Cardigan Lifeboat Station

52°06′17″N 4°41′58″W / 52.10472°N 4.69944°W / 52.10472; -4.69944Opened1849Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution]WebsiteCardigan Lifeboat Station

Cardigan Lifeboat Station is located at Poppit Sands, on the southern side of the River Teifi estuary in North Pembrokeshire, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north-west of the town of Cardigan, Wales.

A lifeboat was first placed at Cardigan in 1849. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1851, which became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1854.^[1]

The station was closed in 1932 but reopened in 1971 as an Inshore lifeboat station. The station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Albatross (B-871), on station since 2013, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, John Darbyshire (D-845), on station since 2019.^[2]

The original Cardigan lifeboat station was built in 1849 (on the south side of the River Teifi estuary below Penrhyn Castle)^[3] after the loss of the crew from the brig Agnes Lee. This station was taken over by the RNIPLS in 1851.^[4]

In 1876 a replacement boathouse with slipway was built, the remains of which can be seen down the estuary at Black Rocks. In 1880, a small breakwater was built to protect the boathouse and launching site.

With a motor-powered lifeboat placed at Fishguard to the south, and an existing lifeboat at New Quay, the Elizabeth Austin (ON 547) was withdrawn, and the station was closed in 1932.^[1]

The subsequent popularity of this area, with increased leisure incidents and accidents, led to the decision to construct a new station on the present site; this opened in 1971.^[5]

In 1987 a new boathouse, built for the new C-class lifeboat, was officially opened. Then in 1998 a new double boathouse was completed for a B-class and D-class lifeboats, for the Talus MB-4H^[6] launching vehicle, and it also provided improved crew facilities. Consequently, the station today houses two inshore lifeboats, which operate from the beach.^[3]

The lifeboat crew have training sessions twice a week – on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings; visitors to the station are welcomed at these times. The station also houses an RNLI shop, open throughout the year, volunteers permitting.

Associated with the lifeboat station is a coastguard lookout post, part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Emergency Response, located on the other side of the estuary, on the cliff top at Gwbert.^[7][8]

In December 2011 a crew at the station – comprising Gemma Griffiths, Sarah Griffiths and Louise Francis - made history by being the first all-female volunteer lifeboat crew to respond to a callout in Wales.^[9]

ON[a]	Name	In service[10]	Class	Comments
–	Unknown	1849–1850	27-foot Pulling
Pre-230	Unnamed	1850–1864	27-foot Whale Boat
Pre-423	John Stuart	1864–1883	32-foot Self-Righting (P&S)
177	Lizzie and Charles Leigh Clare	1883–1905	34-foot Self-righting (P&S)
547	Elizabeth Austin	1905–1932	Liverpool-class (P&S)

Station Closed in 1932

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

Op. No.[b]	Name	In service[1]	Class	Comments
D-194	Unnamed	1971–1987	D-class (RFD PB16)
C-518	Unnamed	1987–1997	C-class	Holed and sunk October 1993[11](was repaired and returned to service)
D-492	Lawnflite	1998	D-class (EA16)
D-467	Kathleen Scadden	1998–1999	D-class (EA16)
D-547	Society of Societies	1999–2009	D-class (EA16)
D-709	Elsie Ida Meade	2009–2019	D-class (IB1)
D-845	John Darbyshire	2019–	D-class (IB1)

Op. No.[b]	Name	In service [1]	Class	Comments
B-752	Tanni Grey	1999–2013	Atlantic 75
B-871	Albatross	2013–	Atlantic 85	[12]

Op. No.[b]	Reg. No.	Type	In service[1]	Comments
TW02	LRU 581P	Talus MB-764 County	1987
TW01	XTK 150M	Talus MB-764 County	1987–1995
TW04	TEL 705R	Talus MB-764 County	1995–2002
TW52Hc	Y506 JNT	Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2)	2002–2011
TW51Hb	X651 BUJ	Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5)	2011–2023
TW45Ha	T249 JNT	Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1)	2023–

• 
  The Talus MB-4H amphibious tractor used to launch the B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat
• 
  Land Rover used to transport the D-class (IB1) lifeboat

Five RNLI medals, three silver and two bronze, are among the various awards presented for service at Cardigan Lifeboat Station.^[13] These include:

• In 1873 Coastguard Richard Jinks received a Silver Medal for saving two crew members from the Ocean, a boat which had run aground on Cardigan Bar.^[14]
• In 1888 Coxswain William Niles received a long service Silver Medal.^[14]
• In 1901 Coxswain David Rees received a Silver Medal on his retirement.^[14]
• In 1919 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Bowen for his part in the rescue of 10 seamen from the steam yacht Conservator^[15]
• In 1972 V Evans and R Evans received Letters of Thanks following the rescue of four people after their boat capsized on Cardigan Bar.^[14]
• In 1979 Helmsman Vernon Evans was awarded the Thanks of the Institution for saving four crew members from the yacht Snow Rych in Cardigan Bay.^[14]
• In 1980, following the saving of four people and a dog from a motor cruiser in 5m seas, Helmsman Robert Reynolds received a Bronze Medal, and Vernon Evans and Charles Sharp were awarded the Thanks of the Institution.^[14]
• In 1997 Crew Members Jeremy Thomas and Leonard Walters received the Thanks of the Institution following the rescue of three people from near Penbryn Beach, who had been cut off by the tide.^[14]
• In 2005, after saving three men cut off by the tide at Fathganeg Rock, and in very dangerous conditions, helmsman Dyfrig Brown received the Thanks of the Institution.^[14]
• In 2013 Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award.^[16]
• In 2013 the St David Bravery Award was given to Derek Pusey, Leonard Walters and Clive Williams for the night rescue of walkers cut off by the tide.^[17]
• In 2014 The Lady Swaythling Trophy was awarded to Helmsman Derek Pusey from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.
• In 2014 Crewman Clive Williams received a Commendation for bravery from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.
• In 2014 Helmsman Leonard Walters received a Framed letter of thanks of the Institution.

Note: The three 2014 awards were made for the same rescue^[18]

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

• Cardigan Lifeboat station on the RNLI website
• Cardigan Lifeboat Station - official website
• "Site about Cardigan & District Shipwrecks and Lifeboat Service" Archived 29 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine