Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.

Because of the large tidal range and extensive drying foreshore at Southend, the lifeboat station uses two boathouses.

The first of these is situated at the head (outer end) of the long Southend Pier, and houses a lifeboat and a smaller lifeboat, both of which are launched by davit into the deep water adjoining the pier.

The second boathouse is situated adjacent to the inshore end of the pier, and houses a second D-class IB1 lifeboat together with a H class hovercraft, both of which are launched down an adjacent slipway.

The pier-head lifeboat house is a modern structure, which incorporates crew accommodation and offices, an RNLI shop, and a viewing gallery from which visitors can view the lifeboats. It is topped by a sun deck to which the public have access. Lifeboat crews use an electric buggy, complete with sirens and blue flashing lights, to access this boathouse along the pier from the shore.

History Following application by local residents, and a report by the RNLI Inspector of Lifeboats, it was resolved at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 5 June 1879, to establish a station at Southend-on-Sea.

It was recognised that launching a lifeboat at Southend, with the large flat expanse of shoreline, would take considerable time. The Institution were grateful that the Southend Pier Company afforded every possible assistance in allowing a lifeboat to be stationed at the end of the pier, supported on davits. A 25-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (8) oars, was provided to the station, the cost of £352-18s-5d defrayed by the gift of £300 from Edwin J. Brett, raised through his weekly periodical magazine Boys of England. At a ceremony on the 13 November 1879, in front of a large crowd, the station was declared open, and the lifeboat named Boys of England and Edwin J. Brett.

At a further meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 6 March 1884, it was decided that a second shore based station be established at Southend, for a lifeboat which could be transported along the shore to neighbouring sandbanks, should the need arise. A new 34-foot self-righting (P&S) lifeboat was provided, its cost defrayed from the legacy of the late Mrs. Frances Sophia Smith, of Lisheen, County Cork, in memory of her two sons. On 8 October 1885, the lifeboat was named Theodore and Herbert (ON 33).

The No. 2 boathouse, long since demolished, was located behind Marine Parade on Hartington Road, at the junction to what is now the entrance to Seaway Car Park.

The first motor lifeboat arrived in 1928. In 1935, a new lifeboat house with slipway was erected at the pier head. In 1940, the lifeboat Greater London (Civil Service No.3) (ON 704) was one of the 19 lifeboats which assisted in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

In 1955 what would prove to be Southend's final All-weather lifeboat went on station. The newly built Greater London II (Civil Service No.30), a 46-foot 9in Watson-class, entered service on 3 April. From then until 1968, the Thames Estuary was covered by three similar slipway launched 46-foot 9in Watsons stationed on seaside piers at , and Southend-on-Sea. Clacton's Watson was replaced by a 37-foot lifeboat in 1968.

In response to an increasing amount of water-based leisure activity, the RNLI placed 25 small fast Inshore lifeboats around the country. These were easily launched with just a few people, ideal to respond quickly to local emergencies. More followed, and in 1966, a Inshore lifeboat was placed at Southend.

In 1969, the RNLI placed two extra lifeboats on the Thames Estuary, following a decision by the RAF to withdraw the rescue helicopters from RAF Manston. An extra lifeboat went to Southend-on-Sea, and it was decided to place an All-weather lifeboat at on evaluation.

By the early 1970s, two inflatable inshore lifeboats were in use at Southend to provide assistance to the increasing number of pleasure craft.

In 1974, was allocated a fast lifeboat, and two years later, the Southend All-weather Watson-class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by the Inshore Percy Garon (B-527). This was initially kept in the 1935 pier head boathouse, but in 1986 the coaster Kings Abbey sliced through the pier and lifeboat slipway, badly damaging the lifeboat house. A temporary station was quickly re-established at the pierhead, and officially opened by HRH Princess Anne in 1991. This temporary station was used until 2002, when today's modern boathouse was opened.

A new 'Dry End' shore boathouse was completed on 16 July 2013, to accommodate the hovercraft, Vera Ravine (H-004), and second Inshore lifeboat.

Percy Garon MC GM Two Southend lifeboats have been named in recognition of Percy Garon (1890-1987). Garon was awarded a Military Cross for his work on the Matandu River during World War One. Invalided out of the military with cerebral malaria, he recovered to join Southend Fire Brigade, becoming Chief Officer in 1934. During World War II, he became Essex Fire Brigade Force Commander, and was awarded the George Medal for pioneering work dealing with oil fires. Percy Garon was Honorary Secretary of Southend-On-Sea Lifeboat Station from 1952-1975.

Station honours The following are awards made at Southend-on-Sea:

RNIPLS Silver Medal George Culmer, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Shoeburyness – 1826

Lt. Sidney King, RN, H.M. Coastguard, Shoeburyness – 1838

RNLI Silver Medal William Bradley, Light Keeper at Southend Pierhead – 1887

Sidney Harry Bartlett Page, Coxswain – 1941

RNLI Bronze Medal Sidney Harry Bartlett Page, Coxswain – 1938

Sidney Harry Bartlett Page, Coxswain – 1938 (Second Service clasp)

Frank Arthur Jurgenson, Mechanic – 1941 William Arthur Deer, Second Coxswain – 1941 Herbert George Myall, Bowman – 1941 Samuel Horace Gilson Thomas, Signalman – 1941 Reginald Herbert Sanders, Assistant Mechanic – 1941

Robert Terence Fossett, Helm – 1982

John Foster, Helm – 2000

The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 1999 John Foster, Helm – 2000 Michael Whistler, crew member – 2000 Ian Rees, crew member – 2000

