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RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495)

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RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495) was the sixth lifeboat to be stationed at Cromer[1] on the coast of the English county of Norfolk[2] She was launched from the beach station and was on station from 1902 to 1932.[1] During her period on station at Cromer the Louisa Heartwell had only two coxswains during her 29-year career. They were Matthew James Buttons Harrison until his retirement in 1909, and then Henry George Blogg.[3][4]

RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495)
History
British RNLI Flag
NameLouisa Heartwell
OwnerRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
BuilderThames Iron Works, Leamouth, London
Official NumberON 495
DonorLegacy of £700 bequeathed to the RNLI by Miss Emily Heartwell[1] of Upper Holloway, London
StationCromer
Cost£981 12s 0d
Laid down1901
Christened9 September 1902, by Lady Suffield
Completed1902
FateSold out of service 20 May 1931, converted to a motor cruiser and renamed Waiora, Became a Houseboat in the 1990s on the Chichester canal. Now displayed the Historic Lifeboat Collection, Chatham Dockyard, Kent.
General characteristics
TypeLiverpool boat Pulling and Sailing (non self-righting)
Length38 ft 0 in (11.58 m) overall
Beam10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
PropulsionSail and rowed by 14 oars
Waiora, 1978, Barry Dock

Louisa Heartwell 'Retires' to The Historic Lifeboat Collection

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In 1996, Louisa Heartwell arrived in Chichester by road and was used as a houseboat, until she was acquired in 2019 by Premier Marinas, who in April 2020 donated her to the RNLI for restoration and display.[5] As of 25 March 2021, she is now on display at the Historic Lifeboat Collection in Chatham, Kent.[6]

New lifeboat house

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With the arrival of the new Liverpool-class Pulling and Sailing lifeboat Louisa Heartwell, Cromer also got a new lifeboat house.[1] This was needed as the new lifeboat and her carriage were much larger than the previous lifeboat Benjamin Bond Cabbell (ON 12).[1] The new lifeboat house was opened in 1902 and remained in use until the 1960s, when it then became the lifeboat museum.[1] With the advent of the new Henry Blogg Museum, this building is once again a lifeboat house, and is used by Cromer's inshore lifeboat

Notable rescues

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Steamship Fernebo

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The Swedish cargo steamer was laden with timber when on 9 January 1917 an explosion in the ship's boiler broke the Fernebo in two.[1] The Cromer Lifeboat Louise Heartwell with coxswain Henry Blogg at the helm had been at sea for several hours in difficult conditions attending the Greek steamer Pyrin.[1] Blogg and his exhausted crew were now asked to attend the Fernebo. The sea conditions were so bad that the lifeboat was unable to clear the beach. Meanwhile, the crew of the Fernebo had managed to launch a small boat from the stricken vessel. Aboard were six crew members but the little boat was capsized in the surf. All six of the little boat's occupants were rescued from the waves through efforts of rescuers on the beach. In the late afternoon the Fernebo's two halves had grounded. One half was alongside a wooden groyne with the other, half a mile to the east. After failed attempts to make a further rescue with rocket apparatus, the Louise Heartwell launched again at 9:30 pm. During this attempt the lifeboat lost three oars and five of her oars were smashed. Not to be beaten, once more with spare oars and after some rest, Blogg and his crew launched to the Fernebo. This time the lifeboat managed to get alongside the wreck long enough to rescue the eleven remaining crewmen.[1] The lifeboat returned to the shore at 1:00 am to a cheering crowd who had stayed to watch the rescue from the beach. Henry Blogg and his crew had been at sea for fourteen hours.[1] For this action Henry Blogg received an RNLI Gold Medal. Acting second Coxswain William Davies was awarded the Silver Medal and twelve of the crew were awarded the Bronze Medal, the first time the RNLI Bronze Medal had been awarded.[1] Part of the wreck of the Fernebo remains and can sometimes be seen on Cromer beach at low tide opposite the Doctor's Steps.

