Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum

The Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum in Southwold is a beautifully restored tribute to one of the town’s most remarkable lifeboats. The Alfred Corry served from 1893 to 1918, launching more than 1,000 times and saving countless lives along the treacherous Suffolk coast. An interesting fact is that the boat was rediscovered decades later in a Cornish boatyard, repurposed as a fishing vessel, before being brought home and painstakingly restored to her original condition. Inside the museum, housed in the old Southwold boathouse, visitors can admire the fully restored lifeboat, its elegant lines and robust construction revealing the craftsmanship of the era. Exhibits explain how the crew operated in fierce storms, with original equipment, uniforms and logbook entries offering a vivid sense of the challenges they faced. Photographs and personal stories highlight heroic rescues, including missions carried out in heavy seas with only oars and determination. The museum also explores Southwold’s wider lifeboat history, displaying models, charts and artefacts from other local vessels. Informative panels describe the evolution of lifeboat design and the community’s long tradition of volunteer service. Atmospheric and deeply moving, the Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum celebrates courage, maritime heritage and the enduring bond between Southwold and the sea.