Mablethorpe's station history

The station was opened at Mablethorpe to replace Theddlethorpe, three miles to the north.

Lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £225 and a slipway for £50.

Lifeboat was taken by road to Theddlethorpe on 27 November to go to the assistance of the Barque Elizabeth Argo but it was found that the lifeboat was not required.

The horses had much difficulty in getting carriage through the snow taking four hours to travel four miles.  In returning coxswain had boat's sails set to relieve strain on horses and got back to station in two and a half hours.

Compensation of £17 paid for loss of a horse on service 13 January.

A new lifeboat house constructed on another site on the west side of the main road to Sutton at a cost of £700.  Old lifeboat house sold for £50.

A helper, Thomas Short, was run over by the carriage and a leg had to be amputated.  Committee of Management voted £220 to his dependants.

Acetylene beach lights supplied.

Station temporarily closed as it was difficult to obtain a full crew in wartime.

Owing to continuing shortage of crew, the station was closed permanently.

Inshore lifeboat station established in May with the placing on service of a D class lifeboat.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Helmsman Bernard Tuplin and crew members John Mayfield and Michael Westfield in recognition of their courage, determination and skill displayed by them when the lifeboat rescued two swimmers who were in difficulties off an outfall pipe protected by a groyne structure, a quarter of a mile north of the lifeboat station in a light south easterly and a heavy surf on 6 August.

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, The Duke of Atholl, awarded to the crew and helpers in recognition of their determination and skill when the crew of three of a coble were rescued.  The coble which had engine trouble was towed to Mablethorpe.  The lifeboat had to be launched under difficult conditions due to the heavy surf and the recovery of the lifeboat and coble was also hazardous.

Framed Letters of Thanks, signed by the Chairman of the Institution, The Duke of Atholl, presented to Helmsman William Tuplin and crew members John Mayfield and Wayne Docking in recognition of their meritorious action when the lifeboat rescued the crew of three, two of whom were injured, from the barge Almeco on 12 October.

A new D class lifeboat D-506 placed on service on 9 July.

Bronze Medal awarded to Helmsman Thomas Freeman for a service on the 12 April, when the D class inshore lifeboat rescued the crew of two and saved the fishing vessel Lark.  Mablethorpe’s lifeboat was launched in extreme conditions for this class of lifeboat to go to the assistance of the 17ft fishing vessel which had broken down in the surf off the coast.  There was a Force 6/7 Near Gale, wintry showers and a heavy swell.  The helmsman had considerable difficulty in negotiating the rough seas in order to reach the fishing boat, which was drifting helplessly towards the shore, having lost her anchor.  He decided that it was too hazardous to take off the crew and therefore passed a line and towed her away from danger – a considerable feat in the huge seas for a lifeboat smaller than the fishing boat and powered by one 40hp outboard engine.

The Maud Smith Award was awarded to Thomas Freeman for this service.

The B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-778 Joan Mary, was placed on service.

The new class of lifeboat IB1, D-653 William Hadley was placed on service on 23 November.  
D-506 has been withdrawn to the Relief Fleet.