The 19th Century was the age of the sailing ship, both deep sea and in coastal waters. An isolated region like the Lleyn Peninsula on the west coast of Wales was very dependant on shipping before road and rail transport became viable alternatives. Porthdinllaen, on the northern coast of the peninsula, with it's sheltered east facing bay, became important as a harbour of refuge and a busy port. Shipping returns for the period indicate the number of vessels which entered the bay.

1804 - 655

1840 - 914

1861 - 700 plus

With this volume of traffic it was inevitable that many vessels came to grief with considerable loss of life.

In a severe northerly gale on December 2nd and 3rd 1863, about 18 ships that had been sheltering in Porthdinllaen bay, were driven ashore and wrecked. A Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn, tied a rope around his waist and, with the help of 4 other men, succeeded in saving a total of 28 lives from the various vessels. For his gallantry on that occasion, Robert Rees was awarded the Bronze Medal from the Board of Trade and the Thanks on Vellum by the R.N.L.I.

A few days later, the Rev. Owen Lloyd Williams of Boduan, wrote to R.N.L.I. headquarters in London reporting on the results of recent gales and asked for a lifeboat station to be established at Porthdinllaen. The R.N.L.I.'s inspector of lifeboats, a Captain J.R.Ward, visited the area the following February and recommended the forming of this lifeboat station, which was formally approved at a meeting of the Institutions Committee of Management on March 3rd 1864.

Estimates were invited for the building of a boathouse, together with a long stone launch way. On April 7th 1864 an estimate of £140 was accepted for the building of a boathouse and it was decided to alter the former Palling Lifeboat and re-allocate her to Porthdinllaen. The lifeboat had been built in 1858 as a 30ft x 7'6'', 10 oared self-righter, but was altered and lengthened to a 36ftx8ft, 12 oared self-righter at a cost of £198. This lifeboat arrived at Porthdinllaen on August 26th 1864, having been conveyed free-of-charge between London and Caernarfon by the 'London & North Western railway Co.' and then sailed south to Porthdinllaen.

The boat was provided out of a donation of £250 to the Institution from Lady Cotton Sheppard, being the third lifeboat to be donated by that Lady and, at a ceremony on September 9th 1864 the boat was formally christened 'Cotton Sheppard'. The Rev.John Hughes was appointed Honorary Secretary of the new station and Hugh Hughes became the first Coxswain.

Porthdinllean Lifeboat Coxswains

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Boathouse History       Boat records       Crew Honours