Tynemouth Lifeboat Station sits overlooking the River Tyne at Fish Quay, North Shields, in the county of Tyne and Wear.
A lifeboat was first stationed across the River Tyne in South Shields in 1789, with a second lifeboat placed in North Shields in 1798, both operated by the Tyne Lifeboat Institution (TLI).
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) currently operates a All-weather lifeboat 17-34 Osier (ON 1263), on station since 2021, and a Inshore lifeboat Little Susie (D-829), on station since 2018.
History In the late 1700s, two lifeboats were operated at Tynemouth by the Tyne Lifeboat Institution (TLI), both built by Henry Greathead, to an amalgamated design of both Greathead and William Wouldhave. At the time, the mouth of the River Tyne was particularly treacherous in poor weather, with many ships lost, but many lives saved.
Safety would be radically improved in later years, with the construction of the North and South Tyne Piers, with building starting in 1854, finally completed in 1910.
The first lifeboat, known as Original, was wrecked in 1830. The Tyne Lifeboat Institution would not have the funds for a replacement until 1833. In 1832, a request for a lifeboat was placed by the Port of Newcastle Shipwreck Association, with the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), who supplied a 26-foot Palmer-type non-self-righting lifeboat, arriving in October 1832, to be managed by the TLI. A new boathouse had been constructed at Prior's Haven. The boat was on service for 10 years, until it was badly damaged in 1842, and scrapped.
The Tyne Institution would maintain their fleet of lifeboats, providing 2 new boats and a new boathouse at South Beach, South Shields. On 4 December 1849, the Tyne Institution lifeboat Providence was launched to the aid to the brig Betsy, which had run ashore at Herd sands. It was whilst Providence was alongside the vessel, when the lifeboat capsized. The Tyne was launched, and picked up the three survivors still holding onto the Providence, and North Shields lifeboat Northumberland rescued the crew of the Betsy, plus one lifeboat man who had managed to get aboard, but 20 of the 24 crew of the Providence were lost.
It was as a result of this disaster that Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland of Alnwick Castle, president of the RNIPLS, set a competition for the design of a Self-righting lifeboat, which was won by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth. This design would become the basis for lifeboats for many years afterwards.
In 1862, following a series of shipwrecks in and around Prior's Haven, it was suggested that the (now) RNLI should place a lifeboat at a new station at Prior's Haven. A new boathouse was constructed, and the Constance, a 33-foot self-righting 10-oared lifeboat, arrived in November 1862. The Prior, a TLI boat, was relocated from Prior's Haven to South Beach, South Shields.
Following the wreck of the Stanley in 1864, it was decided to place a second lifeboat at Tynemouth, with the RNLI building a new station at Black Middens. Both lifeboat services would operate alongside each other until the early 1900s, often responding to the same shipwreck, one or other standing by while a rescue was performed. However, in 1905, everything changed when the RNLI placed a motor-powered lifeboat at Tynemouth, followed soon after by the completion of the Piers. A motor lifeboat was far better placed to respond, and fewer rescues were required, with the mouth of the River Tyne now protected. The TLI would be renamed the Tyne Lifeboat Society (TLS) in 1905, maintaining the last of their lifeboats until the 1940s. The RNLI No.2 station was closed.
After some years with the motor lifeboat moored afloat, the RNLI took over a boathouse belonging to the War-office in 1921. It was located right next to the Tyne Lifeboat Society boathouse at Clifford's Fort. The lifeboat was mounted on a trolley, which could be winched up or down a trolley-way. In 1941, bombs dropped in a war-time air-raid destroyed the Tyne Lifeboat house, containing the James Young lifeboat, and the RNLI boathouse, containing the John Pymont (ON 824). A replacement boathouse and slipway would be constructed at the same location in 1947.
To commemorate the centenary of the Tynemouth lifeboat station, a stained glass window, showing a picture of the Original lifeboat, was unveiled by Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland at the Seamen's Chapel of Christ Church, North Shields on 16 September 1962.
1965 would see the arrival of the first Tynemouth Inshore lifeboat, one of the earliest inshore boats numbered D-12. When a new All-weather lifeboat arrived in 1980, the boat would once again be moored afloat. A replacement station building, housing the Inshore lifeboat, launched with the use of a davit, and a mooring for the All-weather boat, were provided in 1997.
A 25-knot lifeboat, 17-20 Spirit of Northumberland (ON 1242), would be placed on service in 1999. After serving 22 years, she was withdrawn in 2021, replaced by 17-34 Osier (ON 1263). Spirit of Northumberland was sent to the RNLI Headquarters at Poole, to be the second Severn-class boat to receive what was known as a "SLEP" upgrade (Severn Life Extension Programme), to allow a further 25 years of service. Just two boats were upgraded, before the programme was officially abandoned in 2025.
The Tyne lifeboat of the Tyne Lifeboat Institution is restored and on display at South Shields. The Bedford lifeboat of the Tyne Lifeboat Institution has been restored, and is in storage awaiting a suitable display location.
On the 2 October 2025, following a complete review of coastal operations, the RNLI announced that a All-weather lifeboat would replace the lifeboat 17-34 Osier in 2026. Tamar-class lifeboat 16-19 Irene Muriel Rees (ON 1299), formerly at , arrived at Tynemouth on Saturday 17 June 2026, and will assume duties following a period of training.
