Lowestoft History
Between 1827 and 1882, 16 Silver Medals and one Gold Medal were awarded for Gallantry.
1801 A rowing lifeboat built by Henry Greathead was placed at Lowestoft.
1807 The first sailing lifeboat, Frances Anne, arrived at Lowestoft.
1855 The RNLI established a lifeboat station.
1911 John Swan became Coxswain. Over the next 13 years he was decorated with two Silver Medals (1914 and 1918) and a Gold Medal (1922).
1922 An outstanding service, lasting 32 hours, was carried out by both Lowestoft and Gorleston lifeboats. The whole crew of 24 and a black kitten were rescued from the steamship Hopelyn. A Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Swan and a Silver Medal and eight Bronze Medals were also awarded to the Lowestoft crew.
A Gold Medal and 15 Bronze Medals were also awarded to the Gorleston lifeboat crew.
1927 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain A Spurgeon for rescuing three crew from the sailing smack Lily of Devon.
1940 The Lowestoft lifeboat Michael Stephens took part in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
1943 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Spurgeon for rescuing the 10 crew from HM Minesweeper 106.
1951 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded.
1974 Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Thomas Victor Knott and Second Coxswain Peter Gibbons, when the lifeboat saved the yacht Sarina and her crew of four.
1976 A second Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Thomas Victor Knott for the rescue of three crew from the capsized tug Barkis. His son, Michael Knott, was awarded a Framed Letter of Thanks.
1981 A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Second Coxswain John Catchpole for rescuing five crew from the Panamanian coaster Avenir.
1988 A Bronze Medal and The Maud Smith award for 1988 was awarded to Coxswain John Catchpole when the lifeboat rescued five crew from the sinking coaster Medina D.
Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Coxswain Catchpole and Second Coxswain/Mechanic Shane Coleman for the rescue of two crew from the trimaran Vidam.
1990 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Shane Coleman who, as the coxswain and sole crew member of the Lowestoft pilot boat, rescued the three crew from the sinking tug Impulsion.
A Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Second Coxswain/Mechanic Shane Coleman for rescuing two crew from the yacht Haura.
1996 A second Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Catchpole and the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Second Coxswain/Mechanic Shane Coleman when three people were rescued from the yacht Red House Lugger.
1998 A new shore facility, workshop and pontoon mooring were completed.
2001 The station celebrated 200 years of service and was awarded a Bicentenary Vellum.
Station honours
At Lowestoft lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 5
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1
Bronze Medal 16
Silver Medal 21
Gold Medal 2
