Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station
Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station (2006).
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
General information
Type	Lifeboat Station
Address	Hastings Avenue,
Town or city	Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 1BW
Country	England
Coordinates	51°46′53.3″N 1°08′28.6″E
Opened	1878
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Clacton-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat station

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station is located on Hastings Avenue, in the seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea, on the Tendring peninsular, in the county of Essex.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1878.

The station currently operates two Inshore lifeboats, a B-class (Atlantic 85), David Porter MPS (B-863), on station since 2012, and a D-class (IB1), Damar's Pride (D-849), on station since 2020.

History

In 1870, the hamlet of Clacton Beach had a population of just 12. Just 10 years later, following rapid development to create a Victorian seaside resort, the population was over 1300. It was during this time of expansion that the Commander of HM Coastguard at Harwich wrote to the RNLI in 1877, to suggest a lifeboat be placed at Clacton-on-Sea, which was duly agreed.

A boathouse was soon commissioned, and constructed on the corner of Carnarvon Road and Church Road. The RNLI would later erect a fence around the building "to keep out stray cattle".

A 34-foot self-righting lifeboat was built by Woolfe boatbuilders. Costing £363, and funded by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, the boat arrived in Clacton on 13 March 1878. Robert Legerton was appointed Coxswain, with Mr. Frederick Nunn appointed Honorary Secretary. In a parade including Freemasons, Mayors and Councillors in July 1878, the lifeboat was pulled to the new lifeboat house, where after the service of dedication by the Grand Chaplain of the Freemasons, the boat was named Albert Edward, the first of three Clacton lifeboats to carry this name.

After only 4 years, it was decided that a bigger boat was required at Clacton. The boathouse was extended, and to make launching easier, two slipways were constructed, one on each side of Clacton Pier. The new lifeboat was 39-foot long, and built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London. Costing £635, she was again funded by the Freemasons of England, and also named Albert Edward (ON 32). The boat was kept in the boathouse in the summer, and on the pier during the winter months, launching down either slipway according to conditions.

A new lifeboat arrived in Clacton in 1929, a twin engine 45ft 6in Watson-class named Edward Z Dresden (ON 707). She would serve Clacton until 1952. During this time, she would see service as one of the Little Ships of Dunkirk, and unusually, was crewed by her regular lifeboat crew for the trip. Damaged by gunfire, she was sent for repair after the Dunkirk evacuation, returning to be stationed at Brightlingsea, due to the demolition of the centre of Clacton Pier for wartime invasion preparations.

Clacton received D-107, the first of their small high speed D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore Lifeboats (ILBs) in 1966. The station then received a second ILB, a larger twin engine B-class (Atlantic 21) in 1984, when it was announced that the All-weather lifeboat was being withdrawn, following difficulties encountered launching due to silt.

Clacton Lifeboat House on the Pier

The old lifeboat house on Clacton Pier was vacated in 2006, and a new boathouse was constructed at Hastings Avenue, just under 1 mi (1.6 km) to the west of the pier. This provided up-to-date crew facilities and storage, along with housing for both Inshore lifeboats and launch tractors.

In October 2022, it was announced that the Atlantic 85 lifeboat would be withdrawn, and Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat station would once again receive an All-weather lifeboat, a new 25 knot Shannon-class lifeboat. The new boat is due on service in 2024.

Notable rescues

On the 23 October 1881, the Albert Edward was called to the aid of the French vessel Madeline. Having been towed to the scene by the Steamer Consett, the lifeboat set anchor, and attempted to veer down to the Madeline, with no success. When the cable was cut, the lifeboat was swept onto the deck of the casualty boat, damaging the rudder. The lifeboat finally dropped alongside the vessel, and each of the 16 crew were rescued one by one. Coxswain Robert Legerton was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal. Legerton and Second Coxswain James Cross were also to receive Gold Medals, and the remaining 11 crew receiving Silver Medals, awarded by The French Government.

On the 24th April 1914, the lifeboat Albert Edward (ON 463) was called out to the aid of Government Seaplane No.79, which was forced to ditch in the sea after engine trouble. The seaplane, subsequently towed to Harwich, was carrying the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill.

Station honours

The following are awards made at Clacton-on-Sea.

• Gold Medal, awarded by The French Government

Robert Legerton, Coxswain - 1881

James Cross, Second Coxswain - 1881

• RNLI Silver Medal

William Wall Weekes, Master of the Fortitude - 1828

Robert Cleave, Master of the New Union - 1830

John Glover, Master of the Atalanta - 1843

Stephen Hurry, Master of the New Gypsy - 1843

John Powell, Master of the Lord Howe - 1843

Cpt. William Lewis of Tyrall - 1855

Cpt. John Lewis of Aurora’s Increase - 1855

Samuel James Robert Legerton, Coxswain - 1881

Samuel James Robert Legerton, Coxswain - 1884 (Second-Service Clasp)

Samuel James Robert Legerton, Coxswain - 1891 (Third-Service Clasp)

William Schofield, Coxswain - 1893

Maurice Nicholls, crew member - 1894

Robert Osborne, crew member - 1894

John Grier, crew member - 1894

Maurice Nicholls, crew member - 1899 (Second-Service Clasp)

Robert Osborne, crew member - 1899 (Second-Service Clasp)

George Grigson Snr, crew member - 1899

George James Grigson, Coxswain - 1914

George James Grigson, Coxswain - 1915 (Second-Service Clasp)

Jesse Lord Salmon, Second Coxswain - 1915

George James Grigson, Coxswain - 1918 (Third-Service Clasp)

Charles Raymond Ellis, Coxswain - 1940

• Silver Medal, awarded by The French Government

Each of the remaining 11 members of Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat crew - 1881

• Silver Medal, awarded by H.M. The King of Denmark

William Schofield, Coxswain - 1894

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Jesse Lord Salmon, Second Coxswain - 1918

David Howard Wells, Helmsman - 1992

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

Frank Castle, Second Coxswain- 1940

Walter Harding, Motor Mechanic - 1940

George Ellis, Coxswain - 1967

Charles Bolingbroke, Coxswain - 1970

Charles Bolingbroke, Coxswain - 1971

Charles Bolingbroke, Coxswain - 1974

Terry M Bolingbroke, crew member - 1992

• Vellum Service Certificates

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Crew - 1970.

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Crew - 1974

• The Ralph Glister Award 1991
  (for the most meritorious service of the year performed by a rescue boat crew)

David Howard Wells, Helmsman - 1992

Terry Bolingbroke, crew member - 1992

Thomas Ridley, crew member - 1992

• The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 1991
  (for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year)

David Howard Wells, Helmsman - 1992

Terry Bolingbroke, crew member - 1992

Thomas Ridley, crew member - 1992

• A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Crew to the remainder of the crew - 1971

Thomas Ridley, crew member - 1992

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat.

• Lost when RNLB Albert Edward capsized whilst responding to distress flares, 23 January 1884

James Cross, Second Coxswain

Thomas Cattermole

• Suffered exposure whilst on service to the Norwegian vessel Bjarne on 14 January 1888, and died 5 days later

Ben Addis

Clacton-on-Sea lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON	Op. No.	Name	At Clacton	Class	Comments
Pre-632	–	Albert Edward	1878−1884	34-foot Self-righting (P&S)	34 ft (10 m) 10-oared lifeboat built by Woolfe of Shadwell, costing £363.
38	–	Heyland	1884−1885	37-foot Self-righting (P&S)	37 ft (11 m) 12-oared lifeboat built by Woolfe of Shadwell, costing £430 when new. First stationed at Palling in 1882. In 1885 it was transferred to Southsea, and served there until sold in 1908.
32	–	Albert Edward	1885−1901	39-foot 3in Self-righting (P&S)	39 ft 3 in (11.96 m) 10-oared lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £635.
463	–	Albert Edward	1901−1929	45ft Watson	45 ft (14 m) non-self-righting lifeboat built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £1890. Stationed at Arranmore until 1932 when it was sold. Last reported at Ipswich in 2023, used as a yacht.
707	–	Edward Z Dresden	1929−1952	45ft 6in Watson	The first motor lifeboat at Clacton-on-Sea. Later stationed at Stronsay. Sold in 1968 and became the yachy St Peter but sunk at Troon in 1984.
887	–	Sir Godfrey Baring	1952−1968	46ft 9in Watson	Named after Godfrey Baring, former chairman of the RNLI committee of management. Later stationed at Wick and Workington. Sold in 1986 and modified for use as a trip boat; last reported to be Friedeburg, Germany, in 2012.
985	37-18	Valentine Wyndham-Quin	1968−1984	Oakley	Motor lifeboat withdrawn from Clacton-on-Sea in 1984 so it was transferred to Clogherhead. It is now preserved at Harwich Lifeboat Museum.

Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats

D-Class

Op. No.	Name	At Clacton	Type	Comments
D-107	Unnamed	1966−1978	RFD PB16
D-262	Clacton Round Table 3484	1978−1984	Zodiac III
D-302	Unnamed	1983−1992	RFD PB16
D-431	Veronica	1992−2000	EA16
D-559	Seahorse II	2000−2009	EA16
D-723	Damarkand IV	2009−2018	IB1
D-774	Arthur Hamilton	2018−2020	IB1	Initially deployed as a relief lifeboat from 2014.
D-849	Damar's Pride	2020−	IB1

B-Class

Op. No.	Name	At Clacton	Type	Comments
B-514	Guide Friendship 1	1984−1985	Atlantic 21	First stationed at Aberdovey in 1974.
B-511	Co-operative No.1	1985−1989	Atlantic 21	First stationed at Largs in 1973.
B-579	Institute of London Underwriters	1989−1997	Atlantic 21
B-526	Unnamed	1997−1998	Atlantic 21	Initially deployed as a relief lifeboat in 1974.
B-744	Robert George Alexander	1998−2012	Atlantic 75
B-863	David Porter MPS	2012−	Atlantic 85

Launch and recovery tractors

Op. No.	Reg. No.	Type	At Clacton	Comments
TW60Hc	DX54 UYM	Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2)	2006–2021
TW18Hb	H710 RUX	Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5)	2021–

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

External links

• Clacton-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat station