RNLB Ruby and Arthur Reed (ON 990) explained

Official Number: ON 990
Donor: Gift of Mrs R. M. Reed, Eastbourne, in memory of her Husband of Stanford
Station Cromer
Ruby and Arthur Reed (RNLI Official Number 990)[1] was an lifeboat of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stationed at Cromer in the English county of Norfolk[2] from 30 April 1967[3] and was the No 1 lifeboat between various relief's[4] until she was replaced after 17 years service by the Ruby and Arthur Reed II on 16 December 1985. During the time that the Ruby and Arthur Reed was on station at Cromer she performed 125 service launches, rescuing 58 lives.

Design and construction

Ruby and Arthur Reed was built in 1966[4] at the yard of William Osborne at Littlehampton, West Sussex.[4] She was an Oakley class self-righting design which combined great stability with the ability to self-right in the event of the lifeboat capsizing.[5] This was achieved by a system of shifting water ballast. The system worked by the lifeboat taking on one and half tons of sea water at launching in to a tank built into the base of the hull. If the lifeboat then reached a crucial point of capsize the ballast water would transfer through valves to a righting tank built into the port side.[5] If the capsize was to the starboard side of the lifeboat, the water shift started when an angle of 165° was reached.[5] This would push the boat into completing a full 360° roll. If the capsize was to the port side, the water transfer started at 110°. In this case the weight of water combined with the weight of machinery aboard the lifeboat usually managed to stop the roll and allow the lifeboat to bounce back to upright.[5]

Hull construction

The hull of the Ruby and Arthur Reed was constructed from African mahogany built with two skins.[5] Each skin was diagonally laid with a layer of calico laid between the skins. The outer skin was thick with the inner skin being thick. The keel was iron and weighed . The hull was divided into eleven watertight compartments. The lifeboat was 48feet in length and 14feet in beam and displaced,[5] when fully laden with crew and gear. She was fitted with twin 110 hp Gardner 6LX six cylinder diesel engines, which moved her over the water at 9 Knots.[4] Ruby and Arthur Reed’s aluminium wheelhouse was positioned amidships and was fully enclosed which provided welcome crew protection from the elements. Aft of the lifeboat there was another cabin which served as the chartroom and also housed all the lifeboats electronic equipment.[4]

Equipment

The lifeboat was fitted with Decca 060 radar and all she carried Pye Westminster VHF and an Ajax MF Radiotelephone. In addition a radio Direction Finding set was carried, which gave a magnetic bearing to a transmitting station. The electric searchlight was standard along with Pains Wessex speedlines.

Service

Ruby and Arthur Reed was on station at Cromer for seventeen years and during that time she was launched 125 times and she saved fifty eight lives. Her first service took place on 4 July 1967[1] to a motor fishing vessel called Renovate. The fishing boat's engine had failed and she was at anchor two miles east of Haisborough Sands. Two engineers from the Royal Naval minesweeper were put aboard to try to repair her. Coxswain Henry "Shrimp" Davies[1] and his lifeboat stood by through the night until the boat's engines were once again working.

