The Mumbles Lifeboat Station

The Mumbles Lifeboat Station is at Mumbles Pier, located at the south-western corner of Swansea Bay, near the village of Mumbles, within the city and county of Swansea, in the historic county of Glamorgan, Wales.

Quick Facts Former names, General information ...

The Mumbles Lifeboat Station
Mumbles Lifeboat Station, opened in 2014
Mumbles, Wales
Former names	Swansea Lifeboat Station
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location	Mumbles Pier
Address	Pier Road
Town or city	Mumbles, Swansea, SA3 4EN
Country	Wales, UK
Coordinates	51°34′11.6″N 3°58′26.9″W
Opened	1835 (taken over by RNLI - 1863)
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
The Mumbles RNLI Lifeboat Station

Close

A lifeboat was first placed at Mumbles in 1835, provided by the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), managed by Swansea Harbour Trustees. The station, now located in Swansea, was taken over by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1863, and moved back to Mumbles in 1866. In October 1904, the station officially became The Mumbles Lifeboat Station.^[1]

The station currently operates a Tamar-class All-weather lifeboat, 16-27 Roy Barker IV (ON 1307), on station since 2014, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Hugh, Maureen and Heather Pope (D-895), on station since 2024.^[2]

In February 1832, the cutter Ilfracombe Packet ran aground trying to enter Swansea harbour. Silvanus Padley, son of the Harbour Trust Clerk, having been initially refused the loan of the Customs Officers' boat, smashed its securing lock, and put out with 5 pilots to aid the vessel.^[3]

This was just one of dozens of incidents that prompted discussion and demands for a lifeboat, but despite meetings and action plans by the Swansea Harbour Trust, and the formation of a committee including Silvanus Padley, nothing was done.^[3]

In October 1833, John Bevan, Master of the schooner Gower, swam out to the brig Andrew and Margaret of Maryport, on passage from Devon to Cardiff when it ran aground at Margam, Rescuing one man in the water, he also got a line to the vessel, and the remaining crew of 4 were also saved. Bevan was awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal.^[4]

Finally, in 1835, a petition from locals for the provision of a lifeboat, to be stationed at Mumbles in the charge of the Inspecting Officer of Coastguard, was sent via the Swansea MP John Henry Vivian, to the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), who agreed to provide a lifeboat. A 28-foot (12-Oared) non-self-righting Palmer lifeboat, was ordered from Taylor of Blackwall, London, costing £120. There are no service records for the boat. On 3 May 1851, Capt. Edwards of Swansea Harbour Trust reported the boat unservicable, adding that it had never been regarded as a good boat, and was the reason no money had been spent on its upkeep by the Trustees. In 1859, Capt. Crewe-Read, RN, Coastguard Inspector at Swansea, reported that there had been a lifeboat at Mumbles for some years, but had proved useless there, and had been taken to Swansea.^[3]

Meanwhile, ships had still been wrecked, and rescues had taken place. The RNIPLS awarded no less than nine Silver Medals for rescues in the area between 1835 and 1840.^[4]

The Harbour Trustees ordered a new lifeboat in 1855. It was in fact a legal requirement, under the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847, companies operating Dock facilities were required by Act of parliament to provide a lifeboat. A 30-foot Peake-class Self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was constructed by Forrestt of Limehouse, arriving in Swansea on 1 April 1856. A boathouse was constructed next to the Swansea harbour office, at a cost of £64-17s-0d.^[3]

In 1863, a meeting of the Harbour Trustees was held with Capt. John Ward of the RNLI, (the RNIPLS having become the RNLI in 1854). He was firmly of the opinion that the lifeboat should be stationed at Mumbles Head, and it was agreed that the RNLI would undertake this. A site for the boathouse was provided by Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort, and a tender of £174 from James Randall of Kidwelly was accepted, for its construction.^[3]

Initially, a 30-foot (10-Oared) Self-Righting (P&S) lifeboat was provided, arriving in 1863, being named Martha and Anne. The boat was kept at the Swansea South Dock, awaiting completion of the Mumbles boathouse. The boat wasn't new, and had previously served at the Drogheda No.1 lifeboat station at Baltray. The boathouse was ready in 1864, but couldn't be used, as plans to extend the railway there had developed. However, a number of incidents occurred off the Mumbles, and the boat was finally transferred to Mumbles in January 1866, although she would be stored in the open, under the cliffs. Finally it was confirmed that the railway extension had been abandoned, and construction of the slipway could start. Soon afterwards, the RNLI provided a new lifeboat, the 33-foot Wolverhampton.^[2][3]

