The station was first established in 1835 by a local association at the request of the Coastguard. There was no lifeboat at the station between 1852 and 1855.
1834
Silver Medal awarded to Lieut H Baillie RN, for the rescue by boat of L P Selstrom, Master of the Swedish schooner Cupido and five crewmen on 26 December 1833. Three Coastguard men and 11 Spittal Pilots were given monetary rewards for their part in the rescue.
1838
Gold Medal awarded to Lieut D Rymer RN for the rescue by lifeboat of six seamen from the schooner Margaret that ran aground near Spittal in heavy seas on 8 April 1838.
Silver Medal awarded to Lieut E B Nott RN, when with six other men he rescued with a fishing coble, the Master, four men, one woman, and three children from the schooner Diana, that was driven onto rocks and wrecked on 19 September 1838.
1855
Silver Medal awarded to Dr F S Cahill for a service on 17 June when a small boat was observed passing the entrance of the Tweed and running into a dangerous position, where her loss would have been certain. Dr Cahill of Berwick persuaded the Master of a small steam tug to go to her rescue, in which he went himself with two other volunteers, in addition to the Master and two men forming the crew of the ferry boat. The boat was reached just in time saving a seaman and his wife from destruction. A heavy sea was on the bar at the time and the steamer was thrown on her broadside when running over it on her return.
1857
Member of crew washed out of lifeboat whilst on service on 22 March to Heinnick Gerdes of Rostock. Fortunately he was recovered.
1863
Lifeboat capsized on exercise on 29 March without loss of life.
1877
Voted £10 for relief of family of Thomas Elliott, a member of the crew who died partly as a result of exposure on service on 1 January.
1898
Arrangements made for services of local tug at a cost of £1 10 0d on each occasion used.
1900
Owing to difficulty in obtaining a crew from Spittal, the lifeboat house was removed to the Berwick side of the river and the services of the tug were provided by the Harbour Board. Cost £3 0 0d each occasion used.
1901
New lifeboat house constructed at Ferry Landing at a cost of £1,020. Old lifeboat house sold for £60.
1906
Whilst on service to a fishing boat on 3 February, the lifeboat was thrown on her beam ends and crew washed overboard. Fortunately they were all recovered.
1908
Silver Medal awarded to Alexander Aitchison for saving his comrade by getting him onto the keel of their fishing boat after it capsized on 11 February. Both men were rescued by a shore boat.
1911
Committee of Management approved the owners of a tug being paid £10 per annum for keeping fires banked in thick and stormy weather.
1913
Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain Robert Burgon for rescuing the crew of the Barque Jacob Rauers, wrecked in a very rough sea in Marshall Meadows Bay on 29/30 March. In black darkness the lifeboat reached the casualty to find the seas washing over the barque and the dangerous rocks. The lifeboat veered down to within 20 yards to pass a rope, which enabled the 11 men to be dragged through the heavy seas and debris to the safety of the lifeboat. The Swedish Government conferred Silver Medal on Robert Burgon and Second Coxswain James Jamieson for this service.
1915
Silver Medal awarded to Second Coxswain James Jamieson for one of the finest services in 1915. The lifeboat was launched about 0400 to the motor boat Redhead on 10 November with a scratch crew, including the Honorary Secretary and a soldier, in a biting northerly gale. At the second attempt the lifeboat managed to get alongside the casualty enabling the six crew to jump in. The return journey, after standing by all night, was one of the bitterest experiences that any man in the boat had ever endured and it was with the help of six fishermen who put off in a boat from Spittal, bringing a line from the pier, that the lifeboat was hauled in. When they landed the condition of every man was pitiable to see.
1935
A Centenary Vellum awarded to station.
1967
A D class lifeboat sent to station in April.
1975
Bronze Medal awarded to Helmsman William Shearer and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to crew member Norman Jackson for the rescue by the inshore lifeboat of two women, one of whom was trapped inside the hull of a capsized trimaran on 31 May.
1976
Watson class lifeboat withdrawn from station on 17 September. D class lifeboat replaced by an Atlantic 21 on 17 September.
1985
A celebration 150th Anniversary Vellum awarded to station.
1993
Atlantic 21 lifeboat withdrawn and replaced by a Mersey class lifeboat on 5 February, establishing an all-weather lifeboat station.
Boathouse and slipway adapted to accommodate the station’s new Mersey class lifeboat. HRH The Duchess of Kent named the station’s new Mersey class lifeboat, the Joy and Charles Beeby, in a special ceremony at Carr Rock Pier on Tuesday 23 March.
1995
D class lifeboat D433 placed on station as of 9 May.
1996
New D class lifeboat D494 was placed on service on 30 March.
2005
Royal Humane Society awarded their Testimonial on Parchment to Helmsman William (Billy) Johnson for saving a man who had fallen into a dock on 7 June 2005.
The new class of lifeboat IB1, D639 Howard and Mary was placed on service on Monday 18 July. D494 has been withdrawn to the Relief Fleet.
WARTIME RECORD (1939-45)
Launches on service – 17. Lives rescued - 19.
MEDAL RECORD
Eight Medals have been awarded, one Gold, six Silver and one Bronze, the last being voted in 1975.
FOREIGN AWARDS
On 29 March 1913 the lifeboat rescued the crew of 11 of the Swedish Barque Jacob Ruers. The Swedish Government awarded a Silver Medal to Coxswain Burgon and Second Coxswain J Jamieson and £2 to each of the crew. The coxswain was also awarded the Institution’s Silver Medal for the same service.