Mumbles Coastguard
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Mumbles Lighthouse and the old Coastguard lookout at Tutt Head, Bracelet Bay, overlooking Bracelet and Limeslade Bays >
A short Introduction
The Mumbles Coastguard
A short Introduction
The Mumbles Coastguard
Records show that from as early as 1840, (although 1850 is also quoted) the first coastguard lookout was situated on Mumbles Hill, near the present day Trig Point, and had a commanding view of the Swansea Bay and most of the channel to Oxwich Point. Along with a mast, for signalling to ships in the bay, there was half an overturned boat so as to give shelter to those on duty.
A City of Swansea publication (Ref below), states, 'Improvements were made to this structure later and in 1910 the building on this site was dismantled and re-constructed on Tutt Head where the coastguard station is today.
Mumbles Coastguard Station 'Lookout Hut' on Tutt Head, was photographed by Henry Hugh Parlby, a Chemist and Photographer, on 4th March 1895.
Records also show that a hut was replaced on Tutt Head in 1921, by a timbered building.
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Mumbles Coastguard Station 'Lookout Hut' on Tutt Head, 4h March 1895. (with Mumbles Hill in the background) was taken by Henry Hugh Parlby, a Chemist and Photographer.
Photo: Stuart Bishop collection.
This slide was taken before 1895, when there were no coastguard buildings on Tutt Head. In the foreground there is a glimpse of the roof of the popular old 'Refreshment Sheds' and a view of Bracelet Bay. Photo: A History of Mumbles.
A City of Swansea publication (Ref below), states, 'Improvements were made to this structure later and in 1910 the building on this site was dismantled and re-constructed on Tutt Head where the coastguard station is today.
The 1910 building was replaced by a more traditional timbered building on the Tutt in 1921 and this building functioned as the 'lookout' and Rescue Headquarters for the area, until a new purpose designed building was erected in 1973.'
Ref: Extract from: City of Swansea Presentation of The Freedom of the City to H.M. Coastguard Swansea, 1982, Page 8.
The inside of the old Coastguard Hut at Tutt Head, in the early 1970s, which overlooked the wartime Signal Room. Photo: John Pile.
A general view of the Bracelet Bay car park, including the old Coastguard Hut and WW2 Signal Room as well as the wartime Engine Room, which powered the Naval Searchlights which searched the sea, 1950s.
The Mumbles Coastguard at Tutt Head from 1973
The Mumbles Coastguard at Tutt Head from 1973
The replacement building was in service from 1973 and extended in 1979, continuing until closure in 2015. The building was then used as offices and for storage. Theft of a section of the lead on the roof, complicated matters.
The replacement building was in service from 1973 and extended in 1979, continuing until closure in 2015. The building was then used as offices and for storage. Theft of a section of the lead on the roof, complicated matters.
Post 1973. A new building was opened for The Mumbles HM Coastguard at Tutt Head
Post 1979. After the building was extended at HM Coastguard at Tutt Head.
HM Coastguard at Tutt Head.
HM Coastguard at Tutt Head.
The entrance road to the new Mumbles Coastguard Station, in use after 1973..
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The old coastguard cottages, Westbourne Place . At the time this was part of Mumbles Divitional Headquarters
by Bet Ogbourne & Pat Symmons
... operational on Mumbles Hill and by the 1870s, it was decided to build a Coastguard Station, for Officers and their families. It was constructed in the form of a square ...
The old coastguard houses, about 1930
by John Jeffers
Mumbles Coastguard Station, Westbourne Place By John Jeffers The Mumbles Coastguard Station, then at Westbourne Place, was much larger than we had previously experienced. It was the Divisional Headquarters where ..
Coastguard Lifesaving Apparatus Crew (LSA) 1919.
Mumbles LSA at Practice, 1919.
A group of the WRNS at Tutt Head, on the left is Joan S (Jones), ‘Visual Signaller WRNS’.
More: I served in the WRNS at Tutt Head >
More: I served in the WRNS at Tutt Head >
Mrs Joan Jones served in the WRNS at The Naval Signal Station at The Tutt, Bracelet Bay, Mumbles.
The Royal Navy took over The Coastguard Station during WW2
The photo shows a group of the WRNS, with Joan Joans on the left, then Peggy, and fourth from left is the Cook, Jean.
by John Powell and Kate Elliott Jones
The Fort on Lighthouse Island as well as The Coastguard Lookout & Naval Signal Station at the Tutt were controlled from the same headquarters.
There were two searchlight emplacements on Tutt Head. These have been demolished, and only the bases remain.
by Carol Powell M.A.
... John, Assistant Secretary of the Lifeboat Committee and his wife; Stanley Poolton, H.M. Coastguard; Tom Way; Jack Gammon (Lifeboat mechanic); Mumbles’ own Harry Libby, Mayor of Swansea in that ...
by Carol Powell M.A.
... the Mumbles Head, to get to from Mumbles to Limeslade or Broadslade (Bracelet). The Coastguard Station at Church Parks The main Coastguard station was at Church Parks, consisting of a ...
by Kate Jones
and the S. S. Samtampa by Kate Jones (written in 2007) On 23rd April 1947, an appalling tragedy took place on the coast of Glamorgan. A former Liberty cargo ship ...
A collection of three Memories:- Peter Dover-Wade said, 'I remember well the night of the storm and that on hearing of the tragedy, my friend and I, both sixteen ...'
by Tom Ace
by Tom Ace During the war, we were called out 23 times and saved 137 lives. I remember two occasions especially.
Photos of Mumbles Coastguard >
Now updated and replaced
Congratulations to HM Coastguard
which marked its 200th anniversary
on Saturday 15 January 2022
Congratulations to HM Coastguard
which marked its 200th anniversary
on Saturday 15 January 2022
More: Mumbles Lifeboat >
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