THE
HISTORY OF TENBY LIFEBOAT
The first lifeboat in Tenby in 1852 was brought by the shipwrecked fishermen and mariners' benevolent society it cost £125 and was built by beeching at great yarmouth, the lifeboat was 28 foot by 7 foot 10-oared self-righting boat. A boathouse was built on the beach at penniless cove where it still stands today.the first coxswain of tenby lifeboat was the chief boatman of tenby coastguard robert parrott .
The shipwrecked fishermen and mariners' benevolent society handed over tenby's lifeboat to the national lifeboat institution in 1852, the institution then spent £104.18.9d with Messrs.forrest of london for alterations to bring the boat up to the national lifeboat standard for a self-righting lifeboat.The first service for this lifeboat was on december 30th 1855 at 15.30,on that day in a strong south-easterly gale and snowstorm the schooner 'Agenoria'of bideford tried to make tenby harbour.The lifeboat launched from penniless cove with a crew of ten, with lieutenant richard jesse R.N.,Chief officer of coastguard in command and coxswain robert parrott at the helm. three men were rescued from the schooner just before she broke up. At 22.00 that night the lifeboat was launched again in very heavy seas she found the schooner 'Alexandre' of Nantes ashore near Giltar Point south beach tenby it was midnight before the lifeboat could get alongside the stranded vessel and take her crew of five aboard, when the line holding the lifeboat in position parted it was found that a young boy was still on the schooner.One of the lifeboatmen scrambled aboard and found the terrified boy below deck. He was dragged out to the lifeboat just before the 'Alxandre'broke up. For this service lieutenant jesse and Coxswain Parrott were awarded the institution's Silver Medal.Almost twelve months later on december 7th 1856 the lifeboat rescued the crew of nine of the barque'Nuevo torcuvato' which had run onto the White Back shoal in a severe gale. On February 8th, 1858 she escorted another barque 'Belle Donna' of bristol. One of lifeboats busiest periods of service was November 1859. On November 1st the lifeboat was launched under the command of lieutenantthe honorable r.f. Boyle R.N., with coxswain perrott at the helm. the crew of three of the fishing smack'Breeze' of milford was rescued in a severe South-westerly gale which was to last for several days.The lifeboat was launched again on November 6th, in very heavy seas and a vilent hailstorm, to the brig 'policy' of Sunderland which had been driven ashore at monkstone point. A huge wave struck the lifeboat, parting the anchor cable and smashing several of the oars. The lifeboat was brought out again into the open sea after failing to hold her position alongside the wreck. She failed to get alongside the casualty again and returned to station. Lieutenant Boyle and Coxswain Parrott transported the Rocket Apparatus along the coast road and brought the crew of the brig ashore. For this service Lieutenant Boyle was awarded the institution's Silver Medal and coxswain parrott a second service clasp to his Silver Medal.
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