Fishguard Lifeboat Station
RNLI lifeboat station in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Fishguard Lifeboat Station
Gorsaf Bad Achub Abergwaun-A-Wdig
Fishguard Lifeboat Station
Fishguard Lifeboat Station is located in Pembrokeshire
Fishguard Lifeboat Station
Fishguard, Pembrokeshire
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationNorth Breakwater, Fishguard Harbour, Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, Wales, SA64 0BU, UK
Coordinates52°0′48.0″N 4°59′03.0″W / 52.013333°N 4.984167°W / 52.013333; -4.984167
Opened1822 / RNLI 1855
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Fishguard RNLI Lifeboat Station
Map
690m
752yds
S T R U M B L E
H E A D
The Parrog
Fishguard Ferry Terminal
Ferry Port
Fishguard RNLI lifeboat Station
RNLI Lifeboat Station
File:Pembrokeshire UK ward map 2011 (blank).svg
Map of Fishguard Bay, Pembrokeshire, with the location of the Lifeboat Station.

Fishguard Lifeboat Station (Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Abergwaun-A-Wdig) is located on the quay, at the northern breakwater of Fishguard Harbour, in the community of Fishguard and Goodwick, overlooking the southern end of Cardigan Bay, in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales.

A private lifeboat was first placed at Fishguard in 1822. A station was re-established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station in 1855.[1]

The station currently operates a Trent-class All-weather lifeboat, 14-03 Blue Peter VII (ON 1198), on station since 1994, and an D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson (D-789), on station since 2015. It is one of the seven stations that has had a lifeboat funded by the BBC children's television series Blue Peter.[2][3]

Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII on station at Fishguard

History

A private lifeboat began service at Fishguard in 1822, built and operated by Lt. Thomas Evans RN, (later Captain), the agent in Fishguard for Lloyd's of London. Evans had constructed the boat himself, mostly at his own cost, and with a £50 grant from Lloyds. On 29–30 November 1833, Evans and his crew rescued the Master and crew from the sloop Ranger, and was subsequently awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal.[4][5]

The Fishguard lifeboat, with Evans aboard, rescued the Master and six crew of the schooner Trieve (or Trevor) on 17 February 1836. Eight years later, having discovered that an award of £10 had been made to the lifeboat men for this service, he pointed out that he has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of the lifeboat, at a personal cost of £500, during which time, 25 lives had been saved. "For long continuing exertions in the cause of humanity", Evans was awarded a special RNIPLS Silver Medal, double gilt, with a gold swivel ring.[6][7]

A further six silver medals were awarded for rescues around Fishguard before 1855, including two medals to sisters Martha and Margaret Llewellyn, who waded into the surf, to rescue three men from the smack Margaret of Barmouth on 22 October 1846.[8][9][10]

At a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 7 Dec 1854, it was resolved to place a 30-foot lifeboat, of Mr Peake's design, at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, and instructions were given for the provision of a boathouse.[11]

A local committee had been formed, and Rev. C. H. Barham, of Trecwn was elected Chairman, "a gentleman possessed of large fortune, and of the still more valuable gifts — a liberal mind and philanthropic disposition". The committee, having raised the amount of £193, was formally accepted into the Institution as a branch, which then agreed to supply a lifeboat and carriage.[12]

In August 1855, a 30-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboat, one with (10) oars and sails, was transported first to Haverfordwest, by the Great Western and South Wales railway companies, and then onto Fishguard.[12]

A lifeboat house was constructed at the north-west end of Goodwick Sands, at a cost of £105.[13][14]

A No.2 station was established at Fishguard in 1869. It was found that a larger 12-oared lifeboat was necessary for more distant services than the existing 6-oared No.1 lifeboat, which was retained for close shore work. A boathouse was constructed at Wig Wen cove, close to the site of the current station building. The cost of the lifeboat was defrayed by funds raised in the City of Worcester by Capt. F. Saumarez Fraser, RN, and on 30 August 1869, the lifeboat was paraded through the streets of Worcester, arriving at Pitchcroft, where it was named Fraser, before being launched on demonstration in the River Severn.[13][15]

In May 1874 the RNLI awarded the Fishguard lifeboat No.1 crew £27 for their lifesaving services over the previous month; they included saving a total of 17 crew from the schooners J.T.S., Squirrel and Gem and the smack Lerry.[16]

