New Quay's station history

Lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £130.

The Institution took proceedings against the crew who had refused to pay for the use of the lifeboat when using her for a salvage case.

A new lifeboat house and slipway was constructed on a new site at a cost of £1,235.  As a result of the widening of the Harbour, old lifeboat house handed over to Harbour Commissioners.

Station adapted for new lifeboat at a cost of £2,200.  Tractor house constructed at a cost of £660.

The lifeboat William Cantrell Ashley that was replaced in 1948 after 41 years of service at New Quay was the last sailing lifeboat in the Institution’s fleet.  She was presented to the Outward Bound Sea School, Aberdovey in 1949 and was renamed Outward Bound.  On 23 May 1949 she got into difficulties on the Aberdovey Bar with an officer and 12 cadets on board, and the Aberystwyth lifeboat towed her to Aberdovey.

A Centenary Vellum awarded.

Bronze Medals awarded to Coxswain David Winston Evans, Motor Mechanic Evan Fowler and police sergeant David Rees, for a service to three boys cut off by the tide at Gilfach-yr-Halen on 7 August 1966. Despite the treacherous nature of the bottom with its outlying rocks Coxswain Evans took the lifeboat as close to the cliffs as possible and at about 0145 his searchlight picked out a boy stranded on a ledge. The lifeboat had to anchor off the cliffs so Motor Mechanic Evan Fowler and a member of the crew, police sergeant David Rees, swam ashore in a rough sea to rescue the boy by breeches buoy. The other two boys, one of who had died, were also found and transferred to the lifeboat. These were the first medals awarded to a New Quay lifeboat crew.

D class lifeboat sent to station in May.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum were accorded to Idris Evans, Trevor Evans and Peter Evans in recognition of their commendable conduct when the inshore lifeboat rescued a bather and landed the body of another in a north-westerly gale and rough sea on 12 August.

Bronze Medal awarded to Helmsman Mervyn Lloyd Thomas and The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to crew members Richard Llewellyn Davies and David Richard Phillips for rescuing a crew members of an outboard motor boat from the rocks near Cwmtydu in a strong west-south-westerly wind and a rough sea on 30 July. Two men had swum ashore one of which successfully climbed the cliff, the second could be seen on the rocks exhausted with surf breaking over him. Helmsman Thomas took the lifeboat through rough confused seas and using oars, the lifeboat got close to the man who, with some difficulty, was taken aboard the lifeboat and landed at Cwmtydu.

Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Helmsman Mervyn Lloyd Thomas in recognition of the determination and seamanship displayed by him when the inshore lifeboat rescued the crew of two of the yacht Up Spirits in difficulties in the harbour in a north east by northerly gale and a rough sea on 9 September.

A triangular extension to the slipway used for launching and recovering the D class lifeboat, was constructed in order to provide improved manoeuvrability.

A new boathouse was completed in April to accommodate the Station’s new Mersey class lifeboat, as well as the D class lifeboat. This was built on the site of the old boathouse which was demolished, and included a mechanic’s workshop and improved crew facilities.

Oakley class lifeboat withdrawn and replaced by a Mersey class lifeboat on 8 April.

New D class lifeboat D476 was placed on service on 3 May.

Relief D class lifeboat D387 capsized whilst on exercise on 27 February. The crew were all unharmed and the lifeboat suffered no damage.

The new station IB1 lifeboat D616 Amy Lea was placed on service on 7 February. Lifeboat D460 has been withdrawn to the relief fleet.

An Exceptional First Aid Certificate was awarded to crew member Gary Hartley for his treatment of a seriously injured man who had fallen from a cliff on 27 September 2011.

The new station D Class lifeboat D-754 Audrey L J was placed on service 12 September 2012. This lifeboat was funded by by generous donations from Audrey Lawson Johnston’s family and friends. Lifeboat D-616 Amy Lea has been withdrawn.