Newbiggin History

1851 A lifeboat station was established by the Duke of Northumberland.

Silver Medals were awarded to John Dent, Philip Jefferson, William Armstrong, Henry Brown and Robert Armstrong for saving the crews of four capsized fishing boats.

1852 The RNLI took over the lifeboat station and a boathouse was built at the eastern end of the promenade.

1854 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Philip Jefferson for trying to save the crew of the wrecked brigantine Embla. Sadly all her crew died.

1881 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Brown for rescuing the four crew of the Northumberland.

1888 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Brown who had completed 35 years' service.

1914 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Watson Brown for rescuing 13 crew from the ship Arctic Stream in rough seas.

1926 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain William Robinson for rescuing nine crew from the trawler George R Purdy that had gone aground in dense fog and heavy surf.

1927 A collective Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to the women of Newbiggin for a service in January to the Newbiggin fishing fleet. Without the help of 25 women it would have been impossible to get the lifeboat afloat in the heavy surf; many of the women waded waist deep into the surf to straighten her.

1937 The boathouse was altered for the station’s first motor lifeboat.

1940 A Silver Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain George R Taylor for rescuing nine crew from the motor vessel Eminent. It was a difficult launch – the launchers, including 30 women, had to pull the lifeboat up a cliff, over a moor and through sand dunes against a gale. The women of Newbiggin were awarded a collective Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum.

1951 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

1975 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to Assistant Mechanic George Dawson and to John Lisle Robinson, the skipper of the fishing coble Margaret Lisle, for rescuing two men from the sea after their rowing boat had capsized. 

1976 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain George Dawson for rescuing four crew from a cabin cruiser in difficulties near the mouth of the River Wansbeck.

1981 The boathouse was adapted for the station's new inshore B class Atlantic 21 lifeboat and launching tractor. Improved crew facilities were also provided.

The all weather Oakley class lifeboat was withdrawn on 26 February and replaced with an inshore lifeboat, an Atlantic 21, on 15 March.

1998  The new Atlantic 75, B-745 CSMA 75th Anniversary, was placed on service.

2001 The station was awarded a Vellum to commemorate 150 years of service.

Station honours

At Newbiggin lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 6
Bronze Medal 1
Silver Medal 9