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We are the most northernly Lifeboat station in England
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Berwick-upon-Tweed lifeboat station operates both all weather and inshore lifeboats. During its 170-year history the lifeboat crews have been presented with nine awards for gallantry.
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Berwick RNLI
Carr Rock,
Spittal Road,
Berwick Upon Tweed,
Northumberland
TD15 1QY
Tel: 01289 306217
Visitor Contact:
W T Wakenshaw
Telephone
01289 330604
07802 940662
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"a helper of many"
Scroll down with the slider for a brief history and awards >>>>>
1834 A Silver Medal was awarded to Lieut H Baillie RN for rescuing six people from the schooner Cupido on 26 December 1833.
1835 A lifeboat house was located on the south side of the River Tweed at Spittal beach.
1838 A Gold Medal was awarded to Lieut D Rymer RN for rescuing six crew from the scooner Margaret.
A Silver Medal was awarded to Lieut EB Nott RN for rescuing nine people from the wrecked schooner Diana.
1855 The lifeboat station was taken over by the RNLI.
A Silver Medal was awarded to Dr FS Cahill for saving two people from a small boat.
1863 The lifeboat capsized on exercise, thankfully without the loss of life.
1877 Crew Member Thomas Elliott died, partly as a result of exposure during a service on 1 January.
1900 The boathouse was moved to the Berwick side of the river because of the difficulty in getting a crew from Spittal.
1901 A new boathouse was built at Ferry Landing.
1906 Whilst on service to a fishing boat the lifeboat was thrown on her side and the crew were washed overboard. Fortunately they were all recovered.
1908 A Silver Medal was awarded to Alexander Aitchison for saving his friend after their fishing boat capsized.
1913 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Robert Burgon for rescuing 11 crew from the barque Jacob Rauers, wrecked in rough seas in Marshall Meadows Bay. The Swedish Government awarded Silver Medals to Robert Burgon and Second Coxswain James Jamieson for this service.
1915 A Silver Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain James Jamieson for saving six crew from the motor boat Redhead.
1930 The station was moved back to the south side of the river and a new boathouse with a roller slipway was built near Spittal beach.
1935 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1967 An inshore lifeboat station was established with a D class lifeboat.
1975 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman William Shearer and the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Crew Member Norman Jackson for rescuing two women from a capsized trimaran.
1976 The all weather Watson class lifeboat was withdrawn from service. The D class lifeboat was replaced by a B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat.
1985 A celebration 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1993 An all weather lifeboat station was re-established when the B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a Mersey class lifeboat. The Joy and Charles Beeby was named by HRH The Duchess of Kent. The boathouse and slipway were adapted for the new lifeboat.
1995 A D class lifeboat was placed on service.
1996 A new D class lifeboat arrived at the station.
2005 The new D class, IB1 D-639 Howard and Mary Broadfield, was placed on service.
Station honours
At Berwick-upon-Tweed the following awards have been made:
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1
Bronze Medal 1
Silver Medal 6
Gold Medal 1
A large crowd gathers to watch the launch
The Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat 1835 - 1900
In 1835, the local Coastguard asked the Shipwreck Institution to station a Lifeboat at Spittal, as twenty five miles of dangerous coastline from Holy Island to Dunbar were unguarded. However, at this time the Institution was In financial hardship and unable to afford the two hundred pounds that the Boat would cost.
When the people of Berwick and Spittal heard this they decided to raise the money themselves. Within three months the necessary money had been raised by sales of old clothes and door to door collections.
The boat was built at Newcastle and was stationed near the present-day remains of the Brown Factory. She stood in the open air and was launched by being pushed over logs which were laid on the beach up to the water's edge.
The boat was about thirty feet long, was timber built, and was pulled by ten men, five oars on either side. The coxswain handled the steering oar, a very strenuous task in heavy seas, while the bowman, as his name implied, stood in the bows of the boat telling the coxswain the course to steer. The bowman also had the task of jumping onto the boat that was being rescued and making a rope secure, an extremely dangerous thing to do in heavy seas, and this was why the job of bowman was given to an unmarried man.
All told, the crew of the early Berwick Lifeboat had a very hard life, as indeed all lifeboat men had. The sea boots they wore were made from leather, their oilskins were ineffective and their cork life jackets restricted their movement.
Unfortunately, the RNLI have no records from the Berwick Lifeboat
for this period, and the newspapers in the Berwick Library don't go back this far .
