Blackpool Lifeboat Station

Blackpool Lifeboat Station is located in-between the North and Central Piers on the promenade in the town of Blackpool in Lancashire. A lifeboat was first stationed in Blackpool by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1864.

Blackpool Lifeboat Station
Blackpool Lifeboat Station
Blackpool Lifeboat Station is located in Lancashire
Blackpool Lifeboat Station
Blackpool, Lancashire
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationCentral Promenade
AddressFY1 5JA
Town or cityBlackpool
CountryEngland
Coordinates53°48′48.3″N 3°03′22.0″W / 53.813417°N 3.056111°W / 53.813417; -3.056111
Opened1864
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Blackpool RNLI Lifeboat Station

The station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) and two smaller D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboats.[1]

History

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Rev. R. Redman wrote to the RNLI in London in January 1864, requesting a lifeboat station for Blackpool, with his request endorsed by coastguard officer Capt. L. Barstow, RN.
The Inspector of Lifeboats Capt. J. R. Ward, RN, then visited the town in February of the same year, and fully supported the request.
A location for a boathouse was found on Lytham Road, just off the promenade, and was built by Forshaw Bros. of Preston, at a cost of £193 14s 7d, offset by a donation of £100 from Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bt.[2]

The cost of the boat and carriage, £298 in total, was gifted by Miss Atherton, of Kersal Cell, Salford, and a 33 ft. x 8 ft. 10-oared pulling and sailing lifeboat was constructed by Forrestt, of Limehouse, London. The boat was transported to Blackpool free of charge by the London and North Western Railway and arrived on 12 July 1864.
All the extra kit required was provided by a gift of £250 from the widow and daughter of the late Mr. R. W. Hopkins of Preston, with the boat being named Robert William on 14 July 1864, at a ceremony attended by 20000 people. Rev. Redman was appointed Honorary Secretary, Robert Bickerstaffe (Coxswain), John Swarbrick (Second Coxswain) and Will Parr (Bowman).[3]

The promenade was widened in 1904, and the lifeboat had to be taken half a mile, pulled by hand, before reaching the only slipway. However, it was only in 1930 when a launch and recover tractor was provided to Blackpool, which was of great benefit moving the boat, and launching on soft sand and shallow water.[3]

In 1936, it was decided to send a new motor lifeboat to Blackpool. This boat required a new bigger boat-house, which was constructed alongside Blackpool Central Pier. The Liverpool-class lifeboat Sarah Ann Austin (ON 800) was delivered to the station in June 1937. She was fortunate to arrive at all, as a fire had consumed Groves and Guttridge's boat builders yard, and three other new lifeboats, only 15 hours after she was launched.[2]

Blackpool received the first of its D-class inshore lifeboats in May 1965, with the first services in June of the same year soon proving it to be a valuable new asset.

In 1975, it was decided to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat from Blackpool. A B-class (Atlantic 21) was placed on trial between 1975 and 1979, but at the time, it was felt that the Atlantic 21 didn't fit the requirements at Blackpool, and so instead, a second D-class was placed on service at Blackpool in 1979. However, in 1992, a B-class (Atlantic 75) (B-700) was trialed for 2 weeks and felt to be much better suited to the station. Rotaract 1 (B-718) was placed on station in 1996, with the two D-class boats being retained.[2]

With the need for a larger boathouse, and concrete degradation being found in the 1930s boathouse, a new building was commissioned in 1996, located along the promenade, to house all three boats and launch tractors, with a visitor centre and souvenir shop. It was constructed by F. Parkinson Ltd, and formally handed over to the RNLI in September 1998.[2]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Blackpool[3][4]

Robert Bickerstaffe, Coxswain – 1880
Robert Bickerstaffe, Coxswain – 1887 (Second-Service Clasp)
William Reuben Parr, Coxswain – 1940
Thomas Edward Rimmer, Mechanic – 1940
Keith Horrocks, Helmsman – 1988
Philip Denham, Helmsman – 1988
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Stuart Cottam, crew member – 1988
Terence Rogers, crew member – 1988
Robert Browell, crew member – 1988
Alan Parr, crew member – 1988
  • A Letter of Thanks signed by the Director of the Institution
PC Pat Jackson – 1988
  • Scroll awarded by The Liverpool Shipwreck Association
Keith Horrocks – 1980
Peter Canham – 1980
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Keith Horrocks, Helmsman – 1981
Keith Horrocks – 1999NYH[5]
Dorothy May Charnley, Shop Manager – 2022NYH[6]

