Holyhead Lifeboat Station

Holyhead Lifeboat Station Gorsaf Bad Achub Caergybi
Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Holyhead, Anglesey
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Address	Prince of Wales Road, Newry Beach
Town or city	Holyhead, Anglesey, LL65 1YA
Country	Wales, United Kingdom
Coordinates	53°19′05″N4°38′31″W / 53.318°N 4.642°W / 53.318; -4.642
Opened	1828
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Holyhead RNLI Lifeboat Station

Holyhead Lifeboat Station (Welsh : Gorsaf Bad Achub Caergybi) is located at Newry Beach, off Beach Road, Holyhead, a port town which sits on Holy Island, a smaller island to the north-west of the main Isle of Anglesey, separated by the Cymyran Strait, in North Wales. It is one of the three oldest lifeboat stations situated on the North Wales coast, a disused building of which houses the Holyhead Maritime Museum.

A lifeboat was first placed at Holyhead by a local committee in 1808. More formal arrangements were made in 1829, when a Holyhead lifeboat station was established by the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (AAPLS). Management of the lifeboats of the AAPLS was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855. ^[1]

Trent-class lifeboat 14-07 Frederick Storey Cockburn (ON 1205)

The station currently operates 14-07 Frederick Storey Cockburn (ON 1205), a Trent-class All-weather lifeboat, temporarily on station since 2025, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Mary & Archie Hooper (D-791), on station since 2016. ^[2]

History

1858 Holyhead Lifeboat House, now Maritime Museum

The first lifeboat at Holyhead was provided by a local committee in 1808, but no further details are known.

In 1828, the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (AAPLS) was founded by the Rev. James Williams and Mrs Frances Williams, of Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, Anglesey. On 26 March 1823, they had witnessed the loss of 140 lives from the wreck of the vessel Alert, and spent the following five years raising funds and gaining support for a lifeboat service. ^{[3] [4]}

A 31-foot 6in (8-oared) Palmer-class lifeboat was constructed by McVeagh of Holyhead, at a cost of £80, and placed at Holyhead Lifeboat Station in 1829 by the AAPLS. ^[5]

Over the following years, the station would become one of six operated by the AAPLS. In 1854, the RNIPLS changed its name to become the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and in 1855, all six lifeboat stations of the AAPLS, Cemlyn (no.1), Holyhead (no.2), Rhoscolyn (no.3), Penmon (no.4), Llanddwyn (no.5) and Moelfre (no.6), were transferred over to the management of the RNLI. ^[6]

It was usual for the RNLI to immediately replace the lifeboat, on assuming management of a station, but in this case, the 1829 lifeboat must have been in reasonable condition, as it wasn't until 1858 that it was replaced. It was by then showing signs of decay, and a 30-foot Peake-class self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (10) oars, was constructed by Forrestt of Limehouse, at a cost of £161. ^[7]

In 1892, Holyhead Lifeboat Station received its first Steam lifeboat, which was one of six to serve in the RNLI. The lifeboat was involved in an operation to rescue crew members of the SS Harold in 1908, which anchored near rocks between North Stack and South Stack. The third steam Lifeboat to serve at Holyhead, James Stevens No.3, was retired in 1928 when it was replaced by a motor-powered Watson-class lifeboat, H.C.J. (ON 708).

Twenty-one years later, a new boathouse and slipway were constructed on Salt Island. ^[8]

Holyhead Lifeboat 1950–1980 Barnett-class (ON 884) St Cybi (Civil Service No. 9) at Chatham Historic Dockyard

The boathouse and slipway were used until 1980, when a new Arun-class boat was allocated to the station and kept afloat in the harbour. Unfortunately, wash from the ferry traffic led to the boat's GRP hull being damaged, and as a temporary measure, a steel-hulled Waveney-class boat was placed on station, while the boathouse and slipway were reconditioned and a new Tyne-class boat was constructed for the station. The new boat entered service in 1985, and slipway launching continued until 1997 when a new, more protected, berth was found for another Arun-class boat, 52-37 Kenneth Thelwall (ON 1123) to take over.

