Rhyl lifeboat disaster 1853

Rhyl's first lifeboat had only recently been established, in 1852, by the Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariner's Society, when a distress signal was received at 5pm on 22 January 1853.
  The lifeboat in question had been designed and built by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, who had won first prize in the Northumberland Prize Lifeboat Competition of 1851, with a design for a self righting lifeboat. Gwylan y Mor was slightly smaller than the prize winner, being 26ft x 6ft 6 ins and rowing 8 oars.

Image of lifeboat:

[from North Wales Chronicle of January 28th, 1853]:
  Melancholy Catastrophe.
  On Saturday last, a signal was received at Rhyl, of "Vessel dismasted on West Hoyle," The life-boat was immediately launched, and started off at half past four with a crew of nine men. They pulled out for three miles to get an offing, and then hoisted their sale with one reef in it, and run down to Hoyle Bank. But failing to find the wreck, which was by this time covered by the flowing tide, they put about to return, the wind being NNE., and quite moderate. When within half a mile of home, a sea struck the boat on the lee beam, and threw her right over to windward, bottom upwards. Three of the crew then got on her bottom, and in about ten minutes, or rather more, righted her. Two of the men succeeded in getting into her, and after some time a third was with much difficulty got in. The other six were not seen. The boat was by this time close to the shore, and the three got safe to land. The bodies of the other six were washed ashore in an hour after. Four of them were married men with children; the other two unmarried. The boat was built by Beeching of Yarmouth, and was awarded the prize, of 100 guineas, given by the Duke of Northumberland for the best life boat! and is the third boat of the same construction and build that has capsized in four months: one at Lytham, in October, with the loss of eight men [see below]; one at Carnarvon on the same day, when eight more had an extraordinary escape; and this last, when six more gallant fellows perished. The committee that awarded the prize to this construction of boat were two post captains and two master shipwrights in the royal dock yard. Other people think her very faulty.
  A coroner's inquest was held on Monday last, on the bodies of these unfortunate men, by E. Price, Esq., coroner; and as the facts of the case of this catastrophe may be gathered from the evidence of Owen Jones, the captain of the life boat. We give it as follows:
  "I was informed by my wife, about five clock, p.m., on Saturday, that a signal was put up by the telegraph, that a vessel was in distress. Went out with eight others, in the lifeboat, towards her. After we had gone about three miles, we put up the lug-sail; it blowed at the time a moderate gale. Went within about half a mile of the vessel, but before we reached her, the tide had covered her; and we, therefore, could not find her. We turned back, and when we came to about a quarter of a mile off the shore, the wind blowing N.N.E., the boat lurched, and shipped a sea from the larboard side, and David George went overboard, but we got him in again. When we had got a little nearer shore, a heavy sea broke over us, and the boat made a lurch, and turned right on her face. Finding she did not right, I got on her, and pulled up two others; when, after a while, she righted, and we were again plunged into the sea. I swam towards the boat again, but found two of the crew clinging to me; I still endeavoured to swim towards the boat, when a heavy sea broke upon us, and separated the men from me. I can swim pretty well, and managed to get to the boat, and after resting a little got into her. I found Peter Edwards in, and John Williams fast to the side, holding the rope with his teeth, and I got him in. We were then three in the boat. The mast was broke. When in the boat I could see the rest of the crew about 50 yards from us, but afterwards lost sight of them. The boat was now within a few yards of the shore, in about five feet of water. I took the boat-hook and shoved her to shore; and when on shore, I could see some of the men. The men were all perfectly sober, and no blame could be attached to any. I have been much disappointed in the boat, on account of its capsizing in righting powers, the water ballast we completed. I don't approve of her model, being too round in the bottom; it would have been not so liable to capsize if the bottom had a flatter floor. I told the crew, and Mr. Wauklyn, it was hardly worth while going out, as the vessel was on the bank, and I had seen a boat with sails going out to her. Mr. Wauklyn said I had better make an attempt. The crew were all willing to go. The boat had not too much sail on her. All the crew had life perservers on, and they were all in good order. I have examined the boat since, and found her tight in every respect."
  The names of the poor fellows lost are, David George, John Evans, Phillip Jones, Thomas Jones, (married), John Edwards and William Parry, (single). The coroner adjourned the inquiry to next Monday, in order to obtain further evidence, as to the capabilities of the life boat, and other matters connected with this most serious disaster.