Station honours The following are awards made at Tynemouth:
RNLI Gold Medal Capt. Herbert Edgar Burton – 1914 Robert Smith, Coxswain – 1914
Gold Medals, awarded by the Tynemouth Trust The Tynemouth Lifeboat Crew – 1914
RNIPLS Silver Medal Henry Strachan, River Pilot – 1829 William Tully, Pilot – 1832 T. Thorp, storekeeper of the rockets – 1839 John Cunningham, Rocket Apparatus Superintendent – 1843 William Wheeler, Thames River Pilot – 1851
RNLI Silver Medal Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, – 1864 James Gilbert, Coxswain – 1886 James Gilbert, Coxswain – 1898 (Second-Service Clasp) Capt. H. E. Burton – 1913 Coxswain Robert Smith – 1913 James S. Brownlee, Second Coxswain – 1914 Cmdr. Basil Hall, RN, Lifeboat Inspector – 1914 Robert Smith, Coxswain – 1916 (Second-Service Clasp) James S. Brownlee, Second Coxswain – 1916 (Second-Service Clasp) John Hogg, Coxswain – 1986
Silver Medal Service Certificate Martin Kenny, Second Coxswain – 1986 John Watson, Motor Mechanic – 1986 Trevor Fryer, crew member – 1986 James Griffiths, crew member – 1986 David Lisle, crew member – 1986 John Norris, crew member – 1986
Silver Cup, awarded by The King of Norway Coxswain – 1918
Silver Medals, awarded by The King of Norway The Tynemouth Lifeboat Crew – 1918
Medals, awarded by The King of Norway The crew of the private lifeboat Tom Perry – 1918
RNLI Bronze Medal Michael Campbell, Ordinary Seaman, RNVR – 1926 Edward Selby Davidson, Honorary Secretary of the Tynemouth Branch – 1941 George Lisle, Coxswain – 1941 Trevor Fryer, crew member – 1974 Frederick Arkley, crew member – 1974
The Maud Smith Award 1986, (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew) Capt. John Hogg, Coxswain – 1986
The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum Trevor Fryer, Helm – 1982
A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Martin Kenny, Coxswain – 1998 Kevin Mole, Helm – 2003 Michael Nugent, Coxswain – 2022
A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Kevin Mole, Mechanic - 1998 Geoffrey Cowan, Assistant Mechanic – 1998 Edwin Chapple, crew member – 1998 Michael Nugent, crew member – 1998
Commendations by the Lifesaving Operations Director of the Institution Dan Howe, crew member – 2022 Michael Brown, crew member – 2019, 2022 Rob Blake, crew member – 2022 Andrew King, crew member – 2022 Joe Smiles, crew member – 2022 Mark Charlton, Helm - 2019 Mark Taylor, crew member - 2019
American Cross of Honour for services and good seamanship Maj. H. E. Burton – 1916
The Morley Medal of the Outward Bound Trust Kenneth Smith, crew member – 1959
Testimonial on Parchment, awarded by the Royal Humane Society PC Robert Rutherford, crew member – 1959
Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Kenneth Middlemiss, Honorary Secretary – 1993
Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving Tynemouth lifeboat: Lost when the lifeboat Providence capsized on service to the brig Betsy, 4 December 1849.
Launcelot Burn, Coxswain John Bone, John Burn (Snr), John Burn (Jnr), John Donkin, Robert Donkin, John Marshall, Thomas Marshall, James Matson, John Phillips, Ralph Phillips, William Purvis, Ralph Shotton, William Smith, George Tindall, George Tinmouth, James Wright, John Wright, Henry Young James Young
Washed out of the lifeboat Constance and lost, on service to the schooner Friendship and the steamship Stanley, 24 November 1864 James Grant, crew member E. Robson, crew member
Washed off the pier and drowned, attempting a rescue of the barque Consul, 17 December 1872 Robert Thirlaway Arkley, Customs Officer and lifeboat crew member (16)
Lost when the lifeboat Northumberland was hit by a large wave, on service to the brig Gleaner, 18 December 1872 James Watson, crew member (21) John Wheatley, crew member (21)
Tynemouth lifeboats Tyne Lifeboat Institution South Shields, Coble Landing Name Built Class Comments Original 1789 30-foot Greathead 30-foot x 10-foot (10-oared) Greathead-class non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Henry Greathead of South Shields, costing £150. Wrecked in 1830. Tyne 1833 1833–1887 32-foot North Country 32-foot x 10-foot (12-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Oliver South Shields, costing £170. Providence 1845 1862–1872 34-foot North Country 34-foot x 10-foot 10in (14-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Woodhouse of South Shields, costing £234.At South Beach until 1862. Tom Perry 1872 1872–1937 33-foot 8in North Country 33-foot 8in x 10-foot 8in (12-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Jackson of South Shields. Bedford 1886 1886–1937 33-foot 7in North Country 33-foot 7in x 10-foot 8in (12-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, legacy of Miss Bedford of Pershore, built by Lancelot Lambert at the Lawe Building Yard, South Shields, costing £330.Fitted with an engine, 1930.
North Shields, Clifford's Fort Name Built Class Comments Northumberland 1798 28-foot Greathead 28-foot x 9-foot 4in (10-oared) Greathead-class non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Henry Greathead of South Shields, costing £160. Northumberland 1845 1845–1884 33-foot North Country 33-foot x 11-foot (14-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, funded by The Duke of Northumberland, built by Thomas Anderson of North Shields, costing £200. James Young 1884 1884–1941 32-foot North Country 32-foot x 11-foot (12-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, funded by Harbour Dues, built by Jas. Jackson of South Shields.Destroyed in a wartime air-raid, 10 April 1941.
North Shields, Prior's Haven Name Built Class Comments 1831 26-foot x 6-foot (6-oared) Palmer-class non-self-righting lifeboat, provided by the RNIPLS, built by Harton of Limehouse, London, costing £60.Badly damaged, and scrapped in 1842. Prior 1842 1842–1862 28-foot North Country lifeboat, built by Thomas Anderson of South Shields.Transferred to South Beach in 1862 on arrival of RNLB Constance
South Shields, South Beach