The Watch House - Victoria Crescent, Cullercoats

The Watch House was traditionally where the people of the village congregated to watch for the return of their people from the sea. The Cullercoats Volunteer Life Brigade was established in 1865 but it was not until October 1879 that they opened their Watch House

ACC 19886 HARBOUR, Cullercoats

(Photograph held within Local Studies) Carole Atkinson's "History of Cullercoats Lifeboat Station, 1852 - 1969" notes that on the 20th November 1894 Capt. N. H. Foote made an inspection. The boathouse had been built for the "Percy" in 1852, and was found to be "too narrow and confined, in fact very old fashioned". He suggested that since the Co-operative Wholesale Society had provided a fine lifeboat they might be persuaded to update the building. The local secretary, Mr Leeson, made the application, which was favourably received.

The old house was demolished and, working to designs by architects Oliver & Leeson, workmen employed by the C.W.S. constructed its replacement. A great occasion was made of the formal opening on 8th August 1896, beginning with a procession and ending with a major Co-operative Exhibition at the Plaza.

Costumes and the construction of the banksides immediately suggest a date for the photograph between 1920 and 1927. The picture was produced by a Newcastle company for "Vause, Post Office, Cullercoats". Directories include James A. Vause as a postmaster at Station Road in 1920 and 1922. Behind the stall is the coble "Windsor Castle", belonging to R. Jefferson. The cards invite customers to "Try our home made ice cream" but the name of the trader is illegible. A large box on the stall is labelled "Telephones"; was this some sort of fancy sweet.

ACC 4205.39 "LUNA", Shipwrecks

(Photograph held within Local Studies) Amongst a set of slides donated to the Local Studies Centre by Ald A. E. Walton of Whitley Bay, is the wreck of the schooner "Luna". The picture was dated 3rd June 1897, and a short report of the event was found in the Shields Daily News. "Luna", laden with timber for Newcastle, came ashore on the Half Moon Rocks about 2 o'clock in the morning, on Thursday 3rd June 1897. Both the Cullercoats lifeboat and Volunteer Life Brigade were called out, and the crew of 6 were taken by the lifeboat to Cullercoats. Other photographs at the Local Studies Centre show that "Luna" subsequently went to pieces on Whitley beach. An interesting sidelight to the wreck was discovered in the reports of the North Shields magistrates' court. Philip Taylor and 2 others from Cullercoats were out crabbing when they discovered the wreck, and raised the alarm.

Although they were not members of the lifeboat crew they began to put on lifebelts and man the boat when they were stopped by the deputy Coxswain and another fisherman, Robert Arthur. These men insisted the lifeboat go out with an official crew. When the lifeboat returned, about 5.30, Robert Arthur was left on the beach. There are differing accounts about what happened next, but there was certainly a stand up fight between Philip Taylor and Robert Arthur, in which the latter was injured. His mother, Isabella Mason, was knocked down in trying to separate them, and she was seen throwing stones at Philip Taylor and his brother John. In court, John & Philip Taylor were fined 20 shillings, with the option of a month in prison. A letter published a few days later protested that the men were of upstanding character, and blamed Arthur and his mother for the fight.

Acc 3083 Cullercoats Lifeboat - Co-operator 1

(photograph held within Local Studies) On Saturday 13 September 1884, the Cullercoats lifeboat 'Palmerston' was replaced by a new 37'x8' self righting 12 oar boat, donated by the Co-operative Wholesale Society, a very apt name because it was donated by the Co-operative Union Ltd.

Two years before, this society had become interested in helping the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and at the instigation of Mr R. F. Bailey, then Hon. Sec. for the Northern Section, had sponsored this latest boat for Cullercoats. Two other boats were later presented to the towns of Ilfracombe and Thurso, and all were instrumental in saving lives.

The procession began at 1.00 p.m. outside the Railway Station in Nile Street, North Shields, and was led by the band of the Northumberland Hussars under J. H. Amers of Newcastle. The lifeboat was drawn by eight powerful horses belonging to the Co-operative Society. Andrew Taylor was Coxswain of the boat, and he and the crew were dressed in blue jerseys with scarlet caps. After the boat, in procession came representatives of the Central Co-operative Board, local lifeboat committees and the North Shields Co-operative members as well as many notable figures of the day.

Cheered on by the thousands lining the route, the procession reached Cullercoats soon after two o' clock at the Aquarium, now the Plaza. The crew from the lifeboat "Charles Dibden" of Tynemouth were there as well as crews from "The Forester" of North Shields and "The Palmerston" of Cullercoats. The "Co-operator I" had a crew made up of Andrew Taylor (Coxswain); John Taylor; Thomas Dick; Bart Taylor; John Lisle; Charles Taylor; J. Shuttleworth; George Lisle; Jos. Harrison; Harry Sabourn; and John Bolam.

The lifeboat was accepted on behalf of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by Captain St. Vincent Nepean R. A. who, in turn, handed it over to Major Adamson, Honorary Secretary of the Cullercoats station. Mrs. Bailey named the boat 'Co-operator 1', breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against the boat's side and the new lifeboat was launched. She sailed for about a mile out to sea in the company of her predecessor the 'Palmerston' and the two lifeboats from the Tynemouth station, the 'Charles Dibdin' and the 'Forester' to the delight of the crowd lining the sands, roadway and cliff tops. Afterwards a free tea was provided by the Co-operative Society for the wives of Cullercoats fishermen and staff and employees of the Society. It was served in the school. At about the same time a commemorative dinner was provided in the Aquarium for about 900 persons. An estimated 5000 people later assembled outside, when a programme of music was given by soloists and the bands of the 1st Northumberland Artillery.

The 'Co-operator 1' was launched on service a total of 40 times and saved 28 lives before she was replaced in 1907.

“CO-OPERATOR 2”, Lifeboats

At a York Postcard Expo, Library staff found a commemorative photograph, recording part of the ceremony at the inaugural launch of the Cullercoats lifeboat “Co-operator 2”, on Saturday 27th April 1907.

The idea for associating the Co-operative Union with the RNLI was credited to H. R. Bailey, and it was his wife who launched “Co-operator 1” at Cullercoats on 13th September 1884. The movement had presented the village with an enlarged boathouse, in 1896.

When the timbers of the earlier craft began to decay, the Co-operative Union raised enough for two new boats, and this was the first to be launched. The crew had a chance to see other designs, but they asked for a close copy of “Co-operator 1”.

The day began with a procession of lifeboatmen, in uniform, who gathered at the Store in Hudlestone Street. They were joined by members of local Co-operative Societies, and marched off, led by the North Eastern Railway Workmen's Silver Band.

At the harbour a temporary platform was provided for speeches. John Davison, chair of the Northern Sectional Board, noted that he had lost a grandfather in the Royal Navy, an uncle in the Merchant Marine, and had a son working as mate on a Newcastle ship. He very much a supporter of the lifeboat service. Once again, Mrs Bailey wielded the champagne.