Seahouses History

1827 The station was established by Lord Crewe’s Trustees and named North Sunderland.

1830s A boathouse was built close to the harbour.

1838 Seven fishermen went out to the wreck of the steamship Forfarshire to rescue survivors but found that they had been rescued by William and Grace Darling.

1853 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coastguard John Knight for attempting to rescue the crew of the wrecked schooner Nisus.

1886 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Pringle in recognition of his long and valuable service.

1908 An RNLI Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain James Robson for rescuing the 14 crew from the steamer Geir of Bergen, stranded on Knavestone Rock, Farne Islands. He also received a Silver Medal from the King of Norway.

1934 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1935 A new boathouse was built at the north end of Seahouses harbour.

1936 The station’s first motor lifeboat arrived at the station.

1948 Mr EL Hooper was appointed as Honorary Secretary – he was one of the men rescued from the Magdapur by the Aldeburgh lifeboat in one of the first lifeboat services of the 1939-45 war.

1959 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Dawson for rescuing a man from a cliff on the Inner Farne Islands on 12 July. Coxswain Dawson had swum across to the cliff with a line attached to his lifejacket; he then hauled a lifejacket over and put it on the man. With great difficulty he brought him down to a lower ledge and back to the lifeboat.

1964 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established alongside the all weather lifeboat. A D class lifeboat was placed on service in May.

1977 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1991 The Mersey class lifeboat Grace Darling was placed on service. A new boathouse was completed in June providing crew facilities and housing for the Mersey class lifeboat and carriage coupled to the tractor, and also for the D class lifeboat.

1996 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Stephen Priestley for rescuing a windsurfer in heavy seas and surf close to the shore.

1997 The new D class lifeboat, D-529 Martin, John and Ann, was placed on service on 4 November.

1999 The station was renamed Seahouses lifeboat station.

2000 The station was extended to provide space for a long wheelbase Landrover for launching the ILB and for the recovery equipment trailer for the all weather lifeboat.

Station honours

At Seahouses lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1

Bronze Medal 1

Silver Medal 3