In 1852 the lifeboat was removed from Berwick as it was unsafe, and was Not replaced until 1855 when a boat based on James Beeching's winning design arrived at Berwick. This boat was partly paid for by local subscriptions and partly by the RNLI, The new lifeboat was thirty six feet long, had raised air cases fore and aft and was pulled by twelve oars, double banked.
On the 22nd March 1857, the lifeboat was launched to go to the aid of the Heinneck Gerdes of Rostock, a four hundred ton Gemran coaster on passage to the Tyne carrying pit props, There was a heavy northerly swell running and a fresh easterly wind was creating a confused sea.
As the lifeboat neared the Heinrreck Gerder, a heavy sea caught her
on the port-quarter, and a member of the crew was washed overboard, The coxswain saw the danger and threw a life belt to the struggling man and turned the boat around to pick up his exhausted crewmember. The lifeboat then continued her voyage to the Heinneck Gerdes and stood-by the ship until she was out of danger.
While the lifeboat was out on a practice on the 29th March 1863, she was swamped by a large wave. The next wave to hit her caused her to capsize, but the crew managed to scramble on to the upturned hull, where they stayed until help arrived.
The following year the lifeboat that had been at Spittal since 1855 was taken out of service by the RNLI after she had been launched nine times on service and saved thirty six lives. She was replaced by the Albert Victor, a gift from the Manchester branch of the RNLI and cost three
hundred and seventeen pounds. The Albert Victor was thirty five feet long, had two sails and was pulled by ten oars, double banked.
A new sandstone boathouse was built for the Albert Victor just in front of where the Sandstell Salmon Shiel is today, and she was kept on a wooden frame carriage supported by two large wooden wheels. When the boat was needed volunteers pushed the carriage down the beach and into the water.
On the first of January 1877, the barque Result of Guernsey, carrying phosphate for Messrs. Johnson and Company of Berwick, got inte difficulties on the Berwick Bar due to a strong ebb-tide and a fresh easterly wind, and was being carried towards Spittal beach. lt was expected that the tug Tweed would come to her aid but the lifeboat was launched instead.
After a difficult pull down the pier-side the Albert Victor reached the Result and escorted her back into the deep water channel. As she was doing this a wave sent the Albert Victor crashing against the Results hull and two oars were lost and a crew members hand crushed. Eventually the Result reached Tweedmouth Dock after the lifeboat crew had struggled for four hours in a very cold easterly wind.
Seven days later a member of the lifeboat crew, Thomas Elliot, died -
partly due to exposure while he was on service to the Result. The RNLI gave his morning family ten pounds to help them through their period of grief.
The Albert Victor was replaced by the John and Janet in 1888. The AlbertVictor had an excellent record and had been launched twenty six times onservice, saving sixty lives.
A street parade escorts the new
lifeboat through the streets of Berwick
The new boat, the John and Janet, was a gift from the late Mrs. Janet Barr of Kinley, Surrey, and cost four hundred and ninety six pounds to build. She was kept on the carriage at Sandsteil - the same place as the Albert Victor had been stationed.
Arrangements were made for the services of the local tug Tweed to tow the John and Janet to the pier-end in rough weather for the sum of one pound ten shillings every time she was needed.
ln 1900 the lifeboat was removed to the Berwick side of the river and 3 stationed at the ferry landing because of the difficulty in obtaining a crew from Spittal.
The Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat 1900 - 1919
On arrival at Berwick the boat stood on her carriage for a year while a
new stone boathouse costing one thousand and twenty pounds was
built at the ferry landing. It is still standing and is now used by the Salmon Company,
The old boathouse at Sandstell, Spittal. was sold for sixty pounds.
The coxswain of the John and Janet was William Burgon. a well known and respected member of the community, who lived in the Low Greens in Berwick beside the other lifeboat crew members.
In the early hours of June 1 1902 the distress flares or 'maroons' were
launched. Despite a heavy northerly swell William Btirgon guided the John and Janet northward towards the stricken barque Demetra, which was lying six miles northeast of St. Abbs head. Despite great difficulty in getting the lifeboat alongside the Dernetro he mannaged to get the nine survivors aboardand headed back to Berwick.
The following year, 1903, the Matthew Simpson replaced the John and
Janet which had been launched twenty five times on service, saving thirty four lives. The Matthew Simpson was fifty feet long, had fifteen crew members - twelve oarsmen, a coxswain, second coxswain and a bowman - and was a gift from the Misses Simpson of Lancaster in memory of their late father, costing nine hundred and twenty eight pounds.