Blackpool lifeboats and tractors

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All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Name In service[7] Class Comments
Pre-416 Robert William 1864−1885 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 1]
74 Samuel Fletcher of Manchester 1885−1896 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
393 Samuel Fletcher of Manchester 1896−1930 36-foot 2in Watson (P&S) [Note 3]
542 John Rowson Lingard 1930−1937 36-foot Liverpool (P&S) [Note 4]
800 Sarah Ann Austin 1937−1961 Liverpool
916 Maria Noble 1961−1970 Liverpool
861 Edgar, George, Orlando and Eva Child 1970−1975 Liverpool
All-weather lifeboat withdrawn 1975, replaced with B-class (Atlantic 21) Inshore lifeboat.

Inshore lifeboats

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B-class

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Op. No.[b] Name In service[1] Class Comments
B-525 Unnamed 1975 Atlantic 21
B-528 Unnamed 1976−1978 Atlantic 21
B-537 Unnamed 1978−1979 Atlantic 21
B-718 Roteract 1 1996−1998 Atlantic 75
B-722 Beatrice Dorothy 1998 Atlantic 75
B-748 Bickerstaffe 1998−2013 Atlantic 75
B-867 William and Eleanor 2022− Atlantic 85 [8]

D-class (No.1)

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Op. No.[b] Name In service[1] Class Comments
D-57 Unnamed 1965 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-9 Unnamed 1965 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-57 Unnamed 1965−1970 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-156 Unnamed 1971 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-117 Unnamed 1972−1981 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-167 Unnamed 1981−1982 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-192 Unnamed 1982−1984 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-310 Unnamed 1984−1993 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-442 Edgar Law 1993−2001 D-class (EA16)
D-566 Norah Cadman 2001−2010 D-class (EA16)
D-732 Basil Eric Brooks 2010−2022 D-class (IB1)
D-864 Blackpool Endeavour 2022− D-class (IB1)

D-class (No.2)

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Op. No.[b] Name In service[1] Class Comments
D-116 Unnamed 1979−1982 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-178 Unnamed 1982−1983 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-300 Lodge of Peace No.322 1983−1992 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-429 R.J.M. 1992−2000 D-class (EA16)
D-558 William and Rose Nall 2000−2010 D-class (EA16)
D-729 Eileen Mary George 2010−2022 D-class (IB1)
D-862 Phyllis Rowan 2022− D-class (IB1)

Launch and Recovery tractors

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Op. No.[b] Reg. No. Type In service[1] Comments
T11 BT 4414 Clayton 1930–1937
T12 LLY 75 Clayton 1937–1938
T31 FGU 821 Case L 1938–1956
T30 FGO 975 Case L 1956–1964
T36 FYM 853 Case L 1964–1965
T47 KGP 2 Case LA 1965–1970
T48 KGP 853 Case LA 1970–1976
T79 DLB 481C Case 1000D 1976–1977
TW03 RLJ 367R Talus MB-764 County 1977–1979
TW17H H593 PUX Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) 1996–2001
TW16H H610 SUJ Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) 2001–2009
TW61H DX09 LRZ Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) 2009–2022
TW26H M423 OAW Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2022–
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b c d Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number carried on the hull or vehicle.
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 33-foot x 8-foot (10-Oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £198.
  2. ^ 35-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-Oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £398.
  3. ^ 36-foot 2in x 8-foot 10in (12-Oared) Watson-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £591.
  4. ^ 36-foot (12-Oared) Liverpool-class non-self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £988 when new.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  2. ^ a b c d Morris, Jeff (February 2002). Blackpool Lifeboats. LBES. pp. 1–46.
  3. ^ a b c "Blackpool's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  4. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  5. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  6. ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  7. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
  8. ^ "First RNLI inshore lifeboat with radar goes into service at Blackpool". BBC. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
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