Hastings History

Before an RNLI lifeboat station was established at Hastings, many rescues took place off the coast and two Gold Medals for Gallantry were awarded in 1830.

1858 The RNLI established a lifeboat station after the loss of a whole crew from a shipwreck.

1882 A new boathouse was built at a cost of £650.

1904 A Silver Medal was awarded to Alfred Stonham for saving the Master of the fishing boat William and Maria.

1940 The lifeboat Cyril and Lilian Bishop took part in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.

1943 Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain John E Muggeridge and Mechanic WR Hilder for the rescue of seven men from HM Trawler Caulonia. Four Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellums were also awarded.

1958 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1964 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat.

1965 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Mechanic JH Martin and Police Sergeant S Ferguson who rescued a man from the water.

1967 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Mechanic JH Martin and W Adams who rescued four people from two capsized sailing boats.

1972 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to ILB Crew Members R Shoesmith, C Green and K Ronchetti for assisting a man who had fallen over cliffs. Letters of Appreciation were awarded to seven other crew members.

1975 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic John Martin and a Bronze Medal to Second Coxswain George White for the rescue of three crew from the fishing vessel Simon Peter. Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellums were awarded to the six other members of the lifeboat crew.

A Silver Medal was awarded to Dr Peter Davy who broke seven ribs while being lifted into a helicopter from the lifeboat and, although in great pain, continued to go to the aid of an injured man on board the Argentinian warship Candido de Lasala.

1985 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic John Martin for the rescue of a sick crew member from the Irish container ship Bell Rover.

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellums were awarded to Helmsman Christopher Cooper and Crew Members Graham Furness and Steven Martin for the rescue of a boy cut off by the tide.

1987 The Oakley class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a Mersey class lifeboat.

1991 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Assistant Mechanic David John Curtis for his actions during the rescue of the sole occupant and the yacht Ngalawa. A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Coxswain Fred White.

1995 A new boathouse was built providing housing for the Mersey class lifeboat, launching tractor and D class lifeboat.

1998 A new D class lifeboat Cecile Rampton II was placed on service on 4 October.

2007 Helmsman Simon Hodgson was accorded Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for saving a swimmer from the sea on 26 November 2006. The D class lifeboat was operating at the limit of its capability in heavy 3m-high seas. It took six approaches to recover the man, who was landed on the beach. Sea conditions prevented any first aid being undertaken on the lifeboat. Sadly, the man was later pronounced dead in hospital. Framed Letters of Thanks from the Chairman were presented to crew members Slone Phillips and Glenn Barry.

Station honours

At Hastings lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 10
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 15
Bronze Medal 4
Silver Medal 3
Gold Medal 2