During a gale on Saturday 27 January 1883, the German barque Admiral Prinz Aldabert was driven on to rocks near the Mumbles Lighthouse. Wolverhampton went out to assist and was capsized multiple times, finally being washed on to rocks. The lifeboat was badly damaged, and four of the lifeboat crew drowned, with others being seriously injured. Coxswain Jenkin Jenkins was awarded the RNIPLS Silver Medal, but had lost two sons in the incident.^[4][5][6]

The badly damaged lifeboat Wolverhampton was withdrawn, and replaced with a slightly larger 34-foot 8in lifeboat, also to be named Wolverhampton (ON 229). The boathouse was demolished and rebuilt, by Watkins and Jenkins, at a cost of £350, completed in 1884. In 1888, a new 15-foot wide, 60-foot long slipway was constructed, at a cost of £110. In 1897, Mumbles Railway and Pier Company constructed a new slipway for the RNLI, at no cost to the Institution, as they extended the railway across the top of it, right past the boathouse, to reach the Mumbles Pier, which was under construction.^[2][3]

On 31 January 1903, the steamship Christina of Waterford ran aground on Aberavon sands. The crew were able to walk ashore at low tide. The following day, Mumbles lifeboat James Stevens No. 12 (ON 432) was launched into gale-force conditions, to stand by the vessel as she refloated. Deciding to take shelter in the mouth of the River Afan, the lifeboat was hit by huge waves, and capsized twice. Six of the ten men thrown into the water were lost, including Coxswain Thomas Rogers, and David Morgan, a survivor of the 1883 capsize.^[6][7][8]

James Stevens No. 12 was withdrawn from service. After a short period with relief lifeboat Reserve No.4 (ON 378), the 37-foot lifeboat Quiver No.1 (ON 265) (Reserve No.3A) was placed on service. Too long for the boathouse, she was moored afloat, and a second boat, former Donna Nook lifeboat Richard (ON 248), was modified, and housed in the boathouse, to be used as a boarding boat.^[2]

At a meeting of the Mumbles lifeboat committee in 1905, it was agreed that a boathouse and slipway accessed via the new Mumbles Pier was the way forward. It would be 1916 before the slipway was constructed, and a further 6 years in 1922, before a boathouse on top was completed. The boathouse would remain in use until 2014.^[6]

On 4 October 1944, the Canadian frigate HMCS Chebogue was hit by a torpedo, whilst escorting westbound Atlantic convoy ONS 33. With all other crew taken off, she was towed 890 miles, with just 37 men and six officers still aboard. She arrived in Swansea Bay on 11 Oct under tow from the Ocean Tug HMS Earner, but arrived in worsening conditions, of hurricane force. The tow line was lost, and the vessel ran aground on Port Talbot bar.^[3][9]

The Mumbles lifeboat Edward, Prince of Wales (ON 678) was launched at 7:45pm. Due to the position of the vessel, and in extremely difficult conditions, the lifeboat had to make 12 visits to the ship, rescuing three or four men at a time. One man broke a leg, one jumped and landed on the Coxswain, who was badly bruised, and a third fell between the boats, fortunate not to be crushed, but all were rescued. Coxswain William John Gannon was awarded the RNLI Gold Medal, with other awards made to the crew.^[4]

A third disaster would strike the Mumbles lifeboat. On 23 April 1947, the Mumbles lifeboat Edward, Prince of Wales was launched to the aid of the Liberty ship Samtampa, which was bound for Newport, but had developed engine trouble in a violent gale, and was reported drifting towards Nash Shoal. The lifeboat was last seen just after 7pm. The Samtampa came ashore at Sker Point, and broke into three sections. All of the 39 crew of the Samtampa perished. At dawn, the upturned wrecked lifeboat could be seen. All eight lifeboatmen were also lost, including RNLI Gold medal holder Coxswain William John Gannon.^[10][11]

