THE LIFE-BOAT. The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution.

VOL. XXXI. JUNE, 1939. No. 338.

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET Motor Life-boats, 145 :: Pulling & Life-boats, 17 LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Institution in 1824 to 15th June, 1939 66,237

The Duke of Kent's Presidential Address A Record Year. tragedies it does, and does at once. I AM sorry to say that we meet to-day From the day of the disaster at St. under the shadow of two disasters. Ives it pensioned the widows, children Just three months ago the motor life- and other dependent relatives of the boat at St. Ives went out in the middle seven men, as if those men had been of the night in a gale of exceptional sailors, soldiers or airmen killed in severity. She capsized, and was action. In the case of the men of washed up on the rocks with only one , it will do the same. man of her crew of eight alive. Many of us here to-day must feel that tragedy 3,500 Lives Saved—One Lost. almost as a personal loss, for Coxswain Such disasters remind us of the perils Cocking and four others of those seven which are always present round our men of St., Ives were with us on the coasts. When the St. Ives life-boat platform just a year ago to receive capsized it was just ten years since the medals for gallantry. disaster at Rye Harbour, which was the last major accident involving the A Second Disaster. loss of life to any of our life-boatmen. And now has come another disaster. During those ten years life-boats have Only last Saturday the motor life-boat been launched over 3,600 times. Over at Cullercoats, on the coast of North- 30,000 life-boatmen have been out in umberland, when she was out on exer- them, and they have rescued over 3,500 cise in a gale, capsized in the surf. lives. During that time only one life- There were ten men on board, and six boatman has lost his life, and his death of them lost their lives. Among the was not due to any accident to the life- six was Blakeney Booth, boat, but was an act of deliberate self- a naval officer who for six years had sacrifice. been the honorary secretary of the Those are remarkable figures. Year station. To the widows and children after year, four, five or six hundred lives and families of those brave men I offer are rescued, without a life being lost. the heart-felt sympathy of all who are Then disaster comes, and we remember here to-day, and of the whole life-boat with a shock that those dangers have service. been present all the time. It is the What the Institution can do to miti- triumphant success with which our gate the sorrow and suffering of such life-boats and their crews surmount THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

them again and again which makes it Three of them are Scottish—father, son easy for us to forget them. and grandson (Applause), three genera- tions who went out together to the res- A Year of Outstanding Achievement. cue. The other two are Irishmen, who Were it not for those two disasters went out in a leaking canoe to the help we should be very happy to-day in of bathers being carried out to sea. recalling a year of outstanding achieve- (Applause.) We are proud of our life- ment. Two years ago I was able to boatmen. (Hear, hear.) We are announce at this meeting that there equally proud of those others, like these had been more calls for the help of the five men, who, untrained and with such life-boats than ever before. I do not instruments as they find to hand, are think that any of us expected to see ready to go at once to the rescue. The that record broken, but the number of records of the Institution are full of launches in 1938 has easily surpassed such examples of courage and resource the number in 1936. It is a remark- in unexpected emergency from all parts able fact that the need for the life-boats of our coasts. (Applause.) is not diminishing, but increasing. We can honestly say that an efficient service Finance—An Appeal. is as important, if not more so, to-day I want now to say one word about than ever before in our history of 115 finance. Last year was the busiest years. we have ever had in the building yards. Last year the Institution gave re- Thirty-seven motor life-boats were wards for the rescue of 673 lives. That under construction. As a result more is a figure of which we must all feel money was spent by the Institution very proud. And in these times of than in any other year. I am glad to international anxiety I am sure, we can say we also raised more money than be particularly glad that the life-boat ever before, but nevertheless our ex- service has gone to the assistance of penditure exceeded our income by a the shipwrecked of all nations. Of very considerable sum. This is not as those 673 lives, 124 were from foreign it should be, because it curtails very vessels. severely our activities. Gallantry on all Coasts. The life-boat service is one which It is hard for us sitting in this hall should not have to consider whether it to realise how much lies behind that can afford to undertake this or that simple statement " 673 lives rescued ". alteration. It is a service devoted to But presently we shall see some of the the saving of human lives, and I know life-boatmen themselves. There are you will agree with me that it should over forty with us this afternoon, the be carried on entirely unfettered. I largest number that has ever come to am not advocating extravagant ex- this meeting. They have come from penditure, er thoughtless waste—far all parts of our coast, from , from it—but I feel most strongly that Scotland, Ireland and Wales. They we should never have to weigh the sav- are all men who have been given special ing of a life against our financial ability awards for outstanding services. There to fulfil our purpose. (Hear, hear.) will be several among them who have Only when the whole cost of the service been here before, and I should specially in one year has been fully met by the like to welcome Coxswain William contributions of that year can we say Mogridge of Torbay. (Great applause.) that our purpose is achieved. Twice already I have presented medals to him, and he is here to-day to receive The Help of Mayors. yet a third award for gallantry. (Re- In that endeavour I am sure that we newed applause.) shall have the support of the heads of all our towns. The mayors and mayor- Shore-boat Rescues. esses of nearly fifty boroughs are sitting Besides these men of our life-boat on this platform with me. They have crews, we have with us five other men come from all parts of Great Britain, to whom the Institution has awarded from St. Ives in to Nairn in medals or vellums. To them also I the north of Scotland. I know that want to give a very cordial welcome. they, as well as our many other generous JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 75 supporters, will spare no effort to bring Life-boat Institution will continue to success to our endeavours. (Applause.) nourish. I shall take with me to Australia Very Happy Memories. very happy memories of these meetings, For four years I have presided at and of the gallant men that I have met these meetings. In a few months I in this hall. I shall look forward to shall be going to other duties overseas. presiding here again when I return. During my absence the Duke of Port- (Applause.) Meanwhile, you may all land, who for fifty years has been a be sure that, while I am away, my warm vice-president of the Institution, lias interest and best wishes will always be kindly promised to take my place with the life-boat service in its work and act as President. I know that round the shores of this country. in his hands the Royal National (Great applause.)

Cullercoats Disaster. Six Lives lost in a Capsize on a Practice Launch. JUST after two in the afternoon of 22nd Tynemouth Pier, where there was a April, the Cullercoats motor life-boat very nasty sea, aggravated by the Richard Silver Oliver was launched on backwash from the pier and the rocks. exercise. She is a boat of the light Here the life-boat, turning inshore, Liverpool type, 35 feet 6 inches by made for Cullercoats again, with the 10 feet 3 inches, weighing seven tons wind on her starboard beam. There with her crew and gear on board, with was a heavy sea breaking and the life- one screw, driven by a 35 h.p. engine. boat was so close in shore that the She went to Cullercoats in 1937. coastguard believed that she was On board her were: closing to make a signal. It seems Lieut.-Commander Lionel Edward probable however that the honorary Robin Blakeney-Booth, R.N., honorary secretary and the coxswain, pleased secretary of the station. with the behaviour of the life-boat, and Kenneth Leslie Biggar, aged 16, the certain that she would weather any stepson of Commander Blakeney- seas, were deliberately putting her Booth and a naval cadet. through the very heavy breaking water off Sharpness Point as a final test Coxswain George Brunton. before they came in. Second-Coxswain John Redford Arm- strong. " Stand by Lads." The motor mechanic, John Leonard She was going at full speed about Abel. 300 yards from the shore, and was The assistant motor mechanic, John just off Sharpness Point, with the seas Heddon Scott. abeam, when the coxswain called out: The bowman, Jacob Chisholm "Stand by lads." An enormous sea Brunton. had reared up. The coxswain put the John William Smith, the Institu- helm hard over, but before it could tion's district engineer. bring the life-boat on, the sea had struck her on the beam and Andrew Oliver Tweedy, life-boatman. broken the full length of the boat. James Gilbert Carmichael, life-boat- She was thrown right over and drifted man. towards the shore. It was then just A moderate north-easterly gale was after three o'clock. blowing, with a rough sea, and a spring Of the ten men on board, all of flood was running. whom "were wearing their life-belts, The life-boat went northwards until only four came ashore alive. The she was off St. Mary's Island. She then bowman, J. Brunton, was thrown returned towards Cullercoats, running clear and struggled ashore almost before the wind with her drogue out. unconscious. J. W. Smith, the district She passed Cullercoats and made for engineer, and the two 'life-boatmen, THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

Andrew Tweedy and James Car- The Inquest. michael, were all under the life-boat. At the inquest, which was held on Smith struck out, and came to the 4th May, the survivors, except the surface some five yards to leeward. bowman, Jacob Brunton, who was still He struggled towards the stern of the in hospital, gave evidence. They were boat, climbed up over the propeller agreed that right through the exercise and tunnel and clung to her bottom. the life-boat had behaved well, and He was washed off; regained his hold; that the sea which capsized her was of was washed off a second time; made exceptional size, a sea to which no for the shore; and knew no more until life-boat, of whatever size, could have he found himself in the infirmary. stood up if it took her abeam. Tweedy was under the life-boat, The survivors, and eyewitnesses with ropes round his legs. They ashore thought that the life-boat when dragged him down, but he kicked his she capsized, was dangerously close to legs free, came to the surface alongside the shore; but both the coxswain and the boat, hauled himself aboard and honorary secretary were excellent sea- clung there until she was washed men, men of long experience. In ashore. taking her where they did they must Carmichael was also under the boat. have been satisfied that she could He came up alongside; seized hold of safely meet the breaking seas. The two scupper holes; and with a hand only explanation of the disaster—based from Tweedy climbed on to the boat on the evidence of the survivors—is and came ashore with her. that the life-boat was caught by a combination of several seas, which The bowman, Jacob Brunton, came built themselves up into a single sea of up to find himself ten feet to the exceptional size so suddenly that the weather side. He could see Tweedy, coxswain had no time to luff up to Carmichael and Smith on the bottom meet it. of the boat, but she swung away from Sharpness Point is normally a him. He took off his oilskins and dangerous place. In addition to the boots and swam for the beach in King seas breaking over the point there is a Edward's Bay. He touched bottom strong tide-rip and a confused back- and was then hit by a heavy sea, He wash from the rocks and from Tyne- was brought ashore unconscious. mouth Pier. Even then in the weather on that day, which was not out of the Rescues from the Shore. ordinary, there was nothing to make The capsize was seen at once from the place exceptionally dangerous for the shore. Police and ambulances the life-boat. With the building up were hurried down, and the police of that big wave, so near to her that rang up all the doctors in Tynemouth there was no time to meet it head on, and the Tynemouth life-boat station. she was caught by a sudden combina- The Tynemouth life-boat was launched tion of circumstances which, with the at 3.15 and ten minutes later was off weather as it was on that day, would Sharpness Point. She cruised round seldom occur to a boat going through for half an hour, but meanwhile police the surf by Sharpness Point. and others had rescued the four The verdict of the inquest was: survivors, wading or swimming "Accidentally drowned by the cap- through the surf towards the life-boat sizing of the life-boat." as she drifted in to King Edward's Bay, dragging the men ashore, giving them Institution's Action. artificial respiration, and getting them Immediately the news of the disaster to the ambulances. reached headquarters, Commander The life-boat came ashore in the bay, P. E. Vaux, D.S.C., R.N., the chief and the six bodies were all washed inspector of life-boats, Colonel A. D. ashore in the bay or on the rocks to Burnett Brown, M.C., T.D., the deputy the south of it. It was then not quite secretary, with the inspector of 3.30, less than half an hour after the machinery and a surveyor of life-boats life-boat had capsized. left for Cullercoats. They arrived JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 77 there next morning and were joined by The Funerals. Commander G. R. Cousins, D.S.C., It was the wish of the relatives that R.N., the district inspector of life-boats. there should be no joint funeral or The life-boat was examined where she memorial service, and that the separate lay in the sand in King Edward's Bay, funerals should be private. These at high water mark. She had already funerals were held on 25th April, three been got on an even . She was not days after the disaster, and were much damaged. There was too much attended by the representatives of the sea running that day to attempt to get Institution. her back to her station, but on the next day, 24th April, she was cleared of Awards. sand and taken down the shore over skids. were laid out and at To those who helped from the shore flood-tide she returned to her station. the Institution has made the following It had been intended that the Tyne- awards: mouth motor life-boat should tow her, To JAMES W. CARSS. and JOHN F. but her engine was undamaged, and MILLIONS, Constables in the County she returned under her own power Borough of Tynemouth Police Force, with the Tynemouth life-boat standing and to MB. J. J. INGLEDEW, of Newcastle- by. on-Tyne, for their gallantry in swim- Meanwhile the chief inspector and ming or wading out, helping two of the deputy-secretary had been to see the survivors, and rescuing several of the four survivors, three of whom were in bodies, inscribed silver watches and hospital. They had visited the families framed letters of thanks. of the men who had lost their lives, Letters of thanks were sent to : MR. and had arranged for the immediate C. E. TODD, honorary secretary of the payment of pensions to these families, Tynemouth Life-boat Station; and of weekly allowances to survivors, THE OFFICER COMMANDING TYNE so that there might not be, even FIRE COMMAND, making reference to temporarily, any financial distress. GUNNERS C. H. BOXER, T. E. COOK, Pensions and Compensation. G. RYMER, and PRIVATE WHELAN, R.A.M.C.; There are three widows, and five children under sixteen; and as from THE BOARD OF TRADE, thanking the the day of the disaster they are re- DIVISIONAL INSPECTOR OF COAST- ceiving pensions and allowances as if GUARD and all coastguards at the the men had been sailors, soldiers, or Tynemouth station; airmen killed in action. The Institu- THE CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THE tion has also paid all funeral expenses. COUNTY BOROUGH OF TYNEMOUTH To survivors it made allowances, POLICE FORCE thanking ACTING IN- while in hospital, equal to their weekly SPECTOR SCOTT, POLICE CONSTABLES earnings, and has given them compen- BELL, PURDUE, ROBINSON and LINK- sation for loss of clothes and money LATER, and DRIVER G. THOMPSON; for medical comforts.' DR. GRAHAM, DR. . STONIER, DR. WEIDNER, DR. DOUGLAS MARTIN, The Mayor's Fund. DR. PHILLIPS, MRS. McCoNNEL, J.P.. The Mayor of Tynemouth at once MRS. CARRUTHERS, MRS. BERTORELLI, opened a fund to supplement the MR. JOHN SMITH, and MR. FRANK pensions and allowances of the Insti- CROSSLAND, all of whom helped in the tution, and that fund now amounts to rescue or in reviving and caring for over £1,100. the rescued.

