Sponsors
National Historic Ships UK acknowledges the financial support of its sponsors
Registration number
1446
Status
National Historic Fleet
a12admin
Details
Function
Service Vessel
Subfunction
Lifeboat
Location
Cromer
Vessel type
Watson Class Lifeboat
Current use
Museum based
Available to hire
No
Available for excursions
No
Info required
Yes
Web address
www.rnli.org
Construction
Builder
Groves & Gutteridge Ltd, Cowes
Built in
1935
Hull material
Wood
Rig
None
Number of decks
1
Propulsion
Motor
Number of engines
2
Primary engine type
Petrol
Boiler type
None
Boilermaker
None
Dimensions
Breadth: Beam
12.75 feet
(3.89m)
Depth
6.00 feet
(1.83m)
Length: Overall
45.97 feet
(14.02m)
Tonnage: Gross
19.00
History
Commissioned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to save lives at sea, H F BAILEY was built by Groves & Gutteridge in 1934 at Cowes to a design by G.L. Watson. The lifeboat was donated by Henry Francis Bailey of Brockenhurst at a cost of £7307 14s. The lifeboat entered service at Cromer on 12 December 1935 as No1 lifeboat under Coxswain Henry Blogg, already famous for his medal winning rescues. The boat launched 154 times and saved 448 lives at Cromer. During this time her crew were awarded one Gold, two Silver and nine Bronze awards for gallantry by the RNLI. She was transferred to Helvick Head (Eire) in 1946.
When sold out of service in 1973, the famous boat was on display outdoors at Thorpe Water Sport Park in Surrey before Sir Peter Cadbury bought her and presented her to the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum in 1991. In 2003 she was officially transferred to the RNLI Heritage Trust.
Key dates
-
1934
Built by Groves & Gutteridge of Cowes as a Watson type lifeboat, donated by Henry Francis Bailey of Brockenhurst
-
December 1935
Arrives at Cromer, to serve as No 1 lifeboat under Coxswain Henry Blogg
-
August 1937
Sir Samuel Hoare officially names the H F BAILEY after its donor
-
October 1939
29 people rescued from SS MOUNT IDA, wrecked in a gale and heavy seas
-
January 1941
H F BAILEY saved 101 crew members from SS MERIONES following bombing by German aircraft
-
August 1941
88 men saved from 6 vessels wrecked on Haisborough Sands
-
October 1941
44 crew members rescued from the SS ENGLISH TRADER grounded in a full gale and heavy seas
-
December 1945
Leaves Cromer station
-
August 1946
Transferred to Helvick Head (Eire) where she saved 12 lives
-
1960
Transferred to Relief Fleet
-
June 1973
H F BAILEY sold and put on display at Thorpe Water Park, Surrey
-
April 1991
Bought at auction by Mr Peter Cadbury and gifted to RNLI Henry Blogg Museum and people of Cromer. Restored and repainted by volunteers
-
April 2006
Moved into purpose-built museum. Strategy of care changed to conservation
Sources
Classic Boat: H F Bailey's new home, April 2004
Own this vessel?
If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk
