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200th anniversary of Welsh maritime tragedy which prompted birth of local rescue

Lifeboats News Release

This weekend will mark two centuries since the sinking of the Alert, a tragedy which claimed the lives of around 140 people. A total of 19 people were saved during the incident, which prompted fundraising for a lifeboat off the Anglesey coast.

On Sunday a North Wales community will come together to reflect on the fateful day and how it paved the way on Anglesey for modern day RNLI volunteers who almost 200 years later are prepared to go to sea 24/7 when the call comes.

The service will take place at St Mary’s Church, Llanfairynghornwy this Sunday 26 March at 2.30pm and is being organised by the local church and the community in Llanfairynghornwy. There will be a collection in aid of the RNLI, to ensure that local volunteers can continue saving lives at sea.

On 26 March 1823, the Alert was travelling from Dublin to Liverpool when she got into difficulty eastward of the Skerries Lighthouse. She struck rocks and began taking on a considerable quantity of water. Efforts to keep the ship afloat were sadly in vain.

The local vicar Rev James Williams and his wife, Frances, watched the tragedy unfold from the shore in Llanfairynghornwy. They were so moved by the tragedy that they set about developing rescue services. They began raising funds and successfully secured a lifeboat for Cemlyn in 1828. An Anglesey branch of the RNIPLS (Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck) was formed later that year, when Rev Williams also oversaw the construction of the first lifeboat ever built at Holyhead.

Rev Williams was the first coxswain of this lifeboat at Cemlyn when it was established in 1828, and it was not unknown for Frances Williams to be one of the volunteer rowers. In October, 1835 members of the RNIPLS decided to award the Rev James Williams a gold medal for his exploits in saving people from the ship Active, when it was lost near Cemaes Bay.

Rev Williams’ son, Owen Lloyd Williams, followed his father into the church (he succeeded his father as Vicar of Llanfairynghornwy and in his work with the RNLI. In charge of the Cemlyn lifeboat at the age of 20, and later the honorary secretary of the Abersoch RNLI, he is credited with feats including the rescue of 34 people in 1862, and was awarded an RNLI silver medal for the rescue of 13 men from the Liverpool ship Kenilworth in January 1870, after it grounded near Barmouth while returning from New Orleans with a cotton cargo.

As the local anniversary approaches, a search has been mounted to locate these medals as part of the commemorations for the RNLI’s 200th anniversary in March 2024.

The RNLI charity was established in 1824 and a host of events are being planned across the UK and Ireland to mark the bicentenary.

Looking forward to the service, Rev Naomi Starkey, Vicar of Bro Padrig, of which Llanfairynghornwy is a part, said:

‘It is a privilege to be able to mark the 200th anniversary of this tragedy. The maritime heritage of this area is such an important part of local history and culture and as the churches of Bro Padrig we are keen to play our part in retelling the stories and treasuring the memories.’

Rev Robert Townsend, a volunteer at Beaumaris RNLI and part of the RNLI’s Bicentenary Committee in Wales, said:

‘It is now less than a year until the 200th birthday of the RNLI. The sinking of the Alert was a tragedy for those who lost their lives and their families. It was the desire to avert this sort of terrible event that drove the bravery and vision of people like James and Frances Williams. I hope that their example – providing a rescue service with only horses and oars - can inspire other people to volunteer or support the RNLI in North Wales today, so that we can continue to save lives at sea.’

Note to Editor

The Rev James Williams, was the Great, Great Grandfather of the artist, Sir Kyffin Williams, who is also buried at the church in Llanfairynghornwy.

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Danielle Rush, RNLI Media Relations Manager in Wales and the North West on 07886 668829. Alternatively, please call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789 or email [email protected].

Vicki Owens

The Skerries

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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