Llanddwyn Lifeboat Station

Llanddwyn Lifeboat Station is a former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station, located on Ynys Llanddwyn, a small tidal island near the village of Newborough, Anglesey, on the south west coast of Anglesey, Wales.

A lifeboat was first placed here by the Caernarvon Harbour Trust from 1826 to 1836. A lifeboat station (Station No.5) was formally created here by the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (AAPLS) in 1840.

Llanddwyn Lifeboat Station was closed in 1907.

History
A row of cottages sit on Landdwyn island, once the home of the shipping Pilots, who would guide vessels up the Menai Strait. A lifeboat was placed there by the Caernafon Harbour Trust in 1826, the intention being that the Pilots could man the lifeboat if required. In practice, there were usually too few of them available to launch the boat, although there is some indication that one or two rescues took place. The boat was removed to Caernarfon sometime around 1835 or 1836, where there were more crew available.

The AAPLS 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.

In 1840, a 26-foot lifeboat costing £65, built by Taylor of Limehouse, London, was purchased by the AAPLS and stationed at Llanddwyn. A 32-foot long boathouse was constructed, and four extra men from nearby Newborough village were enrolled.

Only one year later, on 18 October 1841, the lifeboat was called to the Mountaineer, on passage from Rio de la Hache to Caernarfon, ashore on the North Bank, 2 miles from Llanddwyn. One boy was lost, but the lifeboat rescued the Master, his wife, three children and 12 crew. Coxswain Griffith Griffiths was awarded the Silver Medal.

The Heywood, on passage from Africa to Liverpool, was wrecked on North Bank on the 7 February 1846. The Llanddwyn lifeboat rescued all 22 crew.

In rough seas on 16 September 1847, the lifeboat was capsized and washed ashore, whilst on call to the Soane of Boston. Crew member William Owen was drowned. The lifeboat crew righted the boat, set out again, and rescued all the crew of the Soane.

The AAPLS handed over the management of all their stations to the RNLI in 1855. In 1861, the RNLI ordered the construction of a new boathouse, costing £130, and provided an unnamed 30-foot 6-oared self-righting "pulling and sailing" (P&S) lifeboat (one with oars and sails), costing £154. The boat was launched just three times in a 5-year period, but would rescue 29 lives. In an unusual service on 27 November 1864, the lifeboat went to the aid of the Devonshire of Liverpool. She was unable to progress, with 17 crew members ill. Five lifeboatmen went aboard, and helped take the vessel to Liverpool, arriving there the following day.

LLanddwyn would get another new boat in 1866. Built by Woolfe of Shadwell, it was a 32-foot self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, which cost £258-10s-0d, but was transported to Caernarfon free of charge by the London and North Western Railway company. The boat was paraded through the town to the harbour, where it was named John Gray Bell, before being launched and rowed to her station across the Menai Strait.

On 14 February 1867, the John Gray Bell went to the aid of the barque James Campbell, on passage from Demerara, British Guiana to Liverpool, which had run aground on the North Bank. 11 crew were rescued. On station for 19 years, John Gray Bell would be launched 18 times, and rescued 37 lives.

The last boat to serve at LLanddwyn was the Richard Henry Gould (ON 66). A 34-foot 10-oared self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, and costing £327. The boat arrived in Llanddwyn on 29 October 1885.

The Richard Henry Gould would serve at Llanddwyn for 22 years. Launched just 10 times on service in that time, and with only two lives saved, the end was in sight for Llanddwyn. Ultimately though, the Llanddwyn station would be closed, but for the same reason as it was in 1836 - it was becoming increasingly difficult to find crew for this remote location. Llanddwyn Lifeboat Station was formally closed in 1907.

Richard Henry Gould (ON 66) was retired from service and broken up in 1907. The 1861 boathouse is still standing.

Roll of honour
In memory of those lost whilst serving Llanddwyn lifeboat.
 * On service to the fully-rigged vessel Soane on 16 September 1847
 * William Owen, crew member

Llanddwyn lifeboats

 * Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.