LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Additional Stations and New Life-Boats

SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.—The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has formed a lifeboat station at this place. The life-boat is 36 feet long, 9 feet wide, and rows 12 oars double-banked. A commodious and substantial boat-house has been erected, with a reading-room above it for the use of the fishermen of the place. The cost of the life-boat was presented to the Institution bya lady residing in Bath, the boat being named by her the Duncan. The Institution, is much indebted to the kind co-operation of HENRY E. UPCHER, Esq., and to the Rev.

LETHBRIDGE MOORE, the latter acting as the Hon. Secretary of the Branch. The Great Eastern Railway Company readily gave the life-boat and transporting-carriage a free conveyance to the Fakenham Station, whence the boat was drawn on its carriage to Sheringham, a distance of 18 miles. On the following day the boat was publicly exhibited and launched in the presence of a large number of persons, and, after trial, the crew were much pleased with its performances.

This life-boat was happily the means of saving the crew of 3 men of the schooner Hero, of Maldon on the 3rd December last.

HUNSTANTON, NORFOLK. — A life-boat has recently been placed here by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, a shipwreck having taken place in the locality last January twelvemonth, and the inhabitants being very anxious to have a life-boat. The boat is 32 feet long, 7 feet 6 inches wide, pulling 10 oars double-banked. A transporting carriage is also supplied for its conveyance along the shore. A well-built and commodious house has been erected for the reception of the boat and1 carriage. The whole cost of this station has been contributed by the Licensed Victuallers, through the indefatigable exertions of W. SMALLEY, T. WlNTERBOTHAM, JAMES WYLD, EsqS., and other gentlemen. The Institution is also very much indebted for valuable cooperation to H. S. LE STRANGE, Esq., and to C. W. PREEDY, Esq., of Hunstanton, who, with other gentlemen, assisted in the formation of the life-boat station. A grand demonstration and public launch took place on the arrival of the life-boat at Hunstanton.

The Great Eastern Railway conveyed it and its carriage free of charge, and ran a special excursion train from London. A very large number of licensed victuallers and others from the metropolis were present to witness the launch. The life-boat was drawn on its carriage through the principal streets, accompanied by a large procession, including the local volunteer corps. After being formally presented to the Institution, it was launched and exercised under oars and sails. The boat was afterwards capsized with its crew on board to show the spectators its selfrighting powers, and the facility with which the crew could again get on board after being thrown out. Everything passed off' in the most admirable manner, and the performances of the boat elicited the admiration of all present. Since this life-boat has been on its station it has been instrumental in saving 16 persons from the barque Thetis, of Gothenburg, and 15 from the S.S. Harmonia, of Hamburg.

NEW BRIGHTON, NEAR LIVERPOOL.— The life-boat establishment at New Brighton, at the mouth of the Mersey, has recently been completely reorganized, and is now in a satisfactory and efficient state. There are two life-boats in connection with the Institution on this most important station, and their services are very frequently called into requisition: one is a tubular boat, from the design of the late HENRY RICHARDSON, Esq., of Aber Hirnant, and the other is on the plan adopted by the Society.

The former boat is 40 feet long, 11 feet wide, and pulls 14 oars. It is usually taken out to wrecks in tow of one of the numerous steam-tugs that are generally to be found in the vicinity of the life-boat station. It has lately been nearly rebuilt, in Liverpool, and was replaced on its post 'in August last, and is now reported to be much liked by the crew. It is always kept moored afloat near the landing stage at New Brighton in readiness for instantaneous service.

A new self-righting life-boat was likewise placed on the same station in April last by the Institution. This boat, which is a 32-feet medium 10-oared one, has a transporting-carriage, and the boat and carriage have been placed in a commodious wooden boat-house erected in a very good position at the sole expense of J. C. EWART, Esq., a Vice-President of the Branch. This latter boat, after being tried, made a favourable impression on the coxswain and crew. The cost of the tubular, and of the new self-righting boat, has been liberally defrayed by JOSEPH LEATHER, Esq., of Cheveley, who had previously given the Society the life-boat stationed at Holyhead.

At his request, the tubular boat is named the Willie and Arthur, and the other boat, the Lily.

CAISTER, NORFOLK.—The boatmen at this place applied to the Institution for a small surf life-boat for in-shore work, on account of the great difficulty they experienced in reaching wrecked vessels in such positions in the large life-boat from want of sufficient depth of water. Two cases had recently occurred in which lives were nearly lost for the want of a smaller life-boat. The Institution has accordingly furnished this station with a 32-feet surf life-boat, similar to the one at Yarmouth. *The new life-boat is named the Boys, its cost having been contributed by the readers of Rowtledge's Magazine for £oys, through the valuable exertions of its able editor, E. ROUTLEDGE, Esq. When the life-boat was first launched on the 10th September, Mrs. ROUTLEDGE was present, having previously performed the ceremony of naming the boat. We should add, that the Institution is deeply indebted for the continued valuable co-operation of the Rev. G.

W. STEWARD, who has the management of this and the large life-boat. The cost of the large life-boat was contributed by the working men of Birmingham, and it was stationed at this place in October, 1865; since that period it has been the means of saving 107 persons from different wrecks.

