Runswick RNLI Station, not to be confused with Runswick Bay Rescue Boat, was located in the village of

Runswick Bay Runswick Bay is a bay in North Yorkshire, England. It is also the name of a village located on the western edge of the bay (although the village is sometimes shortened to Runswick on UK road signs). It is north of Whitby, and close to the vil ...

, approximately north-west of

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy. From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...

, in the county of

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

, England. A lifeboat station was established here in 1866 by the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on s ...

(RNLI). In 1978, the nearby lifeboat station at

Staithes Staithes () is a village in North Yorkshire, England, situated by the border between the unitary authorities of North Yorkshire and Redcar and Cleveland. The area located on the Redcar and Cleveland side is known as Cowbar. Formerly a hub for f ...

was reopened as in Inshore lifeboat station, and renamed . The All-weather lifeboat 37-11 ''The Royal Thames'' (ON 978) was withdrawn, and Runswick Lifeboat Station closed. Following a meeting of the local population, and with the view that a rescue service was still required, the independent Runswick Bay Rescue Boat was established in 1982.

History

The first lifeboat to be stationed at Runswick was ''The Sheffield'' in 1866. She was a 32-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails. In April 1901, all the fit and able men were fishing in the bay, when a sudden storm erupted over the area. Older men from the village were drafted in to man the lifeboat, but it was pushed into sea by the women of the village. In 1910, a new station was erected on the site of the previous lifeboat house. The enlarged station was necessary to accommodate the new lifeboat ''Hester Rothschild'' (ON 612). In 1933, a new motor-powered lifeboat was received on station, and was named ''The Always Ready'' (ON 766). Soon afterwards, Coxswain of the lifeboat Robert Patton died at sea, attempting to rescue a disabled seaman. The lifeboat was renamed ''Robert Patton - The Always Ready'' in 1934. In 1978, following a coastal review by the RNLI, the lifeboat station at Staithes was re-opened as an Inshore lifeboat station. With motor-powered lifeboats at and , the Runswick station was closed. Staithes lifeboat station became .The Runswick lifeboat ''The Royal Thames'' (ON 978), was transferred to . Following the withdrawal of the Runswick lifeboat, it was still felt that with the popularity of the bay, particularly in the holiday season, some sort of rescue cover was still required. A meeting was held in 1980, and the local population at Runswick Bay set about to raise £4000 for their own rescue boat. Runswick Bay Rescue Boat (RBRB) was established at

in 1982, and this now operates in conjunction with all rescue services on the coast, coordinated by HMCG.

Coxswain Robert Patton

At 04:25 on 8 February 1934, the new Runswick lifeboat ''The Always Ready'' (ON 766) launched to the aid of the

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

''Disperser'', which had started to sink whilst under tow in gale force conditions. Seven of the eight crew were taken off by the

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

, but the eighth, with young man with a physical handicap, was still aboard. Reaching the vessel an hour after launch, the lifeboat eventually managed to get alongside. However, the man didn't jump, but lowered himself over the side, and then wouldn't let go. Coxswain Patton grabbed the man, but still he wouldn't let go. As the lifeboat was swept away, the Coxswain was left clinging to the man, and then fell into the sea. He was crushed three times as the lifeboat moved in and out to the vessel. The man was eventually dragged into the lifeboat, but the Coxswain had been badly injured, and was taken to hospital with broken ribs, a broken pelvis, fractured vertebrae, and other injuries. Visited in hospital by a representative of the Institution, he said, ''" I could not let the poor lad go, as he might have drowned"''. Patton died nine days after the event. Robert Patton, Coxswain of Runswick Lifeboat, was posthumously awarded the RNLI's highest honour, the

RNLI Gold Medal A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...

. The medal, and the vote, inscribed on vellum, and signed by H.R.H.

the Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, president of the Institution, was presented to Mrs Patton by the Prince of Wales in London on 20 April 1934. At a ceremony on 20 September 1934, the new lifeboat, ''The Always Ready'' (ON 766), which had not yet been officially named, was named ''Robert Patton–The Always Ready'' by the

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a substantive title, title customarily (but not automatically) awarded by British monarchs to their eldest daughters. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal famil ...

Station honours

The following are awards made at Runswick. *

::Robert Patton, Coxswain – 1934 (posthumous) *

RNLI Silver Medal A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...

::George Tose, Coxswain – 1893 *

RNLI Bronze Medal A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...

::Andrew Tose, Coxswain – 1924 ::Thomas Patton, Second Coxswain – 1924

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Runswick lifeboat. *On service to the

''Disperser'', 8 February 1934 :Robert Patton, Coxswain (46)

Runswick RNLI lifeboats

:RNLI Station closed in 1978. :

Launch and recovery tractors

Notes

References

Sources

* *

External links

Video of the naming and launch of the lifeboat ''Robert Patton – The Always Ready'' in 1934
{{Lifeboat stations in Yorkshire Lifeboat stations in Yorkshire Buildings and structures in North Yorkshire Hinderwell