Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station

Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat Station is an RNLI operated lifeboat station located in the town of Wells-next-the-Sea in the English county of Norfolk. The station operates both inshore and offshore lifeboats. The inshore boat is called Jane Ann III and is a D-class lifeboat, whilst the offshore boat is called Doris M, Mann of Ampthill ,
and is a Mersey class lifeboat. The station boathouse is located at the beach on the western side of Wells Harbour mouth.
The earliest attempts at rescue at sea in the Wells area were performed by the Beachmen or Longshoremen who formed their own Beachmen’s company at Wells, and used a fast sailing yawl to rescue and salvage distressed vessels along this part of the coast. However this was done to the benefit of both parties. On reaching a distressed vessel, the beachmen could claim right of salvage and with this in mind there would be a negotiation were terms of employment were settled with the beachmen often driving home a hard bargain. The beachmen’s work was arduous and fraught with danger, and on many occasions they earned nothing at all.

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