Newbiggin-By-The-Sea.

Newbiggin Lifeboat Station  150th Anniversary. Part One. This page will take a while to load - it is worth the wait!

On the 27th May 2001, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, at Newbiggin-By-The-Sea, celebrated it's '150 birthday'.  It also boasts having the oldest operational boathouse of all the RNLI lifeboat stations.

A (very) brief history of Newbiggin and it's very first Lifeboat Station is taken from Mr. John Robinson's booklet "The Story of Newbiggin-By-The-Sea Lifeboat Station - Established 1851."  My sincere thanks to John for his permission to use the extract.  Please click the title to read the history.

To hold the 150th Anniversary Service, there is a large compound next to the Lifeboat Station, usually for storing the local fishing boats (called cobles).  The boats were all moved onto the beach and the area cleaned as quite a bit of sand had blown up over the previous months, after, the area was hosed down - courtesy of the local Fire Brigade!  See left.

Once the floor had been cleared, the seats were laid out ready for the public - See right. 

A large trailer with side curtains was loaned by Fergusons Transport of Blyth, a local company, was turned into a stage for the event - an ideal size and height.

Newbiggin Lifeboat Station also boasts three roundels, one with RNLBI i.e., Royal National Life Boat Institution, one for 1851, i.e., the year the station was established, and one for 1998 the year the major improvement works  were completed, together with a new flag.  See below right.     The roundels were made using molds owned by the RNLI and produced by Newbiggin Artificial Stone Company (NASCO) who cast the roundels which were kindly donated to the Station.

One of the main stars to appear at the Anniversary Service was the RNLI Tractor No. 50 (registration    KLA 84).  This was Newbiggin's first motor tractor, used to launch the Lifeboat and first arrived during late August 1949.  Indeed this tractor was the station tractor for the presentation of the Centenary award to Newbiggin Lifeboat Station at a ceremony in June 1951.  The Duchess of Northumberland presented the award at a special ceremony on that day.   See below right.

Previously the Lifeboat was launched by the Women of Newbiggin, pulling the carriage carrying the Lifeboat with long thick ropes, and then bringing it back into the station, in all weathers.  The women of various families carried out these arduous tasks throughout their family generations.  Without their brave, heroic help, there would not have been over 370 people rescued.  There have been two 'Thanks on Vellum' awards to the Women of Newbiggin in appreciation of their untiring help.

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