Gifts of Biscuits and Chocolates. THE Institution has received gifts of from Messrs. Rowntree, Cadbury and biscuits from Messrs. Peek Frean, Fry. Huntley & Palmer, McVitie & Price These are the emergency rations and W. &. R. Jacob, and of chocolate carried by all life-boats. B 78 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

The Light Type of Motor Life-boat.

Problems of the Three Capsizes. x By LiEUT.-CoMMANDER P. E. VAUX, D.S.C., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats. THEEE motor life-boats have capsized for launching off a carriage on the in the space of fifteen months. In each open beach. capsize lives were lost. It is inevitable that these three The St. Ives life-boat capsized on capsizes, coming within little more 31st January, 1938. She had rescued than a year, should cause fears about 23 men from a steamer which had this light type of life-boat; but to see stranded in a heavy surf. She was these three disasters in proportion, we caught broadside on by a breaking sea must take them with the record of at that moment of great danger when the type. she had drawn clear of the wreck and Including the three life-boats which was fully exposed to the seas, before capsized, there have been on the coast her coxswain had had time to bring forty-three of these light boats, twenty- her head on to them. She righted two of them self-righters and twenty- herself at once and all her crew got one Liverpool boats. They have been aboard her again. Of the 23 rescued launched on service 439 times, and men, 18 were rescued for the second they have rescued 357 lives. That is time, but five were drowned. an impressive record. The boats which capsized were of a Two Capsizes this Year. type proved in every sort of weather Then, on 23rd January of this year, on hundreds of services. At the same the St. Ives life-boat (another boat of time, it is true that if we could alter the same type as the first) capsized. the coasts of the , so that This time it was in deep water. She at every life-boat station we could sheered as she came down the side of have deep water close inshore and a big sea, and the next sea turned her could launch the life-boat down a over. She righted herself at once, her slipway at all states of the tide, we engine was undamaged, but her pro- should have only the heavy types, peller was fouled. Because of that her crew could not get her under boats like the Watson cabin type, control again. She capsized three weighing twenty tons, with a draft of times and righted herself each time, 50 inches. Since, however, we cannot but at each capsize some of her crew alter our coasts the shallow draft type, were lost. In the end she was washed which is light enough to be launched ashore with only one man alive of off a carriage or skids into the sea, the eight who had been on board. irrespective of the state of the tide, is The third capsize was on 22nd April essential. Without it large parts of of this year. The Cullercoats life-boat the coast would be unprotected. was completing an exercise launch in a The Problem of Weight and Draft. moderate gale, with a heavy sea. The Weight and draft are the great coxswain had brought her close in- problems. The most difficult task shore to test her. She was caught which the Institution has had since, broadside on by an, exceptional sea— motor power was first used early in two or three seas meeting and suddenly the century has been to design a type piling up into one—and the coxswain of life-boat which, even with the had no time to luff up to meet it. Of weight of an engine on board, would the ten men on board, six lost their still be light enough to handle on our lives. flat beaches and still of sufficiently The two St. Ives boats were self- shallow draft to enable her to be righting; the Cullercoats was a Liver- launched.off those beaches, and which pool boat, which does not self-right; would, at the same time, still be strong but all three were of the light, shallow enough to stand the knocks which a draft type, weighing, with crew and life-boat must get. The Institution was gear on board, about seven tons, and experimenting for nine years with that with a draft aft of 28 inches, built problem. Until those experiments JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 79 were completed it was impossible to of the light shallow draft type. The use motor power at a large number of first is the choice between single stations. screw and twin screw. The second is The light type is essential. We the choice between the self- righting cannot do without it, but can we type and the type which will not right improve it? Certainly we can. There herself, but which is less likely to is no finality in boat design, and our capsize. consulting naval architect and our " On the face of it, it would seem technical officers are working hard on that two engines and twin screws must the problem of improving the stability be twice as good as one; but this is and general characteristics of the not so. In return for the greater various types of life-boat. They are security which two engines and twin never satisfied. No one can claim to screws give, other things have to be have reached perfection. The sea sacrificed. The single engine, single does not alter. Man has not conquered screw boat is not only lighter by nearly nature. To save life it is necessary to half a ton, but the weight is more risk life. central and lower. The single screw being in the centre line of the boat, and A Balance of Qualities. therefore lower, gets a better grip of The life-boat is a wonderful thing, the water when the boat is rolling but like any other type of craft it is a heavily. The single screw makes compromise. steering and manoeuvring easier. The Every type has some special quality. single screw needs only one tunnel. The Thames barge, for example, is With two tunnels the boat has broader designed to take the maximum cargo; quarters and offers a little more to work in shallow water; to stay up- surface to following seas so that she right if aground. Hence, she has lee- is a little more liable to broach to. boards and is hard chined. The sailing trawler has a low free-board for the Twin Screw Instead of Single Screw. easy working of her fishing gear. The For those reasons the Institution has, racing yacht has a big keel to enable up to the present, built these light her to carry plenty of sail. boats with a single screw, but every It is the same with all the different boat has carried a centre-board and types of craft. Each is designed for some a full set of sails so that, in the event special purpose. And of all craft the of any failure of engine or screw, life-boat is the most difficult to design, she could be got under sail. In for her business is to go deliberately, and theory that is sound; in practice in the worst of weather, to positions there may be great difficulties. It was which the seaman, with the best aids of so in the case of the St. Ives life-boat navigation, spends his life afloat in last January. Four men were lost at endeavouring to avoid like the plague. the first capsize. When the life-boat The life-boat must be strong enough righted herself, with her propeller to bump on an outlying shoal. ' She fouled, the four still on board found it must be able to work in broken water beyond their power to step the mast. on a lee shore. She may actually If we strike a balance of qualities, it is have to land on the deck of a ship- probably better to make these sacrifices wrecked vessel, when there is no other I have mentioned in order to have a way of taking off the crew. Her second engine, if one should fail, and a requirements, therefore, are legion, and second screw, if one should be fouled. for every quality added something has For the future these light motor life- to be sacrificed, a price has to be paid. boats for launching off the beach will The best we can achieve is that be built with two engines and twin balance of qualities best suited to all screws. the circumstances in which the life-boat Of the three motor life-boats which will have to work and the weather capsized two were self-righting and which she is most likely to have to face. one was a non-self-righter. If all three Bearing in mind those facts, there had been self-righting it would have are two important matters of policy to been asked at once why we did not be considered for the improvement abandon the self-righting type, just 80 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. as after the capsize ten years ago of time there have been many more self- the Rye Harbour pulling and sailing righters than non-self-righters in the life-boat, which was a non-self-righter, fleet. it was asked why were not all life-boats What is. interesting is the number self-righting. But the arguments for of lives lost in relation to the number and against the two types remain of capsizes. On four occasions self- just the same. righting life-boats capsized, but did The self-righting life-boat has the not right themselves, and they lost 53 big advantage that she rights herself if lives. In using the figures to compare she capsizes. But to get this quality the two types of boat it is fair to leave she differs from the non-self-righting out those four cases in which the self- type in having more freeboard and righters 'were not self-righteis. We get, higher endboxes at bow and stern. then, these figures. In 86 capsizes of That is to say she has the disadvantage self-righters 103 lives were lost. That of exposing a greater surface to wind is little more than one life lost in each and seas. Also her beam is less than capsize. In 10 capsizes of non-self- that of the non-self-righting type, and righters, 72 lives were lost. That is the result is that she is not quite so over seven lives in each capsize. stable. The non-self-righting type, Moreover, of those 86 capsizes of self- being lower in the water, having a righters, 50 were without any loss of broader beam and having low endboxes, life. is easier to handle and is a stiffer boat. But once she has capsized she remains Steady Improvement. bottom up. The choice between the two is largely For the first thirty years of the a matter of personal preference. At the Institution's history there were no same time the Institution is steadily self-righting life-boats. For the next improving the self-righting type and forty years they were nearly all self- getting rid of those points in its design righters. Then, in 1886, the disaster which make it inferior to the non-self- at Southport, when the self-righting righting. The first of the modern light life-boat capsized and did not self- self-righting motor lifeboats, after the right, led to the whole question being building and testing of two experimental re-examined.* Since then the policy boats, was completed in 1929. She was of the Institution has been to abandon 35 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 10 inches. As the self-righting principle in the case new boats of the type have been built of the larger types of life-boat, but we have increased the beam, first to to use it, though not exclusively, in 9 feet 3 inches, and then to 9 feet the case of the smaller types. To-day, 6 inches. It will now be 9 feet 10 of the 162 life,-boats in our fleet, 125 inches, only 5 inches less than the beam are non-self-righting and 37 are self- of the non-self-righter. righting. The free board of the deck has been reduced to the same as The Record of Capsizes. in the non-self-righting type. The Since 1852 the Institution has kept height of the endboxes has been complete records of capsizes. During reduced by a foot. They still remain those eighty-seven years, up to and 3 inches higher at the bow and 7 inches including the two capsizes this year, at the stern than the non-self-righters. there have been 90 capsizes of self- To compensate for this loss of buoyancy righting life-boats with a loss of 156 above it will be necessary to have lives. There have been 10 capsizes of increased weight below in order to non-self-righting life-boats with a loss provide greater leverage to turn the of 72 lives. No argument can be based boat over again when she has capsized. on the fact that there have been nine We are proposing to use water-ballast, times as many capsizes of self-righters which is extra weight to the keel, as of non-self-righters, for the reason added after the boat is afloat. It has that during the greater part of that long been used successfully in pulling and sailing life-boats. A self-righting * The St. Annes life-boat, also a self-righter, capsized boat with these improvements was in the same service but what happened to her was never known for all her crew were drowned. laid down last year. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 81

In this way we hope in the end to problem better than by quoting what have a light life-boat which will self- • Coxswain Henry Blogg, of Cromer— right if capsized but will not be more than whom no man has a greater liable to capsize than the non-self- experience or a finer record of life- righter. saving—said after the Cullercoats disaster: The Risk Always There. "I have been a seaman all my life, But the risk of capsizing is always and forty-five years of it have been there. None of our heavy types has spent as a life-boatman. From that capsized, but that is not to say that experience I say it is impossible to they could not be capsized. It cannot guarantee any boat against disaster. be said of any boat, nor indeed of any I have been lucky—never been in a vessel, that in no circumstances could disaster to a boat myself. One of our she be capsized. The risk is always Cromer life-boats is the non-self- there; and it is necessarily greater in righting Liverpool type, the same type the types of life-boat which must not as the Cullercoats one that capsized. only be light but of shallow draft, in The St. Ives boat was a self-righter. order to be launched off a carriage. That capsized, too. So what can you All that we can do—and it is being say? It does not matter what the done—is to get such a balance of type of boat is, you cannot insure qualities in these boats as will make against accidents. All depends on the that risk as small as possible. force of the storm and the judgment I do not think that I can sum up the of the crew."

A Bronze Medal Service at Blyth. ABOUT five in the evening of 23rd on her cable ; and this, and the December, 1938, the coastguard rang belting round her sides, made it very up the life-boat station at Blyth, dangerous for the life-boat to get Northumberland, to report a ship, alongside her in the darkness and the firing rockets and blowing her whistle, heavy seas. But the life-boat did it about three miles east of Newbiggin —and two of the six men on board the Point. At 5.15 the motor life-boat steamer jumped into her. A third man Joseph Adlam was launched. A strong jumped, missed the life-boat, and fell north-easterly wind was blowing, with into the sea. He fell between steamer very heavy seas. She reached the ship and life-boat, and the life-boatmen about six o'clock and found her to be who leant overboard to seize him were the steamer Skarv, of Sunderland, with in great danger of being crushed six men on board. Her boilers had between the two, but they were able given out, and her master asked for a to drag him safely aboard. tug. Just afterwards the life-boat sheered The Newbiggin motor life-boat A ugus- towards the steamer, and came right tus and Laura had also been called out, under her counter. Before she could get and arrived about the same time. One clear the counter crashed down on her, of the Blyth tugs had also gone out, split the , and broke the rudder but, in the heavy seas, she could not yoke. The emergency was shipped, get close enough for the life-boats to be but it was impossible for the coxswain to able to pass a tow-rope from her to the get the life-boat properly under control. Skarv. The tug returned to Blyth, and Nevertheless, he tried several times to the Skarv let go one of her anchors. get alongside again and rescue the The cable parted, and she drove before remaining three men. The life-boat the wind and sea into Cambois Bay. was filling with green seas. There was She let go a second , but she still danger of her crew being washed over- dragged towards the shore. board. The coxswain had to give up The Blyth life-boat then closed to the attempt. take the men off. The seas were very While this had been going on the big, and she was severely [buffeted. Newbiggin life-boat had returned to The steamer was jerking violently her station, and had tried, but without 82 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. success, to get tugs to go out, in the case the life-boat should be wanted hope that the steamer might be saved again. It was still going on, and the from driving on to the beach. crew were still standing by, when, at Before leaving the Skarv the Blyth 3.30 next morning, the news came that coxswain burnt a red flare, the signal the three remaining men had been "More aid required." It was now after rescued. 10 o'clock, five hours since the life-boats In recognition of the courageous and had first put out. At 10.18 Newbiggin determined efforts of the Blyth cox- set out for the second time. At 10.45 swain and crew, the Institution made she approached the Skarv, The steamer the following awards: was now very close inshore, in heavy To COXSWAIN JOSIAH WHEATLEY, broken water. The life-boat made the bronze medal for gallantry, accom- several attempts, but could not get near panied by a copy of the vote inscribed her. on vellum; The Board of Trade life-saving rocket To each of the eight members of the appliances from Blyth were now trying crew, a framed letter of thanks; to fire lines over the steamer from the To the coxswain and each member shore, and in the early hours of the of the crew a reward of £2 in addition next morning succeeded in rescuing to the ordinary scale reward of £2 7s. 6d. the three men still on board her. Standard rewards, £19; additional re- Meanwhile the Blyth crew had been wards, £18; total rewards, £38 10s. standing by on shore. They had landed To Newbiggin, a reward on the the three rescued men at eleven o'clock, ordinary scale of £3 15s. a man; and the work of repair was begun in total rewards, £27 4s.

