Fleetwood Lifeboats Past

The history of Fleetwood Lifeboat station is distinquished by many incidents of courage and valour, with coxswains and crews’ of the lifeboats enduring extremes of weather to save lives in treacherous conditions.

Around the early decades of operation (in the mid 19th century), before the advent of motorways and railways the coastal sea lanes were the main routes for moving goods, commodities and people in sailing vessels. These ships were subject to the vagaries of the weather and many got into difficulties around the shores of the UK, often with disastrous consequences, with loss of life and livelihood for their dependent families.

Lifeboats have been stationed at Fleetwood on the Southern shore of Morecambe Bay since 1859. Twelve lifeboats (and other inshore lifeboats since the mid-1960’s) have served for over 160 years and many lives have been saved, in some notable and meritorious services. Many people are familiar with the TV Programme Saving Lives at Sea, depicting sea rescues around the coast of the UK and Ireland.

For some 25 years, as well as the day job I was a volunteer crew member and Deputy Coxswain of Fleetwood Lifeboat on the southern shores of Morecambe Bay in the NorthWest of England. Through these pages and their associated images and videos I am sharing my lived experience of sea rescues in the late twentieth century.