Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station

Wells-next-the-Sea lifeboat station
RNLI Lifeboat Station
Architectural style	Steelframe Boathouse with brick and block construction
Location	Wells Lifeboat Station, Beach Road, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR23 1DR
Country	England
Coordinates	52°58′22.5″N 0°51′6.12″E / 52.972917°N 0.8517000°E / 52.972917; 0.8517000
Opened	1830 Taken over by RNLI in 1869
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station in the town of Wells-next-the-Sea in the English county of Norfolk.^[1] The station, run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), operates both inshore and offshore lifeboats. The inshore boat is a D-class (IB1) lifeboat named Peter Wilcox (D-707), whilst the offshore lifeboat is Shannon-class 13-46 named Duke of Edinburgh (Civil Service No.53) (ON 1161). The station boathouse is located at the beach on the western side of Wells Harbour mouth.^[2]

History

1800s: earliest rescue services

Early sea rescues in Wells were performed by private citizens who often attempted to use their rescue efforts to claim salvage rights to the rescued vessel for their own profit.^[3][4] The first organised rescue service at Wells was run by the Norfolk Shipwreck Association (NSA) and began in 1830 when an existing unnamed lifeboat that had been at Cromer was sent to Wells.^[2]

By the 1860s, there was no longer a lifeboat stationed at Wells, and the NSA operation had fallen into decline. At the same time, maritime incidents off the shores of

On 29 October 1880, the 171-ton brig Ocean Queen was caught in a gale and sought shelter at Wells-next-the-Sea. At 1:00 pm, the Eliza Adams launched to the aid of another brig, the Sharon Rose, which had run ashore on the beach at nearby Holkham. Seven sailors were rescued and the lifeboat returned to Wells, where it discovered the Ocean Queen close to the harbour entrance, flying a distress flag. After a partial crew change, the Eliza Adams returned to sea to assist the Ocean Queen, which had been driven ashore nearby. The lifeboat was unable to assist and returned to port, but was swamped by a large wave en route and capsized; 11 of the lifeboat's 13 crewmen drowned. The crew of the Ocean Queen remained aboard their vessel, and were able to walk ashore once the storm had abated and the tide receded.

On 4 October 1883, a gale blew the schooner Emma of Jersey onto the East Bar near Wells, stranding her. Wells lifeboat RNLB Charlotte Nicholls was launched to assist.^[8] The Emma was heavily damaged, so the Charlotte Nicholls took her five crewmen back to Wells.^[8]

1890s: new location

By the 1890s, it had become evident that the location of the 1869 boathouse was problematic. At low water the lifeboat could not get out into the open sea and was overly reliant on the tide. In 1893, the lifeboat RNLB Baltic (ON 198) was launched for three rescues, but arrived too late to provide actual assistance at any of them.^[6][9] Construction began on a new station 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of the existing station in 1894 and was completed in October 1895. The Baltic (ON 198) was replaced by a vessel bearing the same name, the RNLB Baltic (ON 375).^[6][9]

1930s–1970s: motor and inshore lifeboats

Although motor lifeboats had been available since at least 1911, Wells was not provided with one until 1936 because of the need for an appropriate boat launch. The station received a Surf-class lifeboat, the RNLB Royal Silver Jubilee (ON 780), which had been designed by James Barnett and was light enough for the beach launch required at Wells.^[10] She was also the first Surf-class to be propelled by a basic water jet system, which was ideal for the shallow water at Wells.^[10]

By the mid-1960s, the North Norfolk coast had seen an increased use of marine incidents resulting from pleasure boating and beachgoing. An inshore service was established in 1963 to alleviate the workload for the All-weather lifeboat Cecil Paine and decrease response times.^{[citation needed]}