At this time William Burgon had to give up his position as coxswain due to illness and his place was taken by his cousin, Robert Burgon.
While on service to a fishing boat on the third of February 1906, the Matthew Simpson was thrown on her beam ends and eleven crew members were thrown overboard. After a desperate struggle the crew managed to reboard the lifeboat and row back to the safety of Berwick.
On the eleventh February 1908, two Spittal men, returning from their days fishing, were thrown into the water when their boat capsized. Alexander Aitchison managed to save his companion by hauling him onto the upturned keel of the boat and held him there until another fishing boat arrived with help. For his gallantry and courage Alexander Aitchison was awarded the Institutions Silver Medal, one of the few occasions that someone not serving on a lifeboat has gained this honour.
William Burgon died in 1909, aged sixty three, having suffered from a long illness. He had given the Berwick Lifeboat many years of service and on his death a mounted obituary was given to his family.
"Ex coxswain William Burgon is dead This may mean little to many, but
his death is a grievous loss to the Greens.
This part ofthe town has lost its best man, and Berwick has lost a highly respected citizen. Brave, simple, soben God fearing, his life has been an example to many of the younger generation, and to this do they owe it that they are trying tafollow such worthy footsteps.
A man of few words perhaps, but when he spoke it was qs one with authority.
In 1900 he was appointed coxswain af our ldeboat by the unanimous vote
of his fellow fishermen. How he carried out his duties is known to everyone.
Perhaps he was seen at his best on that long Sunday in 1902 when he .
brought ashore safely nine men from the barque 'Demetra". Those who had
the honour to accompany him that day will remember the set, stem face and
compressed lips, that opened only to give his orders, in tones that were
unmistakeably meant to be obeyed
Twelve hours in the ldeboat this service occupied in the bitterly cold
weather and so tired and cold was he that he was prevailed upon to take
some rum and hot waten remarking as he did so, 'It is thirty six years since
alcohol passed my lips. "
The flag of that ship covered his honoured renuzins, and those who sailed
with him that day carried him to his last resting place.
As he lay on his deathbed ond felt the end drawing near; he quietly remarked
to one who was present, and who was honoured by his friendship, "The weatheris thickening around me, the sea is heavy and I am under close canvas; but the Pilot will pick me up."
Yes, a humble fisherman has died but one of such a noble character and
clean life, that this community should recognise that a great and good man
has gone from their midst."
In 1911 the owners of Berwick's local tug Forth, which replaced the Tweed, agreed to be paid ten pounds per year to keep the Forth's fires banked in stormy weather. In order to save precious time, if the Lifeboat was required, the Forth would tow it as far as the Bar.
On a stormy night in 1913 the crew of the Berwick lifeboat carried out their most memorable mission. A railway signalman on duty at the Wayside cabin at Marshall Meadows raised the alarm when he saw flares coming from the rocks at Needles Eye. The Jacob Ruers, a Swedish ship, was in desperate trouble.
The heavy seas tossed the Albert Simpson about like a cork and when she reached the scene the crew of the Jacob Ruers were up in the rigging hanging on for dear life.
Coxswain Robert Burgon dropped anchor a hundred yards east of the Jacob Ruers and let the wind and waves carry the lifeboat
toward the stricken ship which had run aground close to the shore, secure in the knowledge that the lifeboat could not be thrown against the rocks. The Jacob Ruers' crew of eleven were pulled twenty yards through the water by lifebuoy, were given stimulants by the lifeboat crew, and then helped to row the lifeboat back to Berwick.
For their part in the rescue of the crew of the Jacob Ruers the coxswain, Robert Burgon, received the Institutions Silver Medal, and he and his second coxswain, James Jamieson, were awarded silver medals by the Swedish govemment who also gave two pounds to each member of the lifeboat crew.
The last silver medal to be awarded to a crew member of the Berwick lifeboat was during the First World War, in 1915.
The boat was launched at eleven pm on Friday the tenth of November 1915. As most of the crew members were away on
Govemment Service the second coxswain, James Jamieson, took control of the Matthew Simpson and made his way to the Bar with a scratch crew, including the honorary secretary and a soldier. As they passed the Bar they met the full force of a bitterly cold northerly gale. After reaching the casualty, a motor boat, they had to wait until moming to rescue the six-man crew. They then turned for home, but after standing by all night the return journey was one of the worst experiences which any man in the boat had endured and they reached Berwick in a terrible.
condition. James Jamieson was awarded the Silver Medal for his part in the rescue.
