Our old lifeboat, Sir James Knott

When I was little, Redcar had a most excellent lifeboat. Everybody was proud of our boat and rightly so. I don't think there was any weather situation that she couldn't handle. I remember seeing that boat go out even when the gales were so bad you had to lean at 45 degrees to avoid falling over on the promenade.

At some point in the 1980s, the RNLI decided, probably logically, that Redcar doesn't need such a big, expensive boat, so off she went, never to be seen again. My mates and I actually had a bash at saving our boat, with a few fundraising activities (probably raised about £20, but we tried). We couldn't do it though. We got a little inflatable instead. Probably right, it was much faster, cheaper to run, quicker to launch, and being smaller and lighter could get clear of the rocks much more easily than the bigger boat. However logic doesn't change sentiment, and although I think everybody continued to be proud of the RNLI and the lifeboat, I think a lot of people were sad to see our big boat go.

Years and years passed, and the Sir James Knott disappeared into obscurity. Then last weekend, the strangest thing happened. I was taking the wife and lad for a run out, and we had to pass a local museum. We've been to this museum many, many times, and even walked all round the grounds. There's an old train there that the lad wanted to look at so I decided we'd stop to let him see that before continuing on our way. While there, we walked around the grounds again, only this time I spotted an A4 makeshift sign saying 'Lifeboat'. So we followed the arrow. We saw another one, totally off the paths, down the back of the museum it what looked to me like a delivery bay rather than somewhere the public should be. We found a big tent, and in that tent, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the old Redcar lifeboat, the Sir James Knott.

I keep calling her the old Redcar boat, but I've since learned that before my time she lived just up the coast at Cullercoats. Here she is:

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/1737/sir-james-knott

(if you click on the little photo, it opens up to a nice photo gallery).

I chatted to the old man that was looking after her. Turns out he's ex merchant navy and lifeboat crew. He had many interesting tales, and seemed quite moved that someone (ie me) was actually impressed and fond of that boat, rather just being another punter who the boat meant nothing too. We chatted for ages, and I asked if she was still sea worthy. He proceeded to proudly tell me that all she needs is a good coat of something or other, and than they start her engines twice a year to make sure she doesn't seize, and she always fires up on the first try.

The old chap said the boat had been there for 21 years, and that virtually nobody knew she was there. Certainly I didn't, and none of my friends or family did. I think that's a shame. Some might say its just a boat, an inanimate object but that's not true. She is a thing of beauty, and if she started out as just a thing, then I'm pretty sure that after years and years of braving the stormiest sea, being exposed to blood sweat and tears (probably all 3, literally), and making the difference between someone's dad getting home or not, she certainly turned into more than just a thing. I'm so glad we chanced upon her again after all these years.

 

It's great to see history preserved in this way, instead of ending up as scrap or firewood.

 

Yes, the maroons, or rockets as we referred to them round here. There was a code. Not sure I remember it right, but it was something like one rocket meant something not very significant. Two was a drill, and three was for real.

When I was little, it was common practice for mams to whisk us kids down to the beach on hearing the rockets go off so we could see the boat go out. They wasted no time. We lived just 5 minutes jog from the lifeboat station, but most times the boat would already be on the slip way or in the water by the time we got there.

Those rockets used to boom loud enough to rattle our windows, and every kid knew what it meant. First bang, you stop playing whatever you're playing. Second bang and you ran to collect the nearest mam (didn't have to be your own, there was community spirit in those days) to take you down to see it go out. I know with modern technology there's no need for that any more, but I do think kids of today miss out on something, because nowadays unless you happen to be passing the lifeboat station when a call comes in, you don't get to know. Nowadays even if your passing, the only indication that something might have kicked off is that all the traffic lights around the boat house all turn red simultaneously, effectively closing the roads to clear the way for the lifeboat to cross the road to the slipway. Its not quite as dramatic as 3 window rattling bangs.

 

They still use the maroons here Clueless. The nearest lifeboat station is five miles away and with the wind in the right direction we can hear it fairly clearly. They only ever set off one though.

We also have retained firemen here and with our village station just 60 yards away, it makes us jump if the siren goes off when we're in the garden. There's also a complete siren warning system round the island, for a major island catastrophe should it ever happen, that's tested once a month.

 

Thank you for this lovely story Clueless,
I was brought up in Hastings so I also knew that sound. It was one for practice and two for real I think?
So glad you have found your old friend of the past. If you do go back, any chance of a piccie please?
My OH and I always go down to the Lifeboat boathouse in the Old Town to buy our Christmas cards

 

I'm sure we'll go back soon. I felt a little bit guilty when we were there because being an unplanned visit, I'd left my coat in the car so didn't have my camera with me, or my wallet. I told the old man I'd have been more than happy to make a donation as it was unplanned I didn't have my dosh with me. When we go back I'll be sure to take my wallet and my camera.

There's a few pics of her in that link I posted at the start of the thread. They're from the 1960s I think when she looked after Cullercoats up in Northumberland, but I'll get some new pics when I can.

 

As a kid, I used to go roller skating in the arcade upstairs just before the West Hill lift...

 

When the Seaham Lifeboat capsized, I was on the cliffs, in my car, and sat with the headlights on so the men would be able to see where the shore was (not just me dozens of us were asked to do it and hundreds obliged) it was of no use though only one of the rescued survived, all crew and lifeboat crew lost their lives, it was dark early so must have been winter, but it was in 62

I used to collect for the RNLI putting envelopes through doors and collecting at the weekend, That was an eye opener for sick people in the world

Some envelopes VERY FEW had a Five pound note in (1960s) many others had dog excrement, or used condoms in ? what was that all about,
Others had the widows shilling

If anyone gets an envelope do not bin it even one new penny helps as thousands of one new pennies make several pounds

Jack McH

 

I don't understand why people would do things like that Jack. If they don't want to donate, then that's their choice, but to go to the effort of insulting? Like you say, sick.

That's a tragic story about the lifeboat sinking, but its one that serves to remind us that even the lifeboat isn't infallible, which is all the more reason to respect these people. Some of the conditions that the lifeboat sets off out in are so nasty that any fisherman wouldn't dream of going out, but of course at the coast and at sea conditions can change very rapidly indeed, so people sometimes get caught out, and that's when some extremely brave people take their boat out to go and help, knowing that they are risking their own lives to do so.

 

I was going to say it was of use to the Man that survived, but then I read he lost his Son in the tragedy.

http://www.east-durham.co.uk/seaham/lifeboats.htm

Some harrowing reading there.

When i've been metal detecting on the beach at Lyme I put any modern coins I find into the lifeboats box.

 

Such a sad story,Jack.
I have always lived by the sea but never experienced anything as tragic as that. I swam out to a Naval training vessel( about 3/4 mile off shore for a dare as a kid ( got brought back to shore in a duck)and played "chicken" with others along the harbour arm one Winter's day. How stupid and how lucky I was not to be swept in to that boling foam.I can still remember it and how we watched a little dog get swept in and drown as we stood there helpless. I never did it again after that. I had been taught a salutary lesson about the sea, its power and its moods.
God bless all those that are prepared to go out to rescue others in peril at sea.
Amen,
Jenny