Service and rescues

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Date Casualty Lives saved
1903
28–31 December Steamship Enriquetta of Grangemouth, stood by.
1904
8–10 October Steamship Rosalind of Newcastle, stood by & assisted to save vessel. 17
8 December Five fishing boats of Cromer, Stood by.
1906
1 February Steamship Newburn of Newcastle, stood by.
17–18 September Schooner Zuma of Wisbech, assisted to save vessel. 9
1907
11 February Steamship Atbara of London, Saved. 12
14 December Barge Britisher of London, stood by and gave help.
1908
1 March Barque Lodore of Liverpool, stood by and gave help.
24 October Lugger John Robert of Great Yarmouth, gave help.
1909
23 November Barque Alf of Larvik, saved. 2
21 December Barquentine Albatross of Lowestoft, saved. 8
1910
15 February Barge Resurga of London, gave help.
20 April Steamship Haakon of Arendal, stood by.
17 December Schooner Desdemona of Thurso, assisted to save vessel. 5
1911
4-6 December Ship Walkure of Hamburg, gave help.
1912
29 August Trawler Saint Antoine Dde Padoue of Nieuport, Landed 21 from Haisborough light-vessel.
27 November Hoveller James and Ellen of Great Yarmouth, stood by while beaching.
1913
27 February Ketch Industry of Hull, assisted to save vessel.
6 May Fishing boats Katie, Harriet and John & Mary of Sea Palling, saved boats. 9
1915
8–9 January Steamship New Oporto of West Hartlepool, saved. 7
18–20 January Ketch Thomas Stratton of Maldon, assisted to save ketch. 4
27–29 March Steamship Ida of Haugesund, assisted to save vessel.
27 May Steamship BodilL of Esbjerg, Saved. 14
17–19 September Steamship Mimona of Fredrikstad, assisted to save vessel.
1916
14 January Steamship Havfru of Christiania (Oslo), Saved. 1
16–17 March Steamship Ladt Londonderry of Sunderland, assisted to save vessel.
28 March Schooner Ann of Goole, saved 5
30 August Steamship Mitcham of London, saved. 22
21 December Fishing lugger Chieftain of Cromer, saved. 3
1917
9 January Steamship Pyrin of Piraeus, saved. 16
9–10 January Steamship Fernebo of Gothenburg, saved. 11
27 November Steamship Kronprinsessan Victoire of Haugesund, saved. 6
21 December Motor fishing boat Admiral Jellicoe of Great Yarmouth, stood by.
26 December Steamship Pollcrea of London, gave help.
1918
25–26 February Motor barge Innisberg of Glasgow, assisted to save barge. 5
30 September - 1 October Steamship Inna of Sunderland, assisted to save vessel. 1
1919
17–19 November HM Hired steam trawler General Botha of Aberdeen, assisted to save vessel.
30 November Steamship Refrigerant of Lorient (es War Coppice of London), rendered assistance.
1920
24 June Motor schooner Danefolk of Copenhagen, assisted to save vessel. 23
20–21 August Steamship Bavaria of Cologne, rendered assistance.
Motor launch Dot, saved launch. 2
Steamship Inverawe of Leith, stood by and assisted to save vessel.
1923
14 January Steam trawler Lord Cecil of Grimsby, assisted to save vessel.
21 April Steamship Nystrand of Skien, stood by.
Total 182

Notes and references

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cromer Lifeboat, A Pictorial History, by Nicholas Leach & Paul Russell, Pub; Landmark Collector's Library, ISBN 978-1-84306-363-6
  2. ^ OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East. ISBN 978-0-319-23815-8.
  3. ^ Henry Blogg, the Greatest of the Lifeboatmen, Jolly, C., Pub: Poppyland Publishing, new edition 2002, ISBN 0-946148-59-7
  4. ^ pdf of Henry Blogg, the Greatest of the Lifeboatmen
  5. ^ "Chichester Marina teams up with the RNLI to restore a national asset | Premier Marinas". www.premiermarinas.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. ^ RNLI, Cromer (25 January 2021). "RNLB Louisa Heartwell returns to RNLI". cromerrnli. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
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