Extract from journal dated February 1916:
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland - In response to signals of distress
the Berwick-upon-Tweed lifeeboat "Matthew Simpson " put to sea shortly after 4 a.m. on the 10th November to assist a motor boat which was dragging
her anchors. The motor-boat had anchored in Berwick bay the previous day for the purpose of repairing a slight defect in her engine. A strong northerly gale sprang up during the night, and the vessel commenced to drive into danger.
The coastguard observed her distress signals and telephoned to the Honorary Secretary, Lieut.-Col. C.L. Fraser; VD., R.A.M. C( T), who at once ordered the lifeboat to be launched The whole of the regular crew were not available, and Dr Fraser a soldier belonging to the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. two coastguard men and a fisherman volunteered to go afloat under the leadership of James Jamieson, the second coxswain. The boat proceeded on the direction of the flares, and in spite of the darkness succeeded in finding the vessel.When passing under her stern the lifeboat hailed the men on board and they replied, but neither heard the other on account of the gale. An attempt was made to keep close to the steamen but this was found to be impossible, and the lifeboat drove to leeward.Tremendous seas were running, and it was obvious that in the
The crew of the Matthew Simpson
darkness it would be highly dangerous if not impossible to
rescue those on board. It was, therefore, resolved to stand by until daylight
and then make an attempt to save the men. As soon as day broke the lifeboat
made for the motor-boat and it was not until two attempts had been made
that she succeeded in effecting communication. A line was secured, but it
parted at the critical moment. The boat was again manoeuvred until she
succeeded in getting alongside. The crew of six hands were found with their
lifebelts already ajusted to leave their vessel in case of disaster and as the
lifeboat rose and fell on the tremendous waves the men awaited their
opportunity and jumped into the boat. The boat then put into the north-east in order to secure a good position. to make the harbour and this operation is
described as being one af the bitterest experiences any man in the boat
ever endured The cold was intense, the wind cut like a knife, and the spindrift
was like showers of needles on the face.By the time the boat reached the bar
the men were well-nigh exhausted and to add to their difficult task, the ebb
tide, with the river in spate,made it impossible for the boat to gain the shelter
of the pier. Attempts were made under both sails and oars, and for over an
hour the men struggled valiantly to attain the shelter they so badly needed.
The boats position was absolutely critical, for on being swept seawards she
frequently went broadside to the breakers, and was almost upset. Seeing their
difficulties six men very bravely put of in a boat from Spittal.
When they, were seen approaching, a desperate effort was made by the lifeboats crew under double banked oars to reach the pier but this effort would equally have failed had not the Spittal fishermen very gallantly ventured themselves into the broken water. By very skilful seamanship they reached the lifeboat, and the line, which they had brought out with them. was attached to the boat. The other end was in the hands of the people on the pier and no time was lost in hauling the boat into safety.When they landed the condition of every man was pitiable to see. In the hurry to get away only one man had put on oilskins, there were only two sou'westers in the boat, some of the mens caps were blown away and every one was soaked to the skin. To add to their suffering the motion of the boat when afloat was so violent that it was not possible for them to use any of the provisions which were carried on board, and it was realised by the crew that if the boat had not been of the
she would have been split by the terrific blows when falling into the troughs of the waves. The rescued men expressed the greatest gratitude for their timely
deliverance, and the captain of the vessel was loud in his praises for the
lifeboat mens great bravery in going out to save them He considered that it
was wonderful, in the absence of all the coast lights, that the lifeboat ever found them; and he further expressed his admiration of the seamanship
displayed when the boat was being taken across the Bar.
In recognition of this fine service the Committee awarded the Thanks of
the Institution and a Silver Medal to the Acting Coxswain, James Jamieson,
and presented the Thanks ofthe Institution inscribed on vellum to Lieut Col.
C.L. Fraser In addition, they gave each of the other members ofthe crew an
extra monetary grant, and rewarded the Spittal fishermen for their timely
and useful help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before the advent ofthe War the crew usually consisted of : Robert Burgon (cox.) and his brothers Alexander and John,
Robert Burgon (cousin), the two Borthwick brothers and James Jamieson, the secondcox.
When Robert Burgon retrned at the end of the War he found the spirit of the Berwick lifeboat men on the decline and in 1919 the Matthew Simpson was moved to Spittal because of the difficulty in finding a full crew.
The Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat 1919- 1957
IN 1919 an appeal was made to the fishermen of Spittal to provide a crew for the lifeboat Matthew Simpson which had been statigied at Berwick for the previous sixteen years. Ameeting was held at Spittal all, the "Kit-Kat". and "Old Barty Lough" was elected coxswain, And so the lifeboat retumed to Spittal where it stood on the carriage at Sandstell.
The crew consisted of a first and second coxswain, a bowman and ten
oarsmen and twenty men were required to launch her. When the "maroons", or rocket flares, went off, the first twenty men to arrive on the beach were given a " launch token" and after the rescue the men who held the tokens were paid two and sixpence from the lifeboat funds for their service. Apart from these official launchers there were usually many volunteers, including women, who gave their support and were always willing to help.
There is a tale of a Saturday night launching when the boat was filled to `overflowing with "brave men" who had to be put ashore by PC. Frizzle before she could be launched. While he was doing this an old fishwife cried "You're all right now lads - Grace Darling is aboard." Another story tells of a "top secret" surprise night-time practice during the Depression when at least fifty
Extract from a newspaper obituary:
Mr Prideaux Patterson Lough was, for 12 years, connected with the Lifeboat Service and he was a member of a family whose record is second to none. Mr Lough joined the Royal Navy in I 915 and served with them throughout the First World War being demobilised in 1919. The same year he became a member of the crew of the Berwick lifeboat, and in 1930 he became second coxswain.
ln 1939, he again volunteered for service with the Navy and was accepted.
Prideaux Patterson Lough (left) in 1934
In 1944, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in rendering mines safe around the coasts of Scotland and North-East England during the previous three years, ln 1945, he returned to Berwick, and the same year becarne coxswain of the Berwick Lifeboat. When he retired, in 1952, he had been an officer for 22 years. He was awarded a certificate of service and an annuity by the RNLI.
ln his career Mr Lough took part in several rescues. the most notable of which being in 1950 when he took the boat out, in tremendous seas, to reach the Norwegian caoster "Rask aground at Scremerston.
Mr Lough spent some time as a deep sea fisherman, and later as a salmon fisherman on the River Tweed. His son, Mr Ted Lough, is the present Coxswain at Berwick, carrying on the family tradition. He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a daughter
Cont from p25.
volunteers appeared from a deserted beach as the first maroon was fired - the payment made to the lifeboat crew during these hard times was wealth to many.
In 1924 the Matthew Simpson left Spittal to be replaced by the Proctor, a gift from the late Mr. I. Proctor of Newcastle.
The Matthew Simpson had a splendid record of service and had been launched fifty three times in twenty one years saving sixty lives. The Proctor which cost one thousand, two hundred and fifty pounds, was thirty five feet long, was pulled by ten oars and had a mainsail and a jib. She had previously been stationed at Hayling Island where she had saved fifteen lives.
It was in this boat in March 1926 that the Spittal men served their most memorable mission.
The alarm was raised just after midnight by the driver of a goods train who had seen flares at the foot of the cliffs between Burnmouth and Berwick. It was a misty night with little wind but there was a heavy sea. After clearing the harbour they pulled along the coast keeping as close to the shore as possible, and when nearly at Bummouth they sighted the flares from the Eyedale,
a forty five foot fishing boat, which was close to the cliffs in rough water The Eyedale crewmen were burning their mattresses and bedding to attract
attention.
Old Barty decided to go straight in, which meant dropping anchor and
letting the boat surge forward. With luck and good seamanship they got close enough for the crew of the Eyedale to jump down into the lifeboat. When the whole crew was safely aboard they pulled themselves clear of the rough water by hauling on the anchor cable.
The crew of the Eyedole credited the coxswain and crew of the Proctor with the finest seamanship they had ever witnessed and were surprised to
find that they had been rescued by the Spittal lifeboat - they had been fishingo ff the Norwegian coast and were on their way to Shields when they met two days of southeasterly gales. When the boat struck the cliffs in the mist and darkness they thought that they were near Filey,
The Loughs of Berwick upon Tweed
instead of almost on their own doorstep.
In 1929 a corrugated asbestos lifeboat house with a gently sloping slipway was built at Sandstell, and was paid for from the legacy of Mrs. Maria Amelia Jeannopulos. When the boat retumed from a service she was pulled back up the slipway by a winch at the back of the boathouse.