KESSINGLAND, SUFFOLK.— The Institution has formed a life-boat station at this place. Shipwrecks frequently occurred on the Barnard Shoal, about half a mile off the land, and also on the mainland near Kessingland.

Eight wrecks had occurred within 12 months, 2 with loss of life. As the boatmen refused to work one of the Institution's self-righting boats, the new life-boat placed here is built on the Norfolk plan, being 33 feet long, 10 feet wide, and pulling 12 oars. A substantial house has been erected on a suitable site for the lifeboat.

The expense of this establishment was munificently defrayed by JOHN HARGREAVES, Esq., of Broad Oak, Lancashire, and the boat is named the Grace and Lolly of Broad Oak, after his late wife and daughter.

On the arrival of the life-boat on its station, it was taken afloat, and the crew exercised in its management.

BRIGHTON, SUSSEX.—The Institution has thoroughly reorganized this life-boat station by replacing the old boat by a fine new 33 feet one, rowing 10 oars double-banked, and building a handsome and commodious new life-boat house, which was much required, upon a site of ground granted by the Town Council, on the beach near the New West Pier. A new transporting-carriage has also been supplied. The cost of this life-boat had been defrayed by the children in the Sunday Schools of London and its neighbourhood, the fund having been raised chiefly through the kind and zealous exertions of CHARLES SEARE, Esq., J. R.

BURCHETT, Esq., and other gentlemen.

The' boat is named the Robert Raikes, after the original founder of Sunday Schools. On the arrival of the life-boat at Brighton, it was drawn on its carriage through the principal streets of the town, preceded by the band of the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteer Corps, a large body of Coastguard men, and by the Brighton Sunday School children, the latter having contributed a portion of the cost of the new boat-house. The boat was afterwards named by the Mayoress of Brighton, Mrs. HALLETT, and launched from the beach with the crew on board. After going through various evolutions, the life-boat, at the request of the crew, was capsized twice, with themselves in it, to test its self-righting powers; they easily regained it when it righted, by means of the life-lines round the sides. The Esplanade and the new pier were thronged by about 20,000 persons, who seemed highly pleased with the performances of the boat, especially with its selfrighting properties. The crew expressed themselves much gratified with the results of the experiments. The Sunday School children were afterwards entertained at the Pavilion, and the Life-boat's crew at a neighbouring Inn. The Institution is much indebted to Lord SUSSEX LENNOX, J. CORDY BUBROWS, Esq., Dr. A. W. SEYMOUR, and other gentlemen, for their valuable co-operation in the management of this life-boat station. A free conveyance was readily given to the boat and carriage, by the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company over their line.

BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT.—It having been recommended that a life-boat should be placed on the east coast of the Isle of Wight, the Institution, after making some inquiries, established a life-boat station at Bembridge.

Shipwrecks not unfrequently occurred in the locality -r and in consequence of the removal of the Nab Light to a greater distance from the shore, it was thought they might in future probably increase. The life-boat is 32 feet long, 1 feet wide, and rows 10 oars double-banked. A transporting-carriage is also supplied for its conveyance. The boat is named the City of Worcester, the cost of the same having been contributed by the inhabitants of the city and county of Worcester and other friends, mainly through the indefatigable exertions of Capt. F.

SAUMAREZ-FRASEB, R.N., of Worcester.

The establishment has received the valuable co-operation of LORD HENRY CHOLMONDELEY, Chairman of the Branch and an active member of the Committee of the Parent Institution, Capt. M'DouALD, R.N., the Hon. Secretary, and a local committee of resident gentry. A commodious and wellbuilt house has been erected on a suitable site of ground, for the reception of the boat, &c. On its arrival at Bembridge, it was publicly presented to the Institution by JOHN STALLAED, Esq., the Mayor of Worcester, and afterwards launched and put through various evolutions, in the presence of a large number of the residents of Bembridge and its neighbourhood, by Captain WARD, K.N., Inspector of Life-boats to the Institution.

SILLOTH, CUMBERLAND.—The life-boat on this station having been found unfit for further service, the Institution has recently placed here a new 32-feet 10-oared one.

The first boat was presented to the Institution by Miss BURDETT COUTTS, and was named, after herself and sister, the Angela and Hannah, and the new boat also bears the same name. The life-boat station is now again in a thoroughly efficient state, Mr.

JAMES BARNES, the Collector of Customs, acting as the zealous Honorary Secretary of the Branch. The London and North-Western, and North British Railway Companies, kindly conveyed the life-boat to its station free of charge.

AYR, N.B.—The Institution has recently sent a new 32-feet life-boat to this station, in lieu of the previous one, which was found unfit for further service. A new transporting- carriage has also been supplied for the new boat. The cost of this life-boat has been defrayed from the Glasgow Workmen's Life-boat Fund, collected mainly through the exertions of Mr. G. NORVAL. It was publicly exhibited in Glasgow on the way to its station, and elicited the admiration of large crowds of people, who followed in procession through the principal streets.

The boat was afterwards named by Miss NORVAL, and launched into the Clyde. It was then put through various evolutions, including capsizing. The London and North Western, Caledonian, and Glasgow and South Western Railway Companies readily gave the boat and carriage free conveyance over their respective lines to Ayr, via Glasgow.

This life-boat contributed to the saving of the crew of 5 men of the schooner John C.

1 Vade, of Newry, on the 29th of April last..