In 2003, the Arun-class was replaced by the Severn-class Lifeboat, 17–41 Christopher Pearce (ON 1272).

An Inshore lifeboat station was established on the site in 1967. The boathouse was expanded in 1987 to fit a D-class (EA16) and its launching trolley. The current inshore boat, Mary & Archie Hooper (D-791), entered service in 2016. ^[8] Lead was stolen from the station's roof in the morning of 16 June 2011. ^[9] In February 2015 the station appointed its first female helm. ^[10]

The Christopher Pearce was reallocated to the RNLI relief fleet in 2025, with Holyhead receiving the Trent-class lifeboat 14-07 Frederick Storey Cockburn (ON 1205) from the relief fleet.

Station honours

The following are awards made at Holyhead ^{[11] [12]}

• RNIPLS Gold Medal

Capt. William Owen, of the brig Stanley – 1835

• RNLI Gold Medal

William Owen, Coxswain Superintendent – 1908

Lt. Cmdr. Harold Harknett Harvey VRD , RNR, Inspector of Lifeboats (North West) – 1967

• RNIPLS Silver Medal

Thomas Hughes, Boatman 1st Class – 1829

Robert Stables, Coxswain – 1833

Capt. William Owen, Master Mariner – 1833

Oliver Anthony, Master Mariner – 1833

Richard Morris, Lifeboat Keeper – 1835

Henry Parry, Quartermaster, H.M. Packet Doberell – 1840

• RNLI Silver Medal

William Rowlands, Coxswain – 1866

William Rowlands, Coxswain – 1867 (Second-Service clasp)

Thomas Roberts, Coxswain – 1883
(This service was carried out in the Rhosneigr lifeboat).

Thomas Roberts, Coxswain – 1886 (Second-Service clasp)

Edward Jones, Coxswain – 1887

John O. Williams, Chief Officer, H.M. Coastguard, Holyhead, Hon. Secretary – 1888

Edward Jones, Coxswain – 1889 (Second-Service clasp)

Robert Jones, Second Coxswain – 1889

Thomas W. Brooke, crewman – 1908

George Jones, crewman – 1908

Lewis Jones, crewman – 1908

Richard Jones, crewman – 1908

Samuel Jones, crewman – 1908

James Lee, crewman – 1908

William McLaughlin, crewman – 1908

Charles H. Marshall, crewman – 1908

William Owen Jnr, crewman – 1908

Lewis Roberts, crewman – 1908

Thomas Alcock, Coxswain – 1967

Eric Samuel Jones, Motor Mechanic – 1967

William Jones, Coxswain – 1977

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Richard Jones, Coxswain – 1943

John Jones, Motor Mechanic – 1943

Richard Jones, Coxswain – 1949 (Second-Service clasp)

William John Jones, Second Coxswain – 1967

Francis Ward, Acting Bowman – 1967

Jack Sharpe, Acting Assistant Mechanic – 1967

David Graham Drinkwater, crew member – 1967

John Michael Hughes, crew member – 1967

Brian Gordon Stewart, crew member – 1967

Donald Malcolm Forrest, Mechanic – 1971

Gareth Ogwen Jones, crew member – 1971

John Michael Hughes, crew member – 1971 (Second-Service clasp)

William John Jones, Coxswain – 1977 (Second-Service clasp)

• The Thanks of the Institution on Vellum

Awarded to each of the 15 crew – 1883
(This service was carried out in the Rhosneigr lifeboat).

Holyhead lifeboat crew – 1978

• The Sugar Manufacturer’s Association (of Jamaica) Ltd Case of Rum 1954
  for the longest continuous service during the winter months of 1953/54

Holyhead lifeboat crew – 1954

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Thomas Brian Thomson, Coxswain – 2007QBH ^[13]

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Holyhead lifeboat. ^[11]

• Lost when the lifeboat capsized on service to the schooner Henry Holman of Plymouth, 14 January 1865.

William Hughes

• Died as a result of exposure and injuries, after falling on rocks on service to the steamship Meath, 1 February 1892.

