Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station

A lifeboat was first placed at Runswick, just to the south of Staithes, in 1866. The RNLI had wished to station a lifeboat in Staithes by 1870, but had given up on the idea as there was a lack of suitable locations to site the lifeboat house.^[4]

In 1874, a wealthy donation, and a codicil in a will of a benefactor that stipulated that a lifeboat be stationed at Staithes, enabled the RNLI to press ahead with its plans.^[5] The crew used an old alum warehouse as a temporary lifeboat house, until one was built by the RNLI.^[6]

The lifeboat house was built at Staithes in 1875, and later modified in 1910. Both Staithes and Runswick lifeboat stations operated side by side, but a lack of crew, and a decline in the fishing fleet at Staithes, brought about the closure of Staithes in 1922.^[7]

The station was re-opened in 1928 after the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries installed a harbour and breakwaters. This created a resurgence in fishing from Staithes, and the RNLI once again provided a lifeboat.^[8] The resurgence was short lived however, and the station closed again in 1938.^[9]

In January 1978, the site was used as a test-bed for the new Atlantic 21-class lifeboats. After an acceptance trial, it was decided to re-open the station at Staithes.^[10]

Staithes lifeboat station officially re-opened on 17 June 1978, with Runswick closing on 30 June 1978. The station, now named Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station, had been operational since April 1978, when the first new ILB had been sent for trials. The Staithes lifeboat occupied the same station that had been built in 1875; this building is now grade II listed.^[11][12]

The lifeboat house is on a stretch of land known as the "Cowbar" and the slipway gentle curves towards the bay allowing the lifeboat to be launched by a tractor.^[13]

The people of Runswick Bay later instituted their own Independent lifeboat, which is known as the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat (RBRB). By 1984, the RBRB was fully accredited with the coastguard and is part of the overall response to emergencies in the north east region, being seen as a complement to the RNLI services, not competing or hindering them.^[14]

The station has a yearly Lifeboat Weekend. The event sees a nightgown parade, a fireworks display and demonstrations at sea, and usually has over 2,000 people attending. The event is held across both villages of Staithes and Runswick.^[15]

Also occurring yearly is an auction held in the Cod and Lobster public house in the village, raising money for the RNLI lifeboat in the village. In 2023, the auction raised £6,050 for the Staithes and Runswick RNLI lifeboat.^[16]

• 27 November 1888 - a great storm raged on the sea, and the Staithes lifeboat went out to aid the return of forty-five fishing cobles. The final launch to bring the last coble back to port was feared to be a disaster when the storm worsened overnight; neither ship was sighted, and also, two bodies were washed ashore. Whilst those on the coble were not saved, the crew and boat battled through the storm with significant damage to the lifeboat. The lifeboat crew were picked up by a passing steamer and dropped off at Middlesbrough.^[17] One of the lifeboat crewmen was drowned and his body was washed ashore a day later.^[18] At the inquiry it was noted that;

  ...the boat was in every respect staunch and seaworthy, but that on her being launched by a strange crew for the first time, the brass ventilators opening into the air-chambers below deck were not screwed down, and consequently, when on her second voyage, she shipped in heavy seas and the air-cases filled with water and she capsized.^[19]

• 8 August 2018 - the crew were called out to a nine year-old child who had been trapped by a rockfall on the beach.^[20]

The following are awards made at Staithes and Runswick.^[21][22]

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Stephen Iredale, Helm – 2000

• The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2000
  (for the outstanding inshore lifeboat rescue of the year)

Stephen Iredale, Helm – 2000 - Staithes

• The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

David Porritt, Helm – 1996

Sean Baxter, Helm – 1996

• A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Martin Hopkinson, crew member – 1996

• A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

Iain Baxter, crew member – 1996

Jason Edison, crew member – 1996

Martin Hopkinson, crew member – 1996

David Porritt, crew member – 1996

Lee Porritt, crew member – 1996

David Springett, crew member – 1996

Michael Verrill, crew member – 1996

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

William James

James Clemence James – 1989NYH^[23]

• RNLI Silver Statue

James Wright – 2004^[24]

In memory of those lost whilst serving the Staithes and Runswick lifeboat.^[21]

• Died after being thrown on the rocks, when the lifeboat Winefride Mary Hopps (ON 107) capsized on service to a fishing coble, November 1888

John Crookes, crew member (40)

• Died after saving a school boy, and attempting to save a man in the harbour, 28 August 1957.

George Hanson, Head Launcher (52)

• Collapsed and died of a heart attack, during launch preparations of the Atlantic 21, to the fishing vessel Nicola Jane, 2 April 1990

John Robert Baxter, Tractor Driver (62)

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats