RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495)
# RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495)

RNLB Louisa Heartwell (ON 495) was the sixth lifeboat to be stationed at Cromer on the coast of the English county of Norfolk She was launched from the beach station and was on station from 1902 to 1932. During her period on station at Cromer the Louisa Heartwell had only two coxswains during her 29-year career. They were Matthew James Buttons Harrison until his retirement in 1909, and then Henry George Blogg.

## Louisa Heartwell 'Retires' to The Historic Lifeboat Collection

In 1996, Louisa Heartwell arrived in Chichester by road and was used as a houseboat, until she was acquired in 2019 by Premier Marinas, who in April 2020 donated her to the RNLI for restoration and display. As of 25 March 2021, she is now on display at the Historic Lifeboat Collection in Chatham, Kent.

## New lifeboat house

With the arrival of the new Liverpool-class Pulling and Sailing lifeboat Louisa Heartwell, Cromer also got a new lifeboat house. This was needed as the new lifeboat and her carriage were much larger than the previous lifeboat Benjamin Bond Cabbell (ON 12). The new lifeboat house was opened in 1902 and remained in use until the 1960s, when it then became the lifeboat museum. With the advent of the new Henry Blogg Museum, this building is once again a lifeboat house, and is used by Cromer's inshore lifeboat

## Notable rescues

### Steamship Fernebo

The Swedish cargo steamer was laden with timber when on 9 January 1917 an explosion in the ship's boiler broke the Fernebo in two. The Cromer Lifeboat Louise Heartwell with coxswain Henry Blogg at the helm had been at sea for several hours in difficult conditions attending the Greek steamer Pyrin. Blogg and his exhausted crew were now asked to attend the Fernebo. The sea conditions were so bad that the lifeboat was unable to clear the beach. Meanwhile, the crew of the Fernebo had managed to launch a small boat from the stricken vessel. Aboard were six crew members but the little boat was capsized in the surf. All six of the little boat's occupants were rescued from the waves through efforts of rescuers on the beach. In the late afternoon the Fernebo's two halves had grounded. One half was alongside a wooden groyne with the other, half a mile to the east. After failed attempts to make a further rescue with rocket apparatus, the Louise Heartwell launched again at 9:30 pm. During this attempt the lifeboat lost three oars and five of her oars were smashed. Not to be beaten, once more with spare oars and after some rest, Blogg and his crew launched to the Fernebo. This time the lifeboat managed to get alongside the wreck long enough to rescue the eleven remaining crewmen. The lifeboat returned to the shore at 1:00 am to a cheering crowd who had stayed to watch the rescue from the beach. Henry Blogg and his crew had been at sea for fourteen hours. For this action Henry Blogg received an RNLI Gold Medal. Acting second Coxswain William Davies was awarded the Silver Medal and twelve of the crew were awarded the Bronze Medal, the first time the RNLI Bronze Medal had been awarded. Part of the wreck of the Fernebo remains and can sometimes be seen on Cromer beach at low tide opposite the Doctor's Steps.

## Service and rescues

| Date | Casualty | Lives saved |
| - | - | - |
| 1903 |||
| 28–31 December | Steamship Enriquetta of Grangemouth, stood by. | |
| 1904 |||
| 8–10 October | Steamship Rosalind of Newcastle, stood by & assisted to save vessel. | 17 |
| 8 December | Five fishing boats of Cromer, Stood by. | |
| 1906 |||
| 1 February | Steamship Newburn of Newcastle, stood by. | |
| 17–18 September | Schooner Zuma of Wisbech, assisted to save vessel. | 9 |
| 1907 |||
| 11 February | Steamship Atbara of London, Saved. | 12 |
| 14 December | Barge Britisher of London,stood by and gave help. | |
| 1908 |||
| 1 March | Barque Lodore of Liverpool, stood by and gave help. | |
| 24 October | Lugger John Robert of Great Yarmouth, gave help. | |
| 1909 |||
| 23 November | Barque Alf of Larvik, saved. | 2 |
| 21 December | Barquentine Albatross of Lowestoft, saved. | 8 |
| 1910 |||
| 15 February | Barge Resurga of London, gave help. | |
| 20 April | Steamship Haakon of Arendal, stood by. | |
| 17 December | Schooner Desdemona of Thurso, assisted to save vessel. | 5 |
| 1911 |||
| 4-6 December | Ship Walkure of Hamburg, gave help. | |
| 1912 |||
| 29 August | Trawler Saint Antoine Dde Padoue of Nieuport, Landed 21 from Haisborough light-vessel. | |
| 27 November | Hoveller James and Ellen of Great Yarmouth, stood by while beaching. | |
| 1913 |||
| 27 February | Ketch Industry of Hull, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 6 May | Fishing boats Katie, Harriet and John & Mary of Sea Palling, saved boats. | 9 |
| 1915 |||
| 8–9 January | Steamship New Oporto of West Hartlepool, saved. | 7 |
| 18–20 January | Ketch Thomas Stratton of Maldon, assisted to save ketch. | 4 |
| 27–29 March | Steamship Ida of Haugesund, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 27 May | Steamship BodilL of Esbjerg, Saved. | 14 |
| 17–19 September | Steamship Mimona of Fredrikstad, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 1916 |||
| 14 January | Steamship Havfru of Christiania (Oslo), Saved. | 1 |
| 16–17 March | Steamship Ladt Londonderry of Sunderland, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 28 March | Schooner Ann of Goole, saved | 5 |
| 30 August | Steamship Mitcham of London, saved. | 22 |
| 21 December | Fishing lugger Chieftain of Cromer, saved. | 3 |
| 1917 |||
| 9 January | Steamship Pyrin of Piraeus, saved. | 16 |
| 9–10 January | Steamship Fernebo of Gothenburg, saved. | 11 |
| 27 November | Steamship Kronprinsessan Victoire of Haugesund, saved. | 6 |
| 21 December | Motor fishing boat Admiral Jellicoe of Great Yarmouth, stood by. | |
| 26 December | Steamship Pollcrea of London, gave help. | |
| 1918 |||
| 25–26 February | Motor barge Innisberg of Glasgow, assisted to save barge. | 5 |
| 30 September - 1 October | Steamship Inna of Sunderland, assisted to save vessel. | 1 |
| 1919 |||
| 17–19 November | HM Hired steam trawler General Botha of Aberdeen, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 30 November | Steamship Refrigerant of Lorient (es War Coppice of London), rendered assistance. | |
| 1920 |||
| 24 June | Motor schooner Danefolk of Copenhagen, assisted to save vessel. | 23 |
| 20–21 August | Steamship Bavaria of Cologne, rendered assistance. | |
| | Motor launch Dot, saved launch. | 2 |
| | Steamship Inverawe of Leith, stood by and assisted to save vessel. | |
| 1923 |||
| 14 January | Steam trawler Lord Cecil of Grimsby, assisted to save vessel. | |
| 21 April | Steamship Nystrand of Skien, stood by. | |
| Total | | 182 |
