Seahouses Lifeboat Station is located in Seahouses, a harbour village approximately south-east of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the county of Northumberland.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Crewe Trustees in 1832. The station was taken over by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1859. Originally known as North Sunderland Lifeboat Station, the name was formally changed to Seahouses Lifeboat Station in 1999.

The station currently operates a All-weather lifeboat 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan (ON 1343), and a Inshore lifeboat Grace Darling (D-828).

History When a harbour was created near the village of North Sunderland in Northumberland, it gradually developed to become the separate village of Seahouses. Over the years, the two villages grew in size, and have now effectively merged.

In 1832, three lifeboats were placed on public display at Newcastle Quay. The first was a new lifeboat for a new station at , established by the Crewe Trustees, a charitable organisation founded by Nathaniel Crewe, Bishop of Durham in 1704, and part of the Newcastle and District Shipwreck Association (NSA) since 1824. A stone-built boathouse was constructed, and the lifeboat was supplied by Mr E. Robson of South Shields

There are no specific records of any service by this lifeboat. In 1838, the lifeboat was transferred to , with North Sunderland receiving with the 27-foot lifeboat, designed by Capt. John Foulerton, RN, built by Shore, and previously stationed on Holy Island.

On 7 September 1838, the paddle steamer Forfarshire ran aground on the Farne Island Rocks and broke in two. Much is available to read of the subsequent heroism of Grace Darling and her father William Darling. The North Sunderland lifeboat did not launch to the wreck, the coxswain instead opting for a small coble that he believed more suited to effect a rescue around the rocks. One of the seven crew was William Darling, brother of Grace. They battled to arrive at the wreck, only to find the rescue had been completed, but unable to return home due to the weather, they then spent 2 days seeking shelter in a disused building, all other 'accommodation' at the Farne Island Lighthouse being full.

When the 1838 lifeboat was deemed unfit for service in 1851, an order was placed with Forrestt of Limehouse, London for a 30-foot 'Self-righting', similar in design to the James Beeching lifeboat, which had won the prize awarded by the president of the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland.

In 1859, the secretary of the Crewe Trustees requested that the RNLI take over the management of the North Sunderland Lifeboat Station, for which the trustees would give a grant of £30 per annum to the RNLI. The existing 30-foot lifeboat was never launched on service for the RNLI, who in 1865 decided to replace it. A 33-foot 10-oared self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, (one using oars and sail), was built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £274-19s-3d, and a new launch carriage cost a further £102-11s-0d. The lifeboat and carriage were transported to North Sunderland free of charge by the Great Northern and North Eastern railway companies. At a ceremony on 12 June, the boat was named Joseph Anstice by the donor, Mrs Anstice of Tynemouth.

Thomas Pringle retired in May 1886 after serving as Coxswain for 21 years. As was common practice, he was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal in recognition of his many service calls. Only 17 months later, he would drown in a boating accident on 6 October 1887.

North Sunderland would receive their first motor-powered lifeboat in 1936, the non-self-righting lifeboat, with a 35 hp petrol engine, delivering a speed of 7.47 knots. A new boathouse nearer the harbour was constructed. Previously, P&S lifeboats had cost a few hundred pounds. Costing £3,447, the cost was met from the combined funds of three legacies, and the boat was in effect given three names, The William and James, the Ridge Matthews, and the Abigail Gardiner, each chosen by the donor. At a ceremony on 5 September 1936, the boat was formally named W.R.A. (ON 781) by Helen Percy, Duchess of Northumberland. Each name was inscribed on a plaque inside the boat.

A Inshore lifeboat would be stationed at North Sunderland in 1964. The rise in leisure activity at the coast demanded a quick response vessel, and these boats would quickly show their value. In the first 35 years on station to 1999, the inshore boats would launch just over 300 times, saving 85 lives.

In 1991, a new boathouse was constructed to house the lifeboat 12-16 Grace Darling (ON 1173) and Talus launch tractor, with improved crew facilities, and storage for the .

On 9 April 1999, on the request of station personnel, the RNLI agreed that North Sunderland station be formally renamed Seahouses Lifeboat Station with immediate effect.

For two years, the station had the unusual occurrence of having two lifeboats with the same name, the new also being named Grace Darling (D-828) in 2018.

After 29 years on station, lifeboat 12-16 Grace Darling (ON 1173) was retired in 2020, and sold to the ADES Uruguay lifeboat service. She was renamed ADES 28 Grace Darling, based in Colonia del Sacramento. She would be replaced by 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan (ON 1343), a 25 knot Water-jet powered lifeboat, costing over £2 million. The boat was funded by the late professor James Allan, and named after his parents.

Station honours The following are awards made at North Sunderland / Seahouses.

RNIPLS Gold Medal Lt. John Brunton, RN., H.M. Coastguard, Newton-by-the-Sea – 1828

Gold medallion, awarded by the Royal Humane Society William Darling, Lighthouse Keeper – 1838 Grace Horsley Darling – 1838

Silver Medal, awarded by the Glasgow Humane Society Grace Horsley Darling – 1838

Silver Medal, awarded by the Edinburgh and Leith Humane Society Grace Horsley Darling – 1838

RNIPLS Silver Medal William Darling, Lighthouse Keeper – 1838 Grace Horsley Darling – 1838

John T. Knight, Boatman, H.M. Coastguard, North Sunderland – 1853

RNLI Silver Medal Thomas Pringle, Coxswain – 1886

James Robson, Coxswain – 1908

Silver Medal, awarded by The King of Norway James Robson, Coxswain – 1909

RNLI Bronze Medal Thomas Dawson, Coxswain – 1959

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Rev. F. R. Simpson, Honorary Secretary – 1876

Thomas Hall and the crew of the Golden Horn – 1932

George Dawson, Coxswain – 1943

Stephen Priestley, Helm – 1996

Vellum Service Certificate Darren Shell – 1996

Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Thomas Douglas Dawson, Coxswain – 1971QBH

Robert Heslop Reay - Honorary Secretary – 1991

British Empire Medal Robert Charles Dawson Douglas, Coxswain – 1992

North Sunderland / Seahouses lifeboats and tractors Crewe Trustees lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments – 1832 Non-self-righting Non-self-righting lifeboat, built by E. Robson of South Shields. 1827 1838–1851 27-foot Palmer 27-foot x 6-foot (6-oared) Palmer-class non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Shore of Blackwall, London, modified to Palmer design by Harton of Limehouse, London, costing £95 when new.Previously at . Pre-255 1852 1852–1865 30-foot x 7-foot 4in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, funded by the Crewe Trustees, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £150.

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments Joseph Anstice 1865 1865–1884 33-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs Anstice of Tynemouth, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £275. 2 1884 1884–1906 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Miss I. Bewick of Gateshead, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £363. 557 Forster Fawcett 1906 1906–1925 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Miss T. C. Fawcett of Maidenhead, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £810. 597 Lizzie Porter 1909 1925–1936 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) 35-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Miss E. Porter of Halifax, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £823 when new.Previously at .Now part of the RNLI Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard.

All-weather lifeboats ON Op. No. Name Built Class Comments 781 – W. R. A. 1936 1936–1954 927 – Grace Darling 1954 1954–1967 Now part of the RNLI Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard. 991 37-20 Edward and Mary Lester 1967 1967–1989 980 37-13 1964 1989–1990 Previously at and 982 37-15 Ernest Tom Neathercoat 1965 1990–1991 Previously at 1173 12-16 Grace Darling 1991 1991–2020 Sold to ADES Uruguay, renamed ADES 28 Grace Darling 1343 John and Elizabeth Allan 2019 2020–

Inshore lifeboats Op. No. Name Class Comments D-37 1964 D-53 1965 D-6 1966 D-37 1967 D-157 1968–1980 D-271 1980–1988 D-377 1988–1997 D-529 1997–2008 D-686 Peter Downes 2008–2018 D-828 Grace Darling 2018–

Launch and recovery tractors Op. No. Reg. No. Type Comments T37 GGF 497 Case L 1954–1961 T48 KGP 853 Case LA 1961–1963 T70 12 GXD Case 1000D 1963–1972 T71 519 GYM Case 1000D 1972–1980 T74 136 HLC Case 1000D 1980–1986 T97 C282 LNT Talus MB-H Crawler T98 B688 HUJ Talus MB-H Crawler 1998–2006 T117 L784 JNT Talus MB-H Crawler 2006–2021 2020– David Cooper

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

Notes

References

External links Seahouses RNLI Lifeboat Station Maritime Coastguard Agency