Fishguard Lifeboat Station

Fishguard Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution station.Located on the quay between Fishguard railway station and the northern breakwater, the station is staffed by two crews and has around 30 members. Operating two lifeboats, a lifeboat Blue Peter VII and an inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson, it is one of seven stations with a lifeboat funded by the BBC children's television series Blue Peter.HistoryThe station has operated since 1822 and crews have been presented with 29 awards for gallantry including, in 1847, two Silver Medals to the first women to receive a lifeboat award. The RNLI took over the station in 1855.In May 1874 the RNLI awarded the Fishguard lifeboat No.1 crew £27 for their lifesaving services over the previous month; they included saving a total of 17 crew from the schooners J.T.S., Squirrel and Gem and the smack Lerry. On 16 November 1882 the lifeboat attended 15 different vessels and saved 46 lives.A slipway was built by the Great Western Railway in 1911 for a new boathouse; both were replaced in 1930. The lifeboat Charterhouse (ON563) was on station between 1909 and 1931, during which time her crews saved 47 lives. Her centenary was celebrated in 2009, still afloat and renamed Marian.In February 1946 White Star was at sea for more than 24 hours in severe weather standing by the broken down submarine HMS Universal and helping to rescue her crew.AwardsA number of awards have been made for outstanding achievements during lifeboat services - 1847 Silver Medals awarded to Martha and Margaret Llewellyn 6 other Silver Medals were awarded between 1834 and 1855 1873 to 1877 3 Silver Medals to Coxswain James White for his part in saving 80 lives 1874 Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to Captain W. Harries, W Jenkins and J.G. Annal 1921 Gold Medal to John Howells, Silver Medals to T.O. Davies, R.E. Simpson and T. Holmes for rescuing 7 from schooner Hermina; 9 other crew members received Bronze Medals for the same service

Tags: Landmark & Historical Place