- Source: Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Holyhead Lifeboat Station (Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Caergybi) is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the coastal town of Holyhead, Anglesey, 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.
History
Holyhead Lifeboat Station was first mentioned in 1825 when it was decided a lifeboat would be built for the coastal town of Holyhead. A local committee was formed three years later and the first lifeboat arrived at the station shortly afterwards. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) took over control of the station in 1855 and an lifeboat house was built three years later. The station covered the shipping lane in and out of Liverpool.
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.
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 present 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 lifeboat (EA16) and its launching trolley. Its current inshore boat, (D-791) Mary & Archie Hooper, entered service in 2016. Lead was stolen from the station's roof in the morning of 16 June 2011. In February 2015 the station appointed its first female helm.
Station honours
The following are awards made at Holyhead
Holyhead have been awarded 49 medals. 4 Gold, 32 Silver and 13 Bronze
RNLI Gold Medal
Rev James Williams - 1835
Captain William Owen - 1835
William Owen, Coxswain - 1908
Lieut Commander Harold Harknett Harvey VRD,
RNR, Inspector of Lifeboats for the North West area - 1967
RNLI Silver Medal
Thomas Hughes - 1929
Robert Stables, Coxswain - 1833
Captain William Owen - 1833
Oliver Anthony, Master Mariner - 1833
Richard Morris, Coxswain - 1835
Henry Parry, Coxswain - 1840
William Rowlands, Coxswain - 1866
William Rowlands, Coxswain - 1867 (Second Service Award)
Thomas Roberts, Coxswain - 1833(This service was carried out in the Rhosneigr lifeboat).
Coxswain Roberts - 1886 (Second Service Award)
Edward Jones, Coxswain - 1887
John O Williams, Chief Officer of HM Coastguard, Hon. Secretary - 1888
Edward Jones, Coxswain - 1889 (Second Service Award)
Robert Jones, Second Coxswain - 1889
John O Williams, Chief Officer of HM Coastguard, Hon. Secretary - 1890 (Second Service Award)
William Owen, Pilot - 1890
George Jones, Boatman - 1890
John Roberts, Farmer and Fisherman - 1890
John Morris, Farmer - 1890
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 Award)
William John Jones, Second Coxswain - 1967
Francis Ward, Acting Bowman - 1967
Jack Sharpe, Acting Assistant Mechanic - 1967
John Michael Hughes, crew member - 1967
David Graham Drinkwater, crew member - 1967
Brian Gordon Stewart, crew member - 1967
Donald Malcolm Forrest, Mechanic - 1971
Gareth Ogwen-Jones, crewmember - 1971
John Michael Hughes, crew member - 1971 (Second Service Award)
William Jones, Coxswain, - 1977 (Second Service Award)
The Thanks of the Institution on Vellum
Awarded to each of the 15 crew - 1883(This service was carried out in the Rhosneigr lifeboat).
All the lifeboat crew - 1978
The Sugar Manufacturer’s Association (of Jamaica) Ltd Case of Rum 1954for 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 - 2007
Holyhead lifeboats
= All-weather lifeboats
=Holyhead (No.1)
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
Holyhead No.3
= Inshore lifeboats
=See also
List of RNLI stations
List of former RNLI stations
Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats
Notes
References
External links
Holyhead RNLI Lifeboat Station