefield
24 Henry Burford RN 1871–1895 Pakefield 1870 30 ft 3 in
(9.22 m) 		[12]
25 Bolton 1870–1893 Kessingland 1870 42 ft 3 in
(12.88 m) 		[12]
26 Grace & Lalley of Broadoak 1867–1870 Kessingland 1867 32 ft 0 in
(9.75 m)
St Michaels, Paddington 1870–1897
27 Charles Bury 1884–1897 Kessingland 1884 38 ft 6 in
(11.73 m) 		[12]
28 Harriett 1855–1869 Southwold 1855 Beeching 39 ft 10 in
(12.14 m) 		Renamed in 1869.[14][10][12]
London Coal Exchange No. 1 1869–1893
29 Dorinda and Barbara 1871–1882 Theddlethorpe 1871 30 ft 1 in
(9.17 m) 		Displayed at the Imperial Institute in London from 1897 until 1917.[12]
Quiver No. 2 1882–1897 Southwold
233 Mark Lane 1889–1892 Gorleston 1889 44 ft 5 in
(13.54 m) 		[10][15]
Reserve No. 1 1892–1899 Reserve Fleet
Margaret 1899–1907 Winterton
270 Margaret 1890–1899 Winterton 1889 Beeching 43 ft 10 in
(13.36 m) 		[16][15]
1899–1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1924 Reserve fleet
288 Stock Exchange 1890–1892 Lowestoft 1890 Ellis 46 ft 7 in
(14.20 m) 		Sold 1922 and converted to a houseboat. Broken up in 1978 at Felixstowe Ferry.[16][17]
Mark Lane 1892–1921 Gorleston
304 Aldeburgh 1890–1899 Aldeburgh 1890 Critten 46 ft 3 in
(14.10 m) 		Had 14 oars, double banked. Capsized with the loss of 7 of the 18 crew in 1899; broken up in 1900.[18][19][17]
319 – 1891–1895 Spare 1890 32 ft 2 in
(9.80 m) 		Spare boat, never named or allocated to a station. Sold to Ghana.[17]
326 Thora Zelma 1892–1904 Gorleston 1891 31 ft 5 in
(9.58 m) 		[17]
Reserve No. 8 1904–1913 Reserve fleet
327 Beauchamp 1892–1901 Caister 1891 36 ft 5 in
(11.10 m) 		Sold 1901, broken up 1966.[17]
329 John Burch 1892–1912 Great Yarmouth 1892 32 ft 5 in
(9.88 m) 		Sold in 1912 and converted to a yacht.[17]
  1. ^ The 39-foot Great Yarmouth lifeboat of 1833 is number 160 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
  2. ^ The 25-foot Great Yarmouth lifeboat of 1833 is number 162 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
  3. ^ The 1840 Pakefield lifeboat is number 195 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
  4. ^ The 1846 Caister lifeboat is number 218 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
  5. ^ The 1850 Lowestoft lifeboat is number 229 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.
  6. ^ The 1865 Caister lifeboat is number 427 in the Lifeboat Enthusiast's Society list of unofficial numbers.

Improved design

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The RNLI staged a trial of sailing lifeboats in 1892. Of the four different boats, the Norfolk and Suffolk class was deemed the least effective. The trial was held at Lowestoft and that station's two-year-old lifeboat was used. The water ballast proved to be a problem, the boat getting into difficulty in the surf close to the beach before the water ballast could be taken in. Even when properly ballasted, the boat could become unstable as water was able to shift side-to-side and back-and-front. Boats built after the trial had the water ballast constrained in tanks beneath a deck in the centre of the boat where it was not able to shift so much. Valves were fitted to allow water above the deck to drain out. An alteration was also made to the shape of the wales so that waves flowed over them better; in the past they sometimes waves coming from the side got caught under the wale and pushed the boat over the opposite side.[20] [1]

