Barry Dock History

1901 The RNLI established a lifeboat station and a boathouse and slipway were built.

1907 A Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Daniel Rees, Silver Medal to Mr Ivor Rees, The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to Mr D Morgan Rees and a Special Letter of Thanks sent to Mr Harold M Lloyd for the rescue of three people from the yacht Firefly.

1914 A Silver Medal was awarded to Pilot Apprentice Daniel P Davies for rescuing two men from the ketch Elizabeth Couch.

1920 The boathouse and slipway were adapted for a new lifeboat.

1922 The station’s first motor lifeboat was placed on service.

1935 A Silver Medal was awarded to the Honorary Secretary/Acting Coxswain Archibald C Jones and Bronze Medals to Second Coxswain Henry Hobbs, Mechanic Hewitt Swarts and Crew Members Stanley Alexander, Thomas Alexander, William Cook, Henry Housden and Frederick Searle for a dangerous service to rescue six crew from the schooner Goeland.

1941 A Bronze Medal was awarded to Coxswain David Lewis for rescuing 10 people from the steamer South Coaster during a gale on 6 December 1940.

1965 On 13 January Coxswain Swarts died when he fell to the concrete floor of the boathouse as he was working on the lifeboat.

1968 The lifeboat was placed on a permanent mooring in the tidal entrance basin.

1973 A second lifeboat (No. 2) was placed at the station.

1974 The Waveney class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by an Arun class lifeboat.

1979 The No. 2 lifeboat was withdrawn and No. 2 station closed.

1985 A new fuel store and storehouse were built.

1991 An ex-show bungalow was donated to the RNLI by Associated British Ports and was used as a crew room.

1995 A timber-framed building was constructed to provide a changing/drying room, workshop, toilet facilities and a diesel fuel store.

1997 The Arun class lifeboat Margaret Frances Love was placed on service.

2001 A Centenary Vellum was awarded to the station.

2002 A Coast Review made the decision to allocate a new slipway-launched lifeboat (FSB2) to the station in the future.

2003 Mr Ted Powell, Station Honorary Secretary, was awarded an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Honours.

 The Arun class lifeboat, ON-1135 Mickie Salvesen, was placed on service on 8 August.

Station honours

At Barry Dock lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 1

Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1

Bronze Medal 8

Silver Medal 3

Gold Medal 1