Sheringham - Lifeboats

Lifeboats

Sheringham is reputed to be the only place in the world to have four of its original lifeboats. The Sheringham Museum Trust owns three of these: JC Madge (1904–36) pulling and sailing. Foresters Centenary (1936–61) the towns first motorised lifeboat. Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (1961–90) an Oakley Class lifeboat, Sheringham’s last offshore boat. Within the next two to three years Sheringham Museum Trust plans to have an extended museum to house this unique collection together with three crab boats and general lifeboat and fishing industry ephemera. The town has no harbour, so the lifeboat has to be launched by tractor, and the fishing boats are hauled up the beach. An old sail-powered lifeboat is preserved in the former lifeboat shed and the three other preserved RNLI lifeboats are kept in another centre.