RNLB William Bennett (ON 11) was the second RNLI lifeboat to be stationed at the English seaside town of Sheringham in the county of Norfolk.

A request was formulated and sent to the RNLI asking for a new lighter boat with a longer keel and wider beam that would be more suitable for the difficult launch situation in the town.

In his recommendation it was stated that the lifeboat should be clench built of larch, be 41 foot long and must be pulling fourteen oars.

The William Bennett had completed her harbour trial on 13 February 1886[4] and in July of that year she was delivered to Sheringham by sea.

[4] The William Bennett was a Clinker constructed design and had curved washboards fixed fore and aft at the end boxes of the boat to keep the sea from breaking inboard.

[4] In the days preceding her arrival, the William Bennett underwent various launch exercises with the RNLI's Chief Inspector and various different crew members.

The second launch of the William Bennett took place on 16 August 1894[6] and was a joint success along with Sheringham's private lifeboat Augusta.

William Bennett was launched in eight minutes and went out to assist the fleet collecting the fishermen whilst leaving their boats at anchor outside the breakers.

The Wells lifeboat was already at service to another ship in Holkham Bay, and the Blakeney boat had still not returned to station.

By the time the lifeboat had reached Cockle lightship the yacht had managed to repair her machinery and was able to complete her journey to Yarmouth under her own steam.

Over the years, on several occasions the weather and storm force seas battered and washed away at the lifeboats launch gangway and the foreshore.

During a gale and snowstorm in January 1897[4] the sea washed away a section of the seawall near the lifeboat gangway leaving an eight-foot drop to the beach making launches impossible.

With launches now impossible from the Lifeboat house William Bennett was now left out in the open, under a tarpaulins in Beech Road.