LLANDUDNO lifeboat volunteers scattered flowers in the sea near Colwyn Bay pier in memory of a trailblazer and RNLI supporter. 

Dallas Bradshaw, who lived in Colwyn Bay, was described as a generous RNLI donor and an "extraordinary lady". She died at Fairhaven Residential Home in March. She was aged 81.

Dallas was born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. She moved to Port Alberni on Vancouver Island to work as a journalist between 1960 and 1964 when she left school.

She acquired a desire for a career at sea but an opportunity to work as a stewardess on a Norwegian ship fell through. She came to UK and saw an opportunity to train as a wireless operator. She moved to Colwyn Bay and enrolled at the Wireless College which was in operation there until the early 1970s.

Working part time to pay for her course, she qualified in 1968 as a marine radio officer following over two years of study. Obtaining a sea going position as a woman proved challenging, necessitating working in a hotel.

In 1970 she obtained a position with the Marconi Marine Company who were aware that a few companies, including the Denholm Shipping Company, had begun to accept female officers. Dallas was accepted by the Denholm Shipping Company and had the distinction of becoming the first ever fully qualified female radio officer to serve in the British Merchant Navy. Her appointment drew significant media attention at the time.

Dallas served on several Denholm ships but was made redundant in 1982 due to the significant general decline in British registered shipping. She then obtained a position on the British Antarctic Survey Vessel before coming ashore in 1984 where she undertook a variety of jobs in Colwyn Bay to earn a living before joining North Wales Police in 1990.

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The flowers were scattered on Monday evening (September 25); Llandudno’s relief all-weather lifeboat, John Metters, carried out the important task.

Captian Marcus Elliott, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Llandudno Lifeboat Station, himself served as a Merchant Navy officer with Denholm’s so Dallas’s name was familiar to him despite never working with her.

Capt Elliott said: “We were pleased to perform this brief but appropriate act during our training exercise, just a short distance from the location of the college where she trained, in memory of this generous and trail blazing lady."