Cromer Lifeboat Station

Cromer Lifeboat Station is located in Cromer, a seaside town located approximately north of Norwich, on the north-east coast of the English county of Norfolk.

The station comprises two station buildings. A large boathouse, completed in 1999, sits at the end of Cromer Pier, and houses the All-weather lifeboat 16-07 ''Lester'' (ON 1287), on station since 2007. A smaller boathouse, built in 1902, and located at the foot of Brunswick Terrace, is home to the Inshore lifeboat ''Mr Eric Sharpe (Civil Service No.54)'' (D-868), on station since 2022.

A lifeboat was first placed at Cromer in 1804 by a local committee, being taken over by the Norfolk Shipwreck Association (NSA) in 1823. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in December 1857.{{sfn, Leonard , Denton , 2025 , p=117{{cite journal , title=Meetings of the Committee , journal=The Lifeboat , date=1 July 1858 , volume=IV , issue=29 , pages=84–91 , url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/04/29/meetings-of-the-committee , access-date=5 April 2025

History

There has been a lifeboat service operated from Cromer for two centuries – predating the establishment of the RNLI. The volunteer crews at Cromer have gained an exemplary record of gallantry. 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 45 Bronze RNLI Medals for gallantry have been awarded at Cromer, helping make Cromer lifeboat station one of the most well known of the lifeboat stations operated by the RNLI. Some of the most notable rescues and services have been carried out by now famous coxswains, such as Henry George Blogg {{post-nominals, GM, BEM and Henry "Shrimp" Thomas Davies {{post-nominals, BEM, and their crews.{{cite book , last1=Cox , first1=Barry , title=Lifeboat Gallantry , date=1998 , publisher=Spink & Son Ltd , isbn=0907605893Cromer Lifeboat, A pictorial history, By Nicholas Leach & Paul Russell, Pub; Landmark Collector’s Library, {{ISBN, 978-1-84306-363-6

In the early days of the station, the lifeboats were kept outdoors on the east jetty. From 1804, a privately operated service was funded by subscription, which was administered by a local committee, led by Lord Suffield, the third baron of Gunton Hall. Other dignitaries on the committee included George Wyndham of Cromer Hall, Thomas Mickleburgh, a local merchant, Joseph Gurney, a Cromer draper, and grocer Benjamin Rust.

In 1823, management of the station was taken over by the Norfolk Shipwreck Association (NSA), who became responsible for lifeboat stations between {{Lbs, Hunstanton and Gt. Yarmouth. This continued until 1857, until the NSA fell into financial troubles, with the lifeboats in a declining state of repair. At a meeting of the NSA on 21 November 1857, it was decided that the whole operation of the NSA be transferred to the management of the RNLI. This was formally agreed at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 3 December 1857.

The NSA had built a lifeboat house at Cromer, which once stood some 100 yards from the high-water mark, close to where the Inshore lifeboat station now stands. The RNLI altered and renovated this station at a cost of £46-2s-7d, but by the mid-1860s, this station had outlived its usefulness and a new boathouse was planned."Cromer Lifeboats 1804-2004", Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul, Pub: Tempus Publishing, 2004, {{ISBN, 0752431978

The new site was on the east gangway, and work started on the new station in 1867. The new boathouse project also included building an extension to the sea walls, and a slipway across the top of the beach. The work cost £476-4s-0d and was carried out by a local builder by the name of E. Simmons. The cost of the station was met by Benjamin Bond Cabbell, who also provided a new lifeboat for the station, costing £306. The lifeboat, a 34-foot Self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and oars, was duly named ''Benjamin Bond Cabbell''.

A new 38-foot Liverpool-class P&S lifeboat was placed on station in 1902. The cost of the new lifeboat and equipment was defrayed from the bequest of Miss Emily Heartwell of Holloway, London. At a ceremony on 9 September 1902, the new boathouse was inaugurated, and after a short service of dedication by Rev. J. F. Sheldon, the lifeboat was named ''Louisa Heartwell'' (ON 495).{{sfn, Leonard , Denton , 2025 , pp=36–37

At least three-feet longer than any previous Cromer lifeboat, a new boathouse was required, and was constructed at the end of the esplanade, at the foot of Brunswick Terrace, at a cost of £525.{{cite web , title=Cromer's station history , url=https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/cromer-lifeboat-station/station-history-cromer , website=Cromer Lifeboat Station , publisher=RNLI , access-date=4 April 2025{{cite journal , title=Additional Stations and New Life-Boats , journal=The Lifeboat , date=1 November 1902 , volume=XVIII , issue=206 , pages=552–553 , url=https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/18/206/additional-stations-and-new-life-boats , access-date=5 April 2025

When the new 46-foot 6in motor-powered lifeboat ''H F Bailey'' (ON 670) arrived on station in 1923, the 1902 boathouse would not be large enough. Another new boathouse was again required. This time, a much larger boathouse, with a roller slipway, was constructed at the end of Cromer Pier, at a cost of £32,000. The pulling and sailing lifeboat ''Louisa Heartwell'' (ON 495) was retained as a No. 2 lifeboat.

A remarkable period of service would occur at Cromer between 1927 and 1941. No fewer than 37 RNLI Medals for gallantry were awarded, along with multiple awards from various governments and The Queen of The Netherlands.
* 21–22 November 1927, Dutch tanker ''Georgia'', 1 x Gold, 12 x Bronze
* 17 February 1931, Fishing boat ''Welcome Home'', 1 x Bronze
* 14–16 October 1932, ''Monte Nevoso'' of Genoa, 1 x Silver
* 13 December 1933, Barge ''Sepoy'', 1 x Silver
* 9–10 October 1939, S.S. ''Mount Ida'', 1 x Silver, 3 x Bronze
* 6–7 August 1941, 6 vessels in convoy, 1 x Gold, 1 x Silver, 3 x Bronze
* 26–27 October 1941, Steamship ''English Trader'', 1 x Silver, 11 x Bronze (incl 1 posthumous)

Cromer continued to operate two All-weather lifeboats until 1967, when the No. 2 boat was withdrawn. The lifeboat on station at the time, the 37-foot Oakley Mk I lifeboat 37-13 ''William Henry and Mary King'' (ON 980), was transferred first to {{Lbs, Bridlington, and later to {{Lbs, North Sunderland. The withdrawal of the second All-weather lifeboat saw the introduction of a new {{Lbc, D, RFD PB16 Inshore lifeboat (ILB), (D-101). The 1902 boathouse is still the home of the Inshore boat.{{sfn, Leonard , Denton , 2025 , pp=58–59, 87

Towards the end of the 1990s, it was decided that the pier boathouse had reached the end of its serviceable lifetime, especially in the face of the elements at the end of the pier. The boathouse was replaced between 1997 and 1999, costing approximately £3 million, funded by bequests and private donations.Cromer lifeboat history
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128214750/http://www.cromerlifeboats.org.uk/home/our-station-topmenu-113.html , date=28 January 2010 Retrieved 2 March 2010

The 1923 Cromer Pier boathouse was removed in two halves, and transported by sea, along the coast to Southwold, where it was reassembled. It is now home to the Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum, it's main exhibit being the 44-foot Norfolk and Suffolk-class (P&S) former {{Lbs, Southwold lifeboat RNLB Alfred Corry (ON 353)

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases