The Lifeboat in Burnham-On-Sea
The town's life-saving service...

Also see the Official Burnham On Sea RNLI Web site

How generosity has kept the lifeboat running
In 1866 the town of Cheltenham Spa footed the bill for Burnham's first Royal National Lifeboat which replaced the craft donated by Bridgwater earlier in the century. This first craft was stored by the wooden lighthouse, but was later moved to a launching cradle near the Railway Station from where it ran on rails down the jetty.

The lifeboat donated by Cheltenham carried the donating town's name and was some 35 feet long, a standard self-righter, with ten oars and carrying a crew of twelve. It was stored in the building adjacent to the Railway Station in Pier Street (now occupied by the local Scout HQ).

In 1887 the new lifeboat the 'John Godfrey Morris' arrived and was immediately put to use in conducting vital life-saving work in Bridgwater Bay. One of its most best-known rescues was that of the crew of SS Nornen in March 1897. Read more here.

In 1902 another lifeboat, the 'Philip Beach' arrived.

Then, in 1994, the new Burnham Area Rescue Boat was built with the help of Anneka Rice and the BBC TV Show Challenge Anneka.

The lifeboat is today still funded by donations.

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