| Runswick Lifeboat Station | |
| Map Type: | North Yorkshire |
| Location City: | Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire |
| Location Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 54.5332°N -0.7499°W |
| Building Type: | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Opened Date: | 1866 |
| Closing Date: | 1978 |
Runswick Lifeboat Station was located in the village of Runswick Bay, approximately north-west of Whitby, in the county of North Yorkshire, England.
A lifeboat station was established here in 1866 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).[1]
In 1978, the nearby lifeboat station at Staithes was reopened as in Inshore lifeboat station, and renamed . The All-weather lifeboat 37-11 The Royal Thames (ON 978) was withdrawn, and Runswick Lifeboat Station closed.
Following a meeting of the local population, and with the view that a rescue service was still required, the independent Runswick Bay Rescue Boat was established in 1982.
The first lifeboat to be stationed at Runswick was The Sheffield in 1866. She was a 32-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails.[2]
In April 1901, all the fit and able men were fishing in the bay, when a sudden storm erupted over the area. Older men from the village were drafted in to man the lifeboat, but it was pushed into sea by the women of the village.[3]
In 1910, a new station was erected on the site of the previous lifeboat house. The enlarged station was necessary to accommodate the new 35feet lifeboat Hester Rothschild (ON 612).
In 1933, a new motor-powered lifeboat was received on station, and was named The Always Ready (ON 766). Soon afterwards, Coxswain of the lifeboat Robert Patton died at sea, attempting to rescue a disabled seaman. The lifeboat was renamed Robert Patton - The Always Ready in 1934.[4]
In 1978, following a coastal review by the RNLI, the lifeboat station at Staithes was re-opened as an Inshore lifeboat station. With motor-powered lifeboats at and, the Runswick station was closed. Staithes lifeboat station became .The Runswick lifeboat The Royal Thames (ON 978), was transferred to .[1]
Following the withdrawal of the Runswick lifeboat, it was still felt that with the popularity of the bay, particularly in the holiday season, some sort of rescue cover was still required. A meeting was held in 1980, and the local population at Runswick Bay set about to raise £4000 for their own rescue boat. Runswick Bay Rescue Boat (RBRB) was established at Runswick Bay in 1982, and this now operates in conjunction with all rescue services on the coast, coordinated by HMCG.[5] [6]
| ON | Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | The Sheffield | |||||
| 207 | – | Margaret and Edward | 1880–1893 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | ||
| 341 | – | Cape of Good Hope | 1893–1908 | 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [7] | |
| 455 | – | Forester | 1908–1910 | 34-foot Self-righting (Rubie) | ||
| 612 | – | Hester Rothschild | 1910–1933 | 35-foot Self-righting (Rubie) | [8] | |
| 766 | – | The Always Ready, | 1933–1953 | [9] | ||
| 918 | – | Elliot Gill | 1954–1970 | [10] | ||
| 978 | 1970–1978 | 37-foot Oakley |
RNLI Station closed in 1978.
| Op. No. | Reg. No. | Type | In service | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T16 | YW 3377 | Clayton | 1940–1942 | |
| T46 | KGP 1 | Case LA | 1949–1957 | |
| T54 | KXX 566 | Case LA | 1957–1966 | |
| T55 | KXX 565 | Case LA | 1966–1969 | |
| T66 | XYP 400 | Fowler Challenger III | 1969–1974 | |
| T57 | NYE 351 | Fowler Challenger III | 1974–1976 | |
| T62 | PLA 698 | Fowler Challenger III | 1976–1978 | |