ON Name In service Station Built Builder Length Comments
351 Hearts of Oak 1893–1917 Palling 1893 40 ft 4 in
(12.29 m) 		Sold and used as a yacht. Broken up about 1990.[21]
352 Bolton 1893–1902 Kessingland 1893 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m) 		Sold 1926. Renamed Juno and now a houseboat at Horsford, Norfolk.[21]
1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1918 Kessingland
1918–1925 Southwold
353 Alfred Corry 1893–1918 Southwold 1893 Beeching Brothers 44 ft 1 in
(13.44 m) 		16-oar boat. Sold 1919 but now on display at the Alfred Corry Museum, Southwold, which is the relocated Cromer lifeboat house.[10][22][21]
356 Stock Exchange 1893–1912 Lowestoft 1893 46 ft 0 in
(14.02 m) 		[21]
Reserve No. 1A 1912–1918 Reserve fleet
371 Leicester 1894–1923 Gorleston 1894 31 ft 0 in
(9.45 m) 		[21]
397 Edward Birkbeck 1896–1925 Winterton 1896 34 ft 0 in
(10.36 m) 		Sold 1925, now awaiting restoration at Winterton in Norfolk.[3]
405 Rescue 1897–1920 Southwold 1897 32 ft 0 in
(9.75 m) 		Sold and used as a houseboat until at least 1969.[3]
406 St Paul 1897–1931 Kessingland 1897 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m) 		On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996.[3]
430 James Stevens No. 9 1899–1923 Southend-on-Sea 1899 38 ft 0 in
(11.58 m) 		Carried a crew of 15. Sold 1923, renamed Viking but destroyed by a bomb at Dover in World War II.[23][3]
431 Covent Garden 1899–1919 Caister 1899 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m) 		[3]
432 James Stevens No.14 1900–1905 Walton-on-the-Naze 1900 Thames Ironworks 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m) 		Stood down in 1905 for an engine to be fitted. It returned to service in 1907 and was sold in 1928.[24] [3]
482 City of Winchester 1902–1928 Aldeburgh 1902 Thames Ironworks 46 ft 0 in
(14.02 m) 		12-oar boat.[25][26] Sold 1928 and renamed Ellen Gordon. Became a houseboat at Maldon but broken up in 1980.[27]
506 Nancy Lucy 1903–1929 Caister 1903 35 ft 0 in
(10.67 m) 		[28]
543 Kentwell 1905–1921 Lowestoft 1905 46 ft 1 in
(14.05 m) 		[29]
1922–1924 Gorleston
Reserve No. 1 1924–1928 Reserve fleet
589 Eleanor Brown 1909–1924 Winterton 1909 44 ft 7 in
(13.59 m) 		Sold and converted to be a houseboat at Blakeney.[30][31]
Reserve No. 1C 1924–1931 Reserve fleet
607 James Leith 1910–1919 Pakefield 1910 42 ft 0 in
(12.80 m) 		Sold in 1936, On display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since 1996.[31]
1919–1929 Caister
1930–1935 Aldeburgh
629 Hugh Taylor 1912–1919 Great Yarmouth 1912 34 ft 0 in
(10.36 m) 		Sold and became the yacht Johannes J, last reported in Holland in 1987.[4]
1919–1922 Pakefield
Reserve No. 1A 1922–1929 Reserve fleet
1929–1931 Aldeburgh
1931–1936 Kessingland
631 – 1903–1913 Spurn 1903 34 ft 6 in
(10.52 m) 		Boat never given a name.[4]
656 Hearts of Oak 1918–1929 Palling 1918 40 ft 0 in
(12.19 m) 		Sold and became the yacht Wander Bird, last reported to be in Frontignan, France, in 2002.[4]
1929–1934 Reserve fleet

Motor lifeboats

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The RNLI deployed its first experimental motor lifeboat in 1904 and in 1905 converted three pulling and sailing lifeboats into motor lifeboats. One of these was Walton-on-the-Naze's Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat James Stevens No.14. It was fitted with a Blake 40 hp petrol engine with 4 cylinders and running at 550 rpm. Tests on 7 June 1906 measured the converted lifeboat's speed to be 6.952 knots (12.875 km/h). It was then sent to Harwich for sea trials in October. These were completed in February 1907, after which the boat returned to Walton-on-the-Naze to take up duty.[32] [24]

The engines in motor lifeboats were regarded as a supplement to sails at first but the experimental conversions were deemed a success. Construction of new motor lifeboats was protracted as it was difficult to obtain the parts and skilled staff, especially during World War I. Three Norfolk and Suffolk class motor lifeboats were built for service at East Anglian stations in the 1920s.[33] The engines were a 4-cylinder 60 bhp unit in John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood of 1921, and 6-cylinder engines of 80 bhp in the two boats built in 1923 and 1925.