Life-boatmen in London. THIRTY-EIGHT life-boatmen, from House, on the morning of the day of English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh the meeting, and were then taken for stations were invited to attend the a two-hour tour of London in motor annual meeting in London, on 26th coaches. They saw the Tower, the Old April, to receive medals and vellums Bailey, St. Paul's, the Victoria Embank- awarded to them for gallantry during ment, Westminster Abbey, the Houses the previous year. This is the largest of Parliament, the Kensington Museums, number that has ever attended the Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. meeting. It included three crews, those from New Brighton, Torbay and Visit to the House of Commons. Galway Bay, and Mr. William Freeman, After the meeting the Torbay crew the survivor of the disaster at St. Ives visited the House of Commons for tea on 23rd January. with Mr. A. C. Reed, M.P. for Exeter, The Institution also invited to the and a member of the committee of meeting five men (three Scottish and management of the Institution, and two Irish), who had been awarded a Mr. Charles Williams, M.P. for medal and vellums for gallantry in Torquay. Mrs. Lisle, with her husband rescuing life with shore-boats; and and daughter, were taken to the House among the honorary workers who were by Major Sir Alexander Russell, M.P. for presented with gold badges for distin- Tynemouth, and Coxswain George Milne, guished services was Mrs. Tom Lisle, of Gourdon, by Mr. C. N. Thornton- one of the band of fisherwives of Culler- Kemsley, M.P. for Kincardine and the coats who have carried out a life-boat West Division of Aberdeenshire. collection every summer for seventeen In the evening the whole party went years, and in that time have collected to the Coliseum, half of them being the over £2,423. guests of Sir Oswald Stoll and the The life-boatmen, the shore-boat others of the Institution. rescuers, and Mrs. Lisle, were photo- As soon as the men returned home graphed and filmed outside Life-boat other presentations were made. At JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 83

LIFE-BOATMEN IN LONDON.

By courtesy of] [Fox Photos THE DUKE OF KENT AND MRS. TOM LISLE, OF CULLERCOATS.

By courtesy of] [Topical Press Agency MRS. TOM LISLE AND MR. WILLIAM FREEMAN, OF ST. WES. (See opposite page )

JUNE, 1939.1 THE LIFE-BOAT. 85

LIFE-BOATMEN IN LONDON.

By courtesy of 1 [Fot Photos THE GALWAY BAY CREW

By courtesy of] [Topical Press Agency A WELSH COXSWAIN AND HIS MOTOR MECHANIC. Coxswain Richard Jones, of Holyhead. with Motor Mechanic Gilbert E. Barrs, now at New Brighton, (See pages 82 on/99.) B« 86 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1989.

Nairn, Mr. George Ralph, Mr. George sented a mat, in the design and colours Ralph, junior, his son, and Mr. of the Institution's house-flag, to George Ralph Grenier, his grandson, Coxswain William Mogridge. who had received a bronze medal The mat was a gift to the Institution and vellums from the Institution, for from Mr. R. C. Roberts, of Oldham, and the rescue of three Russian sailors in the Sudan Government's dockyard at January, 1937, were presented by the Khartoum. It was made by him on Burgh of Nairn with a clock, and board a steamer on the White Nile. watches respectively. The presenta- Mr. Roberts has made several cushions tions were made by the Provost, sup- in the style of the Sudanese leather- port ed by the Earl Cawdor, president of work for presentation to the coxswains the Nairn branch of the Institution. who had carried out the finest service At the Brixham Yacht Club, Sir of the year.* The mat was given for Harold Clayton, chairman of the Torbay the same purpose, and Coxswain branch of the Institution, took the Mogridge was chosen to receive it, chair at a special meeting, supported by since he was one of three coxswains to Mr. C. R. Edwards, chairman of the win the silver medal in 1938 and had Brixham Council, and Mrs. Hay Mathey, already won the bronze medal and a president of the Torbay Ladies' Life- second-service clasp to it. boat Guild, and Lady Clayton pre- * See The Life-boat for June, 1936.

Five Life-boat Broadcasts. THE British Broadcasting Corporation "Will ye buy?" from the song "The took the opportunity of the visit of Cullercoats Fish Lass." life-boatmen to London for the annual Next day, Mrs. Lisle was in the meeting to put the life-boat service on television programme, and again talked the air. There were four broadcasts of her work and sang. that week, and a fifth three weeks later. On the 29th April, Coxswain J. R. On 26th April, the dav of the annual Nicholson, of New Brighton, broadcast meeting, in "The World Goes By," in "In Town To-night," in the national in the national programme, in which programme. He gave an account of people in the news are brought the service to the Progress and the Lech to the microphone, Mr. William Ranza Castle, in the great gale of 23rd Freeman, the only survivor of the St. November, 1938, for which as second Ives crew, gave an account of the cap- coxswain, he had received the bronze sizing and wreck of the life-boat on medal at the annual meeting. 23rd January last. It was described Then, on 18th May, Coxswain Sidney by an official of the B.B.C. as one of H. B. Page, of Southend-on-Sea, one of the most moving talks that had ever the medallists at the annual meeting, been given. returned to London and took part in Mrs. Tom Lisle, who was no stranger "The Picture Page," in the television to broadcasting, spoke on the air in programme, in full life-boatman's dress, the morning of the same day, in the telling the story of his two services in overseas and regional programmes, in 1938—one on 2nd June, to the yacht the feature called "At the Black Dog," Wimpie and the barges Glenrosa and in which Mr. Wilkes is at home in his Audrey, and the other on 26th Novem- own bar parlour. She talked of her ber, to the barges T.F.C., Glenmore and work as she goes on her round selling Lord Roberts, for which he won the fish, and of her collecting for the life- bronze medal and the second-service boat service; and she sang the chorus clasp to it.

1,080 Halfpennies. THE Institution has received from a London man a gift of a collection of 1,080 halfpennies. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 87

Services of the Life-boats. Reported to the February and March Meetings of the Committee of Management. Launches 65. Lives rescued 43. Februar- eeting. motor life-boat Civil Service No. 5 put Rossi "--• „ Co. Wexford.—On out at 1 P.M. She found the Laura about the 20th ^ uoer, 1938, the crew of three miles to the south, and escorted four of the motor schooner M. E. her back to harbour. The motor fishing Johnson, of Dublin, were rescued, and boat Prospector, of Bally waiter, was then from the 21st to 23rd December, the seen. She seemed to be in difficulties life-boat rendered salvage services to and she, too. was escorted in. The life- the vessel: Rewards : Thanks of the boat returned to her station at 2.15 P.M. Institution inscribed on vellum, letters —Rewards, £6 17s. of thanks and monetary awards amounting to £18 2*. 6d., also Property Thurso, Caithness-shire. Four seine Salvage Case. (A full account ap- net fishing boats—Streamlet, Lea Rig, peared in the last issue of The Life-boat.) Fisherboy, and Crest—were overtaken by a sudden N.N.W. gale, with a heavy Clacton-on-Sea, and Walton and Frinton, sea, when fishing about eighteen miles Essex.—At about 4.38 P.M. on the 7th west of Thurso on the 9th January, January, 1939, the Clacton coastguard 1939. The motor life-boat H.C.J. was telephoned that a barge off Holland launched at 3.25 P.M., with the second Sluice appeared to be in difficulties. coxswain in charge, and met the boats Soon afterwards they reported that she coming home. Against the heavy sea was burning flares for help, and the and strong ebb tide the fishing boats Clacton motor life-boat Edward Z. made but slow progress. The life-boat Dresden was launched at 5 P.M. A escorted them until they reached moderate south breeze was blowing, Scrabster Harbour at 6.30 P.M.—Re- with a moderate sea, and the weather wards, £11 3*. was overcast, with fog and rain. The life-boat reached the barge abreast of Sunderland, Co. Durham.—At about Frinton. She was the Louise, of 5.30 P.M. on the llth January, 1939, a Rochester, with two men on board, message was received from the South bound from London to Ipswich with a Docks that a vessel close to the shore cargo of cotton seed. She had lost both was burning red flares. A N.N.E. gale anchors, her steering-gear had broken was blowing, with a heavy sea and snow down, and she was unmanageable. The showers. The motor life-boat Edward Clacton life-boat was unable to get her and Isabella Irwin was launched at to a safe anchorage without help, and 6 P.M. and about three miles east of so signalled for the Walton motor Ryhope came up with the 2,700-ton life-boat E.M.E.D., which put out at Greek steamer George J. Goulandris, of 6.50 P.M. Between them the life-boats Andros. She had then got out of towed the Louise to Harwich. The immediate danger, and wanted a pilot Walton life-boat returned to her station to take her into the Wear. The life- at 11.40 P.M., and the Clacton boat to boat guided her to the harbour entrance hers at 1 A.M.—-Property Salvage Cases. where a pilot was waiting, and returned to her station at 8.30 P.M. Owing to Donaghadee, Co. Down.—Early in the the state of the sea she could not be afternoon of the 9th January, 1939, a rehoused until next day.—Rewards, man reported that his son and two other £17 9*. 6d. men who had gone out in the motor fishing boat Laura to shoot cod lines Torbay, Devon.—At 6.55 P.M. on the had not returned when expected. 16th January, 1939, it was reported Strong squalls were blowing from the that the open motor fishing boat Prince, west, and the sea was choppy. The of Torquay, with three men on board, 88 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. was overdue on a trip from Torquay to blowing, with a strong sea and a dense Brixham, and that owing to the poor fog. These conditions made it dan- condition of her engine anxiety was gerous for the boats to enter the har- felt for her safety. A moderate south- bour, and the No. 1 motor life-boat west gale was blowing, with a rough Mary Ann Heptvorth was launched at sea. The motor life-boat George Shee 2.45 P.M. to help them in. She made was launched at 7.10 P.M., and helped three trips in different directions be- by the searchlight of a sheltering fore she had found and escorted them steamer very quickly found the Prince all into harbour. She returned to in the middle of Tor Bay. Her crew her station at 5.45 P.M.—Rewards, were morsing a distress signal. The £11 19s. 9d. life-boat towed her to the inner harbour at Brixham, and returned to her Humber, Yorkshire.—At about 11.30 station at 7.40 P.M. A letter of thanks P.M. on the 20th January, 1939, the life- was received from the skipper—Re- boat watchman reported a vessel ashore wards, £16 7s. on the Middle Binks. She was the motor vessel Peterborough Trader, of Angle, Pembrokeshire.—At 3.50 P.M. Wisbech, bound for the Humber. A on the 17th January, 1939, the St. light, variable, breeze was blowing, with Ann's Head coastguard reported that a a nasty ground sea, and the weather was French schooner was in distress two misty. The motor life-boat City of miles south of the Head. She was the Bradford II was launched at 11.50 P.M., Eglantine, of Treguier, bound laden and found the Peterborough Trader from Cardiff for France. A strong bumping hard on the bottom. She south wind was blowing, with a rough stood by her until she refloated on the sea, and the weather was thick. The rising tide and went on her way. The motor life-boat Elizabeth Elson put out life-boat then made for her station, at 4 P.M. and came up with the Eglan- arriving at 3.15 A.M.—Permanent paid tine off Thorn Buoy. Her cargo had crew: Rewards, 18s. shifted and her had been blown away. The life-boat escorted Penlee, Cornwall.—Early in the her to a safe anchorage off Milford, and morning of the 21st January, 1939, the returned to her station at 7 P.M.— Belgian trawler Paul Therese, of Ostend, Rewards, £11 14*. 3d. broke from her moorings in Harbour and drifted out to sea. Her Courdon, Kincardineshire.—At about crew of six were asleep and uncon- 3.30 P.M., on the 19th January, 1939, a scious of their danger. A south- report was received from Johnshaven westerly gale was blowing, with a rough that the local fishing boats Isa Simpson sea, and the weather was thick. The and Sunbeam were at sea, and that news was received from the coastguard, owing to the bad weather they were and the motor life-boat W and S was making for Gourdon instead of their launched at 4.35 A.M. She found the own harbour. A strong S.E. breeze trawler near the rocks between Pen- was blowing, with a heavy surf, and the zance and St. Michael's Mount and one weather was very thick. The motor of the life-boat crew boarded her. He life-boat Margaret Dawson was launched roused her crew and the life-boat towed at 4 P.M., and met the fishing boats off her out of danger. Her crew then got Gourdon. Their skippers decided, after the engine going and she followed the all, to run for Johnshaven, and the life- life-boat clear. She returned to Newlyn boat escorted them there and saw them Harbour, and the life-boat arrived back safely into harbour. She returned to at her station at 7.15 A.M.—Property her station at 6 P.M.—Rewards, Salvage Case. £24 14s. 9d. Poole and Bournemouth, Dorset.—At Whitby, Yorkshire.—During the about noon on the 22nd January, 1939, morning of the 19th January, 1939, the information was received through the fishing fleet put to sea, and by 2 P.M. coastguard that the motor launch all but four boats had returned. At Snapper, which was bound from Ham- this time a fresh S.E. breeze was worthy to Southampton, was in diffi- JUNT2, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 89

IN THE JANUARY GALES.

