Aberarth artist weaver Vicky Ellis has work on display at Aberaeron’s Gallery Gwyn.

Aberarth had a long history of ship building in the early 1800’s, and this exhibition of woven sails memorialises ships sunk along the Ceredigion coast in the 1800s.

Between 1855 to 1879 alone an unbelievable 49,322 shipwrecks were recorded in the UK, with a loss of life of 18,319. At the end of the 19th century about one out of every eight shipwrecks was around the Welsh coast.

Often, vessels were given names of their owner’s wives or ones that reflected sentiments of the time such as friendship, hope, vigilance, and harmony. The exhibition highlights the poignancy of the ship’s names and their fates. The ship called Friendship was the same one the Friendship pub in Borth was named after.

In March 1866, a ship called Rebecca was struggling in heavy waves and drifting rapidly towards rocks opposite the Castle Hotel, Aberystwyth (now the Old College). Unsuccessful attempts by men in boats were made to reach the ship, and those on board were desperate and afraid it was going to break up. Watkin Lewis, a young sailor and champion Aberystwyth swimmer dashed into the waves to reach a buoy that he then swam back to the shore with it, enabling the Rebecca to be pulled to safety and all nine people on board saved. The Rebecca was wrecked, but a collection was made for Watkins Lewis, and he was presented with a valuable watch for his bravery. Imagine how cold the sea would have been in March!

The exhibition is tribute to the stoicism and courage of a seafaring community, typical of many around the coast of Wales in the 1800s.

There will also be exhibits from the RNLI at Gallery Gwyn, Aberaeron from until Wednesday, 28, open Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm.