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In 1916 the RNLI sent a new lifeboat and launching carriage to
Brancaster. The boat was called 'Winlaton' and was a self-righter 35' long and
8'6" beam, built by S.E. Saunders Ltd. The old lifeboat was sold locally and
was said to have been taken to South Africa. In 1919 on the 12th March, while the
lifeboat was on a practice launch, she came upon a Wells fishing boat 'Anoi' who was on
her way back from Hunstanton with a load of mussels and as she was in danger of sinking in
the strong wind the lifeboat crew helped to throw some of the mussels overboard and one of
the crew, Harry Loose, helped the fishing boat into the harbour at Brancaster Staithe.
The lifeboat in the meanwhile landed a boy from the boat who was badly sea
sick. The 'Anoi' made her way back to Wells after the wind had moderated.
Launching by hand
Launching with the tractor
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By 1920 it was getting difficult to obtain horses for
launching the lifeboat so it was decided by the RNLI to place a launching tractor at
Brancaster. There had been one at the Hunstanton lifeboat station for a couple of
years and it was found to be very successful. The tractor arrived in September
1923; it was a 35hp Clayton specially adapted for lifeboat launching with a
water-tight engine. The tractor drivers were Joe Powell and Percy Fisher. Up
until this time it had taken a team of eight horses and 13 helpers to get the lifeboat
afloat.
On March 19th 1920 the RNLI presented Major General Boughey with a binocular glass for
his services as Hon. Secretary for the past 12 years. Later on he retired and Mr.
Herbert Ringer of Field House Farm took his place. |
Although the 'Winlaton' was launched on five more occasions, no actual
services were rendered. One of these was in 1925 when a small steamer, the
'Glenhurst' making for Wells, ran aground on Scolt Head in thick fog. The lifeboat
launched and found the stranded vessel. The coxswain offered to lay out a kedge
anchor so that at high water the vessel might pull herself off with her own winches;
his help was refused and the lifeboat returned to her station. Within 24
hours the weather had changed and a northwesterly gale blew the vessel high up on the
beach where she lay for 6 months. Finally she was jacked up onto greased plates and
pulled off the beach by a Hull tug.
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