Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats were a class of lifeboat operated almost exclusively off the coast of East Anglia. The first boats found favour with the various rescue societies, such as the Norfolk Shipwreck Association and the Suffolk Humane Society, as well as companies of Boatmen, such as the Gorleston Rangers, before being adopted and continued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

History Purpose-built lifeboats first appeared towards the end of the 18th century. Some of the first were designed by Lionel Lukin who adapted local boat designs to be more buoyant so they could operate safely in rough seas. He designed one for the Suffolk Humane Society in 1807 for use at . It was based on a local yawl with a shallow draft, and sails so it could reach offshore sandbanks, but oars were also provided.

The design proved successful and was adopted by other lifeboat services in East Anglia including the Norfolk Shipwreck Association. The Suffolk Humane Society merged with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855 as did the Norfolk Shipwreck Association in 1857.

The RNLI continued to build lifeboats to the Norfolk and Suffolk design, and stationed them at other places on the east coast, between the River Thames and the Humber.

The Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat were usually of a larger size, typically being around in length. The boat were non-self-righting, but usually had a broad beam for stability, typically . However, some smaller Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboats, around in length, were produced for closer inshore work, and are generally referred to as 'Surf-Boats'.

The last Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat was built in 1925 and was in use until 1953. The design evolved throughout this time, the last boats being built with petrol engines.

Pulling & sailing lifeboats The Lowestoft lifeboat of 1807 was long and wide. It had wood and cork 'wales' or pads deep that projected up to from the sides. Empty casks along the inside of the sides with two more each at the front and back of the boat to give it buoyancy. An iron keel was fitted and a large volume of water ballast kept it lower in the water so that it cut through the waves instead of riding up and down over them. The water ballast was let in and out by plugs in the bottom to reduce the boat's weight when being launched and recovered from the beach. It had three masts, lug sails and 12 oars.

Most of these features continued to be used in Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboats built during the next 85 years. The empty casks were replaced by detachable wood and canvas air cases along the sides and fixed air boxes in the bow and stern like Palmer-class lifeboats. The water ballast, up to 7 tons of it, was just left in the bottom of the boat so lifeboat crews worked in wet conditions. If too much water was taken on board, the excess drained out through gaps along the side. They were rigged with 2 lug sails.

