Sunderland Lifeboat Station is located at North Dock Marina in the port city of Sunderland, which sits at the mouth of the River Wear, in the county of Tyne and Wear.
A lifeboat was first stationed here in 1800 by the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, followed by a succession of privately operated lifeboats. Overall control of all Sunderland lifeboats finally passed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1871.
The station currently operates two Inshore lifeboats; the Seagil (B-945), on station since 2024, and a Thee Andy Cantle (D-879), on station since 2023.
History The history of lifeboats and stations at Sunderland is the most complicated and confusing of any of the 238 RNLI stations. Starting in 1800, it is thought there have been 13 different stations, and 35 lifeboats, along with station name and number changes. The history below is the best that can be gained at present, although research continues...
Inspired by the rescue efforts made to the vessel Ajax, wrecked on her maiden voyage just north of Sunderland harbour, Lord Dundas set about raising funds to provide a lifeboat at Sunderland. Thus was created the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, who in 1800 placed a 27-foot non-self-righting lifeboat on the north side of the docks at Roker.
The Sunderland Lifeboat Committee boat is believed to be the first of a number of privately run lifeboats at Sunderland. Lifeboats were placed at various locations around the docks at Sunderland, from Roker down to Hendon Dock, by the following organisations: Sunderland Lifeboat Committee Sunderland Harbour Authority Sunderland Shipowners Association Sunderland Seamen's Lifeboat Association Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
There is only a record of one lifeboat being supplied by the Sunderland Lifeboat Committee, and the two boats of the Sunderland Harbour Authority placed at South Side No.1 station seem to have served their time, but were never replaced. No further details of these three boats are available.
Joseph Hodgson a carver of Sunderland, was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal on 3 January 1856 for his service to lifesaving over a period of 12 years, personally rescuing 10 people, and assisting in other lifeboat services. Two years later, William Davison was similarly awarded for his service as Coxswain on Sunderland lifeboats.
In 1865, the two lifeboats managed by the Sunderland Seamen's Lifeboat Association were in need of replacement, and the RNLI were requested to take over the management of the two boats, which was agreed. Both boats were withdrawn, with just one, the Duke of Wellington, being replaced with the Florence Nightingale (ON 185) at South Pier Station.
The South Side No.2 station, at the southern end of Sunderland Docks, near Hendon House, was opened by the Sunderland Shipowners Association (SSA) in 1850, but had to be closed in 1864, due to development work to create Hendon Dock. This would be the start of the South Outlet station. The SSA would then create another new North Side No.2 station on the north side of the docks in 1866, relocating the lifeboat from North Side No.1. A new slightly larger boat was provided there, later to be named Goodwill.
However, in 1871, the SSA requested that the RNLI take over their stations too, which again was duly agreed. Both lifeboats at the North side stations remained on service, the stations becoming named No.1 and No.2, (with the station already under the RNLI at South Pier becoming No.3). The lifeboat at South Outlet was replaced on 6 February 1872 by the John Foulston. A new boathouse and slipway were constructed near Hendon Dock by Hirst & Son, costing £624, with the station being named No.4.
The No.1 station lifeboat was renamed Goodwill in 1873, and transferred to the No.2 station. She was replaced by the Good Templar, so named from funds raised by the Independent order of Good Templars. On 23 October, Good Templar was launched to the Altona, holed on the Beacon Rocks. Managing to rescue all 14 aboard the vessel, the lifeboat was then also badly damaged on the rocks. All 27 aboard the lifeboat made it ashore, but the lifeboat was withdrawn from service.
The Goodwill would be renamed again in 1882, to Mary, but was withdrawn in 1887, with the No.2 station closed. As a result, No.3 station became No.2, and No.4 became No.3, but this is not recorded in the station list below, to prevent confusion. The No.1 station was later renamed 'Roker', with the other two stations once again being South Pier and South Outlet.
South Pier lifeboat Junius (ON 324) was launched to the steamship Jacinth of Dundee, holed on the Beacon Rocks on 2 Mar 1897. In gale force conditions, all 11 crew were rescued.
A new 'North Dock' station, with roller-slipway, was constructed in 1900 to the south west side of the North Dock at a cost of £1,100. This was to house a new boat, George Woodfindin (ON 450), funded by the cutlery manufacturer and philanthropist of Sheffield, which arrived on 22 October 1900. With this new boat on service, the Roker and South Pier stations were closed on 30 October 1900.
South Outlet lifeboat remained on service, but on 25 July 1905, the boathouse would be devastated by fire, the boat saved only due to the prompt actions of Honorary Secretary W. J. Oliver. He was rewarded with an RNLI Aneroid Barometer.
A motor lifeboat would be placed at Sunderland in 1911. The J. McConnell Hussey (ON 343) had been a 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and oars, but had subsequently been fitted with an engine. Previously on station at and , the lifeboat was placed at moorings in the harbour. The arrival of a motor lifeboat prompted the closure of the South Outlet station in 1912, but only 2 years later, the J. McConnell Hussey was found to be unfit for service, and withdrawn. After many years with numerous lifeboats, Sunderland now had just one, the George Woodfindin, still at North Dock.