By courtesy of] [J. F. Seaman, Scarboroutli STANDING BY FISHING BOATS. The Scarborough motor life-boat on 2nd January, 1939

By courtesy of] [Doran, Whitby RETURNING FROM SERVICE. The Whitby motor life-boat on 23rd January, 1939. A moment after this photograph was taken the sea which is breaking over her stern completely enveloped her, and the onlookers thought that she had gone right under 90 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

culties off Boscombe Pier. A S.W. worsening sea. The motor life-boat breeze was blowing with a rough sea. Rosabella was launched at 4.5 P.M., and The new motor life-boat Thomas Kirk found the Rowena about four miles off Wright put out on her first service at Combe Martin. She escorted her back 12.20 P.M. She found that two of the to harbour, and returned to her station crew of three had left in the dinghy at 5.15 P.M.—Rewards, £38 2s. 9d. and reached Boscombe Pier. A life- boatman was put aboard the Snapper Wick, Caithness-shire. — During the and she was then towed to Poole by the afternoon of the 25th January, 1939, life-boat which arrived back at her two local fishing boats were caught at station at 4'.15 P.M.—Rewards, sea by a strong easterly breeze, with a £7 155. 6d. rough sea. They were seen making for harbour and the motor life-boat City of Whitby, Yorkshire.—At about 2 P.M. Edinburgh was launched at 3.30 P.M., on the 23rd January, 1939, a gale was and escorted them safely in. She re- blowing from the N.N.W. with a heavy turned to her station at 4.45 P.M.— sea. The motor fishing boat Pilot Me Rewards, £5 145- was at sea and as she did not return Shoreham Harbour, Sussex.—At the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann 11.16 P.M. on the 24th January, 1939, Hepworth was launched at 3.20 P.M. the coastguard reported a vessel making She found her about a mile and a half signals on her siren. The night was to the north and escorted her through misty with a light S.S.E. wind and a the broken water to the harbour. The moderate swell. Later the coastguard life-boat took one tremendous sea, reported that a vessel was off Lancing which buried her from to stern.— with all lights extinguished, and at Rewards, £8 5s. 6d. 12.40 A.M. on the 25th January, the motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Torbay, Devon. — During a severe Lunn was launched to investigate. She N.W. gale on the morning of the 23rd found the motor vessel Gerco, of January, 1939, the auxiliary ketch St. Delfzijl, laden with bricks for Denmark. Helens, of London, broke from her The had lost his bearings and moorings in Brixham Outer Harbour wanted a pilot. The life-boat escorted and drove ashore on the beach near the the vessel to the harbour, where life-boat station. A motor trawler got she took a pilot aboard.—Rewards, her off the beach, but both vessels went £15 7*. 6d. aground on the breakwater. During the evening the life-boat coxswain, who Torbay, Devon.—On the night of the was on the breakwater, was hailed by 30th January, 1939, the Berry Head the eight men on board the St. Helens. coastguard reported that rockets had Two were her own crew and the other been seen about eight miles to the east- six were from the trawler, and were ward. A moderate easterly gale was attempting to salve the St. Helens. blowing, with a heavy swell. At They had no boat in which to land, and 8.55 P.M. the motor life-boat George Shee no rockets on board with which to was launched, and found the s.s. attract attention, and their position Brilliant, of Glasgow, with a crew of was dangerous. The motor life-boat ten on board, bound laden from London George Shee was launched at 8.40 P.M., to Dublin. Her rudder had carried towed the St. Helens into harbour, and away and she needed a tug. The life- returned to her station at 9.10 P.M.— boat went to fetch one and met one Property Salvage Case. coming out to the steamer. The life- boat stood by and after two hawsers Ilfracombe, Devon. — During the had parted she was asked to help to afternoon of the 25th January, 1939, get the Brilliant in tow. This she did. anxiety was felt for the safety of the A third time the hawser parted, when motor fishing boat Rowena, which had the Brilliant was only about 300 yards been at sea since 6 A.M. and had from the shore, but eventually the tug not returned with the other boats got her safely into Brixham harbour. which had put out with her. A N.N.E. The life-boat returned to her station at gale was blowing, with a rough and 2.10 A.M.—Property Salvage Case. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 91

By courtesy of] [G, W. Stone, Gorleston-on-Sea THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER AT GORLESTON. A visit in December, 1938 With Sir John Simon are Coxswain Charles A. Johnson, on his left, and officials of the branch

By courtesy of] [The Poole and East Dorset Herald THE POOLE CREW. They are on board their pulling and sailing life-boat, Harmar, which was replaced by a motor life-boat on 12th January, 1939 92 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

The following life-boats were the Shambles Light-vessel, but no launched, but no services were rendered vessel in distress was found.—Rewards, for the reasons given : £13 2s. 6d. Lytham-St. Anne's, Lancashire.—7th Blyth, Northumberland. — 19th January, 1939. A small boat was January, 1939. A local motor fishing swamped. One of her crew of two got boat was overdue, but she got in un- ashore unaided. The other could not aided, after having been delayed by a be found.—Rewards, £11 14s. fouled propeller.—Rewards £14. 9s. 6d. Cromer, Norfolk.—8th January, 1939. Buckie, Banffshire. — 19th January, The steam trawler Imbrin, of La 1939. A motor boat had gone ashore Rochelle, had stranded on the Hais- at Lossiemouth, but her crew were able borough Sands, but got off without to scramble over the rocks to safety.— help.—Rewards, £29 6s. 6d. Rewards, £10 6s. 3d!. Sennen Cove, Cornwall.—9th January, Waimer, Kent.—21st January, 1939. 1939. The Seven Stones Light-vessel A steamer had been heading for the fired rockets, but it was found that she Goodwin Sands, but changed her course was signalling for the Trinity House in answer to warning guns from the tender.—Rewards, £21 10s. East Goodwin Light-vessel.—Rewards, £29 Os. 6d. Youghal, Co. Cork.—10th January, 1939. Distress flares had been re- Torbay, Devon. — 22nd January, ported, but a long search revealed no 1939. The motor fishing boat Prince vessel in need of help.—Rewards, had gone ashore, but her crew reached £16 5s. 6d. safety unaided. Rewards, £14 18s. 6d. Six days before she had been rescued Boulmer, Northumberland. — 13th by the Torbay life-boat (see page 87.) January, 1939. The Dutch motor vessel Drittura had burned a red flare, Kirkcudbright.—22nd January, 1939. but it was found that she had done A steamer had been reported blowing this by mistake when signalling for a her horn apparently for help, but no pilot.—Rewards, £18 15s. 6d. trace of any vessel in distress could be found.—Rewards, £23 11s. 6d. Dunbar, Haddingtonshire.—14th January, 1939. A small sailing boat Aberdeen.—22nd January, 1939. A bound from Leith to Dunbar was over- small boat had been reported capsized due. She took shelter at Cockenzie at the mouth of the River Don, but and the life-boat was recalled by wire- nothing could be found.—Rewards, less.—Rewards, £14 11s. 6d. £6 17s. 6d. Peterhead, Aberdeen.—16th January, St. Ives, Cornwall.—23rd January, 1939. A trawler had run ashore on the 1939. The motor life-boat put out to Scaurs of Cruden, but she was refloated an unknown vessel, but capsized with and taken in tow for Aberdeen by the loss of seven of her crew of eight.— another trawler. Unfortunately she Rewards: Bronze medals and £88 2s. had been damaged and on her way to (A full account of this life-boat dis- Aberdeen she foundered with the loss aster and particulars of the pensions to of her whole crew.—Rewards, £13 7s. the dependent relatives was published in the last issue of The Life-boat.) Lowes toft, Suffolk. — 17th January, 1939. A motor trawler had grounded , Cornwall. — 23rd January, on the Newcombe Sands, but she re- 1939. In the early morning the No. 1 floated unaided.—Rewards, £27 11s. 6d. motor life-boat Princess Mary went out to the help of the mine-layer Medea. Weymouth, Dorset. — 19th January, The life-boat was buried by a sea which 1939. Prolonged blowing of a siren washed away nearly all the gear on had been heard in the direction of deck and put the lighting system out of JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

THE LAST LAUNCH.

By courtesy of] G. W. Bolton, Amble THE HAUXLEY CREW.

By courtesy of] [Fox Photos THE HAUXLEY LAUNCHERS. This was the last exercise launch of the pulling and sailing life-boat Mary Andrew, before the station was temporarily closed on 17th January, 1939, when the Amble station was reopened, as an experiment, with a motor life-boat. Hauxley will be permanently closed if this experiment is a success. The Hauxley station was established in 1852, when the Amble station was closed. Its life-boats have been launched on service 81 times and have rescued 246 lives. 94 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. action. She then signalled the coast- March Meeting. guard, and the coastguard rocket life- saving appliances rescued from the Walmer, Kent.—At 5.18 A.M. on the shore three of the four men on board 18th January, 1939, a message was the Medea. Rewards: A letter of received from the Deal coastguard that appreciation to the coxswain and crew flares had been seen about six miles south-east from Ramsgate. A strong and an increase in the usual money S.W. breeze was blowing, with a heavy award on the standard scale. Standard sea and squalls of rain. The motor rewards to crew (of whom four are full- time employees), £9 85.; additional life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service rewards to crew, £8. Total rewards, No. 2) was launched at 5.50 A.M. and found the ketch yacht Leigh Hall, of £22 10*. 4d. (A full account of this London, aground on the Goodwin Sands service appeared in the March issue of near South West Buoy, and bumping The Life-boat.) badly. She was bound from Calais for London with a crew of eight. Her Penlee, Cornwall.—23rd January, engine had broken down, her sails had 1939. Early in the morning informa- been blown away, and she was on fire, tion was received from the coastguard having been set alight by her distress that the St. Ives life-boat was out. flares. The Deal motor fishing boat At 5 A.M. it was reported that signals Rose Marie came on the scene, and at had been seen off Clodgy Head. the coxswain's request she helped. The Sennen life-boat could not get out Three of her crew boarded the burning as the tide was low, and the Padstow vessel, put out the fire and helped to life-boat was already out to a ship bale her. The life-boat then got the off Trevose Head. The Penlee motor Leigh Hall clear of the sands and took life-boat W and S, which was in Newlyn her in tow for Ramsgate, aided by the Harbour at the time, set out at once, Rose Marie. Ramsgate was reached at but off Land's End she was recalled 10 A.M., and the life-boat got back to by the coastguard. She returned to her station at 2.30 P.M. Newlyn again at 8.45 A.M. An increase This was a good service carried out in in the usual money awards on the difficult circumstances without damage standard scale was granted to each to the life-boat. The Committee sent a member of the crew.—Standard re- letter to the branch, commending the wards to crew, £11 8s.; additional coxswain and crew, and an increase in rewards to crew, £9; total rewards, the usual money award on the standard £21 15*. scale was granted to each member of the crew. Rewards were also made to Beaumaris, Anglesey.—23rd January, the crew of the motor boat.—Standard 1939. A small boat had been reported rewards to the life-boat crew, in distress, but a long search was with- £12 16s. 6d.; additional rewards to out result.—Rewards, £8 Is. crew, £5; total rewards to crew and launchers, £27 13s. Qd.; to the crew of Selsey, Sussex.—24th January, 1939. the Rose Marie, £3 10s; 12s. for fuel An aircraft had been reported down in used, and 12s. for damage to tow-rope. the sea, but nothing could be found.— Rewards, £8 18s. Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford.—At 9.55 P.M. on the llth February, 1939, a telephone message was received that the Torbay, Devon.- 26th January, 1939. Goningbeg Light-vessel had signalled a A motor barge had signalled for help, passing steamer that she wanted the but her anchors held and she did not life-boat to take ashore a man who was need it.—Rewards, £14 05. 6d. dangerously ill. A S.W. wind was blowing, with a rough sea. At. 10.20 Shoreham Harbour, Sussex.—6th P.M." the motor life-boat K.E.C.F. put February, 1939. An aeroplane had out. She reached the light-vessel at been reported down in the sea in 2.45 A.M. In the rough sea it was im- flames, but nothing could be found.— possible for the life-boat to go along- Rewards, £7 15s. Qd. side, so the sick man, with one of the JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 95 light-vessel's crew, was lowered in one boathouse. A fresh S.W. breeze was of the light-vessel's boats, and the two blowing, with a choppy sea and rain. men were then taken aboard the life- The motor life-boat Frederick H. Pilley boat. She landed them at Rosslare was launched at 11.15 A.M. She found Harbour at 7.40 A.M., and the sick man the Sister Pat with her engines stopped was taken to Wexford by car.—Ex- by lack of fuel, dragging her anchor, penses defrayed by the Irish Lights and drifting into a dangerous position. Commissioners. The life-boat towed her into harbour, arriving at 11.55 A.M. The rescued Weymouth, Dorset.—At 3.20 P.M. on men expressed their thanks, and the the 12th February, 1939, information angling club of which they were was received that two boys in a disabled members made a donation to the In- small rowing boat were being carried stitution.—Rewards, £8 13s. out to sea, having broken a rowlock. The motor life-boat William and Clara Filey, Yorkshire.—At about 10.25 Ryland was launched at 3.55 P.M., and A.M. on the 18th February, 1939, two found the small rowing boat drifting local fishing cobles were behind Filey rapidly on to a rocky lee shore. The Brig, where heavy seas were running. two boys were taken on board the life- A W.N.W. fresh wind was blowing, with boat, which returned to her station at a moderate to rough sea. At 10.45 A.M. 4.40 P.M., with the small boat in tow.— the pulling and sailing life-boat Thomas Rewards, £6 13*. Masterman Hardy was launched. She found the fishing coble Isabella and The Humber, Yorkshire. — At 5.30 escorted her into safety. The other A.M. on the 14th February,- 1939, the coble reached safety unaided, and the life-boat watchman reported that a life-boat returned to her station at vessel had run ashore on the end of 12.15 P.M.—Rewards, £16 2s. Spurn Point. The coxswain imme- diately went to the beach, where he saw Whitby, Yorkshire.—On the morning the steam trawler Hausa, of Hull, of the 18th February, 1939, a fresh stranded on a steep part of the Point. N.W. wind was blowing, with a very Although only a light westerly wind rough sea. It was breaking heavily was blowing and the sea was smooth, from the Pier Ends to the Rock Buoy, the trawler would be likely to roll on and anxiety was felt for the safety of her beam ends as the tide ebbed. The nine of the local motor fishing vessels motor life-boat City of Bradford II was which were just returning. The motor launched at 6.5 A.M., and stood by the life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was trawler until the tide had ebbed and launched at 10.15 A.M. She went out she was safe. The life-boat then re- to the Rock Buoy and escorted each of turned to her station. Meanwhile, a the vessels in turn into the harbour. tug had arrived and managed to get a On five occasions it was necessary for wire aboard the trawler. When the the life-boat to use her drogue from the tide flowed there was a possibility of Rock Buoy to the harbour. After the sea going over the Hausa's bul- escorting the Endeavour, Progress, warks, so the life-boat put out again Easter Morn, Prosperity, Venus, Gallilee, and stood by the trawler until she had Provider, Success and Pilot Me to safety been refloated. The life-boat returned the life-boat returned to her station at to her station at 12.45 P.M.—Permanent 2 P.M.—Rewards, £8 5,9. Qd. paid crew; Rewards, 13s. 6d. Lerwick, Shetland.—At 10.45 A.M. on Fleetwood, Lancashire.—At 11 A.M. the 22nd February, 1939, a message was on the 17th February, 1939, the motor received from a trawler agent and the boat Sister Pat, belonging to Fleet- coastguard that the trawler Jean wood, with two men on board, was seen Edmonds, of Aberdeen, had broken by the second coxswain of the life-boat down with boiler trouble, and had to be making distress signals. She was asked for the life-boat. The trawler being driven by the wind and tide across was reported, but incorrectly, to be the Pilling Sands opposite to the life- thirty-five miles E.S.E. of Bard Head, 96 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

