Finding the Old Llandudno Lifeboats

When Ships' Timbers was established in January 2013 with our Museum boundary defined within the County of Conwy, one of our first tasks was to identify the location of all the former Llandudno Lifeboats. We did this because as a contemporary Maritime Museum we decided to include the acquisition and restoration of boats of local, national and international importance within our articles of association. Our intention is to have a Museum Collection of model and seaworthy boats.

Tracking down the location of the old Llandudno Lifeboats was not an easy task , but with the help of the Historic Lifeboat Owners Association  http://www.hloa.org/ and Quinton Nelson of Nelson Boats Donaghadee  http://www.nelsonsboats.co.uk/ we now have a better idea of where some of them are.

RNLI Pulling and Sailing Lifeboats in Llandudno 1861 - 1933

Unfortunately none of the old pulling and sailing lifeboats are available. Indeed apart from Theodore Price, which was sadly broken up in Lancaster in 2000, their whereabouts are unknown! This means although we don't know where these boats are at the moment, with the strong possibility they have been broken up, it is possible that one might be lying abandoned somewhere, so there is always hope!

List as follows:

Sisters Memorial (1861 - 1867): whereabouts unknown
Sisters Memorial II (1867 - 1887): whereabouts unknown
Sunlight Number 01 (1887 - 1902): whereabouts unknown
Theodore Price (1902 - 1930): Broken up at Lancaster in 2000
Sarah Jane Turner (1930 - 1931): Renamed Puffin with a cabin added and used as a house boat until 2013, West Mercia. Current whereabouts unknown.
Matthew Simpson (1931-1933): whereabouts unknown

 

An early Llandudno pulling and sailing lifeboat on Llandudno north Shore

The Llandudno RNLI Motor Lifeboats 1933 - 1990

This list was much more promising for us, and after further investigation and with on-going help from Quinton Nelson, we were put in contact with Tillie's former owner in Hartlepool.

List as follows:

Thomas and Annie Wade Richards (1933 -1953) : Broken up in 2004.
Tillie Morrison Sheffield (1953-1959): Ships' Timbers Maritime Museum ownership, Lifeboat location Deganwy Quay Marina
Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest (1959 - 1964) - Walton on the Naze, Suffolk; lying as open hull in 2013, but formerly used as a pirate vessel.
Lilly Wainwright (1964-1990) - Private ownership in Cork

 

Lilly Wainwright preparing to Launch, 1968

Further information:

Books:
Leach, N. and Denton, T. (2013) Lifeboat Directory: A Complete Guide to British Lifeboats, Ships in Focus Publications.

Online:
Facebook: Historic Lifeboat Appreciation Society: Online Forum about ex-RNLB Lifeboats

RNLI Pulling and Sailing Lifeboats in Llandudno 1861 - 1933