Mablethorpe History
1883 A lifeboat station was established at Mablethorpe to replace Theddlethorpe, three miles to the north. A boathouse and slipway were built on the beach.
1889 The lifeboat was taken by road to Theddlethorpe on 27 November to go to the assistance of the barque Elizabeth Argo but it was found that the lifeboat was not needed. The horses had difficulty getting the carriage through the snow, taking four hours to travel four miles. On the return journey the coxswain set the boat's sails to relieve the strain on the horses and the lifeboat got back to station in two and a half hours.
1900 A new boathouse was built on the west side of the main road to Sutton.
1907 Shore Helper Thomas Short was run over by the carriage and had to have a leg amputated.
1917 The station was temporarily closed as it was difficult to obtain a full crew during the First World War.
1920 Due to a continuing shortage of crew, the station was closed permanently.
1965 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established in May with a D class lifeboat.
1975 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Bernard Tuplin and Crew Members John Mayfield and Michael Westfield when the lifeboat rescued two swimmers in difficulties in heavy surf.
1980 A collective Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to the crew and helpers when three crew were rescued from a coble with engine trouble.
1982 Framed Letters of Thanks were presented to Helmsman Bernard Tuplin and Crew Members John Mayfield and Wayne Docking when the lifeboat rescued the crew of three from the barge Almeco on 12 October.
1990 Royal Humane Society resuscitation awards were presented to Bernard Tuplin, Andrew Storr and Anthony Silk for rescuing and resuscitating a lady from the water’s edge.
1996 A new D class lifeboat, D-506 Patrick Rex Moren, was placed on service on 9 July.
1998 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman Thomas Freeman for a service on 12 April, when the D class lifeboat rescued the crew of two and saved the fishing vessel Lark. The fishing vessel had broken down in the surf and was drifting helplessly towards the shore, having lost her anchor.
The lifeboat was launched in a force 7 near gale and a heavy swell – extreme conditions for this class of lifeboat. The helmsman had considerable difficulty in negotiating the rough seas in order to reach the fishing boat. He decided that it was too hazardous to take off the crew and passed a line and towed her away from danger – a considerable feat in the huge seas for a lifeboat smaller than the fishing boat and powered by one 40hp outboard engine.
The Maud Smith Award was awarded to Thomas Freeman for this service.
2001 The B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-778 Joan Mary, was placed on service.
2005 A new D class lifeboat, D-653 William Hadley, was placed on service.
Station honours
At Mablethorpe lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 2
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 3
Bronze Medal 1
