Sheringham Lifeboat The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows ON 960
Encyclopedia
The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (RNLI Official Number 960) was an lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
(RNLI) stationed at in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Norfolk from 10 July 1961 until 1990 when she was replaced after 29 years service by an second generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in May 1992. During the time that The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was on station at Sheringham, she performed 127 service launches, rescuing 134 lives.
Design and construction
The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was built at the yard of William Osborne at LittlehamptonLittlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. She was an Oakley class self-righting design which combined great stability with the ability to self-right in the event of the lifeboat capsizing. This was achieved by a system of shifting water ballast. The system worked by the lifeboat taking on one and half tons of sea water at launching in to a tank built into the base of the hull. If the lifeboat then reached a crucial point of capsize the ballast water would transfer through valves to a righting tank built into the port side. If the capsize was to the starboard side of the lifeboat, the water shift started when an angle of 165° was reached. This would push the boat into completing a full 360° roll. If the capsize was to the port side, the water transfer started at 110°. In this case the weight of water combined with the weight of machinery aboard the lifeboat usually managed to stop the roll and allow the lifeboat to bounce back to upright.
Hull construction
The hull of The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was constructed from AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n mahogany
African Mahogany
African Mahogany is the common name for at least two types of trees:* genus Khaya of the family Meliaceae* genus Afzelia of the family Fabaceae...
built with two skins. Each skin was diagonally laid with a layer of calico laid between the skins. The outer skin was ⅜ of an inch thick with the inner skin being ¼ of an inch thick. The keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and weighed 1.154 tons. The hull was divided into eleven watertight compartments. The lifeboat was 37 in 0 in (11.28 m) in length and 11 in 6 in (3.51 m) in beam and displaced 12 tons 1cwt, when fully laden with crew and gear. She was fitted with twin Perkins P4M, 43 BHP Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, which moved her over the water at 8 knots (15.7 km/h). The wheelhouse was positioned amidships.
Equipment
The lifeboat was fitted with Decca 060 radar and all she carried Pye Westminster VHF and an Ajax MF radio telephones. In addition a radio Direction Finding set was carried, which gave a magnetic bearing to a transmitting station. The electric searchlight was standard along with Pains Wessex speedlines.Service and rescues
The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows performed a total of 127 service launches during here 29 years at Sheringham becoming the longest serving Oakley class lifeboat in the RNLI’s fleet.Coxswains
Over the period that The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was stationed at Sheringham she had a total of five coxswains who were as follows:- Henry Downtide West, 1961 to 1962
- Henry Joyful West, 1963 to1984
- Jack West, 1985 to 1986
- Brian Pegg, 1986 to 1989
- Clive Rayment, 1989 to 1990
Rescue of the Lucy
One notable rescue was carried out on the 15 August 1961. the Lucy was herself a converted ship's lifeboat and she was on her maiden voyage from PeterboroughPeterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
. There was a north west wind blowing, bitterly cold and sea conditions were described as short steep sea.
The Lucy sprung a leak at the stern and started to take on water rapidly. Her four crew became concerned and started to send up distress signals. The signals were spotted and The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows made what was going to be a difficult launched. Because of the conditions of the tide, haul-off rope had to be used to prevent the lifeboat from being washed broadsides onto the beach. Just as the boat left the carriage the mast holding the haul-off rope snapped and it was only by skilful handling by coxwain Henry 'Downtide' West that tragedy was averted. The lifeboat found the Lucy 5 miles (8 km) north east of Sheringham. Three lifeboatmen were put aboard the Lucy to help transfer the boat owner's unconscious wife and young son to The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. The owner was transferred next, while the forth member of the crew remained on board with the lifeboatmen while a tow was attempted. In the fierce swell the tow rope snapped and the coxwain decided to evacuate the four men remaining on board. The casualties were landed at Sheringham and all made a full recovery.
Retirement
When The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was retired from service her place was temporally taken by the last of Sheringham's all-weather lifeboats, the Lloyds II, built in 1966 and paid for by donations from members of Lloyds of London. On 18 April 1992, Lloyds II left Sheringham having performed seven services while on station. In May 1992 an second generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) also named Manchester Unity of Oddfellows became the permanent replacement for The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows ON 960Service and rescues
| Date | Casualty | Lives saved |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | ||
| July 13 | Four crab boats, escorted boats | |
| August 8 | Small Yacht, saved boat | 3 |
| August 15 | Converted Ships Lifeboat Lucy, saved boat | 4 |
| 1962 | ||
| July 9 | Converted Ships Lifeboat Sea Hawk, saved boat | 4 |
| August 7 | Fishing vessel Sprat, saved boat | 2 |
| 3>1963 | ||
| August 15 | Cabin cruiser Buccaneer, In tow of crab boat, saved boat, landed 3 | |
| 1964 | ||
| September 1 | Crab boat White Rose, of Sheringham Sheringham Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns".... , gave help |
|
| 3>1965 | ||
| June 20 | Speed boat Sea Sprite, saved boat | 2 |
| August 15 | Yacht Tablet, saved yacht | |
| August 15 | Speed boat Red Barrel, landed 2 | |
| September 5 | Cabin Cruiser Sirius, gave help | |
| 3>1966 | ||
| July 1 | Motor vessel Pantarali of Panama Panama Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The... , landed 2 and a body |
|
| 3>1967 | ||
| April 18 | Four crab boats of Sheringham, gave help | |
| 3>1968 | ||
| January 29 | Motor cruiser Hilary Anne, saved boat | 1 |
| May 20 | Nine fishing boats of Sheringham, escorted | |
| May 25 | Fishing boat Tania of Sheringham, saved boat | 2 |
| June 30 | Cabin cruiser She’s a Lady, assisted to save cruiser | 3 |
| August 17 | Sailing Dinghy, saved dinghy | 2 |
| 3>1969 | ||
| February 9 | Motor vessel Richmond Castle, of London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , landed a sick man |
|
| September 17 | Crab boat Cicely, of Sheringham, escorted | |
| 3>1971 | ||
| January 3 | Fishing boat Our Boys, of Sheringham, escorted | |
| February 8 | Fishing boat Welcome Messenger, of Sheringham, escorted | |
| April 29 | Eight fishing boats of Sheringham, stood by | |
| June 3 | Fishing boats Our Boys and Mizpah of Sheringham, stood by | |
| June 9 | Converted motor fishing boat Peggy, of Sheringham, saved boat | 1 |
| June 19 | Cabin Cruiser John Kay, saved boat | 6 |
| 3>1972 | ||
| July 31 | Cabin cruiser Cylvia, gave help | |
| September 16 | Yacht Sea Boots, saved | 2 |
| 3>1973 | ||
| January 1 | Dudgeon Lightvessel, landed a sick man | |
| April 6 | Yacht Sallie of Maldon Maldon -Placenames:* Maldon, Essex is a town on the Blackwater estuary in England** Maldon , a local government district based in Maldon, Essex** Maldon Town F.C., an English football club** Maldon *The Battle of Maldon... , saved |
3 |
| April 24 | Dudgeon Lightvessel, landed a sick man | |
| August 8 | Fishing vessel Ame of King’s Lynn, gave help | |
| November 7 | Haisborough Lightvessel, landed a sick man | |
| 3>1974 | ||
| April 27 | Six motor fishing vessels, escort vessels | |
| November 25 | Fishing vessel Kilsyth, landed an injured man | |
| 3>1976 | ||
| January 1 | Finnlark of Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... , landed an injured man |
|
| June 2 | Yacht Blue Tit, saved boat | 2 |
| September 4 | Barge Focena, saved boat | 2 |
| 3>1977 | ||
| August 5 | Yacht Niord, gave help | |
| October 25 | Dinghy, escorted boat | |
| 3>1978 | ||
| March 28 | Fishing boat Jonathan James, gave help | |
| July 5 | Converted Admiralty supply vessel VIC.32, escorted vessel | |
| September 8 | Motor launch Ailsa, gave help | |
| 3>1979 | ||
| January 29 | Fishing boat Mizpah, gave help | |
| April 5 | Fishing boat Mizpah, escorted boat | |
| April 16 | Fishing boat Harvester, Saved | 2 |
| August 26 | Motor cruiser Dora Lee, saved | 5 |
| 3>1980 | ||
| April 8 | Fishing boats, escorted boats | |
| 3>1983 | ||
| August 9 | Cabin cruiser Cocktail II saved boat | 3 |
| 3>1984 | ||
| May 11 | Fishing boats, escorted boats | |
| May 24 | Fishing boats, escorted boats | |
| August 10 | Motor fishing vessel Venturer, saved vessel | 2 |
| 3>1985 | ||
| April 20 | Rubber Dinghy Force Four GT, saved boat | 2 |
| May 13 | Fishing boats, escorted boats | |
| June 3 | Cargo vessel Bandick of Guernsey Guernsey Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet... , landed an injured man |
|
| August 1 | Rafts, saved | 60 |
| August 3 | Catamaran Norwegian Blue, stood by | |
| September 15 | Two skin divers saved | 2 |
| 3>1986 | ||
| October 28 | Fishing boat Crystal Dawn, saved boat | 2 |
| 3>1987 | ||
| April 25 | Fishing boat Fragrance gave help | |
| May 28 | Motor fishing vessel Kathleen, Mizpah and Pegasus, gave help | |
| May 28 | Fishing vessel Good Courage, escorted vessel | |
| July 25 | Fishing boats, escorted boats | |
| July 29 | Fishing vessel Sea Eagle, Landed 3 sick men | |
| October 4 | Fishing vessel Caroline, saved | 2 |
| 3>1988 | ||
| May 15 | Motor yacht Kitaja, craft brought in–gave help | |
| June 26 | Fishing vessel Justifier, craft brought in-gave help | |
| August 19 | Sailboard, saved board | 1 |
| September 2 | Fishing vessel Liberty, craft brought in-gave help | |
| 3>1989 | ||
| February 15 | RoRo cargo vessel Torga Thia, of Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... , stood by |
|
| April 16 | Fiahing boat Cheryl C, svaed boat | 2 |
| May 30 | Fishing vessel Pegasus, of Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea... , escorted vessel |
|
| June 21 | Fishing vessels Donna Maria and Justified, gave help | |
| June 29 | Yacht Meg, saved boat | 3 |
| June 29 | Sailing club safety boat Jeanie, escorted boat | |
| June 29 | Fishing vessel Sea Eagle, escorted vessel | |
| 3>1990 | ||
| April 14 | Sailboard, saved board | 1 |
| July 15 | Fishing vessel Blue Boy, gave help | |
| August 19 | Skin diver, saved | 1 |
| August 19 | Two motor boats, gave help | |
| September 28 | Last Service, Yacht Smiling Swiss, landed a injured woman | |