Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat

HF Bailey ON670
Class overview
NameNorfolk and Suffolk-class
Builders
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
General characteristics - motor lifeboats
Displacement14-17 tons
Length46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Installed power
  • ON 432: 32 bhp Blake 4SA 4-cyl. petrol
  • ON 663: 60 bhp Tyler D.1 4-cyl. petrol
  • ON 670: 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl. petrol
  • ON 691: 80bhp White DE6 6-cyl. petrol
PropulsionSingle screw
Speed8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Range~115 nautical miles (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.

Description

Norfolk and Suffolk class of non-self-righting lifeboats were designed to operate further from shore, and specifically around East Anglia.

At one time, the engines in motor lifeboats were regarded as an auxiliary and boats retained their full sailing rig. In 1906, the Walton-on-the-Naze's lifeboat RNLB James Stevens No. 14 (ON 432), originally a pulling and sailing design built in 1900, was fitted with a 32 bhp petrol engine and served at the station until 1928.

The conversion of James Stevens No. 14 was deemed a success, and a further number of new motor lifeboats were built for service at East Anglian stations.

Pulling & sailing lifeboats

ON[a] Name Built Builder Length In service Station Comments[1]
Solebay 40 ft (12 m) 1841–1852 Southwold No.1
28 Harriett 1855 40 ft (12 m) 1855–1893 Southwold No.1 Renamed, date to be confirmed. Sold 1893.
London Coal Exchange No. 1
270 Margaret 1889 44 ft (13 m) 1890–1899 Winterton Sold 1924.
1899–1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1924 Reserve fleet
304 Aldeburgh 1890 Critten, Great Yarmouth 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m) 1890–1899 Aldeburgh Had 14 oars, double banked.[2]

Capsized with the loss of seven of the 18 crew in 1899. Broken up in 1900.

353 Alfred Corry 1893 Beeching Brothers 44 ft (13 m) 1893–1918 Southwold No.1 Fitted with two-masts and 16 oars.

Sold 1919. By December 2022 was on display at the Alfred Corry Museum, Southwold, which is the relocated Cromer lifeboat house.[3]

352 Bolton 1893 42 ft (13 m) 1893–1902 Kessingland Sold 1926. Renamed Juno and became a houseboat at Saint Helena, Horsford, Norfolk.
1902 Aldeburgh
1902–1918 Kessingland
1918–1925 Southwold No.1
430 James Stevens No. 9 1899 38 ft (12 m) 1899–1923 Southend-on-Sea [4]

12-foot (3.7 m) beam inside, 14-foot (4.3 m) outside, carried a crew of 15. Sold 1923. Renamed Viking but destroyed by a bomb at Dover in 1940 or 1941.

432 James Stevens No.14 1900 Thames Ironworks 43 ft (13 m) 1900–1928 Walton and Frinton Engine fitted in 1906.

Sold June 1928. Reported in December 2022 to be on sea-going display at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.

482 City of Winchester 1902 Thames Ironworks 46 ft (14 m) 1902–1928 Aldeburgh Had 12 oars, double banked[5]

Sold 1928. Renamed Ellen Gordon. Became a houseboat at Maldon. Broken up in 1980.

Motor lifeboats

ON Name Built Builder In service Station Comments[1]
432 James Stevens No.14 1900 Thames Ironworks 1900–1928 Walton and Frinton Sold June 1928. Reported in December 2022 to be on seag-oing display at the Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.
656 Hearts of Oak[6] 1918 Summers and Payne
/ S. E. Saunders
1918–1929 Palling No.2 Length: 40 ft (12 m), beam: 10 ft (3.0 m)

Sold 1934. Renamed Wander Bird. Reported in July 2002 to be in Frontignan, France,, as a yacht with a cabin added.

1929–1934 Reserve fleet
663 John and Mary Meiklam Of Gladswood 1921 S. E. Saunders 1921 Gorleston No.1 Renamed in 1921 when transferred to Lowestoft, The original name was reused by ON 670 in 1924.

Sold October 1952. Last reported as workboat Wimp in Aden in 1955.

Agnes Cross 1921–1939 Lowestoft
1940–1941 Dover
1941–1952 Reserve fleet
670 H.F. Bailey 1923 J. Samuel White 1923–1924 Cromer No.1 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.

John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood 1924–1939 Gorleston
1939–1952 Reserve fleet
691 Mary Scott 1925 J. Samuel White 1925–1940 Southwold Sold March 1953. In April 2022 it was reported to be at Littlehampton as a yacht with a cabin added.
1940–1953 Reserve fleet

Notes

  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

References

  1. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  2. ^ "Aldeburgh - New Lifeboat". Eastern Daily Times. 3 January 1891.
  3. ^ "Alfred Corry Lifeboat". Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ Southend Standard, 21 September 1899
  5. ^ "New Life-Boat for Aldeburgh". Framlingham Weekly News. 8 November 1902.
  6. ^ Diss Express, and Norfolk and Suffork Journal, 28 June 1918

External links

  • RNLI
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