Name Elizabeth Simpson

1. What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?

Evidence for designs, functions, techniques, processes, styles, customs and habits or uses and associations in relation to events and people.  How early, intact or rare these features are may impact on significance.

ELIZABETH SIMPSON was the largest clinker-built Norfolk class pulling and sailing lifeboat constructed and was a wet boat design, fitted with ballast and internal copper tanks.  In 1926, she was motorised and twin engines were installed to enable her to continue in service at a time when new motor lifeboats were superseding the unpowered vessels.  ELIZABETH SIMPSON therefore demonstrates the changes necessary to install an engine to an existing service vessel, with engine bearers fitted, a watertight steel engine room, fuel tanks, on-deck controls and a slightly higher deck built over raised air tanks.  In 1946, she was further converted for use as a commercial passenger vessel and had two new engines fitted, plus her belting replaced with a wide red rubbing strake beneath the blue sheer strakes.  A raised bridge was also built amidships.  With the exception of these adaptions she remains largely original.

2. What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

Associations with people or places.  Off-ship research.

ELIZABETH SIMPSON was built by the Beeching Brothers of Great Yarmouth.  She has strong significance for the Norwich region and close links to Gorleston where she was in service for 50 years as a private lifeboat manned by volunteers from the Rangers Beach Company.  Her rescues include: a French schooner, a Swedish schooner, a German barque, a Dutch oil tanker and a First World War submarine.  ELIZABETH SIMPSON was put on display and opened to the public in Norwich for Coronation Day, marking the crowning of King George VI on 12 May 1937.  The following summer, she had a Royal call out, when King George VI himself arrived in Yarmouth Roads on board VICTORIA AND ALBERT.  A party was sent ashore in her whaler to pick up the Royal mail but failed to return at the expected hour.  ELIZABETH SIMPSON came alongside to offer assistance.  ELIZABETH SIMPSON was launched 121 times in service to 125 vessels, plus 12 before the First World War.  She is significant for the high number of lives she saved, which is documented at 441.  Her lifeboat record books and numerous photographs of her in service still exist and the surviving members of the 1930s crew received the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in 1984.  The Time & Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth holds a model of her and original service board. She was recorded on the National Register of Historic Vessels in 2002.

3. How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?

Overall aesthetic impact of the vessel, her lines, material she was built from and her setting.  Does she remain in her working environment?

ELIZABETH SIMPSON was a 50 foot long non-self-righting lifeboat, heavily built with an almost flat bottom which suited her for work in the shallow waters of the Norfolk coast. Her keel, stem, stern post and knees were built of English oak, with American oak used for the planks and copper clenched steam timbers.  ELIZABETH SIMPSON was designed as a ‘wet boat’ with a three foot wide ballast tank which could be filled by pulling out a number of plugs set in her bottom.  With these drawn, the lifeboat would float on its air tanks with water flowing freely in and out of the hull and only an extreme wave could have overturned her.  She is now based ashore pending conservation work and is intended to be kept in static preservation for display purposes.

Source: NHS-UK team, Updated February 2024