Aberdovey Lifeboat Station

Aberdovey Lifeboat Station
Aberdovey Lifeboat Station
Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Aberdyfi
	Aberdyfi, Gwynedd
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	Aberdyfi, Gwynedd, Wales
Country	Wales, UK
Coordinates	52°32′35″N4°02′44″W / 52.54319°N 4.04565°W
Opened	1853 (independent from 1837)
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Last updated February 10, 2024

Aberdovey Lifeboat Station (Welsh : Gorsaf Bad Achub Aberdyfi) is an RNLI lifeboat station in the coastal village of Aberdyfi, Gwynedd, West Wales, on the Dyfi estuary in Cardigan Bay. It was established in 1853, but there has been a lifeboat serving the village since 1837.

History

The first Aberdyfi lifeboat was bought in 1837. The RNLI took over the station in 1853 and in 1858 built a new boathouse for the lifeboat and carriage. A tragedy occurred in 1862 when crew member Owen Owen, aged 33, died as a result of a capsize on exercise.

In February 1863 David Williams was awarded an RNLI Silver Medal for putting out to the stranded brig Friends and his crew were voted £8 reward by the Institution. In September the same year the RNLI voted to reward the crew of the lifeboat £4 10s for rescuing six crew of the stranded barque William Bromham.^[1]

In 1886 a plot was bought for £150 and a new boathouse built for £320.^[2]^[3]

There was a second tragedy in 1898 when crew member John Price, aged 72, lost his life trying to save people after a boating accident.^[2] His dependants were awarded £50 compensation by the RNLI's Committee of Management.^[3]

A slipway for the lifeboat was built at a cost of £300 in 1903 to enable the lifeboat to be launched into the river. The station closed in 1931, but was reopened in 1963 at the Outward Bound Sea School as an inshore station supplied with a D-class lifeboat, which in 1974 was replaced by an Atlantic 21-class B-class lifeboat.^[2]^[3]

A new boathouse was built in 1991 to house the Atlantic 21 and its launching tractor, a shop and crew facilities, and in 1995 an upper floor was built to provide a crew room, galley and store.^[2]

From 1998 to 2016, the station operated an Atlantic 75-class inshore lifeboat, RNLB Sandwell Lifeline (B-758), launched by tractor,^[3] and making an average of 25 emergency launches a year.^[2] She replaced B-559 which has transferred to the British Virgin Islands as a rescue craft.

Aberdovey Lifeboats

All-Weather Lifeboats

ON^{[lower-alpha 1]}	Name	In service ^[4]	Class	Comments
–	Victoria	1837–		Independent lifeboat under Harbour Authority control
–	Royal Berkshire	1865–1886
63	Thomas Niccolls Stratford	1886–1904	34ft 1in Self-Righting (P&S)
534	William Brocksopp	1904–1921	35ft Self-Righting (P&S)
476	Reserve No.6L	1921–1931	35ft Self-Righting (P&S)	Previously George and Margaret at Isle of Whithorn. Station Closed in 1931

Inshore lifeboats (ILBs)

Op. No.^{[lower-alpha 2]}	Name	In service ^[4]	Class	Comments
D-12	Unnamed	1963–1964	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-10	Unnamed	1965	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-19	Unnamed	1965–1967	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-138	Unnamed	1967	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-161	Unnamed	1968–1969	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-140	Unnamed	1969–1970	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-19	Unnamed	1970	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-46	Unnamed	1970	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-110	Unnamed	1970	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-140	Unnamed	1971–1974	D-class (RFD PB16)
B-514	Guide friendship 1	1974–1983	Atlantic 21-class
B-559	Long Life 3	1983–1999	Atlantic 21-class
B-758	Sandwell Lifeline	1999–2016	Atlantic 75-class
B-896	Hugh Miles	2016-	Atlantic 85-class	^[5]

↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

Station Honours

A number of awards have been made to recognise exemplary service.^[2]^[6]

RNLI Silver Medal

(1863) For the rescue of the crew of the brig Friends of Newport on 8 February 1863

Mr David Williams, of HM Customs

RNLI Bronze Medal

(1974) For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser Lady Jane on 10 August 1974

David William Williams, crew member

Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

(1974) For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser Lady Jane on 10 August 1974

Anthony Mills, Helmsman

Andrew Coghill, crew member

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

(1972) For his valuable services as a member of the crew from 1920 to 1931

Mr Ellis Williams, Bowman

Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

David Eilian Williams - 2014^[7]

Related Research Articles

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References

↑ The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle. Cambridge University Press. 1863. ISBN 9781108054546 . Retrieved 28 October 2014.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "Aberdyfi Lifeboat". Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
1 2 3 4 "RNLI – Aberdovey Lifeboat Station" . Retrieved 28 October 2014.
1 2 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
↑ "Aberdyfi RNLI welcomes new lifeboat" . Retrieved 7 December 2016.
↑ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0 907605 89 3.
↑ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

External links

Aberdovey Lifeboat Station on RNLI website

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[4] ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

[6] Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

[1] The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle. Cambridge University Press. 1863. ISBN 9781108054546 . Retrieved 28 October 2014.

[lifeboat-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Aberdyfi Lifeboat". Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

[RNLI-3] 1 2 3 4 "RNLI – Aberdovey Lifeboat Station" . Retrieved 28 October 2014.

[LBES-5] 1 2 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.

[7] "Aberdyfi RNLI welcomes new lifeboat" . Retrieved 7 December 2016.

[Lifeboat_Gallantry-8] Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0 907605 89 3.

[WilliamsDE-9] "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

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