The first lifeboat station was built on New Quay town beach[1] in 1864[2] at a cost of £130 in response to a number of wrecks in the preceding years, including six in one night in the Royal Charter Storm of October 1859,[3] following which the Inspecting Commander of the Coastguard for the area had petitioned the RNLI for a lifeboat.

[6] New Quay's new lifeboat was Frank and Marion (ON 62), built by Forrest & Son of Limehouse, London, costing £374, a gift from Dr and Mrs Smart of Kent in 1886.

Frank and Marion was built along the same lines as Nelson but with improved ballast tanks and rowing conformation to provide greater power for less effort.

[11] In February 1946 William Cantrell Ashley was at sea for more than 24 hours in severe weather standing by the broken-down submarine HMS Universal and helping to rescue her crew.

[12] William Cantrell Ashley was the RNLI's last pulling and sailing lifeboat when she was retired in 1948 after 41 years' service.

[14] On her retirement, Bird's Eye went on display at the Seawatch Centre, Moelfre,[15] and New Quay took delivery of a Mersey-class All-weather lifeboat.

Winston Evans recalled that in his time most crew members were fishermen, but in later years came from many different walks of life.

[5] Audrey Lawson-Johnston, a survivor of the RMS Lusitania sinking in 1915, gifted a new D-class lifeboat in 2004, named Amy Lea after her mother.

[17] In the same month the two lifeboats were re-dedicated in a ceremony which included a fly-past and a slate plaque being presented to the station by local fundraisers Quay West Ladies.