Moelfre Lifeboat Station

Moelfre Lifeboat Station (Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Moelfre) can be found on Lifeboat Lane in Moelfre, a village overlooking Moelfre Bay, on the north-east coast Anglesey, North Wales. A lifeboat was first stationed at Moelfre in 1848 by the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (AAPLS). Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1855. There are 2 lifeboats, the slipway launched All-weather Tamar-class lifeboat 16-25 Kiwi (ON 1305), on station since 2013, named in appreciation of the major sponsor of the boat, a native of New Zealand, which normally carries a crew of 6 or 7. The Inshore lifeboat is a D-class (IB1) named Enfys 2 (D-825), with 3 crew, on station since 2018. History The Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was founded by the Rev. James and Mrs Frances Williams in 1828. They had witnessed the loss of 140 lives from the wreck of the vessel Alert in 1823, and spent the following five years raising funds and gaining support. By 1846, the Anglesey Association had already started stations at Cemlyn, Holyhead, Rhoscolyn, Penmon, and Llanddwyn (Niwbwrch), and it was decided that the next station (Station No.6) would be at Moelfre. In 1848, Penmon got a new boat, and their old lifeboat was transferred to Moelfre, where a new stone-built boathouse had been constructed. Roland Hughes was appointed Coxswain in 1849. In 1855, the Anglesey Association's six lifeboat stations were formally handed over to the RNLI. A new boat had been constructed for Moelfre in 1854, and she would remain on service for the next 20 years. In 1866 and 1867, the "London Sunday-School Lifeboat-Fund" raised over £700. In recognition of this, and the Hon. Secretary of the fund, the Moelfre lifeboat was renamed London Sunday Schools and Charles Seare in 1867. A new boathouse, costing £158-18s-0d, and later a slipway, was constructed at Porth Nigwyl in 1875. This boathouse can still be seen today. However, a bigger lifeboat house with deep-water slipway was constructed in 1909 to house Charles and Eliza Laura (ON 605) and is still the site of the current lifeboat house. This was modified several times between 1930 and 1993 to accommodate larger boats; its slipway had been commensurately lengthened as well. This station was stone-built with rendered walls and a slate roof, on a rectangular base of coursed, squared limestone. A new boathouse to house the Tamar-class lifeboat was required, built on the site of the 1909 boathouse, and became operational in March 2015. The new station building can house both the All-weather and inshore lifeboats, and has up to date crew facilities with kit drying room and a hot shower, and new mechanics workshop. With the office, training room, meeting area and visitor facilities all based at the RNLI Seawatch Centre 150 yards away, the size of the new lifeboat station was reduced, significantly reducing building costs. Notable rescues At 15:30 on the 28 October 1927, at the height of a storm with gale force winds gusting up to 85 mph, Second Coxswain William Roberts launched the Charles and Eliza Laura (ON 605) to the aid of the vessel Excel of Poole. Also onboard was Capt. Owen Jones, an experience seaman, but not part of the regular crew due to his work, After battling the conditions for over 2 hours, they finally reached the Excel. Realising it was about to sink, they sailed the lifeboat onto the deck of the vessel, rescuing the three crew, before a wave washed the lifeboat off, and the vessel sinking minutes later. The lifeboat, badly damaged, and unable to return to Moelfre due to the weather, made for Puffin Island. Sadly, two lives were lost, one of the vessel crew had been badly injured during the rescue and died, whilst lifeboat crewman William Roberts collapsed and died of exhaustion. At 22:00, the Beaumaris motor lifeboat was sent out to find the Moelfre boat. Finding the lifeboat in the shelter of Puffin Island, and assuming they were just waiting for a break in the weather, the Beaumaris lifeboat returned to station. The Moelfre crew remained with their battered lifeboat for the rest of the night, and it was only at dawn