Holyhead Lifeboat Station

Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Gorsaf Bad Achub Caergybi
Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Holyhead Lifeboat Station is located in Anglesey
Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Holyhead, Anglesey
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationHolyhead Lifeboat Station
AddressPrince of Wales Road, Newry Beach
Town or cityHolyhead, Anglesey, LL65 1YA
CountryWales, United Kingdom
Coordinates53°19′05″N 4°38′31″W / 53.318°N 4.642°W / 53.318; -4.642
Opened1828
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 1928, 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]

Capt. William Owen, of the brig Stanley – 1835
William Owen, Coxswain Superintendent – 1908
Lt. Cmdr. Harold Harknett Harvey VRD, RNR, Inspector of Lifeboats (North West) – 1967
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
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
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
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. ^ a b c ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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.
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