Bressay. A whole S.S.E. gale was but she went ashore at Nanny River blowing, with a heavy sea, when, at and her crew were able to land unaided. 11.5 A.M., the motor life-boat Lady Jane —Rewards, £28 Is. 6d. and Martha Ryland was launched. She found the Jean Edmonds in tow of another trawler, between Mousa Island The Humber, Yorkshire.—8th Feb- and Helliness, and close to a lee shore. ruary, 1939. The- Greek steamer Had the tow-rope parted the Jean Katina Bulgaris, of Andros, had collided Edmonds would have been in a very with the American steamer Meanticut dangerous position. The life-boat es- and sank, but the Meanticut rescued her corted the two vessels into Lerwick crew.—Permanent paid crew: Rewards, Harbour and returned to her moorings £l Os. 3d. at 5.40 P.M.—Rewards, £9 19*. Qd. The Humber, Yorkshire. — 9th Feb- ruary, 1939. The German steamer Newhaven, Sussex.—At 12.30 P.M. on Gluckauf, of Rostock, had struck the Sunday, the 26th February, 1939, the submerged wreck of the Katina Bul- coastguard reported that a small boat garis, which had sunk the day before, was in distress about half a mile south- but her crew were saved by the Nor- east of Newhaven. A light W.S.W. wegian steamer Nayland.—Permanent wind was blowing and the sea was paid crew: Rewards, 18s. choppy. The motor life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott was launched at 12.40 P.M., and found the motor boat Pam, of Dover, Kent.—16th February. An Newhaven, with a party of four anglers aeroplane had been reported to have on board. Her engine had broken dived into the sea, but it had come down. The life-boat took her in tow down to within a few feet of the sea and and brought her into harbour at 1.15 had then flown away.—Partly per- P.M.—Rewards, £6 5s. manent paid crew: Rewards, £l 18s.

Thurso, Caithness-shire. — On the Longhope, Orkney.—16th February, afternoon of the 27th February, 1939, 1939. A steam trawler was in distress, the life-boat coxswain, returning from but was taken in tow by another fishing, picked up the motor fishing boat trawler.—Rewards, £9 Is. Janet, of Thurso, with her engine broken down, about nine miles north-west of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.—18th Feb- the Ruff of Brims. A strong W.S.W. ruary, 1939. A rocket had been re- breeze was blowing, with a heavy sea ported off the Isle of Skye, but later it and snow showers. The coxswain took was thought to have been a meteor, as the Janet in tow, but after about an no vessel in need of help could be hour the tow-rope parted. As no more found.—Rewards, £8 17s. 9d. ropes were available the coxswain went to Scrabster and called out the life-boat crew. At 4.10 P.M. the motor life-boat Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—26th Feb- H.C.J. was launched, picked up the ruary, 1939. An aeroplane had come Janet three miles north of Holborn down in the sea, but the pilot was saved Head, and towed her to Scrabster by a motor boat.—Rewards, £10 Is. 6d. Harbour, which was reached at 5.45 P.M.—Rewards, £11 3s. Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk. —28th February, 1939. A steamer was reported to be aground, but she The following life-boats were was found to be at anchor close to the launched, but no sendees were rendered Scroby Sands.—-Rewards, £21 6s. for the reasons given: Holyhead, Anglesey.—28th February, Clogher Head, Co. Louth. — 23rd 1939. A flare had been reported, but January, 1939. A fishing boat was nothing could be found.—Rewards, reported in danger on Drogheda Bar, £11 5s. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 97

Shoreboat Services. For which Rewards were given at the February and March Meetings of the Committee of Management.

February Meeting. three motor vessels were swept up the , Co. Cork.—On the 2nd River Severn by a very strong tide. January, 1939, the crew of four of the Soon afterwards they were seen drifting motor trawler Yankee Girl were rescued helplessly, but no help could be given by another fishing boat.—Rewards, £2 to them. About 10 P.M. one of them 105., with £3 for loss of fishing, and drifted down towards Sharpness on the 2s. 6d. for fuel used, together with a ebb tide. A tug went out to her but letter of thanks to the owner of the boat. there was no one on board. The other (A full account of this service ap- two grounded on sandbanks—one bot- peared under Ballycotton in "Services tom upwards and the other with a of the Life-boats," in the last issue of heavy list. A S.W. wind was blowing, The Life-boat.) and the water was choppy. The vessel with the heavy list was the Severn • Dungeness, Kent.—The motor fish- Traveller and shouts could be heard ing boat Little Dick, of Dungeness, had coming from her. No tug could get trouble with her engine at 1 P.M. on the alongside as the water was too shallow, 8th January, 1939, when about a mile and three men put off in a 16-feet off Lade coastguard station. A strong rowing boat. They had first to drag S.W. wind was blowing, with a moder- her about 400 feet over the mud. They ate sea. Two men who were fishing succeeded in taking two men off the near-by went to her help and towed her Severn Traveller. These were the only into safety at moderate risk. They two rescued from the three vessels. broke their on landing.-— Six others were drowned. The three Rewards, £1, with a grant of 7s. 6d. rescuers ran great risk owing to the towards repairs to the bowsprit, and state of the river, the darkness, and 1*. 6d. for fuel used. the danger of grounding on sandbanks. •—Rewards, £2 and a framed letter of Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—During the thanks to each of the men, Mr. L. afternoon of the 18th January, 1939, Keedwell, Mr. G. Cook, and Mr. E. the motor boat Stephen Harding, of Robins, and £10 10s. sickness allowance Caldy, belonging to Caldy monastery, to one of the rescuers who, as a result with three men on board, lost her of the service, was taken ill with propeller and shaft when about two and pneumonia. a half miles S.S.E. of Tenby, and drifted towards Quarry Point. A light N.W. The Humber, Yorkshire. — On the breeze was blowing, with a heavy swell. morning of the llth February, 1939, At the request of the station honorary secretary a fisherman put out in his some men working at Haile Fort went motor boat and towed the Stephen to the Lincolnshire coast in a small rowing boat. One man tried to row the Harding into harbour.—Rewards, 105., boat back to the Fort but failed to and 3s. for fuel used. make it, and was driven by wind and March Meeting. tide towards Spiirn Head. He was Walmer, Kent.—On the 18th Jan- reported by the signal station and, as uary, 1939, the motor boat Rose Marie he was then too close in for the life-boat helped the life-boat to save the yacht to go to him, Coxswain Cross and his Leigh Hall.—Rewards, £3 10s., 125. for men directed him where to land. He fuel used and 125. for damage to tow- was, however, too exhausted and as he rope. neared the beach a sea swamped the (For a full account see "Services of boat and threw him into the water. the Life-boats," Walmer, page 94.) Coxswain Cross and his crew went into the sea and pulled him to safety.— Purton, Gloucestershire. — At about Reward, a letter of thanks to Coxswain 7.30 P.M. on the 4th February, 1939, Cross and his crew. 98 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939

The Annual Meeting. THE hundred and fifteenth annual Watford. Lewisham, New Maiden, meeting of the Governors of the In- Romford, Chelsea, Hackney, Baling, stitution was held at the Central Hall, St. Albans, Holborn, Hammersmith. Westminster, at 3 P.M. on Wednesday, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington, Stoke 26th April. Over 2,500 people were Newington, Bexley Heath, Twicken- present. ham, Woolwich, Dartford, Paddington, H.R.H. the Duke of Kent, K.G., Wembley, Finchley, Epsom and Ewell, President of the Institution, was in the Wood Green, Finsbury, Leyton, Totten- chair. ham, Barnes, Ilford, Gravesend, Great The other speakers were: Yarmouth, Droitwich, Worthing, the Right Hon. the Earl Howe, P.C., Hythe, Wallasey, Conway, Wrexham, C.B.E., V.D., A.D.C., R.N.V.R., a vice- and St. Ives, the Mayors of Bromley, president of the Institution; the Ven. Aldeburgh, and Brighton, the Provost Archdeacon Thomas Crick, C.B.E., of Nairn, and the Mayoresses of Ber- M.V.O., M.A., R.N., the Chaplain of the mondsey and Dagenham. The Chair- Fleet; Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chair- men of the Urban District Councils of man of the Institution and of Ruislip—Northwood, Brixham. Clacton, the Fleet Sir Henry Francis Oliver, and Holyhead also accepted the in- G.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.V.O., a member of vitation. the committee of management of the A party of boys from the training ship Institution. Arethusa was also present. The Duke of Kent was supported on the platform by vice-presidents of the The President's Address. Institution, members of the committee THE DUKE OF KENT'S address is on page 73. of management, members of the Central London Women's Committee of the Presentation of the Report for 1938. Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and honorary SIR GODFREY BARING, BT., chairman of the life-governors of the Institution. Institution, presented the annual report and Among those who accepted the accounts for 1938, and they were adopted. invitation of the Institution to support His Royal Highness on the platform Election of Vice-Presidents and Committee were representatives of ten foreign of Management. countries, the High Commissioner for LIEUT.-COL. C. R. SATTERTHWAITE, O.B.E., Eire, nine members of Parliament for secretary of the Institution, read .the list of constituencies from which life-boatmen those nominated as vice-presidents, treasurer and other members of the committee" of had come to the meeting to receive management, and auditors for the ensuing awards for gallantry, the Mayors and year. Those nominated were elected and the Mayoresses of forty-nine cities and list appears in the annual report for 1938. towns, and representatives of the Board of Trade, the Shipwrecked Presentation of Medals. Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Bene- THE SECRETARY read the accounts of the volent Society, King George's Fund for services for which medals had been awarded, Sailors and the Civil Service Life-boat and the medals were presented by the Duke Fund. of Kent as follows:— The representatives of foreign NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE. countries were: Their Excellencies the COXSWAIN WILLIAM H. JONES. The silver Turkish Ambassador and the Ministers medal for the rescue of three of the fishing for the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, boat Progress and the crew of four of the Greece, Hungary, Finland and Latvia, schooner Loch Ranza Castle on 23rd November, 1938. the German Charge d' Affaires, and MR. JOHN R. NICHOLSON, second coxswain. the Secretary to the Italian Embassy. The bronze second-service clasp for the The Mayors and Mayoresses of the same service. Mr. Nicholson won the forty-nine cities and towns were: The bronze medal in 1928. MR. WILFRED GARBUTT, motor mechanic. Mayors and Mayoresses of Westminster, The bronze second-service clasp for the Wanstead and Woodford, Greenwich, same service. Mr. Garbutt won the bronze West Ham, Wallington, Wandsworth, medal in 1928. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 99

MB. JOHN E. MASON, second motor mechanic. the bronze medal, for the rescue of the The bronze medal for the same service. crews, six in number, of the barges T.F.C., MR. WILLIAM S. JONES, bowman. The Glenmore and Lord Roberts, on 26th thanks of the Institution inscribed on November, 1938. vellum for the same service. MR. WILLIAM A. DEER, second coxswain. MR. HARRY STONALL, a member of the crew. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum for the service on 26th November, vellum for the same service. 1938. MR. WILLIAM DOUGLAS, a member of the crew. MR. HERBERT G. MURRELL, bowman. The The thanks of the Institution inscribed on thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum for the same service. vellum for the service on 26th November, 1938. ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK. MR. REGINALD H. SANDERS, assistant motor COXSWAIN GEORGE E. CHATTEN. The bronze mechanic. The thanks of the Institution medal for the rescue of the crews, four in inscribed on vellum for the service on number, of the sailing barges Astrild and 26th November, 1938. Grecian on 23rd November, 1938. CLACTON-ON-SEA, ESSEX. GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON. COXSWAIN CHARLES R. ELLIS. The thanks of NORFOLK. the Institution inscribed on vellum for the COXSWAIN CHARLES A. JOHNSON. The rescue of the crew of seven of the German bronze second-service clasp for going to sailing yacht .Dos Wappen von Bremen on the help of seven barges, Ailsa, Britisher, 2nd June, 1938. Raybell, Royalty, Cetus, Decima and Una on 23rd November, 1938, and rescuing ten GOURDON, KINCARDINESHIRE. men. Coxswain Johnson won the bronze COXSWAIN GEORGE MILNE. The thanks of medal in 1922. the Institution inscribed on vellum for a TORBAY, DEVON. courageous launch on 17th December, 1938. COXSWAIN WILLIAM H. H. MOGRIDGE. The NAIRN, NAIRNSHIRE. silver medal for the rescue of the crew of two of the motor crabber Channel Pride MR. GEORGE A. RALPH, skipper and owner on the 9th December, 1938. Coxswain of the motor boat Barbara. The bronze Mogridge won the bronze medal in 1935, medal for the rescue of three of the crew and the second-service clasp to the bronze of the Russian steamer Kingissepp on medal in 1937. 27th January, 1937. MR. WILLIAM PILLAR, second coxswain. The MR. GEORGE RALPH, son of Mr. George thanks of the Institution inscribed on Ralph. The thanks of the Institution in- vellum for the same service. Mr. Pillar scribed on vellum for the same service. won vellums for the services in 1935 and MR. GEORGE RALPH GRENIER, grandson of 1937. Holder of the Albert Medal for res- Mr. George Ralph, senior. The thanks of cuing survivors of H.M.S. Formidable on the Institution inscribed on vellum for New Year's Day, 1915. the same service. MR. FREDERICK C. SANDERS, bowman. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY. vellum for the same service. Mr. Sanders won vellums for the services in 1935 and COXSWAIN RICHARD JONES. The thanks of 1937, and a vellum for a cliff rescue in 1921. the Institution inscribed on vellum for MR. RICHARD T. HARRIS, motor mechanic. the rescue of the crew of nine of the s.s. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on Kyle Prince on 8th October, 1938. vellum for the same service. MR. GILBERT E. BARRS, motor mechanic at MR. EDWIN LAMSWOOD, assistant motor Holyhead (now at New Brighton). The mechanic. The thanks of the Institution thanks of the Institution inscribed on inscribed on vellum for the same service. vellum for the same service. MR. FRED R. TUCKER, a member of the crew. The thanks of the Institution in- GALWAY BAY, Co. GALWAY. scribed on vellum for the same service. COXSWAIN JOHN GILL. The bronze medal Mr. Tucker won vellums for the services for the rescue of sixteen men belonging to of 1935 and 1937. the trawlers Hatano and Nogi on the MR. CHARLES BICKFORD, a member of the night of 16th-17th August, 1938. crew. The thanks of the Institution MR. JOSEPH DOYLE, motor mechanic. The inscribed on vellum for the same service, bronze meda! for the same service. MR. FREDERICK LAMSWOOD, a member of i MR. PATRICK FLAHERTY, bowman. The the crew. The thanks of the Institution j bronze medal for the same service. inscribed on vellum for the same service. I MR. PETER GILL, a member of the crew. ! The bronze medal for the same service. SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, ESSEX. MR. WILLIAM GORHAM, a member of the COXSWAIN SIDNEY H. B. PAGE. The bronze crew. The bronze medal for the same medal for the rescue of the crews, seven service. in number, of the yacht Wimpie and the MR. JOSEPH FLAHERTY, a member of the barges Glenrosa and Audrey on 2nd June, crew. The bronze medal for the same 1938. Also the second-service clasp to 100 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

