Tony Galvin, author of Sea of Change, delivered the first of this year's talks at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery on Friday evening.

Tony's subject was Tenby Lifeboats in the age of oar and sail.

The talk was illustrated with drawings and photographs of each of the lifeboats stationed at Tenby.

A large map of Carmarthen Bay was used to illustrate some of the services carried out by the lifeboats.

Tony explained that the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society operated the first lifeboat based at Tenby, Grace Darling.

The boat was a self-righting boat with 10 oars requiring a crew of 12. She cost £125. She was taken over by the RNLI in 1854.

The second lifeboat stationed at Tenby was the Florence, a 33-foot self-righting boat with 10 oars requiring a crew of 13. She cost £260.

The Florence was renamed Caroline Morris's Divine Rescue in 1876. In 1885, the RNLI provided an up-to-date 34-foot 10-oared water ballasted lifeboat for the Tenby station.

The Annie Collins arrived by train on December 23 and was paraded through the streets to the Castle Sands for the naming ceremony.

The William and Mary Devey was the next lifeboat to be stationed at Tenby, arriving in 1902 and remaining in service until 1923, when the first motor lifeboat arrived.

An interesting point that Tony highlighted during the talk was the number of services conducted by each lifeboat. The first three lifeboats at Tenby were launched on average about once a year.

The William and Mary Devey about twice a year. Today, despite the almost complete absence of commercial traffic, Tenby lifeboat makes about 15 to 20 launches a year. To this must be added about 50 launches a year by the inshore rescue boat.

Following the completion of the talk, Tony answered a number of questions from the floor.

Sue Baldwin, honorary librarian of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, thanked Tony for providing such a fascinating and well-researched talk.

Sue then introduced Neil Westerman, the newly-elected honorary curator of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, and outlined details of the next couple of talks at the museum.

On Saturday, March 29, Professor Tony Campbell will talk about Alfred Russell Wallace, an inspiration for Charles Darwin.

This will be followed on Friday, April 11, by Simon Hancock talking about Tenby in the Great War.

A full list of talks for the year can be obtained from the museum.