On 21 January 1913, the Orion of Flensburg departed South Dock, only to have her rudder and propellers torn off on White Shell Rocks. The George Woodfindin would rescue all 19 crew. The remains of the wreck were visible at low tide for the next 70 years.
George Woodfindin (ON 450) would transfer across to a new design boathouse, that had been constructed near the South Side Ferry Landing in 1916. It used a pulley system, where the boat would sit on a cradle, and be lifted up and down to the water, employed due to the varying heights of the tide. Only two boathouses of this design were constructed by the RNLI, the other being at . It would be another two years before a replacement motor lifeboat was placed at Sunderland, the Henry Vernon (ON 613), arriving in February 1918.
In 1935, another new lifeboat station was constructed, and was located at the north end of the south side pier on reclaimed land, near the current Pilot Lookout Tower. The boathouse was built to house a new larger lifeboat, a also named Henry Vernon (ON 778), It had a deep-water roller-slipway, and was situated close to the harbour entrance. It would remain in use for the next 55 years, the remains of which can still be seen today.
The station would move back across to the north side in 1990, with the arrival of a lifeboat in 1990, 44-017 Wavy Line (ON 1043), which was moored afloat at North Dock Marina, followed by a lifeboat 14-21 MacQuarie (ON 1225) in 1997.
A base for the Inshore boat was built on Marine Walk in Roker in 1998. In 2004, the All-weather lifeboat was withdrawn, replaced with a fast Inshore boat. New crew facilities, and a boathouse for both ILBs, with launch davit, were constructed at North Dock Marina in 2008, at a cost of £242,000. The Lifeguard team and the souvenir shop now occupying the Marine Walk building.
Station honours The following are awards made at Sunderland
RNLI Silver Medal Joseph Hodgson, Carver – 1856
William Davison, Coxswain – 1858
Ralph Thompson, Coxswain – 1891
The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum William J. Oliver, Honorary Secretary – 1916
Michael Tighe, Helm – 1984
Vellum Service Certificate Alan Dixon – 1984
A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Anthony Lee, Coxswain – 1987
Gerry McGill – 1995 Ian Donkin – 1995 David Graham – 1995
A Collective Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution Michael Cowe, Helm – 1998 Martin Barry, crew member – 1998 Brian Clark-Barkness, crew member – 1998
Testimonial on Vellum, awarded by the Royal Humane Society Grant Smith – 1990
Commendation, awarded by the Chief Constable of Northumbria Roger Cook, Helm – 1996 Martin Robbie, crew member – 1996 Tony Dixon – 1996 Two Police Constables – 1996
Testimonial Resuscitation Certificate, awarded by the Royal Humane Society Ernest Laws, Second Coxswain – 1999 Brian Clark-Barkness, crew member – 1999 David Graham, crew member – 1999
Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving Sunderland lifeboats.
Collapsed and died whilst running to the lifeboat house, 11 May 1910 John Henry Davison, Coxswain (South Outlet) (49)
Sunderland lifeboats North Side No.1 / No.1 Station / Roker
ON Name Built Type Comments – 1800 1800–1818 27-foot 6in North Country 27-foot 6in x 9-foot 6in North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, gift of the Lord Dundas LB fund, and LLoyd's, built by William Wake of Bishopwearmouth, costing £185. – 1831 27-foot 6in North Country. 27-foot 6in x 9-foot 3in (10-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, funded from Harbour Dues, built by William Wake Jr., of Bishopwearmouth. 1859 1859–1866 29-foot 6in North Country 29-foot 6in x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Wake of Sunderland. Pre-450 1866 1866–1873 30-foot 3in North Country 30-foot 3in x 8-foot 7in North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Wake of Sunderland. Pre-573 1873 33-foot x 8-foot 2in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of the Ind. Order of Good Templars LB Fund, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £278. Pre-612 Good Templar 1876 1876–1889 30-foot Self-Righting (P&S) 30-foot x 8-foot (8-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of the Ind. Order of Good Templars LB Fund, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £275. 254 1889 1889–1900 31-foot Self-Righting (P&S) 31-foot x 7-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr W. Hedley of Manchester, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £301. Station Closed in 1900
South Side (No.1)
ON Name Built Type Comments – 1808 North Country North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, likely built by William Wake, costing £106.. – 1819 1819–1851 26-foot x 9-foot 6in (10-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Wake of Sunderland.. Station closed ~1851
South Side (No.2)
ON Name Built Type Comments 1850 34-foot x 10-foot 6in (14-oared) North Country non-self-righting, built by Thomas Wake and son of Sunderland, costing £130.. Station closed in 1864 when Hendon Dock was constructed.
Harbour Moorings (1856) ON Name Built Type Comments – 1855 40-foot self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built locally to a design by Hawkesworth of Torquay.. Lifeboat transferred to RNLI in 1865, then withdrawn.
North Side No.2 / No. 2 Station
ON Name Built Type Comments 1859 29-foot 6in x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Wake of Sunderland. Pre-450 1866 1873–1882 30-foot 3in North Country 30-foot 3in x 8-foot 7in North Country non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Wake of Sunderland. Pre-450 Mary 1866 1882–1887 30-foot 3in North Country Station closed in 1887
South Pier / No.3 Station