MB. THOMAS FLAHERTY, a member of the You must remember also, the circum- crew. The bronze medal for the same stances under which those boats had to service. go to sea. Remember what you have MR. MICHAEL HERNON, second coxswain. been told about boats going to sea at The thanks of the Institution inscribed on two or three or four o'clock in the morning. vellum for the same service. Think of it! It is blowing a howling MR. MICHAEL DIRRANE, assistant motor gale, with sleet and snow, so that you mechanic. The thanks of the Institution can hardly see your hand in front of your inscribed on vellum for the same service. face, yet you have to go to sea to rescue MR. COLMAN FLAHERTY, a member of the somebody you do not know. You do know crew. The thanks of the Institution in- who it is. You do not know whether you scribed on vellum for the same service. will ever get back. It is easy enough to do MR. THOMAS BEATTY, a member of the crew. wonderful things -when there is a cheering The thanks of the Institution inscribed on party at the back of you and your pals are vellum for the same service. all alongside of you, but it takes real courage, as we all know, to go and perform such ROSSLARE HARBOUR, Co. WEXFORD. services as these men perform. On fifty per COXSWAIN JAMES WICKHAM. The thanks of cent of those 485 occasions, the services were the Institution inscribed on vellum for the carried out at night. (Applause.) rescue of the crew of four of the motor You have heard the wonderful record of schooner M. E. Johnson on 20th December, what happened at New Brighton, at Torbay, 1938. Coxswain Wickham won the silver in fact, all round our coasts. Perhaps some medal in 1914, the second-service clasp to the of you will remember only three years ago silver medal in 1929, and a vellum in 1936. when that brilliant service of the Ballycotton life-boat was honoured in this same hall. BETTYSTOWN, Co. MEATH. (Applause.) You will remember, perhaps, what that service meant. The life-boat was MR. MICHAEL GIBSON, bank clerk, of Drog- away on service for sixty-three hours. She heda. The thanks of the Institution was actually at sea for forty-nine hours of inscribed on vellum for rescuing a bather those sixty-three, and during the whole of that at Bettystown on 21st June, 1938. time her crew only had three hours' sleep. MR. PATRICK HOGAN, army cadet, of Tip- They were wet through the whole time, and perary. The thanks of the Institution when they came back they were half blind inscribed on vellum for the same service. and burnt from the sea, and suffering severely ST. IVES, CORNWALL. from exposure. Remember also that there are not only the MR. WILLIAM FREEMAN. The bronze medal. demands for assistance from ships and vessels, He was the sole survivor of the crew when but that the development of aviation has the life-boat capsized on 23rd January, made fresh demands upon the life-boat ser- 1939. The bronze medal has also been post- vice. Only the day before yesterday the humously awarded to the seven men who Jersey life-boat was out for hours looking for lost their lives. a bomber which had been reported to have come down at sea somewhere near the Commodore the Right Hon. The Earl Channel Islands. Actually it had managed, Howe, P.C. I believe, to make a safe landing on another COMMODORE THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL island, but all the same the service was HOWE, P.C., C.B.E., V.LX, A.D.C., R.N.V.R. carried out. (a vice-president of the Institution): Round What I am coming to is this: What a really the 5,000 miles of the coast of the British magnificent service it is; with what wonderful Isles there are, I believe, about 2,000 men boats and equipment; and what implicit trust just like the ones whom we are all delighted their crews must have in them to be able to to honour here to-day, who have been go and do things like that which, for instance, standing by, night and day, for the whole of the Torbay life-boat did! In performing a the last year—in fact, for the whole of the service like that, which was carried out within last 115 years, as Your Royal Highness has a few yards of the cliffs, when it was touch reminded us. I am sure you will have and go whether they hit the rocks or not, gathered from the records of their gallantry only the most perfect training, the most to-day that last year was indeed a memorable absolute co-operation between the motor year and that we owe perhaps an especial mechanic and the coxswain, and indeed the debt of gratitude to all our coxswains, our excellence of the engines and everything con- crews, the honorary secretaries, the local tributing to it, could have saved that boat committees, and last but certainly not least and her crew on that occasion. (Applause.) to the devoted efforts of all the ladies who Our policy in the Institution is: " Nothing have contributed to make such wonderful but the very best for the life-boat service." things possible. (Applause.) (Applause.) Endless care is devoted by the Your Royal Highness has told us that last officials of the Institution, who are technical vear was a record year for services. It was. officers of years of service, to seeing how the It was an absolute record in the whole of the fittings of the boats, the equipment of the Institution's history. Four hundred and boats, their design and so forth, can be eighty-five times were the life-boats called improved. But that is not all. On the out last year. The previous best was 468, committee of management, the names of so you will see that we have beaten the which you have heard this afternoon, there record last year by nearly twenty. (Applause.) are no less than nine Admirals serving, of JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 101 whom I will just mention one, Admiral of the times. She landed three people on one occa- Fleet Sir Henry Oliver, who is here this after- sion, but I cannot say that she actually saved noon. He is, perhaps, one of the greatest any lives; but she was there and ready to do navigational experts the Navy has ever had. the service had she been called upon. (Applause.) There are also five distinguished The Cullercoats boat was of the non-self- seamen from the Merchant Navy, including righting type. There are twenty-one of that Sir Bertram Hayes, who, as you will re- type round the coast, and it is noteworthy, member, was Commodore of the White Star I think, that they have been launched on Line. There are technical experts, including service on 162 occasions, and have saved Sir Robert Dixon, who was Engineer-in-Chief altogether 131 lives. of the Navy. I mention that, Ladies and I do not know whether I need explain to Gentlemen, because in view of these terrible so expert an audience the difference between disasters people may be inclined to wonder a self-righter and a non-self-righter; but per- whether the Institution devotes enough care haps it would be better if I did. The self- and attention to the matter and whether it righter is a boat of smaller beam. She is not is run by competent people. so stable as the non-self-righter, but if she I must say a word about these disasters. capsizes she rights herself quickly. She is They both took place in the case of small equipped with an engine which has a special boats; one, the St. Ives boat, was a self- switch so that, when the boat goes over, it righting boat, and the other one, which met stops the engine and the engine has to be disaster the other day at Cullercoats, was a started again when she rights herself. You non-self-righting boat. The Institution wel- have heard the story of the St. Ives disaster. comes criticism as long as it is fair.- There is It is possible, I think, that, if the men had nothing to be said against fair criticism. We been able to re-start their boat a good many can all benefit by it. I have heard the might have been saved. It is possible that criticism passed in the case of St. Ives: she might not have capsized a second and a "Why was so small a boat stationed there? third time. But the propeller was fouled. Surely you ought to have had a larger boat? " The non-self-righter is a boat of rather The answer to that is that the boat we larger beam and more stability, and sailors stationed at St. Ives was the biggest boat themselves often differ (I have heard them that we could possibly put there. The har- many times differing) upon the respective bour there dries out at low water and there- merits of these two boats. I have often fore you have to launch your boat from a imagined which I would choose if the choice carriage, and only a boat that is within the were ever left to me. I think on the whole capacity of the carriage can be handled. it would be the non-self-righter; but I do Therefore, the St. Ives boat had to be a not know. small one. It is noteworthy that the boat I noticed on Monday in the Evening was chosen by the crew and that there are Standard that an interview had been sought twenty of those same light, self-righting motor by that paper with two of our most distin- life-boats stationed all round the coast. guished coxswains. One was Coxswain Blogg The Institution has promised to station at whom I am sure everybody here must know St. Ives one of its largest boats, if only the —Coxswain Blogg of Cromer. This is what harbour can be improved and a breakwater he says with regard to Cullercoats: " I have built. It will cost the Institution at least been a seaman all my life, and forty-five years £30,000 to do this. That will be the cost of of it have been spent as a life-boatman. the boat and of the house and slipway. We From that experience I say it is impossible have promised to do it, and we intend to do to guarantee any boat against disaster. I it, if we possibly can. (Applause.) have been lucky—never been in a disaster to You must remember another thing with a boat myself. One of our Cromer life-boats regard to St. Ives. The vessel to which the is the non-self-righting Liverpool type, the life-boat was called out was some miles up same type as the Cullercoats one that cap- the coast, and, if the St. Ives boat had been sized. The St. Ives boat was a self-righter. one of the old type (the pulling and sailing That capsized, too. So what can you say? type of boat), I doubt if they would have It does not matter what the type of boat is, attempted the service; it could not have been you cannot insure against accidents. All de- done. It shows you the extraordinary gal- pends on the force of the storm and the lantry of that coxswain and the devoted judgment of the crew." gallantry of the crew that they took the job Then Coxswain Richard Stephens, of the on. They went out into the teeth of a full life-boat station at The , another most Atlantic hurricane in order to try to go to distinguished man; said: " I have just retired the rescue of people whom they did not after forty years with the life-boat and we know anything about. (Applause.) There have often been out to , as is one other thing I want to say with regard wicked a bit of coast as you will find any- to St. Ives. We have had boats at that where. I do not think the type of boat has station for nearly a hundred years and during anything to dp with it. Every life-boat that time they have rescued no less than station chooses its own type according to the 434 lives. (Applause.) sort of launching place it has and the character And so we come to Cullercoats. Culler- of the sea. The self-righter capsizes easier, coats station was established eighty-seven whereas the non-self-righter is steadier in the years ago, and during that time they at water. So opinion is divided, and I do not Cullercoats have rescued 280 lives—a mag- see that the Life-boat Institution can do nificent record for a small station. Last year more than they have done." (Applause.) this very boat was launched on service three That is the considered opinion, apparently, 102 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

of two of our most distinguished coxswains, is that of a figure carved in granite, the figure and I think we must leave it at that. But it of a life-boatman in his sou'wester and cork is a disaster indeed of which we feel the full jacket, gazing out over the waters of the import to-day. Irish Sea. It was a memorial to the coxswain The Institution has, as you know, a tre- and the crew of a life-boat who had all mendous programme of construction. His perished together in the attempted rescue of Royal Highness told us of it just now. We a ship in distress. I grew up in sight of that are building at this present time no less than inspiring figure in granite, so eloquent of eight different types of boat. The reason unquenchable courage and resource. It has why we have to build so many types is be- inspired in me from those very earliest days cause of the very varying conditions under a deep veneration for the life-boat service, which they have to operate, and we have no and this afternoon I stand here sincerely less than fifteen different types on service. appreciating the honour of seconding the I think, too, it is noteworthy that the last resolution which to-day is before this meeting. pulling and sailing boat has left the Irish As the Chaplain of the Fleet, I am proud coast. The Irish fleet is now completely to be able to say that last year no less mechanized. (Applause.) The advance in than ninety ships of the , and our construction has also entailed another naval barracks and shore establishments, thing. There is the difficulty of twin-screw readily and gladly subscribed to the funds versus single-screw. I am on the side of of the Royal National Life-boat Institution, twin-screw all the time. I do not like all and I can say without hesitation that the eggs being in one basket. That means in the great brotherhood of the sea the that we have had to design new boats with coxswains and the crews of the life-boats twin-screws as against single-screws, and it around our shores have no more sincere means also, of course, an added cost. That admirers than their fellow seamen in the is one of the reasons why mechanization Royal Navy. (Applause.) In that expres- has added so greatly to the cost and has sion of gratitude I include also, of course, entailed such demands upon the Institution. those workers ashore who year after year so It is a fact that to-day, in order to provide faithfully, so consistently, labour in this cause for our life-boat service, we are compelled and who, by those labours, have made the to draw rather heavily upon our reserve funds. life-boat service the great national in- All this entails a greater effort on the part stitution that it is to-day. of everyone, and I only wish I were gifted May it please Your Royal Highness, I beg with an eloquence which could adequately to second the resolution. (Applause.) convey the thanks which I would like to The resolution was put to the meeting and express to all the ladies who have done carried unanimously. such magnificent work for the Institution. (Applause.) I say emphatically, in the light Presentations to Honorary Workers. of such knowledge as I have of these matters, that it would not be possible to run a life- THE SECRETARY: Since the last annual boat institution in this country were it not meeting four honorary workers have been for the ladies and the work of the Ladies' appointed honorary life-governors of the Life-boat Guild and of the thousands of Institution. This is the highest honour workers all up and down the country. which it can confer on an honorary worker, (Applause.) and the appointment is accompanied by a These disasters have brought the dangers vellum signed by the President of the home to us all. They have underlined the Institution. necessity for further effort to spur us on. I Two of the new honorary life-governors are appeal to all to see to it that we can continue present this afternoon to receive their to give nothing but the very best that vellums: money can buy and that skill can devise. DUNBAR AND SKATERAW: MR. WlLLIAM (Applause.) BERTRAM, O.B.E., J.P. Sir, I beg to move the resolution standing SOUTHAMPTON: MR. CHARLES J. SHARP, in my name: J.P. That this Meeting, fully recognizing the H.R.H. the Duke of Kent, K.G., presented important services of the Royal National Life- the vellums. boat Institution in its national rcorfc of life- saving, desires to record its hearty appreciation THE SECRETARY: Since the last annual of the gallantry of the coxswains and creu-s of meeting twelve gold badges, which are given the Institution's life-boats, gratefully to only for distinguished honorary services, have acknowledge the valuable help rendered to the been awarded. Ten of the recipients are cause by local committees, honorary secre- present this afternoon to receive them. taries and honorary treasurers, and to express its sense of the deep obligation of the Institution BEAUMARIS : MRS. MAY BURTON. to the Ladies' Life-boat Guild and its many BLACKPOOL: MR. LIONEL H. FRANCEYS. hundreds of voluntary members for the work CLACTON-ON-SEA : MRS. MAUD E. FENTOX- which they have done in raising funds for the JOXES. CULLERCOATS: MRS. TOM LlSLE. life-boat service. (Applause.) HYTHE : MAJOR H. R. HILDYARD. KINGSTON-ON-THAMES : MRS. COOPER- The Ven. Archdeacon Crick. TURNER. Mrs. Cooper-Turner, unfortun- THE VENERABLE ARCHDEACON THOMAS ately, has been prevented by illness from CRICK, C.B.E., M.V.O., M.A., R.N., Chaplain coming, but her daughter is here to of the Fleet: One of my earliest recollections receive her badge. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 103