The D-class lifeboat is the main workhorse of the station, being used for more than 60 per cent of the callouts. In 2014 a new Tamar class lifeboat entered service at The Mumbles, temporarily based at Swansea Marina while a new, larger, boathouse and slipway were constructed on the end of Mumbles pier. In 2015 and 2016, Mumbles was the busiest station in Wales, launching 83 times, and was the busiest station in 2022, with 126 launches.^[12]

In January 2023, safety concerns over access over the existing pier to the station, caused the station building to be closed. The current pier owners do not have the funds to pay for essential repairs. The lifeboat is currently kept afloat at a mooring.^[13]

The following are awards made to the crew of Mumbles Lifeboat Station^[3][4][6]

• RNLI Gold Medal

William John Gammon, Coxswain - 1944

• RNIPLS Silver Medal

John Bevan, Master of the schooner Gower - 1833

William Evans - 1835

John Reeve, Master of Schooner Wave - 1838

Captain Thomas Jones - 1839

Captain John Howell - 1839

Captain Charles Sutton - 1839

Captain Joseph Foley - 1839

Arthur Rees - 1839

Lewis Jenkins - 1839

Captain Joseph Foley (Second service clasp) - 1840

• RNLI Silver Medal

Jenkin Jenkins, Coxswain - 1883

Lionel Derek Scott, Coxswain - 1964

Lionel Derek Scott BEM, Coxswain (Second service clasp) - 1971

• RNLI Bronze Medal

William John Gammon, Coxswain - 1941

Robert Trevor Williams, Mechanic - 1941

William Gilbert Davies, Mechanic - 1944

Thomas John Ace, Bowman - 1944

Lionel Derek Scott, Coxswain - 1968

• Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum

Gunner Edward Hutchings, R.A. - 1883

Charles R. Davies, crew member - 1944

Thomas A. Davies, crew member - 1944

William John Eynon, crew member - 1944

Alfred D. Michael, crew member - 1944

William Michael, crew member - 1944

W Davies, Second Coxswain - 1964

Mechanic J Gammon - 1964

W Tucker, Assistant Mechanic - 1964

J Bailey, Signalman - 1964

K Kostromin - 1964

G Parsons - 1964

H Randall - 1964

J Whitford - 1964

Alan Richards Jones, Helmsman - 1971

Peter Allan Algie, crew member - 1971

Anthony David Lewis, crew member - 1971

Lionel Derek Scott BEM, Coxswain - 1981

Anthony David Lewis, Helmsman - 1983

• A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution

W Clements - 1973

• The Maud Smith Award 1944

for the bravest act of life-saving in 1944

William John Gammon, Coxswain - 1944

• The Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal and Thanks Certificate

R J Gammon, Mechanic - 1948

• British Empire Medal

Lionel Derek Scott, Coxswain - 1970QBH^[14]

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Capt. Peter Royall Griffiths, DLA - 2009NYH^[15]

• Binocular glasses from Kaiser William I, Emperor of Germany

Jenkin Jenkins, Coxswain - 1874

• Engraved Statuette of a Lifeboatman

Lionel Derek Scott BEM, Coxswain - 1980

In memory of those lost whilst serving The Mumbles lifeboat.^[3][6]

• Mumbles lifeboat Wolverhampton capsized multiple times, on service to the barque Admiral Prinz Adalbert of Danzig, 27 January 1883^[5]

John Jenkins, Second Coxswain

William Jenkins, crew member

William Macnamara, crew member

William Rogers, crew member

• James Stevens No. 12 capsized on service to the steamship Christina of Waterford, 1 February 1903

Thomas Rogers, Coxswain

Daniel Claypitt, Second Coxswain

George Michael, crew member

James Gammon, crew member

Robert Smith, crew member

David John Morgan, crew member (Survivor of 1883 capsize)

• RNLB Edward, Prince of Wales (ON 678) capsized, and was wrecked, whilst on service to the Liberty ship SS Samtampa, 23 April 1947

William John Gammon, Coxswain

William Noel, Second Coxswain

Gilbert Davies, Mechanic

Ernest Griffin, Assistant Mechanic

William R. S. Thomas, Bowman

William L. Howell, crew member

William Ronald Thomas, crew member

Richard Smith, crew member

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