Reproduced from the official station history from R.N.L.I. headquarters,Poole
In 1852 the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariner’s Society placed a lifeboat at Rhyl which capsized in 1853 with the loss of six of her crew.The boat was replaced with another,which was found unsuitable ,and this was handed over to the Institutition when the station was taken over in 1854.
In 1856 the Institution sent a tubular lifeboat to the station.In 1878 a No.2 station was established with a self-righting lifeboat,but this was closed in 1899.
Caroline
Richardson. The "Caroline Richardson" lifeboat,on
station 1897-1939 was the 3rd in Rhyl and last of the
tubular lifeboats (known as the "banana boat,because of
it’s unusual shape-that of 2 banana-shaped hulls,meeting at
each end,with a grating in between ).The boat had great
stability,but meant severe exposure to the crew,often meaning
they were soaked to the skin before the boat was out of the surfline.
In 1853 the Committee of management voted £10 10s 0d (£10.50) to the local fund for the aid of relatives of the 6 men drowned when the boat capsized that year.
In 1871 the local committee purchased 6 horse cloths for the use of the horses who pulled the boat on launching.
In 1897 a new boathouse was constructed at £720 and a short slipway was erected on piles.(Compare this with the estimated £0.5 million for a new boathouse).
In 1899 the no.2 station was closed
In 1932 2 men were washed out of the boat whilst on service,but were rescued after a short time.
In 1952 the station was awarded a centenary vellum.
In 1955 the old timber boathouse was demolished and replaced with a new concrete and brick boathouse,still in use in 1999.Total cost was £9000.00.
Anthony Robert Marshall.In 1962 the first service to a hovercraft by a
lifeboat took place on 17th September,in a
north-westerly gale,and heavy breaking seas.There was actually
water in the boathouse as the boat launched.3 crew members were
rescued by the lifeboat,minutes before it crashed into the sea
wall,with 250 gallons (over 1200 litres) of fuel on board.Shore
helpers also risked their lives by securing the hovercraft to the
promenade railings.Coxswain Harold Campini was awarded the
Institution’s Silver medal for gallantry for this
service.Crew members received individual vellum certificates,the
shore helpers were also given framed letters of thanks,and the
station was awarded a special letter of appreciation.
In 1965 the "Anthony Robert Marshall" was re-engined with 32h.p. diesel engines,increasing the performance drastically.
In 1967 a new "D" class ILB was sent to the station to augment the Offshore boat,due to the increased demand for a small fast boat to work on the sandbanks and narrow gutters.It was ideal for the job.
In 1973 the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Don Archer-Jones for the courage and seamanship he displayed when the ILB rescued 2 boys cut off by the tide,and clinging to a perch marking the sewer outfall between Rhyl and Prestatyn,in a gale force westerly wind and a rough sea on 7th August.Crew member Paul Frost was awarded a medal service certificate.
Har-Lil
In 1974,Don also received the thanks of the Institution on vellum,together with Jimmy Quinn and Richard Perrin,for the courage and determination displayed when the ILB rescued a climber on the Little Orme Llandudno,the Llandudno ILB being damaged whilst attempting to rescue the climber.
In 1990,the station was awarded a special framed certificate of thanks for the services carried out by the crews between 26th February and 2nd March,when the towns of Towyn and Kinmel Bay suffered severe flooding of up to 2 metres.Crews were utilised for up to 19 hours each day,a total of 71 hours were spent in the area,eventually taking over 200 people to safety.In all,crews from Rhyl.Llandudno and Flint,rescued over 600 persons (and a few birds/dogs/cats,etc!)
In 1992 The station boat "Mary Gabriel",previously station boat at Hoylake,was badly damaged on service to the beam trawler "Columbus".The boat was taken by road to Poole,beyond repair,
Also in 1992,the new Mersey class All-Weather lifeboat "Lil Cunningham"was put on station.
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Last Updated on 21/10/1999
By Frosty