Discussion activity: first thoughts

Look at this painting as a class. Don't tell students anything about it yet, encourage them to respond to what they can see.

Use the nudge questions below, if helpful. (Click on the painting to see a bigger version of the image on the artwork page.)

The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat

The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat 1990

R. Rowbotham

Redcar and Cleveland Council

  • What can you see in this painting?
  • Describe the boat on the beach.
  • This boat has a special function – what do you think this might be?
  • What are the people wearing? Who do you think they are?
  • What is the weather like? (Is it sunny, cloudy, stormy… what clues can you see?)
  • If you were in the painting, what would you smell, hear and feel?

What is a lifeboat?

Explain to students that a lifeboat is a boat that is ready to go out and save people who are in danger in the water. Hundreds of brave volunteers around the country sail lifeboats. These are ordinary men and women who are willing to be called out to help other people.

Look closer at the boat

This detail of the painting shows the boat more clearly. Look closely to find more clues about the boat.

Detail of The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat by R. Rowbotham

Detail of The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat by R. Rowbotham

  • Can you see writing on the boat?
  • Can you see a flag?

The boat's name is painted onto the front of the boat (which is called the bow). The boat is called The Sir James Knott. (Did you know boats had names?) There are also numbers on the boat which help to identify it. There is a flag painted on the bow of the boat which has the letters 'RNLI'. This stands for 'Royal National Lifeboat Institute' – a charity that runs lifeboats to save lives at sea.

Look at the boat's safety features:

  • Can you see ropes? What do you think these are these for?
  • Can you see a guard rail around the deck? What is this for?
  • How might the colour of the boat also help to save lives?

Look closer at the crew

The painting details below show the lifeboat crew.

  • What are they wearing?
  • What do you think they might be doing?
  • Can you see a tractor? What is it doing?

About the painting

The painting, in Kirkleatham Museum, shows the RNLI lifeboat Sir James Knott on the beach at Redcar, surrounded by her busy crew. The lifeboat was built in 1963 and was the Redcar lifeboat from 1972 until 1989. After leaving Redcar the boat was part of the reserve fleet serving at Scarborough, Anstruther and Newcastle Co. Down. In total, she was called out 122 times and saved 81 lives before becoming a museum exhibit in the early 1990s.

Redcar is also home to the world's oldest lifeboat – The Zetland – which has its own museum on the seafront at Redcar.

Who is Sir James Knott?

The lifeboat is named after Sir James Knott of Tyneside (1855–1936). He made his fortune as a shipbroker but was also a barrister, an MP and a philanthropist who made many generous gifts to charities.

Sir James Knott believed in 'action not words' – which could be applied to the role of lifeboat men and women! The Sir James Knott Trust – set up by his family – still supports charitable activities. They aim to improve the conditions of people living and working in the northeast of England.

Comparison activity

Compare the modern lifeboats in the film with the Sir James Knott – which, built in 1963, is an older lifeboat.

  • How are they similar and how are they different?

The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat

The 'Sir James Knott' Lifeboat 1990

R. Rowbotham

Redcar and Cleveland Council

You could also compare the modern lifeboats in the video with a much older lifeboat – from over 100 years ago. This painting shows the launch of the Runswick Bay lifeboat in North Yorkshire.

  • Analyse and discuss how lifeboats have changed over the years to be safer and more efficient.
  • Which of the lifeboats would you prefer to be rescued in?

Did you know? The first self-righting lifeboat was designed in the 1850s. All lifeboats today are self-righting. This means that if they capsize they can recover, turn the right way and continue their mission.

Activity: design and make a boat – and put it to the test!

Task students with designing a boat. They could then make a boat using household materials and test their boats in a sink or tub filled with water.

You will need:

  • Pencil and paper (for the design).
  • A range of household objects and materials (raid the recycling bin!). You could include objects that float and ones that don't (to encourage students to consider the different properties of materials).
  • String, tape and rubber bands for attaching objects together.
  • A tub or sink of water (to launch and test the boats!).

Draw your design

Ask students to draw their boat design, and annotate their drawings with notes or words describing their boat's materials and features.

They could think about:

  • What does a boat need to do?
  • What materials would be best to make it from? 
  • What properties do the materials need to have?
  • What is the best shape for a boat that needs to move speedily through the water?
  • Think about what colour it will be and what features it will have.
  • The modern all-weather lifeboat is designed to right itself if it capsizes (turns over) in the water. What design features would their boat need to do this?

Make a boat

Offer students a selection of materials and task them with making a boat.

Use these resources to explore boat-making activities. They include questions and prompts about shapes and materials that float (and don't float!) and ideas for testing boats with weights.

Nustem: build a boat provocation
Tech Directions: Whatever floats your boat

Everyday heroes

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the UK charity that saves lives at sea. Their search and rescue service has been saving lives for 200 years. More than 146,000 lives have been saved by lifeboats since the RNLI began!

Lifeboat crews are ordinary people who volunteer to go out in boats in often dangerous weather conditions.

Explore dramatic paintings on Art UK showing lifeboats in action

Reflection/discussion

Ask students to reflect on the people who place themselves at risk to protect others. They could think about:

  • a time when they've helped someone even though they found it difficult
  • how grateful they are to people who help us in times of difficulty.

Historical everyday heroes

Discover the stories of two people whose bravery saved lives at sea.

Art and design activity: design a lifeboat monument

Task students with designing a public artwork that remembers and celebrates the brave men and women who risk their lives, and sometimes lose their lives, to save people at sea. A public artwork is an artwork for a public place such as a town square or park. Artworks that remember are often called memorials.

Portishead Lifeboat Trust Relief

Portishead Lifeboat Trust Relief

Michael Disley (b.1962)

Lower Burlington Road, Portishead

  • Their artwork could be a sculpture or a large-scale mural.
  • They could choose to remember an individual, such as Grace Darling or Harry Freeman, or a local lifeboat hero.
  • Or they may choose to create an artwork that celebrates all lifeboat men and women.
  • They should think about where their memorial will be located and what it will be made from. (If it is outdoors, the material will need to withstand different weather conditions.) You could discuss possible locations in your local area.
  • They should draw their design and add notes (or words) to explain their ideas.

Artwork inspiration

Explore lifeboat memorials on Art UK for inspiration using the links and nudge questions below.

RNLI Memorial
Lifeboatman
Portishead Lifeboat Trust Relief
Lifeboat mural

Top tip: Look at all the images on the artwork page to see the monuments in more detail.

Students could consider and discuss:

  • Has the artist shown a single person or an action scene?
  • Have they included the sea, a boat, clothing or anything else that might suggest the role of lifeboat men and women?
  • What materials do you think the artwork is made from?
  • Which monument do you like best? Why?

These Art UK resources provide more ideas for creating sculptures that remember and celebrate:

Who would you put on a pedestal?
'Titanic sign' and sculptures that remember

Extension activities

Staying safe at the seaside

Going to the seaside and playing or swimming in the sea is fun. But it's important to know how to stay safe in the water.

Use these resources to help explain to students why the sea can be dangerous, how they can stay safe and what they can do if they find themselves in trouble:

RNLI: Survival skills for kids in the sea
RNLI: Seaside safety song
First News: Swim safety

Visit an RNLI museum or visitor centre

There are museums and visitor centres around the country where you can learn more about the history of the RNLI and the service they provide.

Visit the Zetland Lifeboat Museum in Redcar
Find your nearest museum or visitor centre


Do you know someone who would love this resource?
Tell them about it...

More Art collections resources

See all