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 Sheringham is reputed to be the only place in the world to possess four of its original lifeboats which served the town continuously from 1894 to 1990.The Sheringham Museum Trust (An independent Museum) owns three of these ex-RNLI historic boats from 1904-1990. The fourth being a private lifeboat or rescue boat, the Henry Ramey Upcher, was donated to the fishermen of Sheringham and is now housed on the seafront and maintained by the local Preservation Society. This unique collection of vessels provide an opportunity to study the evolution of lifeboats at one geographical location – nowhere else in Britain is it possible to study lifeboats that served in succession at one station. In addition to the lifeboats, the Trust owns a number of vernacular fishing/crab boats that are regarded as being of equal, if not more importance than the lifeboats. As part of a national collection of fishing boats, these boats tell the story of boat design and building, and a former boatyard (now holiday flats) together with its tools forms part of the display in the existing museum. Complementary to the collection of boats, the Trust also owns a collection of original paintings by local artists (in particular Mick Bensley) many depicting local rescues. In addition, the Trust owns a collection of materials and documents relating to the town’s maritime and local history and a collection of pictures by the pioneer woman photographer and artist, Olive Eddis.
Since its’ opening in 1989, the Sheringham Museum of local history has been a great success, and is now to expand through amalgamating with its collection of historic boats and opening a new museum in the autumn of 2008 on Sheringham’s East promenade developing the building known as ‘The Mo’. The Fishermen’s cottages that the local history museum is currently housed will be sold to part fund the development project. The major funding has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund in the sum of £800,000 .The aim is to create a dynamic and attractive museum resource of both national and local significance. The Trust is still to raise £40000 to meet the overall cost of £1.1 and contributions would be welcome.
Currently the J C Madge and the Foresters Centenary and associated maritime artefacts are on display .The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows lifeboat will be added to the collection at the Mo later this year.
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 J C Madge (O.N: 536) 1904-1936
The J C Madge is 41’ overall in length with a beam of 11’, non-self righting, pulling and sailing Liverpool class boat, the only one of this size ever built .She pulled 16 oars, double –banked in heavy weather, and had two drop –keels, water –ballast tanks and two masts .The fore-mast carried a dipping lug sail and the mizzen mast a standing lug sail .She was built at the Thames Ironworks Shipbuilding Company Ltd, Blackwall at a cost of £1,436 provided by a legacy from Mr James C Madge, a chemist, of Southampton. She arrived on station on the 2 December 1904 having sailed around the coast from Blackwall. She was launched on service 34 times and saved 58 lives .Her Coxswains were; from 1904 –1914 William “Click “Bishop; from 1914 –1924 Obadiah Cooper, and from 1924 –1936 James Dumble. Unlike the private lifeboats, the JCMadge was provided with a carriage to assist launching, the larger front wheels of which were provided with a series of flat metal plates around their circumference, to help prevent the boat sinking into areas of soft sand. Ropes were attached to the carriage, and a team of 30 or more men would haul her into the waves; then if possible she was rowed out through the surf, or if not, hauled out by using the haul -off warp –a thick rope anchored some 200 metres off shore and fixed at the beach end to a post by the lifeboat house. There was a large manually operated winch situated at the back of the boathouse to assist in recovering the boat after launch After she was replaced by the Foresters Centenary she remained at Sheringham for over a month before being sold out of service .She was not renamed and stayed on the East Coast until she was repurchased for restoration in 1989 by the Trust. On 14th August 1999 The National Historic Ships Committee added the J C Madge to the National Register of Historic Vessels (Certificate no 1763) .She is a member of the Historic Fleet of the U K.
 Foresters’ Centenary (O.N: 786) 1936-1961
The Foresters’ Centenary is 35’ 6” overall with a 10’3” beam, single screw, non self –righting, Liverpool class motor lifeboat built in 1936 at Groves and Guttridge, Isle of Wight, at a cost of £3,569 .She was fitted with one 35hp petrol engine, designed by the RNLI and built by Weyburn of Surrey, which gave her a maximum speed of 7.3 knots and a cruising speed of 6.3 knots .She was also supplied with jib, main and mizzen sails as back up in case of engine failure .She was the fifth boat donated to the RNLI by the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society and while at Sheringham she launched on service 129 times saving 82 lives ,more than any other Forester Lifeboat up to that time. She arrived on station in June 1936 and was named by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes on 18 July 1936 .She had 3 coxswains. First was James Dumble until 1947. then J “Sparrow” Hardingham who was coxswain for three years handing over to his successor Henry “Downtide” West at sea on service to the Johanna Te Velde at midnight on 31st December 1950 .She rescued more airmen from the sea during World War II than any other RNLI lifeboat. She was sold out of service in 1961, taken to Wells (Norfolk), converted for private use, and in 1995 found working out of Burnham –on –Crouch (Essex) with fishing parties carrying the name Seal Morning. She was bought by the Trust and restored.
 37-02 The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (0.N: 960) 1961-1991
Sheringham’s longest serving offshore lifeboat, was a 37’ overall with an 11’ 6” beam, twin screw, Oakley class self -righting lifeboat. A gift from the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows Friendly Society .She was built at William Osborne’s shipyard, Littlehampton and cost £28,500. During the 29 years on station at Sheringham she launched on service 127 times and saved 134 lives. Her coxswains were; from 1961-1962. Henry “Downtide “West; from 1963 –1984 Henry “Joyful” West BEM; Jack West from 1985 – 1986; Brian Pegg BEM from 1986-1990 whilst Clive Rayment oversaw the change over to the last offshore lifeboat Lloyds II (37-19) in 1991 The Manchester was fitted with twin Perkins P4M, 43 hp diesel engines, giving a maximum speed of 8 knots and an operational area at cruising speed of 190 nautical miles .She had a quick release mechanism for rapid launching from the carriage .Her self- righting mechanism relied on the transfer of one and half tons of sea water which, on launching, entered and was stored in a ballast tank beneath the engines in the centre of the craft .If a capsize occurred this tank would be at the highest part of the boat and the water in it would fall, through ducts, into a second (righting ) tank on the port side just below the deck .The extra weight on the port side would start the boat rolling ,bringing her upright in 7 seconds .As the boat returned to the normal position ,valves would release water out of the righting tank, while the ballast tank would start to refill. Automatic cut outs ensured that the engines stopped during a capsize, eliminating the danger of the lifeboat moving under power, so that anyone washed overboard could be recovered. She was the longest serving Oakley in the fleet. She retired from service in 1991 and her place taken by the Lloyds II .In April 1992 Lloyds Il left Sheringham being replaced by an Atlantic 21.In 1994 this boat was replaced by the first operational Atlantic 75 –B702 which again was paid for by the Friendly Society. In June 2007 she was replaced by an Atlantic 85.
For further details regarding the boats, viewing the boats (restricted opening hours until the end of August when the rebuild will start) and the appeal please contact Tony Sadler on 01263 822219
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