Name Mary Joicey

The MARY JOICEY is the last offshore lifeboat to serve at Newbiggin by the Sea, and arrived on 5th September 1966. Built in 1964 with the official number ON984. The official naming ceremony took place the following year inNewbiggin by the Sea on the 5th September 1966 , and she remained on service at Newbiggin until February 1981 when she entered the reserve fleet. During her time in the reserve fleet she saw service at a number of stations including Redcar and Hastings.

On 29th/30th September 1969: Assisted in the search for crew of RAF Pinnace 1386 which capsized off Amble, Northumberland. Four members of the Amble Lifeboat crew were awarded bronze medals for the rescue.

On 31st January 1975. Went to assistance of two men who were in the water after their boat had capsized. Both men were rescued with the assistance of the Newbiggin Coble ‘Margaret Lisle’ and her skipper John Lisle Robinson. For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to both the Newbiggin coxswain, George Dawson, and the coble skipper, John Lisle Robinson. Vellum service certificates were also presented to the crew of the Margaret Lisle (George Dawson Robinson, William Twizell Dent, Robert Dawson, John Lisle Twizell, and George Miller Dent), and the crew of the Mary Joicey (Clifford Hancox, Tim Martin, William Smailes, Robin Rowe, Harry Hepple, and Robert Wrigglesworth).

On 29th August 1976. While searching for a missing man a boat capsized at the mouth of the River Wansbeck. Both Newbiggin and Blyth Lifeboats went to rescue to the crew of the capsized boat in very difficult conditions. For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to both the Newbiggin coxswain, George Dawson, and Blyth Helmsman, David Tilmouth. Vellum service certificates were also presented to the crew of the Mary Joicey (Christopher Main, Clifford Hancox, John Mounsey, Robert Wrigglesworth, David Armstrong, and Thomas Taylor) and the crew of Blyth lifeboat (Dallas Taylor, John Long, and Clifford Thomson).

After leaving the RNLI in 1989 she spent a number of years on display at Beale Wildlife Park in Berkshire, before returning to Newbiggin 2005 to undergo restoration. On March 13th 2011, with the restoration largely complete, she was placed in the Newbiggin Maritime Centre where she is currently on display.