Little and Broad Haven Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The station was opened in 1882 at Little Haven where it operated until 1921. It reopened in 1967 under its present name, and serves the area in St Bride's Bay surrounding Little Haven and Broad Haven resorts. When it was built it was the RNLI's smallest lifeboat station.

The station operates a D-class (IB1) inshore lifeboat, launched by tractor and trailer.

History

When the RNLI first established the station in 1882 the lifeboat was kept afloat under the shelter of Goldtrop Head. In 1903 a boathouse and slipway were built.

By 1921 there was reduced need for the service and the station closed with cover available from St Davids and Angle.

By 1967, with the increase of pleasure boating and the development of the local holiday beaches, the RNLI reopened the station in a boathouse built by the Rural District Council. A dedicated boathouse was built in 1982.

The station has had its own fundraising branch since 1975 which, with the station's souvenir shop, has raised over £350,000.

In 1995, the RNLI Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman Crispin Williamson in recognition of his courage, initiative and seamanship in the rescue of six people cut off by a rising tide at the foot of the cliffs at North Haven in heavy breaking seas and Force 5 Fresh Breeze on 23 September 1995. The 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum' were accorded to crew members Brian Dilly and David Love.

Station honours

The following are awards made to the crew of Little & Broad Haven Lifeboat Station

• RNLI Bronze Medal

Crispin Williamson, Helmsman - 1995

• Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum

Brian Dilly - 1995

David Love - 1995

• Framed Letter of Thanks

Crispin Wiliamson, Helmsman - 2004

• Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Vivienne Mary Latimer Grey - 2017

Little and Broad Haven lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

Op. No.	Name	In service	Class	Comments
Pre-542	Friend	1882–1885	33-foot Self-Righting (P&S)
58	Friend	1885–1893	35-foot 2in Self-Righting (P&S)	Formerly Mayer de Rothschild at Hythe
347	David Pickard	1893–1901	39-foot Self-Righting (P&S)
291	Christopher North Graham	1901–1903	38-foot 11in Self-Righting (P&S)
505	William Roberts	1903–1921	40-foot Self-Righting (Rubie)

Station Closed in 1921

Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats

Op. No.	Name	In service	Class	Comments
D-124	Unnamed	1967–1975	D-class (RFD PB16)
D-242	Unnamed	1976–1987	D-class (Zodiac III)
D-347	Unnamed	1987–1995	D-class (EA16)
D-484	Sybil	1995–2004	D-class (EA16)
D-628	Austin Burnett	2004–2014	D-class (IB1)
D-766	Jack & Edith May	2014–	D-class (IB1)

See also

• List of RNLI stations
• List of former RNLI stations
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats