By the 1850s there were about 80 fishing boats in the village and small cargo vessels also called at the harbour such as the French schooner Rochellaise which ran aground near the entrance on 14 July 1857.

Two local boats went out to rescue the crew of five which resulted in the RNLI presenting silver medals to coastguard officer Henry Pomeroy and pilots Joseph Ley and William Clohe.

A boathouse (located at 50°15′41″N 4°47′10″W / 50.2614°N 4.7860°W / 50.2614; -4.7860) was built at Portmellon, a cove south of the main village, on land leased from The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.

[3][4][5] Two new piers were built at Mevagissey in the 1880s to create an outer harbour which gave more space for the local boats to be moored safely.

When it was time to replace the lifeboat it was decided to provide a bigger boat which could be moored in the harbour and so the boathouse at Portmellon was sold.