Flamborough Lifeboat Station can be found at South Landing on South Sea Road at Flamborough, a village approximately to the east of York, on the promentory of Flamborough Head in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Two lifeboat stations were established at Flamborough, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1871, at both the North Landing, and the South Landing.

The South Landing station closed in 1938. In 1993, the remaining All-weather lifeboat was withdrawn from North Landing, and the station closed, but an Inshore lifeboat was provided in the same year, operated from the South Landing station.

The station currently operates a Inshore Lifeboat Forever Yibba (B-820), on station since 2026.

History A north station at Flamborough was built in 1871 as No. 1 station, Flamborough. No. 2 site was built in the same year, but closed in 1938. Both sites were opened after the Great Gale of 1871 when many ships were wrecked along the east coast of England. As the coastline at Flamborough Head juts out for into the North Sea, having two sites on either side of the Head would mean that from wherever the wind was blowing in bad weather, at least one of the lifeboats could be launched. A slipway was added to the No. 1 site in 1890, but ultimately, the two Flamborough sites were amalgamated into one on the northern site in the 1930s. Both sites used skids and poles to aid the launching of the lifeboats into the water, and in 1934, when the No. 1 lifeboathouse was enlarged for the Elizabeth and Albina Whitley (ON 772), a turntable was also added at the top to aid recovery of the vessel.

In 1992, the south site was demolished and rebuilt to accommodate lifeboats in one location. A rebuild was also necessary as the old No. 2 site was not big enough to accommodate the newer lifeboats and had been in use as a fishing store. The move to the old No. 2 site involved a withdrawal of the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and an inshore lifeboat (ILB) being installed in its place. The crew at Flamborough were reluctant to take on an ILB instead of an ALB, which they put down to the tides and waters around Flamborough being particularly tricky. The new site was opened in 1993.

In 2018, the Flamborough lifeboat Elizabeth Jane Palmer featured in an episode of the BBC2 documentary Saving Lives at Sea.

On 30 June 2026, Flamborough welcomed the arrival of a new Inshore lifeboat Forever Yibba (B-959), replacing Elizabeth Jane Palmer.

Notable incidents Carol Sandra and North Wind (1984)

On the morning of 7 May 1984, the fishing coble, Carol Sandra left port at Bridlington to take her lobster and crab pots further out to sea. A storm was coming in and when she left harbour, the weather was deteriorating, so by the time she was out of the harbour, the waves were rolling at a height of . At some point in the morning, the Carol Sandra sank without any signs, warnings, mayday calls or distress signals sent out. Just before noon, someone noticed the bow of a ship sticking up vertically out of the water and called the coastguard. A search was conducted by an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter, as well as the Flamborough Lifeboat and staff from the coastguard searching from the clifftops. A pleasure boat on a fishing trip, the North Wind III also helped with the search. As the North Wind III approached something that her crew had seen in the water, she was capsized by the rough sea, which catapulted all seven aboard into the water.

En route to the search area, the Flamborough Lifeboat's engine developed problems, so the Lifeboat was launched so that the Flamborough Lifeboat could return for repairs. Unfortunately the Bridlington Lifeboat struck one of the pieces of wreckage from the Carol Sandra which jammed between her propeller and her hull. This meant deploying the Lifeboat to the scene whilst the others went back to port. The RAF winchman in the helicopter was transferring one casualty from the water into the lifeboat when he bumped awkwardly into the wheelhouse and broke his pelvis. The casualty went into the water on one side of the boat, and then popped up on the other side where a lifeboatman rescued him. The winchman was taken to hospital, whilst another man managed to be rescued from the water on the winch without the winchman being present. The captain of the North Wind III and one other crew member (his son) found an air pocket underneath the upturned boat and were dragged ashore. Three of the fishermen drowned.

In all seven men drowned with only three of the bodies being found. The ashes of those who died were scattered in the North Sea. There is a memorial to the seven men lost in the village and another in the churchyard of St Oswald's in Flamborough.

