Moelfre Lifeboat Station is located in the village of Moelfre, on the north east coast of Anglesey, Wales.
A lifeboat was first stationed here 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.[1]
There are 2 lifeboats, the slipway launched All-weather Tamar-class lifeboat 16-25 Kiwi (ON 1305), 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 boat is a D-class (IB1) named Enfys 2 (D-825), with 3 crew.[1]
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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[3]
The old lifeboat station at Porth Nigwyl
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.[4]
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.[5][6]
Notable rescues
At 3:30pm 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 10 pm, 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 8:30am.
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 very rare posthumous Bronze Medal for William Roberts.[3][7]
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 7kts. 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.[8]
Memorial Statue
Richard Matthew (Dic) Evans, BEM (1905 - 2001) served as a crewmen and Coxswain at the station for 50 years and was credited with saving 281 lives. 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.[9] The statue stands 7ft high on a granite plinth and was created by Sam Holland.[10]
Station Honours
The following are awards made to the crew of Moelfre Lifeboat Station. [8][7]
