Aberdovey Lifeboat Station () is located in the coastal village of

Aberdyfi Aberdyfi (), also known as Aberdovey ( ), is a village and community in Gwynedd, Wales, located on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi. The population of the community was 878 at the 2011 census. The electoral ward had a larger ...

, on the north bank of the

River Dyfi The River Dyfi (; ), also known as the River Dovey ( ), is an approximately long river in Wales. Its large estuary forms the boundary between the counties of Gwynedd and Ceredigion, and its lower reaches have historically been considered the b ...

estuary, on

Cardigan Bay Cardigan Bay () is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales. Geography Cardigan Bay ha ...

, in the county of

Gwynedd Gwynedd () is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The ci ...

, West

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. A lifeboat was first placed at Aberdovey in 1837. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1853. The RNIPLS became the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on s ...

(RNLI) in 1854. Since 2016, the station has operated a Inshore lifeboat, RNLB ''Hugh Miles'' (B-896), launched by tractor. This station is classed as an RNLI "Discover" lifeboat station, which welcomes visitors normally during the summer months.

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 a new 30-foot 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (6) oars, and its 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 A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...

for putting out to the stranded

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

''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-0d for rescuing six crew of the stranded

barque A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel with three or more mast (sailing), masts of which the fore mast, mainmast, and any additional masts are Square rig, rigged square, and only the aftmost mast (mizzen in three-maste ...

''William Bromham''. A new larger 10-oared lifeboat was supplied to the station in 1865, after it was found that the 6-oared lifeboat wasn't ideal for the locality. The lifeboat was funded by a donation of £489-16s-8d, raised in Berkshire by Charles Stevens, Banker, and Capt. A Butler, RN. After being displayed in

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

in September 1865, the boat was transported to Aberdovey free of charge by the Great Western and

Cambrian The Cambrian ( ) is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 51.95 million years from the end of the preceding Ediacaran period 538.8 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Ordov ...

railway companies, and following a procession to the river, was duly named ''Royal Berkshire''. In 1886 a plot was bought for £150 and a new boathouse built for £320. 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. His dependents were awarded £50 compensation by the RNLI's Committee of Management. A slipway for the lifeboat was built in 1903, at a cost of £300, to enable the lifeboat to be launched into the river. The station closed in 1931. Aberdovey Lifeboat Station was reopened in 1963 at the Outward Bound Sea School, as an Inshore lifeboat station, supplied with a lifeboat. In 1974, the smaller lifeboat was replaced by the larger twin-engined Inshore lifeboat. 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. From 1998 to 2016, the station operated an inshore lifeboat, RNLB ''Sandwell Lifeline'' (B-758), launched by tractor, and making an average of 25 emergency launches a year. She replaced B-559, which was transferred to the

British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...

as a rescue craft. In 2016, the Inshore lifeboat ''Hugh Miles'' (B-896) replaced ''Sandwell Lifeline''. The lifeboat was funded from the legacy of Joan Miles, in memory of her late son.

Station honours

A number of awards have been made to recognise exemplary service. *

::For the rescue of the crew of the brig ''Friends of Newport'' on 8 February 1863 ::Mr David Williams, of HM Customs, Honorary Secretary – 1863 *

RNLI Bronze Medal A number of awards have been established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since its creation in 1824. None are approved by the Crown, and are therefore unofficial awards. As such, they do not appear in the official British order ...

::For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser ''Lady Jane'' on 10 August 1974 ::David William Williams, crew member – 1974 *Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum ::For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser ''Lady Jane'' on 10 August 1974 ::Anthony Mills, Helmsman – 1974 ::Andrew Coghill, crew member – 1974 *A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution ::For his valuable services as a member of the crew from 1920 to 1931 ::Mr Ellis Williams, Bowman – 1972 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) ::David Eilian Williams – 2014QBH

Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Aberdovey lifeboat. *Lost when the lifeboat capsized on exercise, 8 December 1862 ::Owen Owen, crew member (33) *Died during a rescue after a boating accident, 1898 ::John Price, crew member (72)

Aberdovey lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

:Station Closed in 1931 :

Inshore lifeboats

D-class

B-class

Launch and recovery tractors

Notes

References

External links

Aberdovey RNLI Lifeboat Station
{{Lifeboat Stations in Wales Lifeboat stations in Wales Aberdyfi Transport infrastructure completed in 1853 1837 establishments in Wales