Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station
RNLI lifeboat station in Ceredigion, Wales

Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station
Gorsaf Bad Achub Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station at South Marine Terrace
Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station is located in Ceredigion
Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationTown Quay, South Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 1JY, UK
Coordinates52°24′32″N 4°05′20″W / 52.40878°N 4.08893°W / 52.40878; -4.08893
Opened
  • 1843 Harbour Trust
  • RNLI 1862
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Aberystwyth RNLI Lifeboat Station

Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station (Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Aberystwyth) is located at South Marine Terrace, in the coastal resort of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, which sits on Cardigan Bay, on the west coast of Wales.

A lifeboat was first placed at Aberystwyth in 1843. Management of the station was taken over by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1862.[1]

In 2023, the station received a new B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, RNLB Florence and Ernest Bowles (B-937), which is launched by submersible tractor. The station also has a smaller Arancia-class Inshore lifeboat, Wren (A-78).[1]

History

The first lifeboat at Aberystwyth was a 26-foot, 6-oared Palmer-class lifeboat, funded by the Aberystwyth Harbour Trust, and under the control of the harbour master. No records of any service carried out have been found. The boat was condemned in 1861.[2]

It is said that there were calls for a lifeboat service at Aberystwyth, after the wreck of the Aquila on 19 February 1861, whilst on passage from Llanelli to Aberdovey.[3][4]

In 1862, the RNLI took over the station, completing a chain of RNLI stations along the coast of Cardigan Bay from Strumble Head to the Llŷn Peninsula. A new 32-foot 10-oared self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was placed at the station, and named Evelyn Wood.[5][6]

1875 Lifeboat House on Queen's Road

The first lifeboat house was built on Victoria terrace, near to the Glengower Hotel today. It cost £125-5s-6d. In 1875, a new boathouse was constructed on Queens Road, at a cost of £250. This was later used as a BBC studio between 1990 and 2000, and then a store for Ceredigion County Council. Since 2020, it has been used by Ceredigion Archives, with regulated temperature and humidity, following a grant from the Welsh Government.[7]

A severe gale on 29 December 1900 saw Coxswain David Williams launch the lifeboat to a fishing smack; in heavy seas three lifeboatmen (Jack Williams, Tom Jones and J.C. Rea) were thrown overboard but were rescued by their fellow crewmen. Despite the loss of most of their oars, they managed to beach the lifeboat and hold it until the tide ebbed. In the meantime the fishermen, whose boat was wrecked on the rocks, made it safely to shore.[8]

In February 1946 Frederick Angus (ON 757) was at sea for more than 24 hours in severe weather standing by the broken-down submarine HMS Universal and helping to rescue her crew.[9]

In 1964, the Liverpool-class lifeboat Aguila Wren (ON 892) was withdrawn, and Aberystwyth became the first RNLI lifeboat station to change from offshore to solely inshore lifeboats.[10]

Aberystwyth's Atlantic 75-class RNLB Enid Mary (B-704)
Talus MB-4H Launching Tractor

The Arancia IRB was placed at Aberystwyth in 2011 and was dedicated in Holy Trinity Church, believed to be the first and only lifeboat to be dedicated within a church.[11][12]

Visitor access

This station is classed as an RNLI "Observe" lifeboat station; it welcomes visitors via appointment. Groups (schools, clubs, organisations) who wish to visit the station can request a tour and presentation via the stations website.[5]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Aberystwyth.[5]

For swimming out to the schooner Rebecca of Bridgwater, to effect the rescue of six people, 25 March 1866, and for swimming out in rough seas to save the life of his father, 10 September 1866
Watkin Lewis – 1866
For the rescue of the trapped crew of capsized motor cruiser Annabel II, 22 February 1976
Alan Blair, crew member – 1976
For the rescue of one man and saving the yacht Otter, 18 September 1990
Peter Heading, Helm – 1991
Robert James Gorman, skipper, fishing vessel Seren-y-mor – 1991
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
For the rescue of crew from fishing vessel Lindy Lou, 26 July 1954
Baden P Davies, Coxswain – 1954
For the rescue of a bather, 1 September 1970
Alan Blair – 1970
Mike Nichol – 1970
Keith Stone – 1970
For courage and seamanship, attending motor cruiser Annabel II, 22 February 1976
Tony Meyler, skipper of the Western Seas – 1976
For the rescue of one man and saving the yacht Otter, 18 September 1990
Michael Harris, crew member – 1991
    • The Ralph Glister Award, for the most outstanding ILB service during 1990
    • jointly awarded to the crew of the ILB and the crew of the Seren-Y-Mor..
For the rescue of one man and saving the yacht Otter, 18 September 1990
Peter Heading, Helm – 1991
Michael Harris, crew member – 1991
David Davies, crew member – 1991
Martin Porter, crew member – 1991
Robert James Gorman, skipper, fishing vessel Seren-y-mor – 1991
Alan Blair, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Brian Slack, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Bryan Pugh-Jones, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Sandro James, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
A member of the lifeboat crew, who put out into a south-east gale in his fishing vessel Lona, taking in tow two boats, rescuing four people, 6 December 1978.
Robert James Gorman – 1978
For the rescue of one man and saving the yacht Otter, 18 September 1990
David Davies, crew member – 1991
Martin Porter, crew member – 1991
Alan Blair, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Brian Slack, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Bryan Pugh-Jones, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
Sandro James, crew of the Seren-Y-Mor – 1991
  • A Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
For swimming out and rescuing a young girl, 3 July 1985
Alan Blair – 1985

Aberystwyth lifeboats

Aberystwyth has been served by a number of lifeboats in its more than 150 years of operation by the RNLI and more than 170 years in total.[10][13][14][15]

Aberystwyth Harbour Trust lifeboat

Name Built On station Class Comments[16]
Unnamed 1843 1843–1861 26-foot Palmer
  • [Note 1]
  • Condemned in 1861.

