The History of Bridlington Lifeboat
There has been a Lifeboat at Bridlington since 1805. The first lifeboat cost £150, which was collected locally, and it was kept in a Boat-house at the corner of Chapel Street and the Promenade. The number of launches of this first lifeboat is unknown, and there is no record of lives saved. The boat served till 1824.
In 1824 the town received a new Lifeboat who's cost was defrayed from the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (R.N.L.I). This boat launched 8 times and saved 82 lives and served till 1865. In January 1865 Bridlington received the R.N.L.I Lifeboat "Robert Whitworth", and the £390 cost was raised by the Manchester R.N.L.I Branch, and Mr. Robert Whitworth. Within a year of the "Robert Whitworth" arriving in Bridlington an additional Lifeboat became operational as the crew weren't totally happy with the "Robert Whitworth". On hearing of the crew's reservation's a Hungarian nobleman Count Batthyany commissioned a local joiner David Purdon, to build a Lifeboat to the fishermen's specifications. The Lifeboat was called the "Harbinger" the Fisherman's Lifeboat. The R.N.L.I was not insensitive to the concern of the crews and a little while later in 1866 they provided a new lifeboat to replace the "Robert Whitworth" which was moved to Whitehaven and renamed "Elizabeth". The name "Robert Whitworth" was transferred to the new boat which was more acceptable to the crew.
There are no records for the first "Robert Whitworth" Lifeboat which served till 1866. The second Lifeboat named "Robert Whitworth" launched 4 times and saved 16 lives and served till 1871. There are no records for the fisherman's Lifeboat "Harbinger" which served till 1886.
Both these Lifeboats were standing by on the 10th February 1871 when Bridlington Bay was hit by the "Great Gale", a storm that caused great devastation and loss of life to shipping. Both boats launched into the fearful gale with the "Robert Whitworth" saving the crew of three wrecked vessels, a total of 16 men. The smaller fisherman's Lifeboat, the "Harbinger" set out time and time again and on her sixth trip she was overwhelmed by the storm and capsized with the loss of six of her nine crew. Each year on the Sunday nearest to the 10th February there is a memorial service held at the Bridlington Priory in honour of the six lifeboat men, and over seventy mariner's lives that were lost from the thirty ships wrecked on that fateful day.
In August 1871 a new Lifeboat was received, the "John Abbot" with the £263 cost been met from the legacy of Mr. Abbott of Halifax. This lifeboat was also joined in 1871 by another private Lifeboat the "Seagull", which had been presented to the town sailors by the Rev Lloyd Greame, of Sewerby House. The "John Abbott" served till 1885 launching six times and saving 2 lives. There are no records for the "Seagull" which served till 1895.
In 1885 the town received their new Lifeboat the "William John & Frances" the cost of £300 was met by the Legacy of Mr. W J Payne of Reigate. The boat launched 16 times and saved 44 lives serving till 1898.
Bridlington's next Lifeboat was the "George & Jane Walker" which was the Ex Barmston Lifeboat which was transferred to Bridlington while a replacement could be built for the damaged "William John & Frances" there are no records for this boat and she served from1898 to 1899. The new Lifeboat arrived in 1899 and carried the same name as the Barmston Lifeboat "George & Jane Walker", her cost of £733 having been met from the same Legacy of Mr. G Walker of Southport. She launched 58 times and saved 50 lives serving till 1931.
Bridlington's next Lifeboat the "Stanhope Smart" arrived in August 1931 and was Bridlington's first motor Lifeboat, her cost of £3742 was met by legacy of the late Mr.Stanhope Smart of Huddersfield. She launched 60 times and saved 53 lives and served till 1947.
In October 1947 Bridlington's new Lifeboat the "Tillie Morrison Sheffield" arrived, her £10,573 cost been met from a gift of Mr. James & Mr. David Morrison, of Sheffield, in memory of their sister. She was a unique Lifeboat in more ways than one, she was the first twin screw self righting Lifeboat, the first boat to be named by H.R.H. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, and she was the only boat to have served Bridlington whose many service launches did not result in the saving of life. She launched 23 times and saved no lives and served till 1953 when her career at the station came to an abrupt end when she capsized on service resulting in the loss of one her crew "Robert Redhead", as a permanent memorial a plaque was placed in Bridlington Lifeboat house in memory of Bowman "Robert Redhead".
In 1953 Bridlington received their new boat the "Tillie Morrison Sheffield II", her £14,481 cost was met by the part legacy of Mr. A Whitaker of Bradford. She was the first boat to launch over 100 times a total of 106 times and saved 36 lives serving till 1967.
In 1966 Bridlington received it's first inshore lifeboat. There has been six inshore lifeboats stationed at Bridlington to date. The latest one "Lord Feoffees III" is the third Inshore Lifeboat to be funded by the Lord Feoffees of Bridlington.
In 1967 Bridlington's new Lifeboat "William Henry & Mary King" her £33,000 cost been met by the legacy of Miss J G King of Sutton Surrey. She launched 290 times and saved 83 lives and served till 1988
In 1988 Bridlington received the first of the new fast Mersey class Lifeboats "Peggy & Alex Caird" her cost of £574,084 was met by the legacy of Miss Mildred Caird. She launched 100 times and saved 19 lives serving at Bridlington till 1995.
In 1995 Bridlington received there present Lifeboat "Marine Engineer" her £600,000 cost been met by Marine Engineers to date she's launched 80 times and saved 21 lives.
Medals
To date there have been 16 Medals awarded at the Bridlington Lifeboat Station 11 Silver Medals and 5 Bronze Medals.
