Moelfre History
1848 The first lifeboat station was established.
1875 A new boathouse was built at Porth Neigwl.
1884 A Silver Medal was presented by The Prince of Wales to Coxswain Rowland Hughes who had resigned at the age of 82 after nearly 34 years' service.
1893 The first slipway was built.
1901 A Silver Medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Richard Owen, a non-swimmer, when he jumped overboard to disentangle a net that had fouled the rudder of the lifeboat.
1902 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Owen on his retirement.
1909 A new boathouse (still in use today) and slipway were built.
1927 Gold Medals were awarded to Second Coxswain William Roberts and Crew Member Captain Owen Jones, and 13 Bronze Medals were awarded for a service in the great gales of October 1927 to the ketch Excel. The lifeboat had to sail right over the wreck to haul the three crew on board. The lifeboat was badly damaged and full of water although her air-cases kept her afloat. Two men, including Crew Member William Roberts, died on board. Second Coxswain William Roberts was completely blind for several hours after landing from the wind and salt water.
1929 Coxswain John Mathews was awarded a silver watch for his devotion to duty when the lifeboat broke from her moorings and was wrecked in a very heavy gale on the night of 11 February 1927.
1930 The station’s first motor lifeboat was placed on service.
1931 The station was awarded a Centenary Vellum.
1937 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Matthews for rescuing the five crew from the steamer Lady Windsor.
1940 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Matthews and a Bronze Medal to Motor Mechanic Robert Williams for rescuing 60 crew from the ss Gleneden.
1943 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Matthews and Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Richard M Evans and Motor Mechanic Robert Williams for rescuing four airmen who had ditched from an aircraft.
1959 A Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain Richard Evans, Silver Medal to Motor Mechanic Evan Owens and Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Donald Francis and Crew Members Hugh Owen and Hugh Jones, for a service to the Hindlea in hurricane force winds gusting to 104mph. Coxswain Evans steered the lifeboat towards the vessel but a tremendous breaking sea rolled the lifeboat over on to her side, putting her mast beneath the water. She was dangerously close to the Hindlea's thrashing propeller, which was so far out of the water that it was above the heads of the lifeboat crew. All eight crew were rescued after the Coxswain took the lifeboat alongside the wreck 10 times.
1961 Her Majesty The Queen awarded each of the five members of the crew who took part in the Hindlea service with a Silver Sea Gallantry Medal. The investiture took place at Buckingham Palace on 13 July.
1965 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat.
1967 A second Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain Richard Evans, Silver Medal to Motor Mechanic Evan Owens, and Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Donald Francis, Acting Bowman Hugh Owen, Assistant Mechanic William M Davies and Crew Members Hugh Jones, David Evans and Capt Jocelyn Jeavons for rescuing 10 crew from the Greek motor vessel Nafsiporos on 2 December 1966 during a hurricane. Holyhead’s lifeboat crew also received awards.
1969 Coxswain Richard Evans received the British Empire Medal.
1970 Coxswain Richard Evans retired.
1975 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain William Roberts for saving the yacht Heracles and her four crew, and escorting the yacht Westralia.
1978 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Second Coxswain John Thomas and Crew Member Kenneth Roberts for assisting six people in difficulty in a rubber dinghy off Lligwy Beach.
1980 A 150th Anniversary Vellum was awarded to the station.
1980 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Coxswain William Roberts and Second Coxswain John Thomas for towing the yacht July Morn; the tow had to be reconnected 11 times.
1982 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain William Roberts for rescuing the two crew from the trimaran Triple Jack.
1987 The boathouse was adapted for a Tyne class lifeboat.
1990 Framed Letters of Thanks were awarded to Helmsman Rod Pace and Crew Member Anthony Barclay for assisting the fishing vessel Sea Venture.
1993 An extension was built for the D class lifeboat and also provided improved crew facilities.
1996 Framed Letters of Thanks were presented to Crew Members Rod Pace and David Massey for rescuing two people and saving the catamaran Alleycat. Both Lifeboat men suffered broken legs during this service.
2001 Former Coxswain Richard Evans BEM (two Gold Medals and one Bronze Medal) died on 13 September.
2002 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Second Coxswain Rod Pace for getting aboard the disabled yacht Annarchy in storm force conditions and getting the yacht under control so that it could be towed to Moelfre by the lifeboat. Coxswain Anthony Barclay received a Framed Letter of Thanks. Both the yacht and her five crew were saved.
2004 A 2m bronze statue of former Coxswain Richard Evans was unveiled by Prince Charles on 23 November.
Station honours
At Moelfre lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Framed Letter of Thanks 9
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 3
Bronze Medal 26
Silver Medal 7
Gold Medal 4
