Bridlington History
1805 The first lifeboat station opened with a lifeboat supplied by Henry Greathead.
In the 1800s six Silver Medals for Gallantry were awarded for rescues to shipwrecks.
1853 The RNLI took over the station.
1871 On 10 February, during the ‘Great Gale’, over 70 lives were lost and 30 ships were wrecked. The RNLI lifeboat saved 16 crew from three wrecked vessels. The private lifeboat Harbinger capsized with the loss of six of her crew of nine. A memorial can be seen in the grounds of Bridlington Priory.
1915 During a launch to a mine sweeper, Robert Carr, who was riding one of the launching horses, was swept out to sea and drowned.
1931 The station’s first motor lifeboat arrived at the station.
1952 During a rescue to two bathers the lifeboat capsized off Flamborough and Bowman Redhead lost his life.
1964 Assistant Mechanic J Shippey died soon after returning from a lifeboat service.
1966 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat.
Over the next 40 years several awards were presented:
1967 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Coxswain John E King - rescue of four from the fishing vessel Normanby.
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to HT Wood and Framed Letter of Thanks to R Cooper – rescue of two youths who had fallen from cliffs.
1968 Bronze Medal to Coxswain John E King and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to six crew members – rescue from the vessel Maria F.
1969 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Coxswain John King and Framed Letters of Thanks to six crew members - saving the crew of the trawler Flamborough Light.
1970 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Crew Member Fred Walkington and Framed Letters of Thanks to Coxswain King and five crew members - service to the cabin cruiser Tiger Moth II.
1972 Bronze Medal to Coxswain John King – rescue of four from the fishing vessel My Susanne.
Framed Letters of Thanks to Coxswain John King and Crew Member Kenneth Bentley – ILB rescue of three people from a motor boat.
1973 Silver Medal to Coxswain John King and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to six crew members - rescue of five from the fishing vessel White Knight.
1979 Bronze Medal to Coxswain Fred Walkington – service to the cargo vessel Sunnanhav.
1980 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Coxswain Fred Walkington – three rescued from the fishing coble Three Fevers II.
1985 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Coxswain Fred Walkington – four rescued from the yacht Sula Sula.
1986 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Helmsman Andrew Brompton – ILB rescue of three people from a motor boat and a sailing dinghy.
1988 A Mersey class lifeboat replaced the Oakley class lifeboat.
Framed Letter of Thanks to Helmsman Andrew Brompton – ILB rescue of a board sailor.
1990 A British Empire Medal (BEM) was awarded to Mechanic Rod Stott.
1993 A new D class boathouse was built on Princess Mary Promenade providing improved crew facilities.
2000 Bronze Medals to Coxswain Fred Walkington and Assistant Mechanic Andrew Brompton - rescue of five crew and the yacht Lobo.
Framed Letter of Thanks to Helmsman Andrew Day – ILB rescue of three crew from the yacht Blue Chip.
The new station D class lifeboat, D-557 Lord Feoffees III, was placed on service in September.
2001 Royal Humane Society certificates were presented to Mark Crozier and Jono Wheelhouse for resuscitating a drowning boy.
Retired Coxswain Fred Walkington became a Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE).
2004 Framed Letter of Thanks to Duncan Stewart and Letter of Appreciation to Jayson Stephenson for the rescue of a windsurfer.
Former Coxswain Roland Stork was made a Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE).
2005 An anniversary Vellum, commemorating 200 years as a lifeboat station, was awarded to the station.
2006 Helmsman Adrian Trower was accorded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for his part in a rescue in dangerous surf.
Station honours
At Bridlington lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 17
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 18
Bronze Medal 5
Silver Medal 11