The lifeboat was put back in service - until 1856 - when replaced by a tubular design.

Lytham lifeboat capsize 1852

On October 1 1852, while on a training exercise, the new Lytham lifeboat capsized, with the loss of 8 lives of the 11 aboard. Contemporary reports point the blame at the design of the lifeboat - which was the same as the Rhyl one.

[from Liverpool Albion - Monday 04 October 1852]: MELANCHOLY DISASTER OFF LYTHAM. The Preston Guardian, of Saturday [2 Oct], in a second edition, relates the loss of a life-boat and eight of the crew. The melancholy disaster which occurred yesterday off Lytham has thrown that village into a state of the most intense excitement. The sad tale of this disaster is soon told. Recently a new life-boat was received at Lytham, and, yesterday afternoon, eleven hardy seamen, all natives of that place, set out to test its capabilities. The life-boat left Lytham about one o'clock, having, as before stated, eleven persons on board, ten of whose names appear below, the other being the one who was put on board a vessel which the boat met. Many persons were congregated on the beach, though the weather was squally, and the little craft seemed to sail very beautifully along. What is called a "lug-sail" was used, and it was observed by some experienced persons, as the boat proceeded on its way, that too much sail was carried, considering the weather. When a short distance out, a sea was shipped, without any damage, the boat righting herself immediately. Between two and three o'clock the boat had got about three miles out, at which time she was dashing through the breakers, and, owing to the quantity of sail she carried, she leaned over alarmingly. About that time a heavy shower came on, and hid the boat for a short interval from the sight of those on the look out. The next sight of her she was keel uppermost! Some men on the hills rushed down to the beach, giving the alarm. The most intense excitement prevailed, and two boats were got out as quickly as possible to proceed to the scene of the disaster. The smallest of them was taken to the edge of the Horse Bank, where it was moored; the crew then hastened across the bank, plunged into the channel and waded to the ill-fated boat, underneath or inside of which they found two of the crew, named Richard Gillet and James Parkinson, the latter, when found, being nearly exhausted. It is almost miraculous that these two held out so long, it being then about four o'clock; but, as the life-boat has six holes in her bottom, which, however, at that time formed a sort of dome over these two men, these enabled them to breathe more freely. No signs of the other ill-fated men being visible, the boat returned to Lytham, about seven o'clock, with the two survivors. The scene on its arrival cannot be described. To say that it was heartrending in the extreme were, indeed, to convey a very faint idea of the frantic excitement of the bereaved.
  The following is a list of the names of those who are lost, all of whom were married men, and have besides their widows, an aggregate of twenty-six children to bemoan the sad fate of their parents: Hardman, 6 children; Cookson, 2; T. Gillet, 2; J. Gillett, 5; Swann, 3; Davis, 3; Whiteside, 3; Winder, 2; total, 26. The wife of Winder is also, we regret to say, near her confinement. Besides the pilot put on board the vessel, was Swann, one of the deceased, who took the steamer Gem out from Preston on her first voyage; he it was that had the command of the life-boat, and who is blamed for being too daring, in not easing the boat some of her sail. As the boat was turning over, Swann with great presence of mind, advised that they should attempt to crawl round her, and get on her keel, to try to right her. This he attempted, but did not succeed. The men who are saved stated that the boat did not go over very suddenly, and that at one time as many as five were clinging to her alive; indeed, had the rescuers only arrived about a quarter of an hour earlier, one of the two Gilletts lost would have been saved from a watery grave. Strange to say that, though the crew had belts and other appliances for preserving life, all these were left behind. This morning several boats went out about four o'clock, in search of the missing bodies, but, up to the hour of our report leaving Lytham, no further tidings had been received. The information we have obtained is unavoidably incomplete, more especially as the two survivors seem, as might be expected, unwilling to speak about the sad disaster.