Service and rescues

DateCasualtyLives saved
1967
4 JulyMotor fishing vessel Renovate, stood by
20 JanuaryMotor vessel Alme of Meppel, took out doctor
3 SeptemberHaisborough Lightvessel, landed a sick man
10 OctoberCrab boat Lewis James of Cromer, gave help
19 DecemberTrawler Rotha of Lowestoft. Landed a sick man1
1968
4 FebruaryDinghy, saved dinghy3
2 MarchMotor launch Pinnace, of Poole saved launch2
31 MarchSteamship Alice Bowater of London, landed a sick man1
11 MayFishing boat Provider of Cromer, saved boat2
13 MayTug Workman of Hull stood by tug with warhead on board
30 JuneCabin cruiser She’s a Lady. Assisted to save cruiser3
11 JulyMotor vessel Ramso of Copenhagen, escorted
23 AugustTrawler Filby Queen of Lowestoft, landed a sick man
30 AugustYacht Stilalisanin landed 1 and saved yacht
18 SeptemberTrawler Rock Fish of Lowestoft, took out doctor
15 NovemberGas Rig Hewitt Alpha, gave help
1969
3 JanuaryMotor vessel Friederike of Brake, landed a sick man
14 JanuaryTrawler Suffolk Kinsman of Lowestoft. Landed a sick man
22 JanuaryMotor fishing boat Thistle, saved boat3
10 MayMotor fishing vessel Kindly Light, gave help
21 MayPipe laying vessel WD Tideway, landed a sick man
1970
26 JuneMotor fishing vessel Normanby of Bridlington, gave help
12 NovemberFishing boat My Beauty of Cromer, give escort
1971
15 MayCabin cruiser Nadine Leah, gave help
13 JuneYacht Gentle Nimbus, gave help
1972
5 MayTwo fishing boats, stood by
20 MayTrawler Boston Viscount of Lowestoft, landed injured man
21 AugustFishing boat Cossack, saved boat4
12 SeptemberCabin cruiser New Prince of Wales, saved cruiser3
25 OctoberFishing boat Provider of Cromer. Saved boat4
1973
22 MarchMotor vessel Silver Sands, landing a sick man1
1973 to August 1974 of station for refit
1974
31 AugustLightvessel LV.22, landed sick man
10 SeptemberMotor vessel Langstone Tern, escorted boat
1 NovemberMotor vessel Dutch Sailor, landed an injured man
1975
21 FebruaryCargo vessel Fortuna II, landed an injured man
22 MayRoyal Naval ship HMS Shevington, sick man gave help
8 SeptemberYacht Irishman, saved boat10
26 OctoberCruiser Andruss, saved boat2
12 DecemberFreighter Alexandria, stood by vessel
14 DecemberFreighter Alexandria, stood by vessel
1976
6 FebruaryTrawler Suffolk Conquest, took out Doctor to injured man
23 JuneCargo vessel Garden Saturn, stood by vessel
7 AugustFishing vessel Albert, saved vessel2
18 AugustHaisborough Lightvessel, landed an injured man
15 SeptemberYacht Mr Micawber, saved boat2
18 OctoberFishing boat Sea Green, gave help
1977
19 FebruaryCargo vessel Atlantic Duke, stood by vessel
22 FebruaryCatamaran Katabatic, gave help
24 FebruaryChemical carrier Thorodland of Panama, stood by vessel
18 MarchCargo vessel Femmy Lian, of Cyprus, gave help
18 AprilCargo vessel Star River of France, gave help
27 JulyCargo vessel Heye-P of Germany, injured man gave help
9 SeptemberYacht Autumn Liz, gave help
14 NovemberCargo vessel Nimrod, of Jersey,1
24 DecemberCargo vessel Rafaela of Panama, stood by vessel
1978
16 AugustFishing boat, gave help
4 SeptemberFishing boat Charles Perkins, gave help
1978 to May 1979 of station for refit
1979
22 MayFishing boat Concorde II, missing crewman, landed body
6 JuneYacht Victoria George gave help
6 JuneTug Englishman, stood by vessel
20 JuneOil rig standby vessel Boston Hornet, took out Doctor, landed a sick man
1980
5 JanuaryFishing vessel Ellen, of Great Yarmouth, gave help
17 JanuaryCargo vessel Lendoudis Evangelos of Greece, gave help
8 AprilFishing boat, escorted home
3 MayMotor fishing vessel Bess of Denmark, saved boat4
23 JuneMotor vessel Jenny Glen of Kings Lynn, saved boat2
1981
30 JanuaryCargo vessel Ems of West Germany after collision, recovered life raft
30 JanuaryCargo vessel Undine of Belgium after collision, recovered life raft
2 JuneFishing boat Provider of Great Yarmouth, gave help
2 AugustCabin cruiser Lancer, gave help
2 AugustCabin cruiser Falcon, gave help
13 AugustHelicopter, gave help
30 NovemberOil rig supply vessel The Cuttlefish2
1982
17 SeptemberSkin Diver, gave help
21 SeptemberFishing boat Provider of Cromer, escorted
21 SeptemberFishing boat Elizabeth Kathleen of Wells-next-the-Sea, escorted
12 DecemberMotor boat Trade Winds, saved boat2
1983
12 JulyFishing boat Ventura of West Runton, landed injured man
1984
15 FebruaryCargo vessel Camilla Weston, of London, landed 5
9 MayCargo vessel Marie Anne of Germany, landed sick man
12 JulyAircraft, recovered the wreckage
13 JulyFishing boat G.N.D., of Great Yarmouth, saved boat2
15 AugustCargo vessel Emily P.G., of Shorham landed injured man
4 SeptemberFishing boat Provider of Great Yarmouth, escorted
September 1984Retired from Cromer

Notes and References

  1. The Cromer Lifeboats, by Bob Malster & Peter Stibbons,:Poppyland Publishing,
  2. OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East. .
  3. Cromer Lifeboat, A pictorial history, By Nicholas Leach & Paul Russell, Pub; Landmark Collector’s Library,
  4. Cromer Lifeboats 1804-2004, Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul, Pub: Tempus Publishing, 2004,
  5. Oakley Class Lifeboats: An Illustrated History of the RNLI's Oakley and Rother Lifeboats: By Nicholas, Nicholas :Published by The History Press Ltd: