Humber Lifeboat Station

Station history 

The first lifeboat was stationed at Spurn Point on October 29th 1810. The cost of this boat was met by subscription set-up by the Brethren of Hull trinity house who were to manage the boat and appoint the master (Cox) and mate. The crew would be made up from the men of Kilnsea. The lifeboat then was a ten oared boat and carriage costing £284.4s.0p, Trinity house of Hull, Lloyds of London and the corporation of the city of Hull paid £50 each, the rest coming from subscription. A very big difference to the cost today when a Severn class lifeboat costs more than £1,400,000. Trinity house ran and managed the lifeboat until 1st January 1908. The Humber conservancy board looked after operation of the lifeboat until the RNLI. Took over the operation in 1911. Up to the RNLI. Taking over the boat it is thought to have launched on more than 540 service’s, saved an entire crew from a vessel around 30 times and saved more than 760 lives. It must be said however that records where far from complete. In 1919 the first powered vessel was placed at Spurn, the 40ft Watson class lifeboat named "Samuel Oakes." The next three boats all Watson classed boats where all bought by the people of Bradford. In 1977 a new era began at Spurn as a brand new class of boat was stationed there. The new 18 knot Arun class boat "CITY OF BRADFORD lV" was more than twice as fast as the old Watson classed boats there speed being only at best 8 knots, the present Lifeboat at 25 knots is three times as fast. The previous Humber boat was an Arun class, named "KENNETH THELWALL" after the late Mr. K. Thelwall of Thelsons oil. Who left a very generous bequest to the RNLI.

Because of Spurns position on the edge of the at times the very rough North Sea, the Humber Lifeboat has always been a very busy boat carrying out some of the most daring rescues in the history of the RNLI. Due to this it has produced two of the most skilful and famous coxswains in the history of the RNLI. Coxswain Robert Cross who joined the Spurn crew in 1902 and stayed for six years when he left to buy shares in a herring drifter. In 1909 he went out with the Flamborough Lifeboat to help several cobles caught in a gale. Two were lost, in one he lost his brother and his brothers two sons. He then decided to devote his life to the lifeboat service.

He was made coxswain at Spurn two years later when the RNLI took over the running of the Humber lifeboat He remained at Spurn for 31 years when at his own request he retired at the age of 67. When he retired he had been awarded the George Medal, the RNLI’S Gold medal for outstanding gallantry twice, its Silver medal; it’s Bronze medal twice and the Institutions "Thanks inscribed on Vellum." During his time at Spurn including the six years he spent as a crewmember. He took part in the rescue of 453 lives this includes 244 in the war years alone. The second famous Coxswain is Brian Bevan when he joined the lifeboat at Spurn he was the youngest coxswain in the RNLI. At the time. In the winter of 1978/9 He was to be awarded the institutions Gold, Silver and Bronze medals again a first in RNLI. History as no one had been awarded all three in the same awards ceremony. Brian Bevan's Gold medal was for the rescue of the crew of the freighter REVI. He needed to bring the lifeboat alongside the freighter 35 times in a fierce storm heavy snow showers and 35ft waves to rescue the five crew. The rescue of the crew of the REVI is described as one of the most daring and skilful rescues in all the history of the RNLI, it being so all the rest of the crew where awarded the Bronze medal. They where D. Bailey, B. Sayers, R. Sayers, M. Storey, P. Jorden, S. Rollinson and D. Bailey jnr. Brian Bevan has since been awarded the Bronze medal a second time. He was also awarded the MBE in 1999. Brian retired  22nd of November 2001. After a very successful career.

The Men of the Humber Lifeboat have been awarded 33 RNLI medals; 3 Gold, 13 Silver, 17 Bronze. Also  awarded 1 George Medal and 1 MBE.