On 16 November 1882 the lifeboat attended 15 different vessels and saved 46 lives.[10]

A slipway was built alongside the shore by the Great Western Railway in 1911 for a new boathouse; both were replaced in 1930.[10] The lifeboat Charterhouse (ON563) was on station between 1909 and 1931, during which time her crews saved 47 lives. Her centenary was celebrated in 2009, still afloat and renamed Marian.[17][18]

In February 1946, Fishguard lifeboat White Star (ON 710) 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.[19]

When the BBC TV children's programme Blue Peter launched their annual appeal in November 1993, the target was to raise enough money to replace the six Inshore lifeboats, at Beaumaris, Cleethorpes, Littlehampton, North Berwick, Portaferry and St Agnes. Such was the success of the "Pieces of Eight" appeal, which raised over £1.4 million, that for the first time, there was also enough money to fund an All-weather lifeboat.[20]

The new Trent-class All-weather lifeboat arrived at Fishguard in 1994. On 17 June 1995, in front of a large crowd of onlookers, Blue Peter presenters carried out the naming ceremony, with the boat being named 14-03 Blue Peter VII (ON 1198).[21]

Station honours

The following are awards made at Fishguard.
Twenty-eight medals have been awarded, 1 Gold, 18 Silver and 9 Bronze.[22][23]

John Howells, Coxswain – 1921
Lt. Thomas Evans RN, Lloyd's agent, Fishguard – 1834
Capt. Thomas Evans RN, Lloyd's agent, Fishguard – 1844 (Second-Service award)
John Acraman, Merchant – 1845
John Evans, Master of the schooner Royal George – 1847
William Jenkins – 1847
Miss Martha Llewellyn – 1847
Miss Margaret Llewellyn – 1847
William Rees, Acting Master – 1849
David Beddoe – 1861
Albert Furlong – 1861
James White, Coxswain – 1873
James White, Coxswain – 1875 (Second-Service clasp)
James White, Coxswain – 1877 (Third-Service clasp)
James Thomas, Coxswain – 1899
James Thomas, Coxswain Superintendent – 1906 (Second-Service clasp)
Thomas Oakley Davies, Second Coxswain – 1921
Robert Edwin Simpson, Motor Mechanic – 1921
Thomas Holmes, crewman – 1921
W. Devereux – 1921
T. Duffin – 1921
J. Gardiner – 1921
H. M. Mason – 1921
Thomas Perkins – 1921
John Rourke – 1921
William John Thomas – 1921
R. Veal – 1921
P. Whelan – 1921
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Capt. W. Harries – 1874[16]
W. Jenkins – 1874
J.G. Annal – 1874
Stephen Done, Helm – 2007
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Francis George, Coxswain – 1984
Dr Joanne Boughton, crew member – 2007
Robert Lanham, crew member – 2007
John Howells, Coxswain – 1921
each of the 12 members of the crew – 1921
Morris Lyndon Nicholls, Honorary Secretary – 1950NYH[25]
Francis George, Coxswain – 2003NYH[26]

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Fishguard lifeboat.[3]

  • Died from the effects of exposure after service, 1866
Charles Grinder, crew member
  • Taken ill on service and died shortly afterwards, 10 December 1944
Thomas Henry Neale (43)

Fishguard lifeboats

Private lifeboat

Name Built On station[27] Class Comments[28]
Unnamed 1822 1822–1847 25-foot Lifeboat [Note 1][29]

No.1 Station

ON[a] Name Built On station[27] Class Comments[30]
Pre-293 Unnamed 1855 1855–1862 30-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 2]
Pre-340 Sir Edward Perrott 1859 1863–1885 30-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3]
Previously unnamed at Fleetwood.
Pre-411 Sir Edward Perrott 1864 1885–1889 30-foot Peake Self-righting (P&S) [Note 4]
Previously North Briton at Donna Nook.
252 Elizabeth Mary 1889 1889–1907 31-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
No.1 Station closed in 1907
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

No.2 Station

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats

ON[a] Name Built On station[31] Class Comments[30]
Pre-247 Fraser 1852 1869–1878 36-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 6]
Previously Prudhoe at Boulmer, at Thorpeness, and Thomas Chapman at Newhaven. Renamed Helen of Foxley in 1878.
Pre-247 Helen of Foxley 1852 1878–1885 36-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 7]
60 Appin 1885 1885–1906 37-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) [Note 8]
295 Joseph Denman 1890 1906–1909 37-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 9]
Previously T. P. Hearne at Ballycotton and Joseph Denman at Penarth.

Motor lifeboats

ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name Built On station[32] Class Comments
563 – Charterhouse 1908 1909–1931 40-foot Self-righting (motor)
710 – White Star 1930 1931–1956 45-foot 6in Watson
932 – Howard Marryat 1957 1956–1981 46-foot 9in Watson
1076 52-19 Marie Winstone 1981 1981–1994 Arun
1198 14-03 Blue Peter VII 1994 1994– Trent

Inshore lifeboats

Op. No.[b] Name On station[33] Class Comments
D-505 Arthur Bygraves 1995–2006 D-class (EA16)
D-652 Team Effort 2006–2015 D-class (IB1)
D-789 Edward Arthur Richardson 2016– D-class (IB1) [34]
  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ 25-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) lifeboat, constructed by Lt. Thomas Evans RN, (later Captain), the Lloyd's agent for Fishguard.
  2. ^ 30-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) Peake self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £156.
  3. ^ 30-foot x 6-foot 3in (6-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £153.
  4. ^ 30-foot x 7-foot 3in (8-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £215 when new.
  5. ^ 31-foot x 7-foot 3in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mrs E. M. Tudor of Cheltenham, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £310.
  6. ^ Twice modified 36-foot x 8-foot 3in (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, previously 30-foot and 35-foot, funded by the City of Worcester LB fund via Capt. Saumarz Fraser, RN, built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, costing £130 when new.
  7. ^ Legacy of Miss H. H. Harrison of Bath
  8. ^ 37-foot x 8-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Miss Downie of Appin, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £390.
  9. ^ 37-foot x 8-foot (10/12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Watkins of Blackwall, London, costing £545 when new.

References

  1. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 121.
  2. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 130.
  3. ^ a b "Fishguard's lifeboats". Fishguard Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  4. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. p. 34. ISBN 0907605893.
  5. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Caledonian Mercury. No. 17537. 7 December 1833.
  6. ^ Cox 1998, p. 51.
  7. ^ "Ship News". The Times. No. 16059. London. 24 March 1836. col. F, p. 1.
  8. ^ Cox 1998, p. 85.
  9. ^ "Ship News". The Times. No. 19378. London. 27 October 1846. col. E-F, p. 2.
  10. ^ a b c "Fishguard lifeboat station". historypoints.org. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Meetings of Committee". The Lifeboat. II (17): 73. July 1855. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. II (18): 103. October 1855. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Pembrokeshire Sheet IV.SE". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Annual Report 1855". The Lifeboat. II (16): 31–33. May 1855. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. VII (75): 300. 1 January 1870. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  16. ^ a b "RNLI Meeting". Huddersfield Chronicle. British Newspaper Archive. 8 May 1874. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  17. ^ Centenary return for Charterhouse?. Pembrokeshire Life. April 2009.
  18. ^ "Pembrokeshire IV.15". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Lifeboats get gallant crew off submarine". Lancashire Daily Post. British Newspaper Archive. 5 February 1946. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  20. ^ "Treasure trail comes to an end" (PDF). The Lifeboat. 53 (530): 255. Winter 1994. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Fishguard - Trent class Blue Peter VII" (PDF). The Lifeboat. 54 (533): 49. Autumn 1995. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Fishguard's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  23. ^ Cox 1998, p. 43–250.
  24. ^ "The Fishguard Gold Medal Service". The Lifeboat. 24 (272). February 1921. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  26. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  27. ^ a b Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 6–27.
  28. ^ Farr & Morris 1992, p. 26.
  29. ^ Cox 1998, p. 34.
  30. ^ a b Farr, Grahame; Morris, Jeff (1992). List of British Lifeboats Part 1 & 2 (Second ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–88.
  31. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 4–69.
  32. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 38–69.
  33. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 94–99.
  34. ^ "Fishguard's new inshore lifeboat officially named in memory of Edward Arthur Richardson after legacy left by Elizabeth Hughena Richardson". Western Telegraph. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  • Fishguard RNLI Lifeboat Station
  • 1967 historic film showing the launch of Howard Marryat from 6:21
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