Station honours The following are awards made at Flamborough:

RNIPLS Silver Medal Capt. William Dunn, Master of the Providence – 1839 William Parker, Capt. of the Pearl – 1853 John Parker, Mate of the Pearl – 1853

RNLI Silver Medal Robert Pockley, Coxswain – 1895 George Leng, Coxswain – 1937

RNLI Bronze Medal Edward A. Slaughter, Motor Mechanic – 1937 George Pockley, Coxswain – 1971

Mrs Porter’s gift 1937, Edward A. Slaughter, Motor Mechanic – 1937

Mrs Porter’s gift 1952,} Robert Leng, Assistant Mechanic – 1952

The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2007 Darren Pollard, Helm – 2008

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Richard Chadwick, Coxswain – 1930 Robert Leng, Assistant Motor Mechanic – 1952 Alwyn Emmerson, crew member – 1971 Alwyn Emmerson, crew member – 1975 Darren Pollard, Helm – 2008

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution George Pockley, Coxswain – 1975 L. Robson, Second Coxswain/Mechanic – 1987 R. Sunley, Assistant Mechanic – 1987 B. James, boat owner – 1987

A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Simon Robson, Helm – 1998 Nigel Atkinson, crew member – 1998 James Cross, crew member – 1998

Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving Flamborough:

Drowned when their coble Two Brothers capsized, trying to effect the rescue of three men in the coble Gleaner, who also drowned. 55 February 1909 Melchoir Chadwick (37) George Gibbon (34) Thomas Leng Major (18)

Flamborough lifeboats No. 1 Station (North Landing) 1871-1993 Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments Gertrude 1871 1871–1887 33-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr J. S. Beckett of Tormoham, Devon, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £293. 151 1887 1887–1904 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mrs M. A. Preston of Lytham St Annes, built by Watkins of Blackwall, London, costing £400. 370 Lily Bird 1894 1904–1905 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr S. Bird of East Cowes, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £370.Reserve lifeboat No.5, previously at 549 Forester 1905 1905–1934 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of the Ancient Order of Foresters, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £938.

Motor lifeboats ON Op. No. Name Built Class Comments 772 – 1934 1934–1948 797 – Howard D 1937 1948–1953 Previously at , and operated under German command during the Second World War. 915 – Friendly Forester 1953 1953–1983 Sold in 1984, but has since returned to Flamborough and is on display at Haven Holidays Thornwick Bay Holiday Village, close to its old base at North Landing Station. 972 1963 1983–1993 Previously at No.1 Station (North Landing) closed 1993.

No. 2 Station (South Landing) 1871–1938 Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments 235 St Michael's, Paddington 1871 1871–1879 33-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of St. Michaels LB fund, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £278.Renamed in 1879 235 Grace and Sally of Broadoak 1871 1879–1880 33-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) Gift of Mr J. Hargreaves of Broadoak.Renamed in 1880 235 Thomas and Isabella Firbank of Kingston-upon-Hull 1871 1880–1882 33-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) Legacy of Mr T. and Mrs I. Firbank of Kingston upon Hull.Renamed in 1882 235 Matthew Middlewood 1871 1882–1901 33-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) Gift of Mr G. and Miss Middlewood of York. 474 Matthew Middlewood 1901 1901–1933 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr G. Middlewood of Rufforth Hall, York, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £850. 611 1910 1933–1938 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs MacDonald of Brighton, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £931.Previously at and . No.2 Station (South Landing) closed 1938.

Flamborough Lifeboat Station (South Landing) 1993– Op. No. Name Class Comments Vee Webber 1993–1994 B-703 Jason Logg 1994–2007 B-820 Elizabeth Jane Palmer 2007–2026 B-815 2016–2017 Relief boat on station October 2016–January 2017 whilst Elizabeth Jane Palmer was under repair. B-883 Roy Snewin 2018 Relief boat on station April 2018–August 2018 whilst Elizabeth Jane Palmer was under repair. B-959 Forever Yibba 2026–

Launch and recovery tractors Op. No. Reg. No. Type Comments TW23Hc K805 CUX Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 1993–2003 TW18Hb H710 RUX Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) 2003–2012 TW52Hc Y506 JNT Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2012–2022 TW46Hb 2022–2023 TW52Hc Y506 JNT Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2023–

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

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References

Sources

External links Flamborough RNLI Lifeboat Station Footage from the last Flamborough Lifeboat Day in 1991