ON Name In service Station Built Builder Length Comments
432 James Stevens No.14 1907–1928 Walton-on-the-Naze 1900 Thames Ironworks 43 ft 0 in
(13.11 m) 		Auxiliary engine fitted to a sailing lifeboat in 1905/1906, returned to service in 1907. Sold in 1928, now in store at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.[24][3]
663 John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood 1921 Gorleston 1921 S. E. Saunders 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m) 		Renamed in 1921 when transferred to Lowestoft, the original name was reused by ON 670 in 1924. Used at Dover for a while during World War II. Sold October 1952. Last reported as workboat Wimp in Aden in 1955.[4]
Agnes Cross 1921–1939 Lowestoft
1940–1941 Dover
1941–1952 Reserve fleet
670 H.F. Bailey 1923–1924 Cromer 1923 J. Samuel White 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m) 		Renamed in 1924, the original name was then reused on Watson-class lifeboat ON 694. Sold October 1952. On display at Gorleston Lifeboat House since June 1994.[34][4]
John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood 1924–1939 Gorleston
1939–1952 Reserve fleet
691 Mary Scott 1925–1940 Southwold 1925 J. Samuel White 46 ft 6 in
(14.17 m) 		Sold March 1953. In April 2022 it was reported to be at Littlehampton as a yacht with a cabin added.[34][35]
1940–1953 Reserve fleet

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Sketch of the progress made in the construction of coast life-boats 1795-1900". Life-boat. Vol. 17, no. 195. 1905. pp. 551–554.
  2. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 102–103.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 18–19.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 28–29.
  5. ^ Ward, John Ross (1862). "Norfolk and Suffolk life-boats men". Life-boat. Vol. 5, no. 45. pp. 132–135.
  6. ^ Tansley, F J (1889). "South Norfolk and Suffolk life-boat men". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 151. pp. 12–14.
  7. ^ Wake-Walker, Edward (2007). The Lifeboats Story. The History Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7509-4858-6.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society.
  9. ^ "Summary of the meetings of the committee". Life-boat. Vol. 8, no. 83. 1868. p. 748.
  10. ^ a b c d Cooper, Ernest (1917). "The Southwold life-boats 1840-1916". Life-boat. Vol. 23, no. 262. pp. 160–168.
  11. ^ Tooke, Colin (1986). Caister Beach Boats and Boatmen (1st ed.). Poppyland. p. 6.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 4–5.
  13. ^ a b "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 77. 1870. p. 509.
  14. ^ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 7, no. 73. 1872. p. 244.
  15. ^ a b Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 12–13.
  16. ^ a b "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 157. 1890. pp. 395–399.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 14–15.
  18. ^ "The Life-Boats of the United Kingdom". Life-boat. Vol. 14, no. 159. 1891. pp. 444–447.
  19. ^ "Aldeburgh - New Lifeboat". Eastern Daily Times. 3 January 1891.
  20. ^ "Competitive trials with sailing life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 15, no. 165. 1892. pp. 219–231.
  21. ^ a b c d e Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 16–17.
  22. ^ "Alfred Corry Lifeboat". Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  23. ^ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
  24. ^ a b c "The experimental motor life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 20, no. 225. 1907. pp. 243–247.
  25. ^ "New life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 19, no. 211. 1904. pp. 11–13.
  26. ^ "New Life-Boat for Aldeburgh". Framlingham Weekly News. 8 November 1902.
  27. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 20–21.
  28. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 22–23.
  29. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 24–25.
  30. ^ "New life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 20, no. 234. 1909. pp. 858–859.
  31. ^ a b Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 26–27.
  32. ^ "The advent of the motor-boat". Life-boat. Vol. 19, no. 218. 1905. pp. 551–554.
  33. ^ Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 78–82. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
  34. ^ a b "Inaugural ceremonies of motor life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 26, no. 288. 1926. pp. 309–314.
  35. ^ Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 30–31.
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