Sunderland Lifeboat Station has two locations in the port city of Sunderland, which sits at the mouth of the River Wear, in the county of Tyne and Wear.
A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1800 by the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, followed by a succession of privately operated lifeboats. Overall control of all Sunderland lifeboats finally passed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1871.[1]
The station at North Dock Marina currently operates two Inshore lifeboats; the B-class (Atlantic 85)Seagil (B-945), on station since 2024, and a D-class (IB1) Thee Andy Cantle (D-879), on station since 2023.[2]
History
The history of lifeboats and stations at Sunderland is the most complicated and confusing of any of the 238 RNLI stations. Starting in 1800, it is thought there have been 13 different stations, and 35 lifeboats, along with station name and number changes. The history below is the best that can be gained at present, although research continues...
Inspired by the rescue efforts made to the vessel Ajax, wrecked on her maiden voyage just north of Sunderland harbour, Lord Dundas set about raising funds to provide a lifeboat at Sunderland. Thus was created the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, who in 1800 placed a 27-foot non-self-righting lifeboat on the north side of the docks at Roker.[3]
The Sunderland Lifeboat Committee boat is believed to be the first of a number of privately run lifeboats at Sunderland. Lifeboats were placed at various locations around the docks at Sunderland, from Roker down to Hendon Dock, by the following organisations:
Sunderland Lifeboat Committee
Sunderland Harbour Authority
Sunderland Shipowners Association
Sunderland Seamen's Lifeboat Association
Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
There is only a record of one lifeboat being supplied by the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, and the two boats of the Sunderland Harbour Authority placed at South Side No.1 station seem to have served their time, but were never replaced. No further details of these three boats are available.[1]
Joseph Hodgson a carver of Sunderland, was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal on 3 January 1856 for his service to lifesaving over a period of 12 years, personally rescuing 10 people, and assisting in other lifeboat services. Two years later, William Davison was similarly awarded for his service as Coxswain on Sunderland lifeboats.[4][5]
In 1865, the two lifeboats managed by the Sunderland Seamen's Lifeboat Association were in need of replacement, and the RNLI were requested to take over the management of the two boats, which was agreed. Both boats were withdrawn, with just one, the Duke of Wellington, being replaced with the Florence Nightingale (ON 185) at South Pier Station.[2]
The South Side No.2 station, at the southern end of Sunderland Docks, near Hendon House, was opened by the Sunderland Shipowners Association (SSA) in 1850, but had to be closed in 1864, due to development work to create Hendon Dock. This would be the start of the South Outlet station. The SSA would then create another new North Side No.2 station on the north side of the docks in 1866, relocating the lifeboat from North Side No.1. A new slightly larger boat was provided there, later to be named Goodwill.[1]
However, in 1871, the SSA requested that the RNLI take over their stations too, which again was duly agreed. Both lifeboats at the North side stations remained on service, the stations becoming named No.1 and No.2, (with the station already under the RNLI at South Pier becoming No.3). The lifeboat at South Outlet was replaced on 6 February 1872 by the John Foulston. A new boathouse and slipway were constructed near Hendon Dock by Hirst & Son, costing £624, with the station being named No.4.[2]
The No.1 station lifeboat was renamed Goodwill in 1873, and transferred to the No.2 station. She was replaced by the Good Templar, so named from funds raised by the Independent order of Good Templars. On 23 October, Good Templar was launched to the Altona, holed on the Beacon Rocks. Managing to rescue all 14 aboard the vessel, the lifeboat was then also badly damaged on the rocks. All 27 aboard the lifeboat made it ashore, but the lifeboat was withdrawn from service.[6]
The Goodwill would be renamed again in 1882, to Mary, but was withdrawn in 1887, with the No.2 station closed. As a result, No.3 station became No.2, and No.4 became No.3, but this is not recorded in the station list below, to prevent confusion. The No.1 station was later renamed 'Roker', with the other two stations once again being South Pier and South Outlet.[1]
South Pier lifeboat Junius (ON 324) was launched to the steamshipJacinth of Dundee, holed on the Beacon Rocks on 2 Mar 1897. In gale force conditions, all 11 crew were rescued.[7]
RNLB 14-21 MacQuarie
A new 'North Dock' station, with roller-slipway, was constructed in 1900 to the south west side of the North Dock at a cost of £1,100. This was to house a new boat, George Woodfindin (ON 450), which arrived on 22 October 1900. With this new boat on service, the Roker and South Pier stations were closed on 30 October 1900.[1]
South Outlet lifeboat remained on service, but on 25 July 1905, the boathouse would be devastated by fire, the boat saved only due to the prompt actions of Honorary Secretary W. J. Oliver. He was rewarded with an RNLI Aneroid Barometer.[8]
A motor lifeboat would be placed at Sunderland in 1911. The J. McConnell Hussey (ON 343) had been a 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and oars, but had subsequently been fitted with an engine. Previously on station at Newhaven and Tynemouth, the lifeboat was placed at moorings in the harbour. The arrival of a motor lifeboat prompted the closure of the South Outlet station in 1912, but only 2 years later, the J. McConnell Hussey was found to be unfit for service, and withdrawn. After many years with numerous lifeboats, Sunderland now had just one, the George Woodfindin, still at North Dock.[2]
On 21 January 1913, the Orion of Flensburg departed South Dock, only to have her rudder and propellers torn off on White Shell Rocks. The George Woodfindin would rescue all 19 crew. The remains of the wreck were visible at low tide for the next 70 years.[9]
George Woodfindin would transfer across to a new design boathouse, that had been constructed near the South Side Ferry Landing in 1916. It used a pulley system, where the boat would sit on a cradle, and be lifted up and down to the water, employed due to the varying heights of the tide. Only two boathouses of this design were constructed by the RNLI, the other being at Buckie. It would be another two years before a replacement motor lifeboat was placed at Sunderland, the Henry Vernon (ON 613), arriving in February 1918.[10]
In 1935, another new lifeboat station was constructed, and was located at the north end of the south side pier on reclaimed land, near the current Pilot Lookout Tower. The boathouse was built to house a new larger lifeboat, a 46ft Watson-class also named Henry Vernon (ON 778), It had a deep-water roller-slipway, and was situated close to the harbour entrance. It would remain in use for the next 55 years, the remains of which can still be seen today.[1]
Sunderland former ILB Station, Roker
The station would move back across to the north side in 1990, with the arrival of a Waveney-class lifeboat in 1990, 44-017 Wavy Line (ON 1043), which was moored afloat at North Dock Marina, followed by a Trent-class lifeboat 14-21 MacQuarie (ON 1225) in 1997.[2]
A base for the D-class Inshore boat was built on Marine Walk in Roker in 1998. In 2004, the All-weather Trent-class lifeboat was withdrawn, and replaced with a B-class (Atlantic 75) fast Inshore boat. New crew facilities and a boathouse for both ILBs, with launch davit, was constructed at North Dock Marina in 2008, with lifeguards and the souvenir shop now occupying the Marine Walk building.[2]
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