Abdy Beauclerk was funded by a private legacy, as were many lifeboats of the period. Built in 1931 by J. Samuel White at Cowes, Isle of Wight, the vessel was named by Prince George, later King George VI. In May 1931, Abdy Beauclerk was stationed at Aldeburgh on the East Coast of England.

The lifeboat was the first to leave its station during the Dunkirk evacuation. Upon arrival at Dover, Able Seaman Charles Strudwick was appointed coxswain. He was supported by an ordinary seaman and a stoker responsible for maintaining the two 35hp engines. After being towed across the English Channel by a drifter, the vessel reached a beach just east of Dunkirk harbour on 31 May 1940. The crew was ordered to remain there until further instructions.

During its deployment, Abdy Beauclerk ferried evacuees to larger ships and remained on site until late on the evening of 4 June, awaiting any stragglers arriving at the beaches. The lifeboat then returned overnight to Ramsgate.

Abdy Beauclerk continued to serve at the Aldeburgh station until being sold out of RNLI service in 1959. Subsequently renamed St. Ita, the vessel operated as a pilot boat for the Cork Harbour Commissioners in Southern Ireland. It is believed that the vessel remains in Southern Ireland.

As of April 2018, no further information regarding the vessel’s history or current status has been documented.