Barmouth Lifeboat Station

Barmouth Lifeboat Station is located in Barmouth, a town at the mouth of the Afon Mawddach river in Gwynedd, Wales. A lifeboat was first stationed at Barmouth by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828, which became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1854. The station currently operates 13-30 Ella Larsen (ON 1337), a Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat, on station since 2019, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Craig Steadman (D-814), on station since 2017. History Following a request by the Rev. Frederick Ricketts, a lifeboat was provided to the town by the RNIPLS in 1828. The first lifeboat was a 26-foot six-oared Palmer type, which arrived aboard the sloop Dove on 25 October 1828. The unnamed boat served until 1853. Local funding provided the first boathouse. It was initially said that a new boathouse would be constructed, but it is possible that an older 1800s building was converted. There are reports of a stone building measuring 30' x 9', with a doorway 6' 6" x 6', and costing £95. It is thought that this building is now the Harbour Master's office. On 28 December 1851, with the existing lifeboat deteriorating, Capt. Kenyon of Barmouth wrote to the RNIPLS, requesting that the lifeboat be replaced. In October 1853, a new 27-foot Peake 8-oared, self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, costing £135, was built by Forrestt of Limehouse, and was delivered to Caernarfon free of charge by the London and North Western and the Chester and Holyhead Railway companies. The lifeboat was then sailed down to Barmouth by the crew. In 1859, both the Barmouth and Criccieth lifeboats were taken away, and were extended by 6-feet, the Barmouth lifeboat now being 33-foot long, rowing 12-oars. In order to accommodate the boat, a new boathouse was constructed 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) south east of the town, where the lifeboat could launch directly into the Afon Mawddach. However, in 1864, the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway began work on the Pwllheli to Aberystwyth Railway, which required the construction of the Barmouth Bridge across the Afon Mawddach. As a result, the line was bridged right over the top of the slipway, creating a unique situation where the boathouse was located to the north of the railway line, and the lifeboat launched underneath the railway line, to the river on the south side. The third lifeboat at Barmouth was the Ellen, a double banked 10-oar vessel, placed on station in 1867. She was provided by an 'anonymous' gift, from a lady known only as E.P.S. In 1885, the Jones-Gibb (ON 64), with 12 oars double-banked, was placed at Barmouth, remaining in service until 1905. She was followed by a second Jones-Gibb (ON 538) in service until 1939. On 20 March 1982, Barmouth received a new All-weather lifeboat, a Rother-class lifeboat, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £240,000, and the first lifeboat to be fitted with radar. A naming ceremony was planned for later in the year, to coincide with a Royal Visit to Barmouth, and on a cold wet 25 November 1982, Diana, Princess of Wales, named the boat Princess of Wales (ON 1063). A new lifeboat station was constructed on the promenade, to the west of the town in 2004. Costing £1.23 million, it provided up-to-date facilities for the crew, and is able to house both the All-weather lifeboat, the D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, and both launch tractors. A new Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat arrived in March 2019, and was named 13-30 Ella Larsen (ON 1337) later that year. Barmouth is an RNLI "Explore" category station whereby, subject to operational requirements and availability of staff, visitors can look around the station. An RNLI Visitor Centre, and gift shop, are also housed within the building. Station honours The following are awards made at Barmouth RNIPLS Silver Medal For rescuing seven men from the vessel Neptune on 2 February 1825 Edmund Lewis – 1825 RNLI Silver Medal For rescuing a woman who had fallen over a cliff on 21 June 1971 John Henry Stockford – 1971 Colin Pugh – 1971 Dr Robert Airdrie Haworth – 1971 For rescuing a woman who had fallen over a cliff on 21 June 1971 John Henry Stockford – 1971 Colin Pugh – 1971 Dr Robert Haworth – 1971 RNLI Bronze Medal For rescuing two men from the fishing vessel Boy Nick on 22 November 1978. Evan Jones, Coxswain – 1979 Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum For the rescue of two men from the vessel Isabel on 18 September 1858 Rev. O. Lloyd, Honorary Secretary – 1858 For saving the boat and crew of the American ship Troy on 19 November 1859 Rev. O. Lloyd, Honorary Secretary – 1858 For rescuing four swimmers off Barmouth on 16 July 1957 George Berridge – 1957 William Morris, Motor Mechanic – 1957 For the rescue of three from the trawler Gardelwen on 31 October 1982 Edward Leonard Vaughan, Acting Coxswain – 1982 Vellum Service Certificate For the rescue of three from the trawler Gardelwen on 31 October 1982 Kenneth Ingram, Mechanic – 1982 Harry Allday, Acting Second Coxswain – 1982 Robert Buckley, crew member – 1982 John Stockford, crew member – 1982 Llewelyn Griffin, crew member – 1982 For rescuing four swimmers off Barmouth on 16 July 1957 William Morris, Motor Mechanic – 1958 Testimonial on Parchment, awarded by the Royal Humane Society For entering the sea to rescue a man who had jumped from Barmouth Viaduct on 19 October 1980 John Henry Stockford – 1980 British Empire Medal George Kenneth Jeffs, Coxswain / Assistant Mechanic – 1989NYH Barmouth lifeboats Pulling and sailing (P&S) lifeboats Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list. Motor lifeboats Inshore lifeboats Launch and recovery tractors See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Notes References