Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station

The Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.

Because of the large tidal range and extensive drying foreshore at Southend, the lifeboat station uses two boathouses.

The first of these is situated at the head (outer end) of the 1.34 mi long Southend Pier, and houses a B-class lifeboat and a smaller D-class lifeboat, both of which are launched by davit into the deep water adjoining the pier.

The second boathouse is situated adjacent to the inshore end of the pier, and houses a second D-class IB1 lifeboat together with a H class hovercraft, both of which are launched down an adjacent slipway.

The pier head lifeboat station from the sea (the lifeboats are stored behind the red doors, and are launched by the davits)

The pier-head lifeboat house is a modern structure, which incorporates crew accommodation and offices, an RNLI shop, and a viewing gallery from which visitors can view the lifeboats. It is topped by a sun deck to which the public have access. Lifeboat crews use an electric buggy, complete with sirens and blue flashing lights, to access this boathouse along the pier from the shore.

History
The lifeboat station was first established in 1879, and was launched from davits on the pier in a similar manner to today. Between 1885 and 1891 there was a second station on the mainland, with the boat launched by horse-drawn carriage. The first motor lifeboat arrived in 1928. In 1935, a new lifeboat house and slipway was erected at the pier head. In 1940, the lifeboat Greater London (Civil Service No.3) (ON 704) was one of the 19 lifeboats which assisted in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

In 1955 what would prove to be Southend's final All-weather lifeboat went on station. The newly built Greater London II (Civil Service No.30), a 46ft 9in Watson-class, entered service on 3 April. From then until 1968, the Thames Estuary was covered by three similar slipway launched 46ft 9in Watsons stationed on seaside piers at Clacton-on-Sea, Margate and Southend-on-Sea. Clacton's Watson was replaced by a 37ft Oakley-class lifeboat in 1968.

In 1969, the RNLI placed two extra lifeboats on the Thames Estuary, following a decision by the RAF to withdraw the rescue helicopters from RAF Manston. An extra D-class lifeboat went to Southend-on-Sea, and it was decided to place an All-weather lifeboat at Sheerness on evaluation.

By the early 1970s, two inflatable inshore lifeboats were in use at Southend to provide assistance to the increasing number of pleasure craft. In 1974, Sheerness was allocated a fast Waveney-class boat and two years later Southend's All-weather Watson-class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by the inshore Atlantic 21 class Percy Garon (B-527). This was initially kept in the 1935 pier head boathouse, but in 1986 the coaster Kings Abbey sliced through the pier and lifeboat slipway, badly damaging the lifeboat house. A temporary station was quickly re-established at the pierhead, and officially opened in 1991. This temporary station was used until 2002, when today's modern boathouse was opened.



In 2014, a new shore boathouse was completed to accommodate the new hovercraft, Vera Ravine (H-004), that was placed in service.

Two Southend lifeboats have been named in recognition of Percy Garon MC GM (1890-1987), who was Honorary Secretary of Southend-On-Sea Lifeboat Station from 1952-1975.

Station honours
The following are awards made at Southend-on-Sea


 * RNLI Silver Medal
 * Mr George Culmer, Chief Officer of Coastguard - 1826


 * Lieut Sidney King, RN - 1838


 * William Bradley, Light Keeper at Southend Pierhead - 1887


 * Sidney Page, Coxswain - 1941


 * RNLI Bronze Medal
 * Sidney Page, Coxswain - 1938


 * Sidney Page, Coxswain - 1938 (Second Service Award)


 * Frank Jurgenson, crew member - 1941
 * William Deer, crew member - 1941
 * Herbert Myall, crew member - 1941
 * Samuel Thomas, crew member - 1941
 * Reginald Sanders, crew member - 1941


 * Robert T Fossett, Helmsman - 1982


 * John Foster, Helmsman - 2000


 * The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 1999 (for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year)
 * John Foster, Helmsman - 2000
 * Michael Whistler, crew member - 2000
 * Ian Rees, crew member - 2000


 * The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
 * Sidney Page, Coxswain - 1947
 * Joseph Polkinghorn, Second Coxswain - 1947
 * Lionel Neville, Reserve Mechanic - 1947
 * Reginald Sanders, Assistant Mechanic - 1947
 * Samuel Thomas, Signalman - 1947
 * Edward Polkinghorn, crew member - 1947
 * Oliver Cotgrove, crew member - 1947
 * Thomas Thornton, crew member - 1947
 * Stanley Scrase, crew member - 1947
 * Cyril Day, crew member - 1947
 * Walter Wynn, crew member - 1947


 * Sidney Page, Coxswain - 1955


 * Coxswain P Gilson and his Crew - 1962


 * Robert Chalk - 1968
 * Gordon Easton - 1968
 * D Morgan - 1968


 * Robert T Fossett, Helmsman - 1977


 * Carl Palmby - 1981


 * Paul Gilson, Helmsman - 1990


 * Paul Gilson, Helmsman - 1992


 * Michael Whistler, crew member - 2000
 * Ian Rees, crew member - 2000


 * A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
 * Duncan Clark, Helmsman - 1971
 * Clifton Warry, crew member - 1971
 * Harry Pavitt, crew member - 1971
 * Dennis Webb, Helmsman - 1971
 * Stephen Cox, crew member - 1971


 * Robert Chalk, Motor Mechanic - 1974


 * Paul Gilson, Helmsman - 1981
 * Glyn Gilson, crew member - 1981
 * Paul Manners, crew member - 1981


 * Simon Spratt, crew member - 1982
 * Mark Fossett, crew member - 1982


 * Robert Fossett, Helmsman - 1990
 * Mark Fossett, crew member - 1990
 * Roy Kidwell, crew member - 1990


 * John Foster, crew member - 1990
 * Clifton Warry, crew member - 1990


 * Clifton Warry, crew member - 1992
 * Duncan Clark, crew member - 1992


 * Southend Lifeboat Station - 1999


 * John Foster, Helmsman - 2001


 * Stewart Olley, Helmsman (B776) - 2002
 * Michael Whistler, Helmsman (D527) - 2002


 * Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Vellum
 * Robert Chalk, Motor Mechanic - 1974


 *  Royal Humane Society Certificate of Commendation
 * Paul Gilson, Helmsman - 1984
 * Michael Whistler, crew member -1984


 * Southend Borough Council Mitchell Cup awarded annually for an outstanding act of personal courage within the county borough of Southend-on-Sea
 * John Foster, Helmsman - 2000
 * Michael Whistler, crew member - 2000
 * Ian Rees, crew member - 2000


 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
 * Colin Adrian Reginald Sedgwick, Lifeboat Operations Manager - 2013


 * Michael James Whistler - 2021


 * James Mackie, J.P., Chair, Lifeboat Management Group - 2022