Blyth's station history

Tragically, the lifeboat is wrecked on service and all 34 on board are lost. The names of the 15 crewmen are T Brown, J Dobie, J Hall, W Hunter, M Jefferson, G Lee, J Morgan, W Oliver, J Partis, J Robinson, H Short, D Stewart, W Todd, T Turnball and J Walker.

Blyth Lifeboat Station is established in 1826 when the Newcastle Branch Association applies to the Institution for a lifeboat.

Unnamed lifeboat placed on service.

Silver Medal awarded to William Armstrong for the rescue by boat of W Cargill, Master of the brig Perseverance, the mate, five seamen and two passengers, when she was wrecked on 10 December 1829.

When going out on 28 October to convey instructions to a brig from Archangel, the lifeboat is driven stern under by a heavy sea. Before the water is drained from the lifeboat, another sea strikes her and she capsized. Tragically, ten of the crew are drowned. The names are R Burn, P Bushell, D Dawson, H Debord, W Dixon, JT Heppell, G Heron, J Hudson, J White and E Wood. J Hodgson and Henry Kinch are saved.

The Committee of Management votes £20 to local fund. Henry Kinch is awarded a Silver Medal in recognition of his perseverance and undaunted exertions while he attempted to save his comrades.

Silver Medal awarded to James Kearney White for the rescue of the crew of the sloop William and Mary, which stranded at Blyth on 10 January1852 in a north-north-easterly force 9 strong gale. Mr Kearney White, with a crew of six fishermen, put out in a fishing coble and in heavy seas saved four men who were in the rigging and were so helpless with cold that they had been unable to make use of a line fired to them by Dennett’s rocket.

A Silver Second Service Clasp awarded to James Kearney White, Coastguard, for the rescue of the crew of 14 from the barque Victoria of USSR that was wrecked near Blyth Haven during an easterly gale on 28 October 1852. Mr Kearney White put off in the lifeboat and, in difficult conditions, saved the crew who were nearly washed off the deck on several occasions.

No.2 station established with the placing on service of a lifeboat named Thomas Carr.

The Local Association decides to hand over the station to the Institution.

The Local Association decides to hand over the station to the Institution. Unnamed lifeboat replaced by a new lifeboat provided by the Institution, named Salford.

A coastguard boat, in going off to render assistance to two distressed vessels, capsizes and two of the crew are tragically drowned.

A six-oared lifeboat, the Sow and Pig, is stationed on davits on the pier ready for lowering to go off to wrecks on the shoal. The Inspector finds, however, that waves break over the proposed site, making it unlikely the boat could be used in really bad weather. The project is dropped.

Committee of Management votes a binocular glass to Mr James Darling, who had been connected with the management of Blyth lifeboats for 36 years.

Two owners of a tug decide to provide it for the lifeboat without charge.

New lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £520.

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain T W Tinning when, on 16 October 1898, the No 2 lifeboat was proceeding to the assistance of the Norwegian sloop Fremad. The sloop had stranded in Cambois Bay when she was struck by three heavy seas that capsized her. All the crew regained the boat with the exception of Second Coxswain Mark A Fairhurst who was tragically drowned. Coxswain T W Tinning, who jumped overboard from the lifeboat, swam to Mark Fairhurst and got him to the shore. Sadly, Mr Fairhurst could not be revived.

The Committee of Management votes £300 to a local fund and gives £10 to Mr Fairhurst's widow.

Owner of the tug is now paid £1 each time a tug exercises with the lifeboat.

King of Norway awards lifesaving medals to Coxswain John Bushell and Acting Bowman G Summerside, for services in rescuing seven men from the barque Haabet on 12 November 1901.

Lifeboat capsizes while on service in a heavy confused sea on the 22 December, fortunately without loss of life.

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain Anthony Nixon, for the rescue of two of the crew of the SS Dunelm that was stranded at low water in a whole gale when a very heavy sea was running on 11 January 1913.

Using a rocket apparatus, the whole crew was rescued except for two men, with four rescuers, who could proceed no further because of the increasing depth of water. Using a small boat, Coxswain Nixon brought off two of them, the three others were saved by other means. One man was sadly swept away.

Coxswain A Nixon is also awarded the King’s Bronze Medals for gallantry in saving life at sea. Herbert Burton and Robert Smith, both of Tynemouth lifeboat, also receive Silver Medals.

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain John Bushell for a shore boat case to the trawler Naval Prince in a strong south-easterly gale and very heavy sea on 10 December 1915. Owing to the seas, the Cambois lifeboat was washed ashore and made a second attempt some hours later but could not reach the vessel. Coxswain Bushell and three other crewmen carried a shore boat over the rocks and, at great risk, rescued three of the crew.