LIMERICK: MR. CHARLES DOWNEY. We know that in the early autumn Your LLANELLY: MRS. K. SEVAN JOHN. Royal Highness is going to take up the most PORTSMOUTH: SIR HAROLD PINK, J.P. important position of Governor-General of SUTTON COLDFIELD: Miss ANNIE TONKS. Australia. (Applause.) Your temporary absence from this country will be the home- H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, K.G., presented land's great loss: it will be Australia's great the badges. and conspicuous gain. (Applause.) We should wish to offer to Your Royal Highness Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. our most earnest wishes for a prosperous voyage to Australia, a brilliant, successful and SIR GODFREY BARING, Bt., chairman of the fruitful term of office, and, above all, a safe Institution: It is to me a very, very great return. (Applause.) honour to have the opportunity of moving: Sir, how delightful it would be if during That the hearty and respectful thanks of this your Governor-Generalship of Australia the meeting be given to His Royal Highness the Australian people thought that it would be a Duke of Kent, K.G., for presiding over this, graceful act to present a life-boat to the the hundred and fifteenth annual general Institution (and, may I add, to endow it) in meeting of the Royal National Life-boat commemoration of Your Royal Highness's Institution, (Applause.) Governor-Generalship. I only throw that We desire to thank Your Royal Highness out as a respectful suggestion for your con- for having found time in the midst of your sideration. (Laughter and applause.) manifold activities to preside here once more I have the honour to move the resolution at our annual meeting. We wish to express which stands in my name. It will be our gratitude for the admirable speech which seconded by Sir Henry Oliver. you addressed to us at the commencement of the meeting and, above all, for your con- tinued and deeply appreciated interest in the Admit al of the Fleet Sir Henry Oliver welfare of the Institution. I am sure the ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET Sm HENRY thing which will give Your Royal Highness FRANCIS OLIVER, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.V.O., the greatest pleasure is the satisfaction which a member of the committee of management: you have given to the splendid men who have I have the honour to second the resolution received awards at your hands to-day. I am before the meeting. certain that they will go back with the SIR GODFREY BARING : Let that be carried honour which has been conferred upon them by the loudest applause that has ever been doubled and trebled by the fact that they heard in this hall. received the presentations at Your Royal The resolution was carried by acclamation. Highness's hands. (Applause.) The proceedings then terminated.

The Portrait on the Cover. THE portrait on the cover is of ex- boat Progress and the schooner Loch Coxswain William Henry Jones, of Ranza Castle, in the great gale of 23rd New Brighton, Cheshire. He was November, 1938, when the wind at New second coxswain from 1921 to 1932 Brighton reached a speed of 108 miles and coxswain from 1932 until the end an hour. of 1938, when he retired, on account of For this service Coxswain Jones was age, \vith a pension and a certificate awarded the silver medal for gallantry of service. His outstanding service presented to him at the annual meeting was his last, the service to the fishing this year.

Naming Ceremonies of Motor Life-boats. A NEW motor life-boat at New Brighton life-boat at Poole, Thomas Kirk Wright, on the Mersey, Edmund and Mary built out of a legacy of some £50,000 Robinson, was named by her donor, from the late Mr. T. K. Wright, of Mrs. Mary Robinson, of Liverpool, on Bournemouth, was named by his niece, 4th February, the new motor life- Miss K. J. Johnston on 7th June. boat at Selsey, Canadian Pacific, the Accounts of these ceremonies will be gift of the Canadian Pacific Steamship published in a later issue, with the Co., was named on 30th May by the accounts of other naming ceremonies Duchess of Norfolk, and the new motor during the summer. 104 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

The Institution's Expenditure at a Glance.

How each £100 of the Institution's Expenditure was laid out in 1938. £ s. d. 69 18 0 «.H_^_i.^H_HMM.^_H__MM__M_^_MM_Con.st ruction, Repairs, Upkeep and Inspection of Life- boats and Life-boat Stations.

14 8 0 M^M^M^M Payments to Life-boat Crews.

12 12 0 ___ Propaganda and Publicity at Headquarters and 1,072 Branches.

3 2 0 •• Administration. £100 0 0

(For full Statement of Expenditure see pages 124 and 126.)

The Institution's Income at a Glance.

How each £100 of the Institution's Income was obtained in 1938.

£ s. d, 36 12 0 ••M^MMBHI^^KHB^B^^^H Subscriptions, Donations, and Life- boat Days.

40 16 0 «M_-__H__^—^—»—• Legacies.

12 0 0 _«__ Income from Investments.

9 10 0 __i Special Gifts.

1 2 0 - Other Sources. £100 0 0 (For full Statement of Income see pages 125 and 127.) JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 105

Duke of Northumberland's Life-boat Essay Competition, for Elementary Schools, 1939. " You are at the seaside. You get into conversation with a fisherman and find that he is the life-boat coxswain. Describe your conversation with him." IN 1938 the competitors in the essay vice at the church. A seaside holiday competition were asked to imagine and nothing to do! " themselves as life-boat coxswains and A description of the coxswain him- describe a rescue. They sustained self introduced some of the conversa- their exciting part with great success. tions : This year they were asked to perform " The coxswain's deep blue sweater the more tranquil, but not necessarily looked as if it had been in every storm easier, task (on paper) of carrying on a since the Normans conquered England." conversation. The subject was: " You " His majestically pointed beard are at the seaside. You get into con- wagged vigorously." versation with a fisherman and find " He was a beefy fellow, with arms that he is the life-boat coxswain. like tree trunks." Describe your conversation with him." Another essayist (with perverse in- The judges were much impressed by genuity) described him as " The ancient the extent and accuracy of the know- entrapper of Neptune's children—in ledge shown and by the literary quality short the brown and wrinkled fisher- of the essays. Most writers kept to men ". the subject, but a few entered on a And yet, however beefy a man may wider field, discussing with the coxswain be, and however majestically his beard his favourite football team and such may wag, age will tell in the end. As subjects as unemployment and the one writer said: European situation. " The coxswain stopped for a minute in the middle of his story for he was Life-like and Lively Talks. short of breath, being a man of about forty-six years old." The chief criticism was that a good Education also is beginning to tell: many writers produced, instead of a " ' I always expected seamen on conversation, a monologue or a lecture this part of the coast to speak with a on the Service. Many however gave local accent.' He threw back his head life-like and lively talks, and a few and laughed. ' Oh no,' he cried. used dialect very successfully. ' Many of us are well educated and Much care was taken to get into study elocution.' " conversation in a natural way. Many of the writers met the coxswain by Waves as High as Skyscrapers. tripping over a rope and colliding with The storms also inspired some graphic him. Then, after he had recovered phrases: his breath, and, in many cases, his " The waves were so high that they temper, they found him ready for a looked like buildings like you see in talk. New York." One Irish writer opened with an " The storm was as if Satan and a elaborate description of a holiday thousand of his devils had come howling scene on the seashore, a scene, he said, from the bottom of hell." " worthy of the brush of an artist ". " The wind was strong and rough, After noting the large number of child- so that everybody looked untidy but ren at play he " thanked his lucky cheerful." That last phrase certainly stars he was still a bachelor ". The suggests, as perhaps the others do not, same lordly young bachelor opened that the writer had been to sea and his conversation with the coxswain had enjoyed it. " by tossing him a two-shilling piece ". But even after such storms as those Another writer (aged 10|) began: described, the coxswain soon recovers. " I had nothing to do. The round- As one essayist writes: abouts were closed and so were the " After making six journeys to the swings. There was no afternoon ser- sinking vessel the coxswain fainted, 106 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. but on the morrow, after a pint of service given before the essays were beer, he felt better." written. Many of the conversations ended In the south-west of England and with the writer putting a coin in the in the north-west of England the life-boat box: have been won by schools " At the end of the coxswain's story which won them in 1936. In all the I said no word of thanks, but walked other seven districts the shields have over to the collecting-box and dropped been won by schools which have never in my pocket-money for the week." won them before. " I noticed a box bearing the large letters ' Help the Royal National Successful Towns. Life-boat Institution '. Unconcernedly For the fourth year running Ports- my hand ventured into my pocket. mouth (including Southsea) takes the Out came a shining shilling—my last first place in the number of winning shilling—but it rattled into the box." schools. It has twelve out of the " I could not help thinking that a thirty-five prize-winners in the south- pound note in the miniature life-boat west of England, while the neighbour- at the local post office was not badly ing borough of Gosport again has five placed." winners. Cardiff is again second with But perhaps the happiest ending seven. Croydon also has seven; Liver- came from the Scottish essayist to pool and Stoke-on-Trent six each; whom the coxswain said good-bye in Walthamstow five, and Edinburgh the following words: and Southampton four each. "'Cheerio, lass! I must be going. Girls versus Boys. It's dinner-time now, and I would Last year the boys were more suc- rather face an angry sea than an angry cessful than the girls. This year the wife,' and with these words he took girls have it. Besides the best essay his departure." of all they have won four of the nine challenge shields; and of the total of 2,253 Schools Take Part. 315 prizes, girls have won 164 and boys This was the nineteenth competition 151. The prize for the best essay of and 2,253 schools took part, an increase all has now been won twelve times by of 50 on 1938. Of this total of 2,253 girls and eight times by boys, a boy schools, 1,638 were English, 326 Scottish, and a girl tying for it in 1933. 172 Irish and 117 Welsh. There was an increase in England of 51 schools, Awards. a small increase in Ireland, and a Rita Daphne Harding will receive an small decrease in Scotland and Wales. inscribed copy of the edition de luxe The number of essays sent in for of Britain's Life-boats, by Major A. J. the inter-school competition was 1,396, Dawson. Each of the other eight sixteen more than in the previous year, winners of challenge shields will receive and the number of schools which held a copy of Launch, by Major-General their own competitions, but did not Lord Mottistone (Major-General Seely), send in for the inter-school competition ex-coxswain of the Brooke, Isle of was 857, an increase of thirty-four. Wight, life-boat, inscribed by the author. The schools will hold the The Best'Essay. shields for a year, and each school will The best essay in Great Britain also receive, as a permanent record of and Ireland has, for the second year its success, a copy of the certificate running, come from a London girl. It awarded to the pupil. The other prize- was written by Rita Daphne Harding, winners will each receive a certificate, of the Colville Junior Girls' School, the boys copies of Launch and the girls Lonsdale Road, Netting Hill, W.ll. copies of The Life-boat in Verse. She is under eleven years old and is The 857 schools which did not enter one of the youngest of the winning for the inter-school competition, and competitors. She has been very suc- the 1,081 schools which did not win a cessful in putting into an easy and prize in it, will each receive a certificate natural conversation the information for presentation to the writer of the from the lecture on the life-boat best essay in the school. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 107

The Institution's Thanks. Scholes, Intermediate School, Bul- lion Lane, Chester-le-Street, Co. The Institution is most gratefu to Durham. the Education Authorities for allowing NORTH-WEST OF ENGLAND.—Evelyn the competition to be held, and in Robinson, Upton Road School, many cases for bringing it to the notice Moreton, Wirral, Cheshire. of the schools; to the teachers for the MIDLANDS.—Reginald Charles Wing, great trouble which they have taken Mount Senior Mixed School, New- in lecturing to their classes and correct- ark-on-Trent. ing the essays; and to the judges in SOUTH-EAST OF ENGLAND.—Betty the nine districts who, year after year, Perkins, The Tavistock Senior ive the Institution their generous Girls' School, Croydon. f elp. SOUTH-WEST OF ENGLAND.—Norman Below will be found the names of Christopher Cooper, Oakfleld the nine winners of challenge shields Church of England Boys' School, and the best essay. The full list of winners is printed as a separate leaflet, Hyde, Isle of Wight. and will be sent, with a copy of this SCOTLAND.—Anne G. Notman, Flora journal, to each of the schools which Stevenson School, Comely Bank, entered for the inter-school com- Edinburgh. petition. IRELAND.—Fred Guy Kerrigan, Gar- vetagh Public Elementary School, LONDON.—Rita Daphne Harding, Col- Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, Northern ville Junior Girls' School, Lonsdale Ireland. Road, Netting Hill, W.ll. WALES.—John W. Staff, Copperworks NORTH-EAST OF ENGLAND.—Stanley Boys' School, Llanelly.

