Beauchamp Lifeboat Memorial, Caister-on-Sea

Memorial to the crew of the Beauchamp Lifeboat, unveiled in 1903.

MATERIALS: crafted from Carrara Marble.

PLAN: square in plan and located within an enclosure marked by a low marble kerb and surrounded by railings dating from the late C20. The memorial is located in the north-west corner of the East and West Caister Village Cemetery on Ormesby Road.

The memorial’s base stands on a square slab above which the marble is hewn to represent waves with rocks above. Set into the front of the base is a panel carved to show a lifeboat inscribed with the words: HERE UNDER LIE/ THE BODIES OF NINE MEN OF CAISTER/ WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LIFEBOAT BEAUCHAMP/ ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 14TH 1901/ WHILST GALLANTLY RESPONDING TO/ SIGNALS OF DISTRESS./ THIS MONUMENT/ HAS BEEN ERECTED TO THEIR MEMORY/ BY A LARGE NUMBER OF THEIR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN/ WHO HONOURED THEIR BRAVERY AND PRESERVED THOSE/ DEPENDENT UPON THEM FROM WANT. Above the rocks is a lifebuoy inscribed: CAISTER LIFE BOAT, an anchor, broken oar, ropes, rudder, laurel wreaths, chains and a folded sail. The column rising from the rocks, among the nautical paraphernalia is designed to resemble a broken ship’s mast. Placed around the edge of the kerb are nine marble blocks, each inscribed with the name of one of the men, as follows: Aaron Walter Haylett Coxswain aged 49 years, James Henry Haylett late Coxswain aged 56 years, William Frederick Brown Second Coxswain aged 49 years, William Wilson aged 56 years, Henry James Knights Aged 18 years, John William Smith Aged 43 years, Charles John Brown Aged 31 years, Charles Bonney George Aged 53 years, George Ernest King Aged 21 years.