Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station is located on the north side of the harbour, in Staithes, a village approximately north-west of Whitby, in the county of North Yorkshire, England.

Staithes Lifeboat Station was established in 1875 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). It has been closed for two periods between 1922 and 1978, due to a decline in the fishing industry, and the availability of local crew. Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station was re-established in 1978 as an Inshore lifeboat station.

The station currently operates a Inshore lifeboat, Sheila & Dennis Tongue III (B-897), on station since 2016.

History A lifeboat was first placed at , just to the south of Staithes, in 1866. The RNLI had wished to station a lifeboat in Staithes by 1870, but had given up on the idea as there was a lack of suitable locations to site the lifeboat house.

In 1874, a wealthy donation, and a codicil in a will of a benefactor that stipulated that a lifeboat be stationed at Staithes, enabled the RNLI to press ahead with its plans. The crew used an old alum warehouse as a temporary lifeboat house, until one was built by the RNLI.

The lifeboat house was built at Staithes in 1875, and later modified in 1910. Both Staithes and lifeboat stations operated side by side, but a lack of crew, and a decline in the fishing fleet at Staithes, brought about the closure of Staithes in 1922.

The station was re-opened in 1928 after the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries installed a harbour and breakwaters. This created a resurgence in fishing from Staithes, and the RNLI once again provided a lifeboat. The resurgence was short lived however, and the station closed again in 1938.

In January 1978, the site was used as a test-bed for the new lifeboats. After an acceptance trial, it was decided to re-open the station at Staithes.

Staithes lifeboat station officially re-opened on 17 June 1978, with closing on 30 June 1978. The station, now named Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station, had been operational since April 1978, when the first new ILB had been sent for trials. The Staithes lifeboat occupied the same station that had been built in 1875; this building is now grade II listed.

The lifeboat house is on a stretch of land known as the "Cowbar" and the slipway gentle curves towards the bay allowing the lifeboat to be launched by a tractor.

The people of Runswick Bay later instituted their own Independent lifeboat, which is known as the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat (RBRB). By 1984, the RBRB was fully accredited with the coastguard and is part of the overall response to emergencies in the north east region, being seen as a complement to the RNLI services, not competing or hindering them.

The station has a yearly Lifeboat Weekend. The event sees a nightgown parade, a fireworks display and demonstrations at sea, and usually has over 2,000 people attending. The event is held across both villages of Staithes and Runswick.

Also occurring yearly is an auction held in the Cod and Lobster public house in the village, raising money for the RNLI lifeboat in the village. In 2023, the auction raised £6,050 for the Staithes and Runswick RNLI lifeboat.

Notable callouts 27 November 1888 - a great storm raged on the sea, and the Staithes lifeboat went out to aid the return of forty-five fishing cobles. The final launch to bring the last coble back to port was feared to be a disaster when the storm worsened overnight; neither ship was sighted, and also, two bodies were washed ashore. Whilst those on the coble were not saved, the crew and boat battled through the storm with significant damage to the lifeboat. The lifeboat crew were picked up by a passing steamer and dropped off at Middlesbrough. One of the lifeboat crewmen was drowned and his body was washed ashore a day later. At the inquiry it was noted that; 8 August 2018 - the crew were called out to a nine year-old child who had been trapped by a rockfall on the beach.

Station honours The following are awards made at Staithes and Runswick.

RNLI Bronze Medal Stephen Iredale, Helm – 2000

The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2000 Stephen Iredale, Helm – 2000 - Staithes

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum David Porritt, Helm – 1996

Sean Baxter, Helm – 1996

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Martin Hopkinson, crew member – 1996

A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Iain Baxter, crew member – 1996 Jason Edison, crew member – 1996 Martin Hopkinson, crew member – 1996 David Porritt, crew member – 1996 Lee Porritt, crew member – 1996 David Springett, crew member – 1996 Michael Verrill, crew member – 1996

Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) William James

James Clemence James – 1989NYH

RNLI Silver Statue James Wright – 2004

Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving the Staithes and Runswick lifeboat.

Died after being thrown on the rocks, when the lifeboat Winefride Mary Hopps (ON 107) capsized on service to a fishing coble, November 1888 John Crookes, crew member (40)

Died after saving a school boy, and attempting to save a man in the harbour, 28 August 1957. George Hanson, Head Launcher (52)

Collapsed and died of a heart attack, during launch preparations of the , to the fishing vessel Nicola Jane, 2 April 1990 John Robert Baxter, Tractor Driver (62)

Staithes and Runswick lifeboats Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats (Staithes) ON Name Built Class Comments Hannah Somerset 1874 32-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) Prowse-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mrs H. Yates of Sheffield, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £282. 107 1887 1887–1894 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr G. W. Hopps of Finchley, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £349. 369 Jonathan Stott 1894 1894–1904 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr James Stott of Rastrick, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £439. 378 Elizabeth and Blanche 1895 1904–1907 36-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr James Stott of Rastrick, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £439 when new.Reserve Lifeboat No.4, previously at 572 James Gowland 1907 1907–1922 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr J. Gowland of Harston, Cambridgeshire, built by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company of Blackwall, London, costing £995. 447 John Anthony 1900 1928–1938 34-foot Rubie Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) Dungeness-class (Rubie) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Dr J. Anthony of Edgbaston, built by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company of Blackwall, London, costing £661.Previously at . Lifeboat was withdrawn, and the station closed again in 1938

Inshore lifeboats (Staithes and Runswick) Op. No. Name Class Comments B-506 1978 ILB Station opened March 1978 B-538 Lord Brotherton 1978–1989 B-576 Ellis Sinclair 1989–2002 Pride of Leicester B-897 2016–

Launch and recovery tractors Op. No. Reg. No. Type, Comments TW05 UJT 151S Talus MB-764 County 1978–1987 TW11 B251 HUX Talus MB-764 County 1987–1992 TW09 PEL 169W Talus MB-764 County 1992–1993 TW30 L123 HUX Talus MB-764 County 1993–1998 TW11 B251 HUX Talus MB-764 County 1998–2003 TW55Hc DU52 XGA Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2003–2011 TW54Hc DU02 WEJ Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2011–2012 TW53Hb 2012–

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

Notes

References

Sources

External links Staithes Lifeboat Station on Town web site Staithes and Runswick RNLI Lifeboat Station