Ted Lough
The Proctor was taken out of service in 1930, having been launched nine times on service and saving thirteen lives, and was replaced by the Westmoreland, a gift from the Westmoreland Lifeboat Fund. The Westmoreland was the first motor powered lifeboat to be stationed at Berwick-upon-Tweed and was thirty feet long, cost four thousand, five hundred and ninety seven pounds to build and was driven by a single four cylinder petrol engine. The engine was the Institutions own design , and would automatically cut out if the boat capsized, giving the crew a chance to scramble back aboard.
During the latter part of the thirties sand started to build up at the foot of the lifeboat and the crew had to dig it away with shovels two or three times a year. The situation grew worse and in 1939 a new lifeboat house was built alongside the Carr Rock jetty.
The RNLI employed local men to erect concrete pillars in the gravel of the river bed and the boathouse at Sandstell was dismantled and rebuilt on top of the pillar platform. The new boathouse was completed shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War and this signalled the start of a busy period for the lifeboat. During the first two years of the War the Westmoreland was launched about twelve times, although nearly every call-out was a false alarm.
In 1941 the Westmoreland was taken out of service, having rescued ten lives on sixteen launches, and was replaced by a temporary reserve lifeboat for six months because the Westmoreland's replacement, the J .&W., was not ready for service.
The J &W , a single four cylinder petrol engine boat like the Westmorelandarrived in the autumn of 1942 and was provided from the joint legacies of Mrs. Agnes Colquhoun of Glasgow and Mrs. E. Ashton
The Loughs aboard the J. & W.
of Preston at a cost of six thousand and fifty two pounds.
On the thirty first of January 1950 the crew of the J&W came perilously close to death. There was a storm-force south east gale blowing on the morning the Rask, a six hundred ton Norwegian herring carrier bound for Shields, ran aground on the rocks at Cocklawburn beach. The lifeboat guns were fired just after seven thirty a.m. and the crew knew that it would be very difficult to get clear of the harbour safely.
As the crew boarded the lifeboat Coxswain Priddy Lough instructed his youngest son Priddy, or Tiddler as he was known, to get off the boat as there were already enough Loughs on board. Not a word was spoken by the crew until they reached the open sea.
The Duchess of Kent with some of the crew of the Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat
By eight a.m. the lifeboat was at the end of the pier and it was then that she met the full force of the storm. Fighting her way through the driving snow, she took three large waves in quick succession which stood the boat up on end. The third of these waves almost sunk her - only the fact that there was a strong ebb tide, and the crew were able to obtain enough power to get into open water, saved the boat,
The coxswain broke the silence to ascertain the damage. Thankfully the
Crew were safe, although they had been hanging onto the mast and handrail, floating in their lifejackets, when the boat was almost submerged. The starboard light was washed away, the breakwater on the foredeck was damaged ` and a locker containing the hand foghom - fixed by four large screws to the bulkhead - had completely disappeared.
After half an hour they reached Cocklawburn beach but were unable to
get near the Rask. The crew of the J.&W waited until they saw the first rocket line from the beach go aboard the stricken ship - the crew of the Rask were rescued by breeches buoy from the beach at low tide - and then turned for home. They knew that it would be impossible to get back in to Berwick, and headed for Eyemouth. This also proved too difficult and after passing Eyemouth the coxswain issued a most welcome order - "rum or soup". It was then decided to run for Dunbar which was more sheltered from the gale, and they were escorted into the harbour by the Dunbar lifeboat at about half past two in the aftemoon. After a welcome meal they caught the first bus back to Berwick, and some of the crew walked along to Cocklaw to see if any more help was needed. The crew of the J.&W. on this occasion were Coxswain Priddy Lough, brother Barty (second cox.), his two sons
Jack and Teddy. his brother lack
(second mechanic), his cousin Barty (first mechanic) and Harry Crombie.
Berwick-upon-Tweed Lifeboat 1957-1995
The J. &W. was replaced by the William and Mary Durham in 1957. The thirty thousand pounds needed to provide this boat was paid for by the Joint legacies of Mrs. M.E. Durham of Norharn, Northumberland, Mrs. M.G. Davenport of Oxford and general funds from the Institution. The William and Mary Durham was a forty two feet Watson non-self-righting boat and was powered by two Gardiner diesel engines developing forty eight horse power each driving the lifeboat at eight and a half knots. She was equipped with medium wave
Ex-coxswain Harry Crombie
Her other equipment included a line-throwing gun and breeches buoy, a search light, parachute flares, first aid box, oil spray and a Neil Robertson' stretcher which would remain rigid while the casualty was raised up a cliff or the side of a boat. She also carried a bottle of naval rum and rations consisting of biscuits, comed beef and tins of soup and cocoa which could be heated by lighting a small wick at the bottom of the tin.