that the Beaumaris lifeboat was again despatched, this time towing the Moelfre boat, landing the exhausted crew back at Beaumaris Pier at 08:30. For their outstanding service, Acting Coxswain William Roberts, and Capt. Owen Jones were each awarded the RNLI Gold Medal. Each of the remaining crew were awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, including a rare posthumous Bronze Medal for William Roberts. Postscript: Three years later in 1930, Moelfre received their first motor-powered lifeboat, a 40ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, with a single 50-hp petrol engine, giving just over 7 knots. She cost £5,886, and was named G. W. (ON 724), following two separate bequests, in memory of George Staley and Wade Richards, the funds combined to cover the cost. On 27 July 1932, G. W. was launched to find a missing fishing boat, but neither the person or boat was ever found. The missing person was Capt. Owen Jones, recipient of the RNLI Gold Medal. Memorial Statue Richard Matthew (Dic) Evans (1905–2001) served as a crewmen and Coxswain at the station for 50 years, and was credited with saving 281 lives. He was twice awarded the RNLI Gold Medal. On 23 November 2004, a bronze statue in his memory, situated adjacent to the Moelfre lifeboat station, was unveiled by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. The statue stands 7 ft (2.1 m) high on a granite plinth and was created by Sam Holland. Station honours The following are awards made at Moelfre: RNLI Gold Medal William Roberts, Second Coxswain – 1927 Capt. Owen Jones, crew member – 1927 Richard Matthew Evans, Coxswain – 1959 Richard Matthew Evans, Coxswain – 1967 (Second-Service clasp) RNLI Silver Medal Rowland Hughes, Coxswain – 1884 Richard Owen, Assistant Coxswain – 1901 Thomas Owen, Coxswain – 1902 John Matthews, Coxswain – 1940 John Matthews, Coxswain – 1943 (Second-Service clasp) Evan Owens, Motor Mechanic – 1959 Evan Owens, Motor Mechanic – 1967 (Second-Service clasp) RNLI Bronze Medal William Williams, Bowman – 1927 Robert Richard Francis, crew member – 1927 Owen Jones, crew member – 1927 Thomas Jones, crew member – 1927 Hugh Lloyd Matthews, crew member – 1927 Hugh Owen, crew member – 1927 John Lewis Owen, crew member – 1927 Robert Owen, crew member – 1927 Owen Owens, crew member – 1927 William Roberts, crew member - 1927 (posthumous) Hugh Thomas, crew member – 1927 Richard Thomas, crew member – 1927 Thomas Williams, crew member – 1927 John Matthews, Coxswain – 1937 Robert Williams, Motor Mechanic – 1940 Richard Matthew Evans, Coxswain, Second Coxswain – 1943 Robert Williams, Motor Mechanic – 1943 Donald Murphy Francis, crew member – 1959 Hugh Owen, crew member – 1959 (Second-Service clasp) Hugh Jones, crew member – 1959 Donald Murphy Francis, Second Coxswain – 1967 (Second-Service clasp) Hugh Owen, Acting Bowman – 1967 (Third-Service clasp) Hugh Jones, crew member – 1967 (Second-Service clasp) William Maynard Davies, Assistant Mechanic – 1967 David T Evans, crew member – 1967 Capt Jocelyn David Jeavons, crew member – 1967 The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum William John Roberts, Coxswain – 1975 William John Roberts, Coxswain – 1982 Rodney Pace, Second Coxswain – 2002 A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution John Thomas, Second Coxswain – 1978 Kenneth Roberts, crew member – 1978 William John Roberts, Coxswain – 1980 John Thomas, Second Coxswain – 1980 Rodney Pace, Helm – 1990 Anthony Barclay, crew member – 1990 Rodney Pace, crew member – 1995 David Massey, crew member – 1995 Anthony Barclay, Coxswain – 2002 Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) William John Roberts, lately Coxswain – 1994QBH British Empire Medal Richard Matthew Evans, Coxswain – 1969QBH Roll of honour In memory of those lost whilst serving at Moelfre: Collapsed and died whilst on service to the ketch Excel, 28 October 1927 William Roberts, crew member (65) posthumously awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal Moelfre 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 See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats Notes References External links Moelfre RNLI Lifeboat Station