Robert Jones, Coxswain

• Killed in a boiler room explosion aboard Steam-class lifeboat Duke of Northumberland, 26 June 1901

John Owen

Thomas Owen

• Killed when the vessel The Gardner Williams rolled on top of the lifeboat, 28 March 1920

Thomas J. Michael

Holyhead lifeboats

Holyhead / Holyhead No.1

ON [a]	Op. No. [b]	Name	On Station [14]	Class	Comments
Pre-144	–	Unnamed	1829–1858	31-foot 6in Palmer	[Note 1] [5]
Pre-313	–	Unnamed, Forester	1858–1864	30-foot Peake Self-Righting (P&S)	[Note 2]
Pre-310	–	Princess of Wales	1864–1875	36-foot Self-Righting (P&S)	[Note 3]
192	–	Thomas Fielden	1875–1891	37-foot Self-Righting (P&S)	[Note 4]
300	–	Thomas Fielden	1891–1897	39-foot Self-Righting (P&S)	[Note 5]
231	–	Duke of Northumberland	1897–1922	Steam
420	–	James Stevens No.3	1922–1928	Steam
708	–	H.C.J.	1928–1929	45-foot 6in Watson
717	–	A.E.D.	1929–1950	51-foot Barnett
884	–	St.Cybi (Civil Service No.9)	1950–1980	52-foot Barnett Mk1
1086	52-15	Hyman Winstone	1980–1983	Arun
1003	44-004	Faithful Forester	1984–1985	Waveney
1095	47-004	St.Cybi II (Civil Service No.40)	1985–1997	Tyne
1123	52-37	Kenneth Thelwall	1998–2003	Arun
1272	17-41	Christopher Pearce	2003–2025	Severn
1205	14-07	Frederick Storey Cockburn	2025–	Trent

Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Holyhead No.2

ON [a]	Name	On Station [15]	Class	Comments
264	Joseph Whitworth	1890–1915	37-foot Self-Righting (P&S)	[Note 6]
617	Fanny Harriet	1915–1929	37-foot Self-Righting (P&S)
485	Robert and Catherine	1929–1930	34-foot Self-Righting (Motor)

Holyhead No.3

ON [a]	Name	On Station [16]	Class	Comments
231	Duke of Northumberland	1892–1893	Steam	Later in service at Holyhead No.1

Inshore lifeboats

Op. No. [b]	Name	On Station [17]	Class	Comments
D-116	Unnamed	1967–1976	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-249	Caribbean I	1976–1988	D-class (Zodiac III)
D-358	Unnamed	1988–1996	D-class (EA16)
D-507	Spirit of Bedworth and Nuneaton	1996–2005	D-class (EA16)
D-654	Angel of Holyhead (Civil Service No.46)	2005–2016	D-class (IB1)
D-791	Mary & Archie Hooper	2016–	D-class (IB1)

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

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

1. 31-foot 6in x 6-foot 4in (8-oared) Palmer-class lifeboat, built by McVeagh of Holyhead, costing £80.
2. 30-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) Peake-class self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £156.
3. 30-foot x 7-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built and modified by Forrestt of Limehouse to 6-foot x 8-foot 2in (12-oared).
4. 37-foot x 9-foot 1in (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
5. 39-foot x 9-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
6. 37-foot x 9-foot (12-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.

References

1. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 121.
2. Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 68, 99.
3. "The Lifeboats of Holyhead and Anglesey". People's Collection Wales. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
4. "Dreadful Shipwreck". The Morning Post. No. 16236. 29 March 1823.
5. Farr, Graham (1975). George Palmer's Lifeboats, 1828–47. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 20–21. ISBN   0905033019.
6. Morris, Jeff (February 1997). The History of the Penmon and Beaumaris Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–50.
7. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 6.
8. "Holyhead lifeboat station". History Points. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
9. "Thieves steal lead from Holyhead lifeboat station". North Wales Chronicle. 17 June 2011. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
10. Wyn-Williams, Gareth (19 February 2015). "Holyhead RNLI gets its first female helm in almost 200 years". Daily Post. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
11. "Holyhead's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
12. Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN   0907605893.
13. "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
14. Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 6–70.
15. Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 26–35.
16. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 24.
17. Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 88–99.

External links

• Holyhead RNLI Lifeboat Station