Early Norfolk & Suffolk lifeboat fleet ON Name Built Station Comments – Frances Ann 1807 1807–1850 x (14-oared) lifeboat, funded by county subscriptions, built by B. Barcham of Lowestoft, costing £350.Suffolk Humane Society.Condemned 1850. – Braybrooke 1821 1821–1826 Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat of unknown dimensions, funded by county subscriptions plus Lloyd's, built by Geo. Graham of Harwich. Essex Lifeboat Association.Sold 1926. – 1825 1825–1833 Norfolk and Suffolk-class lifeboat of unknown dimensions, funded by county subscriptions, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth.Norfolk Shipwreck Association. Unknown fate. 1833 1833–1861 Great Yarmouth x (12/14-oared) lifeboat, funded by county subscriptions, built by Holmes of Great Yarmouth.Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Unservicable by 1861. Pre-195 Marianne 1840 1840–1868 Gift of the Misses S. and L. Harris.Disposed of at Lowestoft, 1872. Pre-195 Sisters 1840 1868–1872 x (14/16-oared) lifeboat, funded by county subscriptions, built by Wm. Teasdel of Great Yarmouth, costing £300.Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Renamed Sisters in 1868.–Solebay1840 1841–1855 x (12-oared) lifeboat, funded by local subscriptions and RNIPLS, built by Wm. Teasdel of Great Yarmouth, costing £320. Condemned 1869. 1855–1869 Pre-218 1846 1846–1865 x (14/16-oared) lifeboat, funded by county subscriptions, built by Branford of Great Yarmouth, costing £250.Norfolk Shipwreck Association, to RNLI in 1857. Condemned and Sold, 1865. Pre-229 Victoria 1850 1850–1868 x (14-oared) lifeboat, funded by county subscriptions, built by Samuel R. Sparham of Lowestoft, costing £250.Suffolk Humane Society, to RNLI in 1855. Renamed Laetitia in 1868. Pre-229 Laetitia 1850 1868–1876 Condemned and Broken up, 1876.–Rescuer1853 1853–1868 x lifeboat, funded by the Gorleston Ranger Corps, (later B. Hume at Winterton-on-Sea}, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth.Capsized with the ultimate loss of 13 crew, 13 January 1866.Capsized after a collision, with the loss of six crew, 3 December 1867. Transferred to in 1868. 1868–1878 – Royal Albert 1854 1854–1894 Scratby x (14-oared) lifeboat, funded by the Californai beachmen's Co., built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £200.Transferred to Walton-on-the-Naze and renamed True to the Core in 1894. – True to the Core 1854 1894–1897 Walton-on-the-Naze Funded by the Walton-on-the-Naze Volunteer Lifeboat Society.Fate unknown. 28 Harriett 1855 1855–1869 x (12/14-oared) lifeboat, funded from local subscription, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £200.Renamed London Coal Exchange in 1869. 28 London Coal Exchange 1855 1869–1893 Sold 1893. – Ranger 1856 1858–???? (18-oared) lifeboat, funded by the Gorleston Ranger Co., built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £200.Service dates and fate unknown. 20 Brave Robert Shedden 1861 1861–1868 Great Yarmouth x (12-oared) lifeboat, legacy of Miss W. S. Watson of London, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £210.Renamed Mark Lane in 1868.20Mark Lane1861 1868–1883 Great YarmouthGift of the London Corn Exchange, Rebuilt x in 1871.Condemned and Sold, 1889. 1883–1889 – Friend of All Nations 1863 1863–1925 x (12-oared) lifeboat, funded from local subscription, built by Jas. Critten of Cobholm, costing £400. Sold 1925. Pre-427 Birmingham No. 2 1865 1865–1878 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the Birmingham LB fund, built by Mills and Blake of Great Yarmouth, costing £238.Renamed Covent Garden in 1878. Pre-427 Covent Garden 1865 1878–1883 Gift of the Covent Garden LB fund. Condemned 1883. – Refuge 1866 1866–1888 x lifeboat, funded by the Gorleston Storm Co., constructor unknown.Capsized with the loss of four crew, 10 November 1888. Condemned 1888.16Husband1869 1869–1879 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of Mrs Geo. Davis of Clapham, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £180. Sold 1892. 1879–1890 Winterton No.2 25 Bolton 1870 1870–1893 x (12/14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the Bolton LB fund, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £270. Sold 1893. 14 1870 1870–1893 Palling No.2 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the British Workman LB fund, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £273. Sold 1893. 23 Sisters 1872 1872–1876 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the misses S. and L. Harris, built by Samuel R. Sparham of Lowestoft, costing £276.Renamed The Two Sisters, Mary and Hannah in 1876.23The Two Sisters, Mary and Hannah1872 1876–1886 Legacy of Mr T Perkin. Sold 1910. 1886–1890 1890–1910 22 Samuel Plimsoll 1876 1876–1905 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the Samuel Plimsoll LB fund, Derby and Liverpool built by Samuel R. Sparham of Lowestoft, costing £276. Sold 1905. 17 Covent Garden 1882 1883–1899 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of the Covent Garden LB fund, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £300. Sold and Broken up, 1900. – Caroline Hamilton 1883 1883–1893 x lifeboat, funded and operated by the Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat Society, built by Samuel R. Sparham of Lowestoft, costing £450. Sold 1893. 27 Charles Bury 1884 1884–1897 Kessingland No.3 x (12-oared) lifeboat, legacy of Mr Chas. Bury of Nazing, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £363. Sold 1897.233 Mark Lane1889 1889–1892 x (12-oared) lifeboat, gift of the London Corn Exchange and Baltic Exchange LB fund, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £315.Transferred to the Relief fleet, 1892. Reserve No. 1 1892–1899 Relief Fleet Renamed Margaret on transfer to Winterton No.2, 1899 Margaret 1899–1907 Winterton No.2 Legacy of Miss Mary Eason of London.Condemned and Sold, 1907270 Margaret1889 1890–1899 Winterton No.2 x (12-oared) lifeboat, legacy of Miss Mary Eason of London, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £368.Transferred to the Relief fleet, 1899.Reserve No.1 1899–1902 Sold 1924. 1902–1924 Relief fleet – Elizabeth Simpson 1889 1889–1926 x lifeboat, gift of Miss Elizabeth Simpson of Stone, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth.She was launched on service 119 times, and rescued 441 lives. Motor conversion in 1926. Sold 1948. 288 Stock Exchange 1890 1890–1892 Lowestoft No.2 clifeboat, gift of the London Stock Exchange, built by Wm. T. Ellis of Lowestoft, costing £373.Renamed Mark Lane when transferred to in 1892. 288 Mark Lane 1890 1892–1921 Gift of the London Corn Exchange and Baltic Exchange LB fund. Sold 1922.Renamed Gorleston, a converted houseboat, broken up at Felixstowe Ferry, 1978. 304 Aldeburgh 1890 1890–1899 x (14-oared) lifeboat, gift of an anonymous donor, built by J. H. Critten of Great Yarmouth, costing £373.Capsized with the loss of seven crew, & December 1899. Broken up in 1900. 327 Beauchamp 1891 1892–1901 Caister No.2 x (12-oared) lifeboat, gift of Sir R. Proctor-Beauchamp, , built by J. H. Critten of Great Yarmouth, costing £266.Wrecked on service with the loss of nine crew, 13 November 1901.1901 Caister lifeboat disaster.Sold 1901. Renamed Triton, used as a Broadland trip boat. Broken up in 1966.

Early Norfolk and Suffolk 'Surf-Boats'