Seahouses Lifeboat Station

Seahouses Lifeboat Station is located in the village of Seahouses, in the county of Northumberland.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Crewe Trustees in 1827. 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 Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan (ON 1343), and a D-class 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.

A new lifeboat station was established in North Sunderland in 1827 by the Crewe Trustees, a charitable organisation founded by Nathaniel Crewe, Bishop of Durham in 1704. A stone-built boathouse was constructed, and a lifeboat transferred here from Holy Island, a 31-foot 10-oared boat, built by Henry Greathead in 1802. There are no records of any service by this lifeboat, which was replaced in 1838 by a 27-foot lifeboat, designed by Capt. John Foulerton, RN, and built by Shore.

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 Liverpool-class 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 D-class 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 Mersey-class lifeboat 12-16 Grace Darling (ON 1173) and Talus launch tractor, with improved crew facilities, and storage for the D-class. 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 D-class also being named Grace Darling (D-828) in 2018.

After 29 years on station, Mersey-class 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 Shannon-class 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


 * RNLI Gold Medal
 * Lt. John Brunton, RN, H.M. Coastguard - 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


 * RNLI Silver Medal
 * William Darling, Lighthouse Keeper - 1838
 * Grace Horsley Darling - 1838


 * John T Knight, Boatman, H.M. Coastguard - 1853


 * 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, Helmsman - 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