In 1826 the Suffolk Association for saving the lives of shipwrecked seamen was established and they provided an 8 oarer at Sizewell (she was 24 foot long, 8 foot wide and cost £168) - most of the crew came from Aldeburgh. In 1851 the Society was taken over by the RNLI and the boat moved to Aldeburgh. Various boats came and went all the while increasing in size. By 1881 Aldeburgh had the George Hounslow, which was 40 foot long with 12 oars. On 6th January of that year a message was received that the Indian Chief was aground at Long Sands at the mouth of the Thames. The boat was unable to launch for two hours due to the howling easterly gale and the horizontal snow, she eventually was launched and they rowed/sailed to first the Shipwash and the down to the Indian Chief where the coxswain found no survivors - they had been saved by the Ramsgate boat before Aldeburgh was alerted and launched. At 8pm (a good 3 hours after dark) the George Hounslow arrived at Harwich only to be told the Harwich boat was out as was the Clacton boat and there was another casualty on the Maplin Sands.
Without stopping to get dry clothes off they rowed/sailed into the still howling snow laden wind. They could not see the casualty so dropped the anchor overnight and at dawn set off again, when they came across the stricken vessel they saw the Clacton boat leaving with the survivors. They then set sail for Aldeburgh where they arrived 30 hours after setting out having rowed/sailed some 120 miles in appalling conditions.
In those days before radio, radar the lifeboats were summoned by look-outs and by firing cannon from light vessels.
By December 1899 the George Hounslow had been replaced by the 46ft ALDEBURGH which was launched on 7th December into a S.W. gale ; the boat got off the beach but was capsized on the inner shoal and of the 18 men aboard 12 were flung clear. 6 were trapped in the upside-down hull and as it was flung back onto the shore holes were made in the hull to try and rescue the six men trapped, it was not until the tide went down that they managed to retrieve the six bodies. You can still see the monument in the graveyard at Aldeburgh and a huge copper tablet in the church. Another 44ft boat was on station by the end of the month and a new crew formed.
In November 1902 the City of Winchester arrived on Station at 46ft she, like most of her predecessors, was non-self righting. Her rudder is mounted in front of the present lifeboat shed. In 1900 Dunwich station was closed and in 1903 Thorpness station suffered the same fate so two boats were stationed at Aldeburgh. It was during the period from 1888 to 1917 (a period of 29 years) that the famous James Cables was coxswain of Aldeburgh during which time he received 3 silver medals from the RNLI, a Norwegian silver medal, and many other gifts from grateful alive "customers". He died in 1930 at the age of 78. NEXT
In those days before radio, radar the lifeboats were summoned by look-outs and by firing cannon from light vessels.
By December 1899 the George Hounslow had been replaced by the 46ft ALDEBURGH which was launched on 7th December into a S.W. gale ; the boat got off the beach but was capsized on the inner shoal and of the 18 men aboard 12 were flung clear. 6 were trapped in the upside-down hull and as it was flung back onto the shore holes were made in the hull to try and rescue the six men trapped, it was not until the tide went down that they managed to retrieve the six bodies. You can still see the monument in the graveyard at Aldeburgh and a huge copper tablet in the church. Another 44ft boat was on station by the end of the month and a new crew formed.
In November 1902 the City of Winchester arrived on Station at 46ft she, like most of her predecessors, was non-self righting. Her rudder is mounted in front of the present lifeboat shed. In 1900 Dunwich station was closed and in 1903 Thorpness station suffered the same fate so two boats were stationed at Aldeburgh. It was during the period from 1888 to 1917 (a period of 29 years) that the famous James Cables was coxswain of Aldeburgh during which time he received 3 silver medals from the RNLI, a Norwegian silver medal, and many other gifts from grateful alive "customers". He died in 1930 at the age of 78. NEXT