Coxswain John Bushell awarded Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum, in recognition of his strenuous efforts in connection with the wreck of the barque Auder on 28 February. On the first trip, five of the 10 men were rescued. Two unsuccessful attempts to reach the vessel were then made by the lifeboat manned by officers and men from naval vessels in the harbour. Finally, the coxswain and crew manned the lifeboat a further time and rescued three men. The other two swam ashore. The coxswain was in charge of three out of the four attempts.

The King of Norway presents a Silver Cup to the coxswain and Silver Medals to each of the crew for their services in rescuing some of the crew of the Norwegian barque Auder on 28 February 1916 (see above).

Report that the Senior Naval Officer had arranged that in the case of a wreck, 12 men from HMS Titanic would be detailed to assist in manning the lifeboat.

It is decided that road exercises be discontinued as the Tynemouth lifeboat could get to a vessel at Sexton Sluice quicker that the Blyth lifeboat could be transported there.

Station adapted for a motor lifeboat at a cost of £10,000.

Centenary Vellum awarded to station.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain J Wheatley, in recognition of his courageous and determined efforts in rescuing three men from the steamer Skarv that was drifting, with her boilers out of action, towards Cambois Bay in a strong north-easterly wind on 23 December 1938. The Blyth lifeboat closed with the steamer and managed to take off three men before the lifeboat sustained severe damage to her rudder. Three more attempts to rescue the remaining crew were undertaken, but to no avail. Finally the Skarv was driven ashore and the remaining three survivors taken off by rocket apparatus.

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum accorded to Coxswain Thomas Fawcus for the rescue of four of the crew of the SS Holderness of Hull that went ashore on Seaton Rocks, east of the Blyth East Pier Lighthouse, in a fresh easterly wind and a rough sea on 11 March.

Silver Medal awarded to Coxswain Thomas Fawcus, a Bronze Medal to Bowman John Kerr, and The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum accorded to the other members of the crew for the rescue of two of the crew of the vessel Paulgate, which broached to off the Blyth Fairway buoy in a strong northerly gale and a rough sea on 18 November 1962. The captain remained on board intending to enter the Tyne and asked the lifeboat to stand by, but the vessel ran out of fuel at the river entrance and drifted through the piers at flood tide. Bowman Kerr scrambled on board and secured a line from the lifeboat and kept the casualty clear of the shore.

The Maud Smith Award for the bravest act of lifesaving in 1962 is made to Bowman John Kerr for the part he played during the rescue of the crew of two of the motor vessel Paulgate on 18 November 1962.

D class lifeboat sent to station in May.

150th Anniversary Vellum awarded to station.

Sir Alec Rose, lone round-the-world yachtsman and founder member of the Shoreline membership scheme, names the new Blyth lifeboat Shoreline at the Dun Cow Quay on 29 October.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Charles Hatcher in recognition of the courage, determination and seamanship displayed by him on the night of 7 December 1982, when the lifeboat went to the assistance of the fishing vessel Castle Cove that was taking in water five miles north-north-east of the River Tyne. As the vessel's engines failed shortly after the lifeboat arrived, a tow was rigged. The casualty began to sink, so the tow was slipped and Coxswain Hatcher went alongside and rescued the crew of three. The Castle Cove sank five minutes later, approximately 457m north of the Tyne North Pier in a south-easterly gale and rough seas.

Adaptation work to the main slipway is carried out in order to improve the launching and recovery of the D class lifeboat that was to be housed and launched from the main boathouse. This work includes the installation of a two-channel track directly onto the existing slipway ribs, alterations to the launching trolley, and the reconstruction of the slipway toe.

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum accorded to Coxswain Keith Barnard, in recognition of his seamanship, skill and determination when the lifeboat The William and Jane rescued the crew of eight and saved the yacht Eau de Vie on 26 September 1993. The yacht had broken her mast after capsizing in gale force winds and heavy seas between the Outer Bell Rock and the Inner Bell Rock, and was being driven onto the rocks.

New D class lifeboat D-464 is placed on service on 19 July.

Work is carried out on a conversion to part of the ground floor of the main boathouse to provide improved crew facilities. Conversion is also carried out on the old D class boathouse to provide a drying/changing room and mechanic’s workshop.

Waveney class lifeboat withdrawn and replaced by a Trent.

The new station D class lifeboat D-606 Jennie B is placed on service on 25 November. This lifeboat is funded by a generous gift from Mrs N Wilson. Lifeboat D-464 Wren is withdrawn to the relief fleet.

At the Trustee Committee Meeting held on 7 July, the recommendations from the recent Coast Review visits are discussed and it is resolved that the Trent class all-weather lifeboat be withdrawn to the relief fleet and the station continue to operate their D class inshore lifeboat.

New boathouse adaptation completed and new davit installed in July at a cost of £65,000.

The new station D class lifeboat D746 Alan and Amy is placed on service 30 January 2012. This lifeboat is funded by the generous gift of Dr Patricia Kind. Lifeboat D-606 Jennie B is withdrawn.

The new D class boathouse is completed. It is part funded by the generous bequest of Mrs Daphne Sharpe.