[from Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Tuesday 12 October 1852]: THE LYTHAM LIFE-BOAT. The unfortunate accident which has befallen the lifeboat at Lytham, built upon the principle, and we believe the model, of the boat which won the prize of £100 offered by the Duke of Northumberland, brings to mind some facts not be generally remembered. The prize life-boat, built by Mr Beecham, was tried in Liverpool before the Dock Committee; and she capsized in Princes basin, nearly drowning Mr. Thomas Evans, the captain of the Magazines life-boat. Evans, and one or two of the crew, objected to her build as dangerous; and on four or five of them at length stepping on her gunwhale, she went over, immersing them in the water. The prize boat was considered crank; and the experienced men belonging to our own life-boat service considered that the circumstance of her being able to right herself, after being capsized, was a poor recommendation seeing that she was liable to make the experiment frequently.
  The patent tubular life-boat, called "The Challenger," was one of those sent to the Great Exhibition, and was built by Mr. Lees, of Manchester. She was tested at Liverpool in every kind of gale; and at length she issued her challenge to every life-boat in Great Britain. The prize life-boat accepted the challenge, with the proviso that the tubular boat should sail round to Ramsgate. The boat immediately started by Menai Bridge, Carnarvon, and on to Barmouth, where it was tried in heavy surf, and pronounced to be a most perfect life-boat. She then sailed round to Plymouth, where she was tested by Admiral Sir John Ommaney, and taken alongside the Leander frigate in the Sound, where 82 men were placed on her side without upsetting her. Yet five men stepping on board the life-boat built upon the principle of that which has recently sacrificed eight lives at Lytham, upset her, The tubular boat arrived at Ramsgate to meet the challenge of the prize boat, which was not there, having been sold to the Ramsgate harbour trustees.
  The Challenger issued a new challenge which was not accepted, and she eventually came, in rough weather, round the Land's End with the proprietor and five sailors and Mr. Thos. Evans, of the Magazines as her captain, the same party who nearly lost his life from the Admiralty prize boat.
  Possibly the accident at Lytham will bring home to the minds of some portion of the public, the fact that the Admiralty, or any other rewards, for mere models, are not the proper criterions of excellence. Practical men are generally the best judges in these matters. We have some excellent life-boats in Liverpool. The tubular life-boat has proved itself an excellent boat, and would no doubt be useful in the dangerous service expected from such craft. But merely theoretical notions on such matters are rather dangerous than useful. In the unfortunate case at Lytham, the coroner's jury has evidently considered the accident to have been occasioned by incautious conduct on the part of her steersman, in carrying too much canvas, which upset her in the first instance, and after that her wet sail prevented her righting. This is the ordinary course of things. The best craft in the world would probably do the same under similar circumstances. What we require, therefore, to insure the greatest possible amount of safety in a lifeboat is, that she should be as little liable as possible to capsize at all, and certainly not under such an every-day circumstance as a little extra press of sail.
  In proof of the correctness of our remarks, we quote the following from a letter addressed by Messrs. Chapman and Co., as agents for Lloyd's, to the secretary, saying that on a visit to Southport three weeks ago the deficiency of the life-boat was pointed out to them: "The Lytham men laid great stress on the boat righting herself quickly if she capsized. This 'riled' old Rawcliffe ; he could not contain himself any longer, and, clearing his mouth of his quid, he exclaimed, in good broad Lancashire,

Capsizing and righting be d---d, we want a boat as won't capsize; if so be ourn capsizes, it's good bye to all hands, and I tells you, that there boat will drown you all, the first time you go out with any sea on, she will for sure.