STORM AND COMPANY

An account by the Royal National Life-Boat Institution of the Robin Hood's Bay Station

The station was established in 1830, was taken over by the Institution in 1881 and was closed in 1931. The present boathouse was built in 1881 and opened on september 26th 1881. In August 1930 it was presented with a Vellum in recognition of the fact that it had been in existence for 100 years.

The record of the station is 91 lives rescued from shipwreck and 49 launches on service. The station had 4 lifeboats, all pulling and sailing, as follows:

1. 1830-1840 A life-boat on Palmer's plan, 2 launches on service and 6 lives rescued.

2.1840-1881 A life-boat 20ft x 10ft built by Gale of Whitby, 1 launch on service and 3 lives rescued.

3.1881-1902 Ephraim & Hannah Fox, a gift of Mr & Mrs Fox's children per Mr C Fox of Stancliffe, nr Dewsbury, 11 launches on service, 24 lives rescued.

4.1902-1931 Mary Ann Lockwood. Cost defrayed from a legacy of Mr T Lockwoodof Harrogate, 35 launches on service, 58 lives saved.

The following services are worth noting:

January 2nd 1900 the Ephraim and Hannah Fox rescued 13 lives from the steamer Knivel of Copenhagen, which stranded on the north side of Robin Hood's bay. A moderate easterly gale was blowing with a rough sea, thick weather and rain.

March 29th 1911 the Mary Ann Lockwood stood by the steamer Dunmail of Newcastle on Tyne. The steamer had stranded in thick fog, and the sea was rough. In the morning, as there were signs that the steamer would become a wreck, the life-boat rescued its crew of 15.

April 3rd 1920 the Mary Ann Lockwood went to the help of the steamer Britannia of Sunderland. The steamer had run aground in dense fog and had got off again only to sink in deep water. The crew of 16 took to the ship's boats and, under the guidance of the life-boat, were brought to safety.

February 4th 1843 the life-boat put off to the brig Ann of London which, with a crew of nine, stranded in the bay. While alongside the brig, after taking off the men, the life-boat was struck by a heavy sea and capsized. Four of the life-boat's crew and six of the brig's crew were drowned. The others drifted ashore on the bottom of the upturned boat. Immediately on seeing the accident, five men manned the old life-boat and put off, but also overturned, and two of her crew were drowned

The Committee of the Institution granted £50 for the relief of the bereaved families. One of the crew of the life-boat who was drowned was Lieut. Lingard, RN., who, fourteen years earlier had been awarded the Institution's gold medal for saving life in this district.

Effective services by the Inatitution's life-boats stationed at the RobinHood's bay life-boat station

The Ephraim & Hannah Fox life-boat

The Mary Ann Lockwood life-boat

April 1931 The station was closed.

BACK