The "Elizabeth Simpson"
The Elizabeth Simpson Volunteer Lifeboat, prob 1889
Great Yarmouth Museums
The Elizabeth Simpson Volunteer Lifeboat rowed and under sail
Great Yarmouth Museums
The Elizabeth Simpson Volunteer Lifeboat at sea
Great Yarmouth Museums
The Elizabeth Simpson leaves the Yare under motor power
Great Yarmouth Museums
The Elizabeth Simpson as excursion boat, prob 1936
Great Yarmouth Museums
Courtesy of Keith Gardner
Photographs of Gorleston's Volunteer Lifeboat
By Paul Douch
The Elizabeth Simpson was the Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat from 1889 to 1939. Operating as a private venture, independent of the RNLI boats, it was a 'Norfolk and Suffolk' type pulling and sailing lifeboat. The crew were mainly members of the Gorleston beach company known as the 'Rangers', based at Brush Quay.
Photo 1. SB Daniels, in his book The Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat "Elizabeth Simpson" (Poppyland Publishing, 1989), thinks this was the official photo for the launch on 23rd October 1889. Note the old type of lifejackets, made of cork.
Photos 2 & 3. No dates for these. SB Daniels notes that the boat appears partially under sail and partially rowed. Also that "Norfolk and Suffolk lifeboats had to be rowed in the standing position".
Photo 4. Mr Daniels, former honorary secretary to the Elizabeth Simpson, writes in his book that the boat was under motor power when the fourth photo was taken. This dates the photo circa 1926.
Photo 5 shows an excursion returning to Brush Quay, probably in 1936. SB Daniels writes: "For some years the Ranger men had converted Elizabeth Simpson for passenger carrying during the summer, running sea trips for visitors from Brush Quay, using the slogan 'Help us in summer to save drowning men in winter'.
Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to quote from The Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat "Elizabeth Simpson". The book can be purchased from www.poppyland.co.uk
Further acknowledgments to Norfolk's lifeboats by Roger Wiltshire (SB Publications, 1994)