Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station () 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.

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

History The first lifeboat at Aberystwyth was a 26-foot, 6-oared 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.

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.

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.

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.

On 20 February 1877, crew member John James succumbed to cold and exhaustion, after enduring a six-hour service to rescue three men from the schooner Sarah Ellen of Liverpool. The station now awards the John James Award for Outstanding Commitment annually to crew members.

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.

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

In 1964, the lifeboat Aguila Wren (ON 892) was withdrawn, and Aberystwyth became the first RNLI lifeboat station to change from offshore to solely inshore lifeboats.

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.

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.

Station honours The following are awards made at Aberystwyth:

RNLI Silver Medal 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

RNLI Bronze Medal 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. 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

Roll of honour In memory of those lost at Aberystwyth:

Died from cold and exhaustion, after a long service to the Irish schooner Sarah Ellen on 20 February 1877. John James, crew member

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.

Aberystwyth Harbour Trust lifeboat Name Built Class Comments 1843 1843–1861 26-foot Palmer x (6-oared) Palmer-class non-self-righting lifeboat, funded by the Aberystwyth Harbour Trust, built by Taylor of Blackwall, London, costing £75.Condemned in 1861.

Pulling and Sailing (P&S) lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments Evelyn Wood 1861 1862–1876 32-foot Peake self-righting (P&S) x (10-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs B. Wood of Eltham, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £189.Unfit for service, 1876. Pre-573 1873 1876–1881 33-foot Peake self-righting (P&S) x (10-oared) Peake-class 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.Previously Good Templar at . Condemned in 1881. Pre-653 Lady Haberfield 1880 1881–1887 x (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Lady Haberfield of Clifton, Bristol, built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, costing £397.Sold in 1887. 128 Elizabeth Lloyd 1887 1887–1905 34-foot self-righting (P&S) x (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, legacy of Mr T. E. Jones of Wilmslow, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £480.Broken up in 1905. 370 Reserve No. 5 1894 1905–1906 34-foot self-righting (P&S) x (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mr S. Bird of East Cowes, built by Forrest of Limehouse, London, costing £370.Previously Lily Bird at . Returned to the relief fleet, later at . 562 1906 1906–1932 35-foot self-righting (P&S) x (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, gift of Mrs C. F. Greenhill of London, built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, London, costing £823.Sold in 1933. Renamed Chiquita. Now stored as John and Naomi Beattie for future display at Swansea Museum, December 2024

Motor lifeboats ON Name Built Class Comments 757 Frederick Angus 1932 1932–1949 745 Lady Harrison 1931 1949–1951 Previously at 892 Aguila Wren 1951 1951–1964 All Weather Lifeboat withdrawn in 1964

Inshore lifeboats (ILBs) Op.No. Name Class Comments D-1 1963 D-19 1964 D-30 1965–1967 D-140 1967–1969 D-28 1969–1970 1970–1983 C-509 Oats 1983–1993 Formerly D-509 until reclassified B-590 Wolverson X-Ray 1993–1994 B-704 Enid Mary 1994–2007 B-822 A-73 2011–2012 A-78 Wren 2012– B-937 Florence and Ernest Bowles 2023–

Launching Vehicles Op.No. Reg No. Class Comments T41 JXR 66 Case LA 1948–1953 T57 NYE 351 Fowler Challenger III 1953–1964 TW03 RLJ 367R Talus MB-764 County TW40 P472 PUJ Talus MB-764 County 1996–2002 TW54Hc Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2002–2009 TW46Hb V938 EAW The first MkII Bendy TW28H N671 UAW Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk3) 2013–2014 TW19Hc J120 VNT Talus MB4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) 2014–

See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage

Notes

References

External links

Aberystwyth RNLI Lifeboat Station