East Durham Heritage & Lifeboat Centre — Attraction in Seaham

In 1949 the RNLI commissioned the Lifeboat, official number ON 873. The boat was funded by Miss Elizabeth Elmy of London. She had requested it was named 'George Elmy' In remembrance of her late brother George. The newly built lifeboat arrived at Seaham Harbour in January 1950. Rescuing 20 persons in 12 years. On the night of 17th November 1962 while returning to the safety of the harbour after going to the aid of the fishing coble 'The Economy', a freak wave overwhelmed the lifeboat and all but one of those on board perished. After repairs, the boat was returned to service for another 10yrs before being sold for £600 to begin a new life as a fishing vessel. In May 2009 it was sold on eBay. The East Durham Heritage Group bought it with the aid of a loan from local fisherman Tommy Smith. The George Elmy arrived back in Seaham 15th May 2009 for restoration. June 2013 the boat was...

The East Durham Heritage & Lifeboat Centre is located within the Seaham Harbour Marina, SR7 7EE the Centre, which is managed by the East Durham Heritage Group aims to collect, record and display information and artifacts related to Mining, Industrial and Social heritage of Seaham and the East Durham area. The Centre also houses the restored Liverpool class lifeboat George Elmy which served on station at Seaham between January 1950 and 17th of November 1962 when it answered a distress signal from the fishing Coble Economy only to be overwhelmed as it  returned to port with the loss of its five crew and four of the rescued fishermen, there was only one survivor. The Centre  is open to the public between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday, Friday,...

We visited as I lost a friend in the Seaham Lifeboat Disaster all those years ago. The East Durham Heritage Group, incredibly, have managed to return the lifeboat, the George Elmy to it's original condition and it's original home. The story of how it was done will amaze and fill you with admiration. The story of the disaster and the recovery of the boat is laid before here along with the boat itself! Please visit. We owe the group a huge debt of gratitude and what we owe the crew of the George Elmy and past and present lifeboatmen can't be...