Blackpool's station history

The station is established by the Institution in 1864. Lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £170. The lifeboat is paid for by the widow and daughter of Mr R W Hopkins of Preston, and named Robert William in his memory.

A member of the crew, J Rimmer, dies in an accident as the lifeboat is preparing to take part in a fete on the occasion of Lord Derby's visit to Blackpool.

Silver Medal accorded to Coxswain Robert Bickerstaffe, for his brave and skilful exertions during the rescue of four people from the schooner Bessie Jones, which was wrecked on Salthouse Bank during a heavy north-westerly gale on 26 February.

A new self-righting lifeboat, Samuel Fletcher of Manchester ON74, built at a cost of £74, is placed on service.

Coxswain Robert Bickerstaffe is washed out of the lifeboat but fortunately regains the boat. The honorary secretary suggests that better means of summoning the crew after dark than the bell are needed. As a result, a messenger is substituted for the bell.

Coxswain Robert Bickerstaffe is awarded the Silver Medal on his retirement.

Institution is asked to contribute to fund to provide new instruments and uniform for the local lifeboat band. A new Watson class lifeboat, also named Samuel Fletcher of Manchester ON393, built at a cost of £591, is placed on service in December.

Lord Nelson's old Flagship Foudroyant which had been in Blackpool for exhibition purposes was totally wrecked in a gale and a very heavy sea.  Twenty people on board were rescued by the lifeboat.

While the promenade is being widened, the lifeboat has to be taken half a mile before reaching the only slipway.

Electric light service provided to lifeboat house.

Honorary Secretary Mr Tatham, and station Committee Member Mr Flowers, are awarded aneroid barometers for their services in a shore boat case at Fleetwood. His son, Joseph Tatham, aged 10, receives a copy of Britain's Lifeboats.

Samuel Fletcher of Manchester is withdrawn from service and replaced by the Liverpool class lifeboat, John Rowson Lingard ON542, which was previously on service at Mablethorpe Lifeboat Station. A launching tractor T11 is placed on service to assist with launching the lifeboat over soft sand and in very shallow water.

Lifeboat house is built alongside the Central Pier to house a new motor lifeboat.

A new Liverpool class lifeboat, Sarah Ann Austin ON800, built at a cost of £3,895, is placed on service in June along with a new launching tractor T12. The boat is named and the new lifeboat house opened by the Duke of Kent. It is his first naming ceremony since becoming President of the Institution.

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain R Parr and a Bronze Medal awarded to Mechanic Thomas E Rimmer in connection with the service to the pilot boat Charles Livingstone that went aground in bad weather conditions on 26 November 1939. Two of the crew were washed out of the lifeboat in this service but were recovered. In all, six lifeboats took part in the search and rescue.

Sarah Ann Austin is withdrawn from service and replaced by the Liverpool class lifeboat Maria Noble ON916, which was previously on service at Exmouth Lifeboat Station.

Centenary Vellum awarded to station.

D class lifeboat sent to the station in May.

While Maria Noble is undergoing an overhaul, she is replaced by the relief Liverpool class lifeboat Edgar George Orlando and Eva Child ON861, which was previously on service at St Ives Lifeboat Station. Subsequently, the Edgar George Orlando and Eva Child becomes the station’s lifeboat permanently.

At the end of March, ILB D-117 takes over station duty.

Edgar George Orlando and Eva Child is withdrawn and the offshore lifeboat station closed on 6 May. Atlantic 21 lifeboat B-525 sent to station on 21 May for evaluation trials. It becomes Blackpool's No 2 station boat with the D class as the No 1 station lifeboat.

Atlantic 21 lifeboat B-537 withdrawn and a second D class D-116 sent to station.

On 28 July, the D class inflatable lifeboat is launched after a report is received that a woman is in danger of drowning. The unconscious woman is hauled from the water and given artificial respiration by the two Crew Members, Keith Horrocks and Peter Canham. She later recovers.

The Liverpool Shipwreck Association awards scrolls to Keith Horrocks and Peter Canham.

A framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chair of the Institution, the Duke of Atholl, awarded to Helmsman K Horrocks in recognition of the high degree of seamanship he displayed when the D class lifeboat rescued the crew of three of a 5m catamaran with an outboard engine failure in difficulties, about half a mile offshore at Squire Gate on 13 June.

Bronze Medals awarded to Helmsman Keith Horrocks and Helmsman Philip Denham in recognition of the courage, skill and determination displayed when both inshore lifeboats were involved in the rescue of two people in a fresh north-westerly breeze and very confused seas on 6 January 1988.

Keith Horrocks was helmsman of D310 which rescued one of the crew of the Peebles when it capsized 1.75 miles south-by-west of the lifeboat station. Philip Denham was helmsman of D300, which rescued the sole occupant of the Dijon when it was in difficulties 1.25 miles north-north-west of the lifeboat station.

Crew Members Stuart Cottam, Terence Rogers, Robert Browell and Alan Parr accorded the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum for their part in this service.

Atlantic 75 class lifeboat B-718 is placed on service on 26 June.

New boathouse is completed in September.

A new B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-748 Bickerstaffe, is placed on service on Friday 25 September. B-722 withdrawn to ILC Cowes.

The new station D class lifeboat D-558 William and Rose Nall is placed on service on 12 September. The lifeboat is provided by a donation from Godfrey and Desmond Nall of Cheswick Green, Solihull, in memory of their parents. Lifeboat D-419 is withdrawn to the depot at Poole.

The D class lifeboats D-729 Eileen Mary George and D-732 Basil Eric Brooks are named in memory of the two local supporters of the charity whose legacies funded the vessels. They are placed on service 30 March 2010. D-558 William & Rose Nall is withdrawn.

The new station Atlantic 85 B-867 William & Eleanor is placed on service 23 April 2013. This lifeboat is funded by the generous bequest of Mr Willaim James Seed. Lifeboat B-748 Bickerstaffe is withdrawn.