Celebrating a very British Tradition!
Britain has always been a sea faring nation of fishermen, merchant sailors and the Royal Navy. The home of Lord Nelson (did you know he came from Norfolk?), Sir Francis Drake and Henry Blogg, the most decorated Lifeboatman of all time (who also came from Norfolk!).
For the whole of July, Charl Knitwear will be celebrating the 200-year anniversary of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) by donating £10 from every sale of a West Gansey jumper, vest or cardigan to the charity.
The history of the RNLI is quite literally knitted into the stories of the Norfolk fishermen, many of whom were lifeboat men long before the RNLI came to Norfolk. Robert Smith MBE, Harbour Master at Wells-Next-The-Sea in North Norfolk recalls in his book how:
“The whole of Wells used to know about it when a lifeboat “shout” began. A giant rocket whooshed into the air and exploded with a deep thud. It reverberated around town as well as right through your body. If you were a member of the lifeboat crew, as soon as you heard and felt it, you raced to be one of the first to reach the lifeboat station.”
Crossing the Bar – Tales of Wells Harbour. By Robert Smith MBE
Lifeboat crews are some of the bravest people around, risking their own lives to save others. The waters around the North Norfolk coast are famous for being treacherous with hidden sand banks, extreme tides and currents. The local fishermen knew these waters like a farmer knows his fields, so they were the best people to man the lifeboats, especially in the days before electronic navigation systems. Henry Blogg is a local RNLI hero, he was the coxswain of the Cromer lifeboat, down the coast from Wells, between 1909 and 1947. In his lifetime, he saved 873 people and one dog and was awarded the George Cross for gallantry. There is an RNLI museum dedicated to him at the end of Cromer Pier.
Tales from the RNLI at Wells Harbour.
In celebration of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute’s 200 year anniversary this year, I asked Wells Lifeboatman James Betteridge a few questions about his work:
Frankie: How did you get involved with the RNLI?
James: As a small child, my Grandad used to take me to the station when we heard the Maroons go off, to watch the lifeboats launch, and if possible, watch them return too. As an adult I was always interested in the Lifeboats and when I became self-employed, I enquired about joining the team. I joined Wells lifeboat team in 2005.
Frankie: What are the best and worst bits of the role?
James: The best part is working within a great team to get a job done. When the pager goes off, you never know what it might be… The worst part is the paperwork!
Frankie: What is it about the sea that inspires you to go out in all weathers?
James: There’s a job to be done, whether it be people or animals in distress.
Frankie: What makes Wells and the surrounding area such a challenging area of sea?
James: The area of our operations present a continually changing environment, whether it be shifting sands, varying states of tide or muddy creeks and marshes. The tidal ranges and shifting sands create many areas of potential danger regarding people getting cut off. A mix of leisure and commercial users of the sea encounter the unforeseen problems associated with failed machinery and equipment and changing weather conditions.
Frankie: What would be your single most important piece of advice to give visitors to the North Norfolk coast this summer?
James: Be aware, be very aware. A lot of information about possible dangers are signposted where necessary. If in doubt ask someone or stay where you’re confident you’re not at risk of the changing conditions, whether that be tidal or weather related.
Frankie: What’s your favourite story from the RNLI’s 200-year history?
James: My favourite story of the RNLI’s 200-year history is the “RNLI’s 200 Voices” podcast No72. Worth a listen. Subtitles may be necessary!!
Our donations will help to pay for the excellent training lifeboat crew receive at the RNLI College in Poole, new craft and specialized equipment.
The WEST Gansey knits are directly inspired by a Gansey jumper worn by Norfolk fisherman Leonard West in the 1970’s. It depicts “herringbones” because herrings were the main catch in the heyday of the Norfolk fishing industry in the 1930’s.
I chose this design because it translates into a lovely bouncy 3-dimenstional stitch which gives these pieces a slightly denser, structured shape like a sweatshirt, but with a more refined finish. The wider, boxy proportions mean they all fit easily over summer blouses and dresses but can also be worn next to the skin as they are knitted from such a luxurious blend of merino wool (54%) and organic cotton (46%) yarn.
Something fun…
Welcome to Wells Harbour Lobster Hatchery! This is a new initiative started by the Wells Harbour Commissioners and the Wells and District Inshore Fisherman’s Association to protect and sustain the lobster population along the North Norfolk coast. You can follow their progress in hatching and protecting the lobster population on their new Instagram account @wellslobsterhatchery