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Sidney Page, Coxswain – 1947 Joseph Polkinghorn, Second Coxswain – 1947 Lionel Neville, Reserve Mechanic – 1947 Reginald Sanders, Assistant Mechanic – 1947 Samuel Thomas, Signalman – 1947 Edward Polkinghorn, crew member – 1947 Oliver Cotgrove, crew member – 1947 Thomas Thornton, crew member – 1947 Stanley Scrase, crew member – 1947 Cyril Day, crew member – 1947 Walter Wynn, crew member – 1947

Sidney Page, Coxswain – 1955

Coxswain P. Gilson and his Crew – 1962

Robert Chalk – 1968 Gordon Easton – 1968 D. Morgan – 1968

Robert T. Fossett, Helm – 1977

Carl Palmby – 1981

Paul Gilson, Helm – 1990

Paul Gilson, Helm – 1992

Michael Whistler, crew member – 2000 Ian Rees, crew member – 2000

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Duncan Clark, Helm – 1971 Clifton Warry, crew member – 1971 Harry Pavitt, crew member – 1971 Dennis Webb, Helm – 1971 Stephen Cox, crew member – 1971

Robert Chalk, Motor Mechanic – 1974

Paul Gilson, Helm – 1981 Glyn Gilson, crew member – 1981 Paul Manners, crew member – 1981

Simon Spratt, crew member – 1982 Mark Fossett, crew member – 1982

Robert Fossett, Helm – 1990 Mark Fossett, crew member – 1990 Roy Kidwell, crew member – 1990

John Foster, crew member – 1990 Clifton Warry, crew member – 1990

Clifton Warry, crew member – 1992 Duncan Clark, crew member – 1992

Southend Lifeboat Station – 1999

John Foster, Helm – 2001

Stewart Olley, Helm (B776) – 2002 Michael Whistler, Helm (D527) – 2002

Testimonial on Vellum, awarded by the Royal Humane Society Robert Chalk, Motor Mechanic – 1974

Certificate of Commendation, awarded by the Royal Humane Society Paul Gilson, Helm – 1984 Michael Whistler, crew member – 1984

Southend Borough Council Mitchell Cup John Foster, Helm – 2000 Michael Whistler, crew member – 2000 Ian Rees, crew member – 2000

Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Colin Adrian Reginald Sedgwick, Lifeboat Operations Manager – 2013NYH

Michael James Whistler – 2021NYH

James Mackie, J.P., Chair, Lifeboat Management Group – 2022NYH

Southend-on-Sea lifeboats Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments Boys of England and Edwin J. Brett 1879 1879–1889 25-foot x 7-foot 3in (8-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of the 'Boys of England' magazine LB fund, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £363. 33 Theodore & Herbert(Southend No.2) 1885 1885–1899 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mrs F. S. Smith of Lisheen, County Cork, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £300. 259 Boys of England and Edwin J. Brett 1882 1889–1891 25-foot Self-righting (P&S) 25-foot x 7-foot 3in (8/10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of the 'Boys of England' magazine LB fund, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £266 when new.Previously William James Holt at . 430 James Stevens No.9 1899 1899–1923 38-foot Norfolk and Suffolk (P&S) 38-foot x 12-foot (12-oared) Norfolk and Suffolk-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr J. Stevens of Birmingham, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £865. 505 Reserve No.7C 1903 1923−1924 40-foot Watson (P&S) 40-foot x 11-foot (12-oared) Watson-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr W. Roberts of Manchester, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1,606.Previously William Roberts at Little Haven. 535 Charlie Medland 1904 1924−1928 43-foot Watson (P&S) 43-foot x 12-foot 6in (10-oared) Watson-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr C. Medland of Clapham, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1,694.Previously at

All-weather lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments 704 Greater London(Civil Service No.3) 1928– 1928−1941 694 J. B. Proudfoot 1924 1941−1945 45-foot Watson Reserve lifeboat. Previously H.F. Bailey at 704 Greater London(Civil Service No.3) 1928 1945−1955 921 Greater London II 1955 1955−1976 46-foot 9in Watson All-weather lifeboat withdrawn, 1976

Hovercraft Op. No. Name Class Comments 2004− Hovercraft

Inshore lifeboats D-class lifeboats Op. No. Name Class Comments D-21 1965 D-60 1965−1966 D-61 1966 D-35 1966 D-7 1967 D-63 1967 D-62 1967−1969 D-128 1967−1970 D-158 1969−1975 D-28 1970 D-91 1970–1971 D-146 1970−1975 D-28 1972 D-150 1975−1976 D-236 1975−1987 D-225 1986–1987 D-349 1987−1995 D-341 1988 D-368 Douglas Cameron 1988−1997 D-341 1989 D-487 Foresters London Pride 1995−2005 D-527 Ethel Royal 1997−2007 2005−2014 D-682 The Essex Freemason 2007−2017 D-771 William Henderson 2014−2025 D-818 Len Thorne 2018− D-904 Sue Sorotos 2025−

B-Class lifeboats Op. No. Name Class Comments B-527 Percy Garon(Civil Service) 1976−1986 B-567 Percy Garon II 1986−2001 In service as 'R-9' with Bote Salvavidas de Iquique, Chile, January 2026 B-776 Vic and Billie Whiffen 2001−2015 2015−2016 B-885 Julia & Angus Wright 2016−

See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

References

External links Southend-on-sea RNLI Lifeboat Station Web site of the Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station