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats

ON[a] Name Built On station[17] Class Comments[18]
Pre-384 Evelyn Wood 1861 1862–1876 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
Pre-573 Lady Haberfield 1873 1876–1881 35-foot Self-righting (P&S)
Pre-653 Lady Haberfield 1880 1881–1887 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 4]
128 Elizabeth Lloyd 1887 1887–1905 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
370 Lily Bird 1894 1905–1906 34-foot Self-righting (P&S)
562 John and Naomi Beattie 1906 1906–1932 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 7]
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Motor lifeboats

ON[a] Name Built On station[19] Class Comments
757 Frederick Angus 1932 1932–1949 35ft 6in Self-righting motor
745 Lady Harrison 1931 1949–1951 35ft 6in Self-righting motor Previously at Ramsey
892 Aguila Wren 1951 1951–1964 Liverpool
All Weather Lifeboat withdrawn in 1964
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats (ILBs)

Op. No.[b] Name On station[20] Class Comments
D-1 Unnamed 1963 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-19 Unnamed 1964 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-30 Unnamed 1965–1967 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-140 Unnamed 1967–1969 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-28 Unnamed 1969–1970 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-186 Unnamed 1970–1983 D-class (RFD PB16)
C-509 Oats 1983–1993 C-class (Zodiac Grand Raid IV) Formerly D-509 until reclassified
B-590 Wolverson X-Ray 1993–1994 B-class (Atlantic 21)
B-704 Enid Mary 1994–2007 B-class (Atlantic 75)
B-822 Spirit of Friendship 2007–2023 B-class (Atlantic 85)
A-73 Unnamed 2011–2012 Arancia
A-78 Wren 2012– Arancia
B-937 Florence and Ernest Bowles 2023– B-class (Atlantic 85)

Launching Vehicles

Op. No.[b] Reg No. Class On station[21] Comments
T41 JXR 66 Case LA 1948–1953
T57 NYE 351 Fowler Challenger III 1953–1964
TW03 RLJ 367R Talus MB-764 County 1992–1996
TW40 P472 PUJ Talus MB-764 County 1996–2002
TW54Hc DU02 WEJ Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2002–2009
TW46Hb V938 EAW Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) 2009–2013 The first MkII Bendy
TW28H N671 UAW Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk3) 2013–2014
TW19Hc J120 VNT Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2014–
  1. ^ a b ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 26-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-oared) Palmer-class non-self-righting lifeboat, funded by the Aberystwyth Harbour Trust, built by Taylor of Blackwall, London, costing £75.
  2. ^ 32-foot x 8-foot 2in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs B. Wood of Eltham, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £189.
  3. ^ 35-foot x 8-foot 2in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, funded by the Ind. Order of Good Templars, later from the legacy of Lady Haberfield of Clifton, Bristol, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £278 when new.
  4. ^ 35-foot x 9-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Lady Haberfield of Clifton, Bristol, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £397.
  5. ^ 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr T. E. Jones of Wilmslow, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £480.
  6. ^ 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr S. Bird of East Cowes, built by Forrest of Limehouse, London, costing £370.
  7. ^ 35-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs C. F. Greenhill of London, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £823.

References

  1. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 130.
  2. ^ Farr, Grahame; Morris, Jeff (1992). List of British Lifeboats Part 1 & 2 (Second ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 16.
  3. ^ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. No. 23894. London. 30 March 1861. col. E, p. 10.
  4. ^ "Aquila shipwreck site 1861, Aberystwyth". History Points. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Aberystwyth's station history". Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  6. ^ "History Points – Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station". Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  7. ^ "Old Aberystwyth lifeboat station". History Points. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  8. ^ "A Great Gale – Many lifeboats at work". Western Mail. British Newspaper Archive. 29 December 1900. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  9. ^ "Lifeboats get gallant crew off submarine". Lancashire Daily Post. British Newspaper Archive. 5 February 1946. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Peoples Collection Wales". Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  11. ^ "RNLI lifeboat's Welsh church blessing is UK first". walesonline. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  12. ^ "Blessing in church for rescue craft | The Times". The Times. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  13. ^ "A History of Courage". 22 May 1987. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Lifeboat Landmarks". 29 May 1987. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Inshore rescue – 3 miles from the sea". 5 June 1987. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  16. ^ Farr & Morris 1992, p. 16.
  17. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 8–38.
  18. ^ Farr & Morris 1992, pp. 1–88.
  19. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 46–52.
  20. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 86–52.
  21. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 104–109.
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