Mundesley RNLI Lifeboat Station

On 2 November 1810, the brig Anna (Anne) of North Shields, was wrecked at Mundesley. All eight crew, and a woman and child, were lost.^[5][6]

The meeting of the Cromer Lifeboat Committee was reported just 15 days later, when they resolved to place a lifeboat at Mundesley, smaller than the one at Cromer, as long as local funding could be raised. It was later decided to adapt a beach-boat as a temporary lifeboat. In a letter of 14 October 1811 to the Lifeboat Committee, it was recorded that six 6 lives had been saved by the Mundesley lifeboat on the previous day.^[7][8][9]

In 1823, the station and lifeboat were adopted by the newly formed NSA, and a new 29-foot lifeboat, built by Robson of North Shields, was placed on station.^[10]

The sloop Union of Kingston-upon-Hull, on passage to Great Yarmouth, was wrecked on 19 February 1832, at Mundesley. In gale-force conditions, the Master and crew were rescued by a group of fishermen and coastguard in the Mundesley lifeboat, led by Lt. Wylde, RN.^[11]

Following a meeting of the NSA on 21 Nov 1857, it was agreed to request that the RNLI take over responsibility for all their lifeboat stations, including Mundesley. This was formally agreed at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 3 December 1857.^[12]

A new 30-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (10) oars, was constructed by Forrestt of Limehouse, to the design of Peake, at a cost of £156. It was dispatched to Mundesley in 1858, and was the seventh lifeboat to be placed on the Norfolk coast, following the transfer of the management of the NSA stations.^[13][14]

Following a sum of £435 received from the 'Grocers of England', via William Reed of The Grocer journal, the Mundesley station was completely renovated. A new lifeboat house was constructed, and a new 33-foot lifeboat, Grocers, was placed on station in November 1866, along with new equipment and a new carriage. The lifeboat was given free transportation from London to Norwich by the Great Eastern Railway, from where it was hauled on its carriage to Mundesley.^[15][16]

On 17 November 1867, the brig George of Sunderland was on passage to Rouen, when she ran aground on the outer bank, out of reach of the rocket brigade lines. The Mundesley lifeboat Grocers was launched into the south-east gale, but the brig broke up in less than an hour, and six men drowned when the main mast fell. One man was spotted clinging to a plank. Fully clothed, lifeboat man Juniper jumped overboard with a line, and rescued the sole survivor. William Juniper was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.^[17][18][19]

After 16 years service, the Mundesley lifeboat was replaced in 1882. A new 34-foot self-righting lifeboat, along with its new carriage, was transported from London to North Walsham free of charge by the Great Eastern Railway. On 21 September, a service of blessing was carried out by the Rev. Nevison Loraine of St Paul's, Chiswick. The village choir sang the hymn, "For those in peril on the sea". Funded by the gift to the Institution of £1000, from Mrs Elliott of Leytonstone, Essex, in memory of her late husband, the lifeboat was named J. H. Elliott (ON 261). The lifeboat was then launched, into rough conditions, which gave a good demonstration of her capabilities.^[20][21]

The J. H. Elliott was launched at 05:30 on 28 November 1884, to the barque Embla of Stavanger, on passage from Cardiff to Christianssund with a cargo of timber, when she stranded 1 mile (1.6 km) from Mundesley in thick fog. The vessel was soon a total wreck, but all 10 crew were rescued, and were ashore by 09:30.^[22]

At a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 8 January 1891, it was resolved to temporarily close Mundesley Lifeboat Station, as there were insufficient numbers of reliable crew available.^[3]

On 10 January 1895, at a meeting of the RNLI committee of management, it was decided that Mundesley RNLI Lifeboat Station would be abolished.^[23]

It is not known if any part of the old station building still exists. The lifeboat on station at the time of closure, J. H. Elliott (ON 261), was sold from service. No further details are known.^[24]

The independently run Mundesley Volunteer Inshore Lifeboat, established in 1972, now operates at Mundesley.

The following are awards made at Mundesley.^[19]

• RNLI Silver Medal

William Juniper, crew member – 1868

• Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland
• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats