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Barry Dock's first coxswain remembered

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 at 11:54

By Gareth Joy X @lookoutwales2

The RNLI's first ever coxswain based at Barry Dock has been honoured with a memorial plaque.

Evan Owens played a key role in the development of the town's lifeboat station, after moving to Barry from his hometown of Cardigan.

The son of a master mariner, he was involved in 29 of the first 30 callouts from the new lifeboat, the John Wesley, which was launched in 1901.

Mr Owens, who lived on Ivor Street on Barry Island, also helped to form a lifesaving club in Barry and was active in the local Eisteddfod.

Bill Kitchen, lifeboat operations manager for RNLI Barry Dock, said: "Evan Owens helped lay the foundations for everything we do today."

"His commitment to saving lives at sea shaped the beginnings of our lifeboat station and set a standard that our volunteers are proud to uphold more than a century later."

"As we build up to our 125th anniversary next year, it feels especially fitting to recognise his contribution to Barry, and we were honoured to be part of the unveiling of the history board."

Mayor of Barry, Cllr Dennis Clarke, unveiled the plaque celebrating Mr Owens' life at Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery at a ceremony attended by members of his family and RNLI representatives along with local councillors.

It's the latest in a series of history saluting famous Barry residents such as journalist Gareth Jones, world boxing champion Jimmy Wilde and artist Margaret Lindsay Williams.

Cllr Nic Hodges, who chairs Barry Town Council's halls, cemetries and community facilites committee, added: "At Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery, we continue to pay tribute and inform visitors of those who played a major role in the public life of Barry."

"As the first RNLI coxswain at Barry Docks, Evan Owens worked hard to promote safety at sea and put his life at risk on many occasions to bring others safely to shore, and it is right that we recognise and remember this."

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