1901 Caister lifeboat disaster

The Caister lifeboat disaster of 13 November 1901 occurred off the coast of Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk, England.

It took place during what became known as the "Great Storm", which caused havoc down the east coasts of England and Scotland.

When fully crewed and equipped and with ballast tanks full she needed 36 men to bring her ashore.

The crewmen lost were Aaron Walter Haylett (Coxswain), James Haylett Jr (Late Cox), William Brown (Second Coxswain), Charles Brown, William Wilson, John Smith, George King, Charles George, and Harry Knights.

Asked at the inquest to their deaths why the crew had persisted in the rescue, retired coxswain James Haylett said, "They would never give up the ship.

The victims are all buried in Caister Cemetery, where a monument financed by public donations was raised for them in 1903.

Beauchamp, the cost of which was presented to the Institution by Sir Reginald Proctor Beauchamp, Bart, was placed on her station in 1892, and up to the time of the accident she had been launched to the aid of vessels in distress on 81 occasions and saved 146 lives; while the total number of lives which the lifeboats at Caister have saved during the past forty-three years[when?]