New Romney Lifeboat Station


New Romney Lifeboat Station was located across the northern end of Marine Parade, in-between St Andrew's Road and the Coastguard Station, at Littlestone-on-Sea, approximately to the east of New Romney town, on the southern Kent coast.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed a lifeboat at Littlestone-on-Sea between 1861 and 1928, initially known as Dungeness Lifeboat Station and then New Romney Lifeboat Station. It was never known as Littlestone-on-Sea Lifeboat Station.
New Romney Lifeboat Station closed in 1928. In 1966, the RNLI established Littlestone-on-Sea Lifeboat Station as an Inshore lifeboat station, but it is actually located at Greatstone-on-Sea.
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History

In 1861, in response to the higher number of wrecks happening at Littlestone-on-Sea, the lifeboat was relocated, from the station at Dungeness No. 1 Battery, to Littlestone-on-Sea, but still operating as Dungeness Lifeboat Station.
Funds for a new boathouse, and a new lifeboat, Dr. Hatton, were provided in 1871, from the gift of £700 from Mrs, Jane Hatton, in memory of her late husband, Dr. John Hatton.
On 22 January 1873, while at anchor in thick fog off Dungeness, the full-rigged ship Northfleet was rammed by the Murillo. 293 lives were lost. After a careful review by the RNLI, it was decided to once again place a lifeboat at.
However, it was decided to retain the station at Littlestone-on Sea, formally becoming New Romney Lifeboat Station in 1874. The Dr. Hatton would also be retained at New Romney.
Dr. Hatton would rescue 10 men from the barque Alliance on 14 December 1874, which was driven ashore whilst on passage from London to Dieppe.
On 10 April 1876, the New Romney lifeboat was called to the aid of the Dutch schooner Tobina, which had run aground at Roar Bank, with seven men aboard. Two men were washed overboard and lost, but after a difficult launch into very poor conditions, excellent seamanship brought the lifeboat to the vessel, and the remaining five crewmen were rescued. In recognition of this rescue, and eight years service, Coxswain Michael Murphy, was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.
A new lifeboat was placed at New Romney in 1884. This would be the 34-foot 3in self-righting lifeboat Sandal Magna, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London. She was launched to the aid of the Windermere of Newcastle upon Tyne, on passage from London to Yangon, when she was driven ashore at New Romney. All 13 crew were rescued.
In a severe storm on 9 March 1891, the Sandal Magna was launched to the aid of two vessels, the Echo, and the Hugh Barclay, both of Fleetwood, in difficulties off Littlestone. It had taken three attempts to get the boat into the water before she finally got away, such were the conditions, but before the vessels were reached, the lifeboat would be capsized, not once, but three times, finally being washed back on to the beach. Three lifeboatmen were lost, as were both crews of the Echo, and the Hugh Barclay.
New Romney lifeboat James Stevens No. 11 was launched on 21 March 1904 to the aid of the schooner Antje of Geestemunde, which had been driven ashore. Despite difficult conditions, the lifeboat was brought alongside, and rescued the five man crew.
In 1912, the last New Romney lifeboat would be the 35-foot Harry Wright Russell, provided from the legacy of the Rev. H. W. Russell of Northfield, Kent. Launched only four times over the next 16 years, no saved lives would be recorded.
New Romney Lifeboat Station was closed on 19 November 1928. The records show 56 launches and 72 lives saved, over a period of 57 years. The boathouse was demolished in 1940 under 'Military Defence Orders'.
The lifeboat on station at the time of closure, Harry Wright Russell, was first transferred to in 1928, to the relief fleet for one-year in 1929, and sold from service in 1935. No further details are known.

Station honours

The following are awards made at New Romney.

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving New Romney lifeboat.