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Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 51°32′53.9″N 4°12′03.9″W / 51.548306°N 4.201083°W / 51.548306; -4.201083
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Horton and Port Eynon
Lifeboat Station
Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station
Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station is located in Wales
Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station
Horton & Port Eynon, Swansea, Wales
Former namesPort Eynon Lifeboat Station
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
Town or cityHorton, Swansea, SA3 1LB
CountryWales, UK
Coordinates51°32′53.9″N 4°12′03.9″W / 51.548306°N 4.201083°W / 51.548306; -4.201083
Opened1884 / 1968
Closed1919
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Horton and Port Eynon RNLI Lifeboat Station

Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station is located at Horton Beach, just off Underhill Lane in the village of Horton, on the south coast of the Gower Peninsula, approximately 14 miles (23 km) west of Swansea.

Port Eynon Lifeboat Station was established at Port Eynon in 1884 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), but closed in 1919. Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station, an Inshore lifeboat station, was established by the RNLI in 1968.[1]

The station currently operates Barbara Jane (D-824), a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, on station since 2018.[2]

History

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On 27 January 1883, the steamship Agnes Jack ran aground at Port Eynon Point. Villagers were helpless to do anything but watch on, as eighteen men were drowned.[3]

On 7 February 1883, the schooner Surprise was wrecked just north of Port Eynon Point, with the loss of all seven hands.[4]

As a result of these tragedies, the RNLI decided a lifeboat should be stationed further west than The Mumbles Lifeboat Station. A 34-foot self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with sails and (10) oars, along with equipment and a transporting carriage, was dispatched to Port Eynon, where a new boathouse had been constructed, at a cost of £400.[5]

The costs of the lifeboat had been met from the bequest of £1000 from the late Miss Maria Jones, of Waterloo, Liverpool. At a ceremony on 10 May 1884, the lifeboat was named A Daughter's Offering (ON 55) at the donor's request, and then launched on demonstration to the assembled crowd.[5][6]

1884 Port Eynon Lifeboat House

The boathouse was constructed at the west end of Port Eynon Bay. This building is now used as a Youth Hostel by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA).[7][8]

At 19:00 on 13 January 1888, the Port Eynon lifeboat was launched to the aid of the steamship Milan of Kingston-upon-Hull, on passage to Bristol from Alexandria, when she was driven ashore at Overton Cliffs. 11 crew were rescued by the lifeboat, with the remaining crew rescued by Rocket apparatus.[9]

A Daughter's Offering was replaced after 22 years of service. In that time, she saved 39 lives. A new 35-foot lifeboat was placed on station in 1906. The cost of the new boat was defrayed from the bequest of Col. John A. Hay of Cheltenham. In accordance with his wishes, the boat was named Janet (ON 559), at a ceremony on 23 August 1906.[10][11]

Port Eynon Lifeboat Memorial

Tragedy struck on 1 January 1916. Janet responded to a distress signal from the S.S. Dunvegan, and while making her way to the vessel, the lifeboat was capsized by a large wave. Although the lifeboat automatically righted itself, one crew member could not make it back onboard and drowned. Janet was then capsized again, and another two crew members were lost overboard and could not be found. The lifeboat had lost all of its oars at this point, and the remaining 10 men could do nothing but drift towards Mumbles, finally landing ashore some 30 hours after setting out..[12]

The Janet lifeboat was withdrawn, and the station closed temporarily in 1916. The lifeboat had served for 10 years, saving a total of 15 lives. However, the boat would never return, and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station closed permanently in 1919. The Janet would later serve at Stornoway. A sculpture commemorating the lost crew of the Janet can be found in the churchyard of Port Eynon Church, and there is also a plaque inside the church.[13]

Inshore lifeboat station

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In 1964, in response to an increasing amount of water-based leisure activity, the RNLI placed 25 small fast Inshore lifeboats around the country. These were easily launched with just a few people, ideal to respond quickly to local emergencies.[14]

More stations were opened, and in 1968, a D-class (EA16) lifeboat (D-165) was allocated to the new Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station, based close to the beach in Horton.[15]

On 2 July 1973, D-class Helm John Grove took the boat close inshore, through broken water and past jagged rocks, to rescue three of four people, initially stranded on Worms Head (Penrhyn-gwyr), who then decided to try and swim against the flood tide to shore. The fourth person was rescued by rocket line. He was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal.[16]

A new boathouse to accommodate both the lifeboat and the tractor was completed in March 1992. It also included a crewroom with galley, a souvenir outlet, toilet, fuel store and a look-out tower.[1]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at Horton & Port Eynon.[1][16]

John Walter Grove – 1973
  • Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum
Charles Gwilyn Twitchett – 1973
Andrew John McNulty – 1973
John Walter Grove – 1974
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Lawrence Grove – 1999
Lawrence James Grove – 2001QBH[17]
Steven William Davies – 2015NYH[18][19]

Roll of honour

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In memory of those lost whilst serving Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat.[1]

Lost when the lifeboat Janet (ON 559) capsized on service to the steamship Dunvegan[20]

William Gibbs, Coxswain (66)
William Eynon, Second Coxswain (46)
George Harry (46)

Horton and Port Eynon lifeboats

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All-weather lifeboats

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ON[a] Name Built On Station[21] Class Comments
55 A Daughter's Offering 1883 1884–1906 34-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 1][22]
559 Janet 1906 1906–1916 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) [Note 2][23]
Station Closed 1916

Inshore lifeboats

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Op. No.[b] Name On Station[24] Class Comments
D-165 Unnamed 1968–1980 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-275 Unnamed 1980–1988 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-380 Unnamed 1988–1997 D-class (EA16)
D-448 Sea Ranger 1997–1998 D-class (EA16)
D-531 Walter Grove 1998–2008 D-class (EA16)
D-688 Albert Wordley 2008–2018 D-class (IB1) [25]
D-824 Barbara Jane 2018– D-class (IB1) [26]
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ 34-foot x 8-foot (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.
  2. ^ 35-foot x 8-foot 6in (10-oared) self-righting (P&S) lifeboat.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Horton and Port Eynon's station history". Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  2. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 99.
  3. ^ "Latest Shipping Intelligence". The Times. No. 30729. London. 29 January 1883. col E, p. 7.
  4. ^ "Disasters At Sea". The Times. No. 30738. London. 8 February 1883. col E, p. 6.
  5. ^ a b "Additional Stations and New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XII (134): 441. 1 November 1884. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  6. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 18.
  7. ^ "Glamorgan Sheet XXXI.SW". Maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  8. ^ "YHA Port Eynon". VisitWales. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Milan". The Lifeboat. XIII (149): 610. 1 August 1888. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  10. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 38.
  11. ^ "New Life-Boats". The Lifeboat. XIX (222): 841. 1 November 1906. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Gower Shipwreck - SS Dunvegan". Gower Shipwrecks. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  13. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 120.
  14. ^ "Inshore Rescue Boats". The Lifeboat. XXXVIII (407): 3. March 1964. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  15. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 89.
  16. ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0907605893.
  17. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  19. ^ "New Year Honour for Swansea RNLI volunteer Steve Davies". BBC. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  20. ^ "Port Eynon lifeboat tragedy memorial". History Points. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  21. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 18–19, 38–39.
  22. ^ "Annual Report. 1885". The Lifeboat. XII (136): 500. 1 May 1885. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  23. ^ "Annual Report. 1907". The Lifeboat. XX (224): 46. 1 May 1907. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  24. ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, p. 89–99.
  25. ^ "Last wish leaves lifeboat legacy". BBC. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  26. ^ "Horton and Port Eynon RNLI's new inshore D class lifeboat named Barbara Jane". RNLI. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
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