In 1967 a class "D" inshore rescue boat was stationed at Spittal and manned by members of the Berwick Sailing Club in order to relieve the Mlliam and Mary Durham of the everincreasing task of rescuing swimmers and canoeists.
This extract from the RNLI magazine recounts the story:
Four minutes after HM Coastguard had alerted Berwick—upon-Tweed crewand honorary secretary, at 16.31 on May 31, 1975,
to tell them that a trimaran had capsized 2 1/2 cables outside the harbour entrance, the D class ILB was speeding towards the casualty crewed by H elmsman Billy Shearer and crew member Norman Jackson. The wind was northeasterly force 3 to 4 and there was a very long swell coming in which was breaking well out from the beach. The tide was 21/2 hours flood, the weather fine with good visibility.
After launching, H elmsman Shearer headed towards the harbour entrance, cutting across over The Baits towards the trimaran as soon as conditions allowed. As the ILB closed the wreck two men clinging to the hull shouted that there was a woman in the water without a ldejacket. The ILB at once turned in the direction they indicated and a few yards away sighted a woman floating seemingly unconscious. Vlhth some d#culty they managed to get her aboard the ILB. As they returned to the wreck the men shouted that there was another woman trapped inside the hull and they did not want-to leave her.
Billy Shearer rapidly assessed the situation and decided he should land the survivor in the ILB; she was in a collapsed condition and bleeding from a cut above the eye, while the wreck, drifting rapidly ashore, was now only 200 yards from Spittal Beach where the Coastguard and several other people were ready to give help; He asked by radio for an ambulance to be waiting at the lneboat house and also for an axe to be ready to take back so that he could break into the hull of the wreck.
The ILB then headed back the way she had come out. As they neared the
harbour entrance Helmsman Shearer; becoming concemed about the condition of the survivor; handed over the helm to Norman Jackson while he looked at her Just after he had taken the helm, a large sea washed over the ILB and took Norman Jackson overboard. As he went his foot caught in the fuel line breaking it and stopping the engine. Billy Shearer straight away plugged in the other fuel line and restarted the engine and within a very short time turned the ILB and picked Norman Jackson up. He then headed at full speed for the lifeboat house. At about 16.50 the survivor was landed and an axe put aboard the ILB. She then returned to the casualty which had by now driven ashore. By about 16.55 the ILB was beached alongside the wreck and Billy Shearer helped by Norman Jackson and the Station Officer of the Coastguard, broke into the hull and reached the woman trapped inside.
An RAF helicopten which had just arrived, picked up the woman and
transferred her to an ambulance waiting at the promenade. All the survivors were then taken to Berwick Infirmary. The ILB was relaunched through heavy breaking seas and made her way back to the station, being rehoused at 18.45. For this service the Bronze Medal for Gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Billy Shearer and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Norman Jackson.
The Burgons, Borthwicks, Jamiesons & their colleagues gather for a group photograph
An RAF helicopten which had just arrived, picked up the woman and transferred her to an ambulance waiting at the promenade. All the survivors were then taken to Berwick Infirmary. The ILB was relaunched through heavy breaking seas and made her way back to the station, being rehoused at 18.45. For this service the Bronze Medal for Gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Billy Shearer and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Norman Jackson.
In 1976 the offshore lifeboat was withdrawn from Berwick causing a greatdeal of resentment in the area and leading to the resignation of many of the crew. On 17th September the "D" class inshore lifeHat was replaced by an
"Atlantic 2 1 provided by The Royal Antideluvian Order of Buffaloes, Grand Lodge of England.
In 1985 the station was awarded its 150th Anniversary Vellum and in 1993 the "Atlantic 21" lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a Mersey" Class lifeboat on 5th Febmary, establishing an all-weather
The boathouse and the slipway were also adapted to accommodate the new lifeboat and this included the removal of the existing winch and the installation of a new Bigland winch engine, a new access stair and viewing gallery and the installation of a new fuel tank. HRH the Duchess of Kent named the station's new "Mersey" Class lifeboat the Joy and Charles Beeby in a special ceremony at Carr Rock Pier on Tuesday 23rd March.
Extract from an obituary notice:.
