The Coxswain, Seaham, Durham
07. THE COXSWAIN
The Marina, Seaham, Co Durham. SR7 7EE
What3Words: supple.silent.fidgeted
The Coxswain is a public sculpture by Ray Lonsdale sited at Seaham Harbour Marina, created as a tribute to lifeboat crews and specifically commemorating the loss of the RNLI lifeboat George Elmy and its crew. The work functions as both a memorial and a focal point for local maritime memory, positioned where harbour users and visitors encounter it against a working nautical backdrop.
The sculpture depicts a coxswain at the wheel, rendered in Lonsdale’s characteristic weathering steel that develops a warm, rust‑red patina suited to coastal siting. The figure’s posture and placement evoke duty, vigilance and the human cost of rescue work; the wheel motif explicitly links the piece to seamanship and the responsibilities borne by lifeboat crews. The material and scale give the work an industrial dignity that resonates with the North‑East’s maritime and shipbuilding heritage.
The Coxswain was commissioned to honour the courage and sacrifice of Seaham’s lifeboat volunteers, and it specifically remembers the lives lost when the George Elmy foundered. The memorial role of the sculpture is reinforced by its harbour location and by interpretive notes that explain the historical event and the RNLI connection for visitors.
Since installation the sculpture has been embraced locally as a site for remembrance and civic reflection. It features in regional visitor guides and walking trails that map Ray Lonsdale’s public works across County Durham, and it is used during commemorative events that honour lifeboat crews and maritime service. Local coverage highlights how the piece complements Seaham’s seafront artworks and contributes to a growing trail of accessible public sculpture in the area.
Located at Seaham Harbour, The Coxswain is publicly accessible year‑round and is best experienced on foot as part of a harbour walk. Its durable corten surface and maritime subject ensure it functions both as a permanent civic memorial and as an approachable artwork that invites quiet reflection on service, loss and community resilience. Over time the sculpture has become part of Seaham’s cultural landscape and a tangible reminder of the risks undertaken by volunteer lifeboat crews.
The Coxswain, Seaham, Durham
07. THE COXSWAIN
The Marina, Seaham, Co Durham. SR7 7EE
What3Words: supple.silent.fidgeted
The Coxswain is a public sculpture by Ray Lonsdale sited at Seaham Harbour Marina, created as a tribute to lifeboat crews and specifically commemorating the loss of the RNLI lifeboat George Elmy and its crew. The work functions as both a memorial and a focal point for local maritime memory, positioned where harbour users and visitors encounter it against a working nautical backdrop.
The sculpture depicts a coxswain at the wheel, rendered in Lonsdale’s characteristic weathering steel that develops a warm, rust‑red patina suited to coastal siting. The figure’s posture and placement evoke duty, vigilance and the human cost of rescue work; the wheel motif explicitly links the piece to seamanship and the responsibilities borne by lifeboat crews. The material and scale give the work an industrial dignity that resonates with the North‑East’s maritime and shipbuilding heritage.
The Coxswain was commissioned to honour the courage and sacrifice of Seaham’s lifeboat volunteers, and it specifically remembers the lives lost when the George Elmy foundered. The memorial role of the sculpture is reinforced by its harbour location and by interpretive notes that explain the historical event and the RNLI connection for visitors.
Since installation the sculpture has been embraced locally as a site for remembrance and civic reflection. It features in regional visitor guides and walking trails that map Ray Lonsdale’s public works across County Durham, and it is used during commemorative events that honour lifeboat crews and maritime service. Local coverage highlights how the piece complements Seaham’s seafront artworks and contributes to a growing trail of accessible public sculpture in the area.
Located at Seaham Harbour, The Coxswain is publicly accessible year‑round and is best experienced on foot as part of a harbour walk. Its durable corten surface and maritime subject ensure it functions both as a permanent civic memorial and as an approachable artwork that invites quiet reflection on service, loss and community resilience. Over time the sculpture has become part of Seaham’s cultural landscape and a tangible reminder of the risks undertaken by volunteer lifeboat crews.