The first recorded service by the Filey Lifeboat under the management of the RNLI, took place on December 27th 1853. During a severe NNE gale a schooner, believed to be the "Margaret" of Newcastle foundered in heavy seas. Her crew of 3 or 4 took to their ships boat and the lifeboat was launched to their aid. sadly in the tremendous seas that were running the lifeboat men were unable to find the small boat.
At midnight on April 27th 1854 the sloop "Comet" of Whitby laden with limestone was driven ashore half a mile south of Filey during a northerly gale. The lifeboat was manned then launched through a very heavy surf, being damaged in the process she was still seaworthy and her crew carried on. eventually they got alongside the sloop and succeeded in saving the crew of 4 men.

During a severe North easterly gale on October 30th 1855 the brig "Hebe" of Wisbech came ashore near Filey. At about 10 am the lifeboat was launched and in heavy seas and torrential rain reached the vessel and saved its crew of 6.

On January 4th 1857 during one of the worst storms for many years along the Yorkshire coast, with extremely heavy seas the brig "Radcliff" of Whitby was driven ashore and the lifeboat was launched to her aid. In very heavy surf the lifeboat men battled to get alongside the vessel and eventually succeeded and rescued the crew of 9. During that same storm the schooner "William IV" was driven on to the beach at Filey, and Robert Jenkinson a local fisherman braved the very high breaking surf that pounded onto the beach to wade out and throw a line aboard the vessel by means of which the crew of 3 were all saved.
At a meeting of the RNLI's committee of management it was decided to award a silver medal to John Ruddock,a boatman of Filey for his gallantry over many years in saving life both in the Filey lifeboat and also shore boats.

The Filey lifeboat men performed two very timely rescues towards the end of 1859. On October 25th the lifeboat was launched during a fierce north easterly gale, when the sloop "George and Mary" of Hull was wrecked off Filey, the lifeboat just arriving in time to save 3 men. Then on December 18th the lifeboat was called out after the schooner "Olive Branch" of Colchester had been driven onto Filey Brigg in a South Westerly gale as the schooner began to break up her crew of 7 took to the ships boat the lifeboat passed the men a rope and towed the boat safely back to the beach.
Ten of the local cobles were out fishing on May 28th1860, when a storm blew up with hurricane force winds, Nine of the boats reached shore safely but one the "Charles Wesley" was blown out to sea the lifeboat was launched and caught up with the coble some distance offshore after passing a rope the boat was towed safely back to shore.

On December 23rd 1860 a new lifeboat launching carriage built at a cost of £89-0-0d arrived at Filey and was used for the first time 7 days later when the brig "Gloucester" of South shields was wrecked in Filey bay. In a South Easterly gale and sleet showers the lifeboat was launched and saved the crew of 7 men.
This apparently un-named lifeboat was called out for what was to be the last time on January 28th 1862. Several of the local cobles were at sea when a gale blew up and the lifeboat launched and escorted them back to safety.