.Joy and Charles Beeby left their mark upon everyone who came to know them; from relatively humble origins they jointly developed their business, B & T Electrical Installations Limited into a most successful company undertaking major contracts throughout the British Isles. The business started with Charles on a bicycle and ended with him driving a Bentley.
The reputation of the company was one of honesty and integrity and that reflected the way that Joy and Charles rantheir own lives. Joy grew up in a convent and imparted on Charles a deep sense of religious belief and a faith that remained with him throughout his life.
Home was "Sunrise" set in a most rural part of Warwickshire with simply spectacular views from the top of a hill over farmland and more particularly over Print Wood, a forty acre wgodland bought by Charles and restored by him for nature conservation.
Throughout their lives Joy and Charles gave generously and discretely of
their time and money and on Joy 's death Charles investigated the possibility
of leaving his estate to the RNLI. A series of meetings were held in Poole and
Charles delighted in his involvement with the Institution over the two years
before his death. The "Joy and Charles Beeby" serving others and helping
those in distress is a wonderful testament to their lives.
The "Mersey" Class all—weather lifeboat is 11.77 metres in length, hastwin Caterpillar diesel engines delivering 285hp each and was designed by RNLI staff primarily for stations where the lifeboat has to be launched from a carriage, although she is also capable of operating from slipways and lying afloat.
Early "Mersey" class lifeboats are constructed of aluminium and later boats are built of fibre reinforced composite (FRC). Both
The crew of the Joy & Charles Beeby
aluminium and FRC combine strength with light weight. The "Mersey" was designed to be light and compact enough to be launched from a carriage, have fully protected propellers and be selflrighting yet still provide a speed of 16 knots and have the strength and sea-keeping ability required of all lifeboat classes. The round bilge. semidisplacement hull has a tunnel stern to protect the propeller, moderate freeboard aft and amidships to ease the recovery of survivors and sufficient sheer and flair forward to minimise the amount of water taken aboard in heavy seas.
The watertight wheelhouse is an essential part of her self-righting ability, its buoyancy helping to right the lifeboat from capsize in some five seconds. There is seating in the wheelhouse for six crew with an additional seat for a doctor, and the wheelhouse console incorporates,
amongst other things, engine controls, the hydraulic steering unit and wheel, controls for the VHF direction finder. navigation lights, wipers, horn and searchlight.
The navigator's position has a stabilised radar, chart table and a Decca navigation system receiver. At the mechanics position is the main switchboard and a radio table with MF radio transmitter and receiver, VHF radio transceiver and MF direction finder and a second VHF transceiver and echo sounder are fitted at the upper steering position.
Lifeboats are often launched on routine requests to stand by or escort avessel and these stories rarely make the headlines. Here is a brief insight into one such incident involving the Berwick relief lifeboat the Bingo Lifeline.
On Thursday 14th April, 1994, at 4.50 a.m. the Honorary Secretary of the Eyemouth Lifeboat Station was awoken by a telephone call from the coastguard requesting assistance for the fishing vessel Corsair which was twenty miles offshore in a bitterly cold northerly gale force 7 (gusting to force X at times), with a total steering gear failure. On reaching the Corsair the crew of Eyemouth's "Waveny" Class lifeboat Eric Seal secured a towing bridle (two rope lines attached to the bow) and started towing the fishing boat at six knots to the safety of Eyemouth harbour.
The coxswain of the Eyemouth lifeboat realised that it was going to
be a very difficult task to safely negotiate the 60 feet wide "canyon" that protects Eyemouth`s harbour with the tide falling fast and a heavy following sea making it difficult to steer, and requested assistance.
The Bingo Lnéline under the command of Coxswain Peter Blanch reachedthe two vessels and secured a stem—line to stabilise the tow. All was going well until the critical moment when, as the Eric Seal entered the "canyon"
the starboard leg of the towing bridle broke and caused the Corsair to veer off course, nearly colliding with the harbour wall. Peter Blanch put the powerful engines of the Bingo Lifeline into reverse and pulled the Corsair stemwards, thus averting the potentially disastrous consequences of the fishing boat striking the pier.
The towing bridle was repaired and the Corsair was finally brought in to her berth. Low water prevented the Bingo Lyfeline from returning to Tweedmouth and it was midday before her crew retuned home.
Extract from a letter from Commodore George Cooper, Chief of Operations, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to Captain J.H. Jenkinson, Berwick-upon-Tweed:
I have read with interest the Return of Service when the Berwick relief