Over 18 and 19 May 1963, the cabin cruiser Seamu had run aground at low tide at the entrance to Blakeney harbour. The Cecil Paine was launched to assist, arriving on scene at 10:50 pm. Seas were rough and winds were high. The coxswain made several attempts to approach, but sandbanks and high winds made it difficult. After four attempts, the two crewmen of the Seamu were finally taken aboard the Cecil Paine to safety. The coxswain was awarded an RNLI Bronze Medal.^[11]

Until 1976, the inshore service was provided by a series of unnamed D-class (RFD PB16) lifeboats. The first inshore boat at Wells to have a name was RNLB Spirit of Rotary (D-246), which was on the station from 1976 until 1987. In January 1978 a severe storm destroyed the IRB house and damaged the doors to the main boathall. A new IRB house was built onto the side of the main station.^{[citation needed]}

On the morning of 15 February 1979,

The 1895 beach road station has been improved and renovated on several occasions, but the bulk of the structure is still original.^[2] The crew facilities were expanded with an additional level in 1983, and a boathouse extension was added in 1986 to house the inshore lifeboat.^[2]

In 1990 the station was allocated a new Mersey-class lifeboat, the 12-003 Doris M. Mann of Ampthill (ON 1161), prompting significant alterations to the boathouse in order to accommodate it.^[6][15] The house had to be almost completely re-built whilst retaining the historic integrity of the 1895 structure. In the mid 1990s work was also carried out to combat coastal erosion on the sandy headland where the boat house is located. This was achieved by re-using greenheart^[6] timbers re-claimed after the demolition of the Eastbourne^[6] slipway. Extra new groynes were also installed to retain the beach in front of the station, vital for the continued beach launching of the lifeboats.^{[citation needed]}

2020s: New Boathouse and Shannon-class

A new bigger boathouse was required to house the soon to arrive new Shannon-class lifeboat for Wells-next-the Sea, to be built to the west of the existing boathouse, parts of which are more than 125 years old. Work on the construction of the new boathouse started in September 2020,^[16] and was completed in October 2022. ^[17]

Demolition of the 1895 boathouse soon followed in November 2022.^[18]

Part funded by a successful local campaign in 2014–2015 and part by the Civil Service charity The Lifeboat Fund, Shannon-class 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh (Civil Service No.53) (ON 1353) arrived at Wells-next-the-Sea in October 2022, replacing Doris M. Mann of Ampthill (ON 1161) in early 2023.^[19]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Wells-next-the-Sea^[20][21]

• RNLI Silver Medal

David James Cox, Coxswain - 1979

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Francis Robert Taylor, DSM, Second Coxswain - 1963

David James Cox, Coxswain - 1982

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

T Neilsen, Coxswain - 1942

William Cox, Coxswain - 1955

David J Cox, Coxswain - 1964

Albert Court, Motor Mechanic - 1971

David J Cox, Coxswain - 1973

Allen Frary, Coxswain - 2001

Robert Smith, Second Coxswain - 2001

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

The Coxswain and Crew - 1966

David J Cox BEM, Coxswain - 1983

Graham Walker, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1992

James Case, crew member - 1992

Graham Walker, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1993

Allen Frary, Second Coxswain - 1993

All the all-weather lifeboat crew and shore helpers - 1996

Allen Frary, Coxswain/Mechanic - 2003

• British Empire Medal

David James Cox - 1981^[22]

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Philip Eaglen - 2021^[23][24]

Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

Inshore lifeboats

Launch and recovery tractors

Gallery

• 
  The First RNLI lifeboat station which is now used as the Harbour Masters Office and a Maritime Museum. It is a Grade II listed building.
• 
  The Liverpool-class motor lifeboat RNLB Cecil Paine (ON 850) on station between 1945 and 1965.
• 
  The Liverpool-class motor lifeboat RNLB Lucy Lavers (ON 832) on station in 1962 and between 1963 and 1964.
• 
  The Oakley-class motor lifeboat RNLB Ernest Tom Neathercoat (ON 982) on station between 1965 and 1990.
• 
  Memorial: Wells lifeboat disaster of 29 October 1880.

See also

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

References