The Best Essay. By RITA DAPHNE HARDING (aged 11), The Colville Junior Girls' School, Lonsdale Road, Netting Hill, London, W.ll. I STOOD watching a strong weatherbeaten her stern she can do almost everything that tisherman haul baskets of crabs over the side is put before her." of his boat, on to a landing-stage at Cromer. " Do you mean that if you pushed her The waves rocked his little boat and his under water and filled her with water she strong body was rocked in rhythmic swing. could come up and empty herself? I bet I walked over the pebbly beach and along she couldn't." the landing-stage. " Well," he answered, " we won't put it " Well, young missy," he said, pausing in to the test. She could do it though, and I'll his work to look up at me, " this ain't the take you round the boat and show you how place for young ladies like you, you know." its done. Now to empty her of water she " I came to look at your boat," I ventured. has twelve automatic relieving valves or " I've never seen inside a fishing vessel scuppers. These are made so that they will before." let the water out almost as quickly as it " Aye, missy, she's one of the best fitted comes in " out of the whole fourteen thousand British " But while they are open the water comes fishing smacks, but she's not half as good as in, doesn't it? " I interrupted. my old life-boat on the cliffs." " No, it can't, because as soon as the water " Surely she's not yours," I said, " she tries to come in the scuppers close like that," belongs to the Life-boat Institution." he said, with a movement of his hands. " That she do, but she is half mine." li But how does the boat keep afloat when " How is she? " I asked. she is full of water," I questioned. " Well, you see I am the coxswain of her," " We are just coming to that," he said. he said, " and she is my best pal." " Now the boat is divided into fourteen " I wish you could spare the time to take water-tight cases and a hundred and sixty air- me over her," I said. tight cases. Now if any of these get knocked " Very well," thefisherma n said. " We'll or broken she still has all the others to rely have a look at my Mary Ann." on." He started to stroll along the beach, with " What does she run by? " I asked. me running by his side to keep up with him. " Well, she has two sixty horse-power " She's a beauty," he said, " one of the best Diesel engines which enable her to go at a out of all those round our five thousand miles of speed of nine knots. She is fitted throughout coast. And," he said proudly, " with me at with electricity, and has a searchlight, a 108 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

wireless, and a line-throwing gun. In her soon as she ships it, and lastly, and most stern she has an oil spray for calming the important, power to work even when she is waters round the wreck." badly damaged." " Where do you put the shipwrecked? " " Where does she get her strength from, I questioned; " surely you don't leave them surely she is made of the same materials out in the wet." as any other boat? " " Oh no, we have a cabin in the boat, and " No, missy, that's just where you're she can carry a hundred people besides a wrong. My Mary Ann is made of woods crew of eight." from half the countries in the British Empire. " Who was the founder of the Life-boat English oak," he said, counting on his fingers, Institution? " I asked; "he must have been " Canadian rock elm, Burmese teak, mahog- a very brave sailor." any and several others." " As a matter of fact he wasn't a sailor " I should think a lot of time is wasted at all," the fisherman answered to my sur- when the waves are rough and you can't prise, " he was in the army. It touched get near the wreck." him to see ships dashed to pieces on the " Yes, there is, but with me being the cox- rocks and people floundering helplessly in swain we soon beat off the waves with our oil the rough water. He begged the people spray here," he said, indicating the spray of England to do something. The first life- in the bows, " and that there water gets as boat was an open rowing-boat made buoyant calm as a lamb and the passengers are by a cork lining. Very often the boat would lowered over the side." capsize and the crew would be thrown into " I expect it's rather funny to see people the water and very often injured or drowned. coming over the side of the boat, although Sir William Hillary was not only the origina- it can't seem very funny to them to be let tor of life-boats, but himself one of the down in the dark into the tossing boat." bravest of life-boat men." " Of course I shan't always be the cox of " Was he very old when he retired from the boat, I will have to retire soon, being over the service?" I asked. sixty." " Yes, he was sixty-four. On the way to " Oh, well, I really must be going now, and a wreck Sir William Hillary was tossed out thank you ever so much for listening to me." of the boat when it capsized, and was hauled " Oh, that's all right, it's a change for aboard with three broken ribs. • someone to take notice of me. It's been " Of course you know the boats have im- interesting talking to you. Good-bye, per- proved now. They are made either to be haps I shall see you some other time." able to right herself when she capsizes or He rose then, and helping me down the not to be able to capsize at all. She also steps of the life-boat house he strolled off has four special qualities, great strength, down the beach whistling, while I hurried great buoyancy, power to empty water as off home to an anxious mother.

Nine Years After. THE coxswain at Eastbourne has Swedish steamer Inger which was in received a picture postcard from collision off the Royal Sovereign Light- Sweden: " Many hearty greetings to ship, about one in the morning of you and warm thanks for wonderful 1st June, 1930, and sank with rescue of 1930 to all from B. Lindfors." the loss of fifteen lives. The East- The postcard had a picture of Trafalgar bourne life-boat found him on an Square. overturned boat four hours after the B. Lindfors was a boy on board the collision.

A Lenten Vow. THE life-boat service has benefited by One officer sent his cheque for £5 as the result of a vow by two army 7 £2 10s. not, he explained, as a penalty, officers on Salisbury Plain. The} but as " a thank-offering for his success bound themselves to "a particular in keeping the vow." Lenten abstention," and the penalty for failure was to be a cheque for The other officer sent his cheque £2 10s. to the Institution. for £2 10s. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 109

LJ!£2i~^^

A NAVAL LIFE-BOAT APPEAL POSTER. Used on board H.M.S Dorsetshire, at Hongkong, when the ship's company subscribed £31 5s. for the Life-boat Service

AN INN SIGN. This is the new sign of The Life-boat Inn at Brancaster, Norfolk, and has been painted from the picture, by the late Mr. Charles Dixon, R.I., of the Cromer service to the barge Sepoy in December, 1933. It is reproduced by courtesyLof the Morgan Brewery Co., Norwich, owners of the inn. 110 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

St. Ives Memorial: The Mayor's Fund. ON 23rd April a memorial tablet to Cathedral, and had seen a practice the seven men of the St. Ives crew, launch of the St. Ives life-boat. Dr. who lost their lives on 23rd January Sidney D. Eva, assistant to the Bishop last, was unveiled at the St. Ives of the Methodist Church of Michigan, Seamen's Institution by Mr. N. A. also spoke and recalled that his grand- Beechman, M.C., M.P. for St. Ives. father had been chief of the coastguard The Mayor of St. Ives presided. The near Godrevy, where the life-boat came tablet is the gift of Messrs. Gardiner & ashore, and that his grandmother was Sons, of Bristol; the frame has been born at Godrevy Farm, where William presented by Mr. Robin Nance, of St. Freeman, the only survivor, was taken Ives, and a barometer above it has in when he crawled ashore from the been provided by the members of the wreck. institute. The Mayor of St. Ives's fund for the On 12th March a memorial service dependents of the men who lost their was held in the St. Paul's Methodist lives has been closed at £10,500. Episcopal Church, of Highland Park, This total includes a large sum given Michigan, in the United States of for a memorial. Should a breakwater America. It was attended by about be built at St. Ives and the Institution 800 Cornish men and women. The enabled thereby to provide St. Ives sermon was preached by the Very Rev. with a motor life-boat of a large type, Dr. Kirk O'Farrell, Dean of the with a boat-house and launching slip- Cathedral, who mentioned that last way, it is proposed that the memorial year he had preached in should be placed near the slipway.

Centenary of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society. THE Shipwrecked Fishermen and to relief for personal loss or damage to Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society boats and gear owing to shipwreck or completed its first hundred years of other accident at sea. work in February, 1939. The Institu- Silver and gold medals and other tion sent its cordial congratulations to awards are granted by the Society for the Society on its magnificent record heroism on the high seas. of 897,801 fishermen, sailors and their All round the coast of Great Britain, families helped during those hundred and at many points on the coast of years, and its best wishes for the Ireland, the Society has honorary success of its indispensable work as it agents, whose aid is promptly forth- enters on its second century. coming for survivors of shipwreck the The Society's object is to provide moment they are landed. lodging, board, and clothing, for all In its early days the Society main- persons, whatever their nationality, tained a number of life-boat stations. who are landed after shipwreck or In 1854 these stations, nine in all, were other mishap at sea, and to pay their transferred to the Institution. At the fares to their homes. Immediate relief same time the Institution resigned to grants are given to the dependents of the Society the whole care of the those lost at sea, and further grants shipwrecked as soon as they had been are made to widows, orphans and landed. As Mr. Francis Thorn, who parents of members of the Society. has just retired from the secretaryship, Assistance in old age is also given to says in his " Brief History of the First members themselves; and membership, Hundred Years," "the two societies which costs a minimum of only 3/- a have worked in close harmony ever year, also entitles sailors and fishermen since." JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 111

The Life-boat Stamp Bureau. THE Life-boat Stamp Bureau, which year she has made over £6 net profit. was founded by Miss Margaret Power, She has a regular clientele, and has of Mount Royal, Old Common, Cobham, besides a big sale at the boathouses, Surrey, in 1933, is continuing and ex- where the attendants last year sold over tending its work. Miss Power has now a thousand penny packets. She will be a number of regular customers who glad to send sheets and packets of want only first-class stamps, and a good stamps on approval. clientele of schoolboys who buy penny Both Miss Power and Miss Rawles packets. Last year she made a net appeal for gifts of stamps, and they profit of over £7. will be very glad to get in touch Another bureau was started in 1937 with any other branches which would at Cromer, by Miss A. M. Rawles, 10, like to start stamp bureaus of their Church Street, Cromer, and in her first own.

Obituary. Mrs. L. R. Lowe, Gosfield. His life-boat work was done among MRS. LOUISA RUTH LOWE, of Gosfield many other duties, for he was the Hall, Essex, who died on 24th February county court registrar, for some years in her 95th year had for eighteen years a member of the Urban District been the president of the Halstead and Council, and for twenty years the Gosfield branch, and had taken a very honorary organist of his church. In personal and generous interest in its 1936 Mr. Marks was awarded the work. She held fetes, concerts, dances, inscribed binoculars in gratitude for and whist drives on its behalf at Gosfield his many services to the Institution. Hall. She even used the lake in the grounds to help it, by getting anglers and Captain D. H. Gibsone, D.S.O., R.I.N., skaters who came there to contribute Berwick-on-Tweed. to the funds of the branch. In 1932 CAPTAIN DONALD H. GIBSONE, D.S.O., Mrs. Lowe was awarded the Institu- R.I.N., who died on 7th April, in his tion's gold badge, which is given only 69th year, had been honorary secretary for distinguished honorary services. of the Berwick-on-Tweed station since the end of 1925, and in 1936 was Mr. J. J. Marks, Llandudno. awarded the Institution's inscribed MR. JAMES JONES MARKS, who died on binoculars in gratitude for his services 24th March, at the age of 70, had been to the station. Captain Gibsone had the honorary secretary of the Llandudno been harbour master at Berwick for life-boat station for seventeen years. 15 3'ears, and had previously served in He had been a member of the committee the Royal Indian Marine and been since 1907, so that he had taken part aide-de-camp to the governor of in the work of the station for 32 years. Eastern Bengal.

Life-boat Charts for Yacht Clubs. As in the past four years, the Institu- having the life-boat stations clearly tion has again supplied free to all yacht marked, with motor or pulling and clubs which wished to have it a copy of sailing life-boats, has on it particulars the chart of life-boat stations round of the different signals to be used by the British Isles which appears in the ships or aircraft in distress. It has annual report. This chart, besides been sent to 77 yacht clubs. 112 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

Awards to Coxswains and Life-boatmen. Certificates of Service and Pensions. E. G. WATKINS, 25 years shore signalman and 20 years a member of the crew of the The COXSWAIN'S CERTIFICATE OP Angle life-boat. SERVICE, and a PENSION, have been awarded to: The LIFE-BOATMAN'S CERTIFICATE JAMES ROBSON, 31J years coxswain of the OF SERVICE has been awarded to: North Sunderland life-boat. GEORGE S. SHIEL, 10£ years bowman and WILLIAM H. GLENDEWAR, 20 years coxswain 16 J years a member of the crew of the and 6 years second coxswain of the St. North Sunderland life-boat. Helier life-boat. JOSEPH ROURKE, 66 years a member of the ROBERT HOOD, 12f years coxswain, 2£ years crew of the Howth life-boat. second coxswain, 17£ years bowman, and THOMAS A. GAGHRAN, 47 years a member of 6J years shore signalman of the Hartlepool the crews of the Walmer and Kingsdo-wn life-boat. life-boats. JOHN R. WIGNALL, 11 years coxswain and WILLIAM RANKIN, 41 years a member of the 13 years bowman of the Lytham-St,- crew of the Holy Island life-boat. Anne's life-boat. ALEXANDER MARKWELL, 27 years a member JOHN R. STEPHENSON, 6J years coxswain, of the crew of the Holy Island life-boat. 5 years second coxswain and 12 years bowman of the Flamborough No. 2 life- A PENSION has been awarded to: boat. STEPHENSON KNAGGS, 6J years second coxswain and 5 years bowman of the The LIFE-BOATMAN'S CERTIFICATE Flamborough No. 2 life-boat. OF SERVICE, and a PENSION, have been awarded to: GEORGE TABT, 13 years bowman of the Dungeness No. 2 life-boat. MICHAEL ROBSON, llj years second coxswain, 8| years bowman and 15 years a member of the crew of the North Sunderland A GRATUITY has been awarded to: life-boat. WILLIAM HUGHES, 5J years coxswain of the CHARLES FLANIOAN, 33 years bowman and Porthdinllaen life-boat. 13 years a member of the crew of the New THOMAS STEPHENSON, 6J years bowman of Brighton life-boat. the Flamborough No. 2 life-boat.

Awards to Honorary Workers. Honorary Life-Cover nor. Alderman Sir HAROLD R. PINK, J.P., chair- man, Portsmouth, Southsea and District Mr. CHARLES J. SHARP, J.P., has been branch. appointed an Honorary Life-Governor of the Institution and has been presented with a copy of the vote inscribed on Life-boat Picture or Statuette of a Life- vellum and signed by H.R.H. the Duke of boatman. Kent, K.G., President of the Institution, in recognition of the valuable help which he The LIFE-BOAT PICTURE or the has given to the life-boat service as chair-. STATUETTE OF A LIFE-BOATMAN man of the Southampton and District has been awarded to the following: branch for the past twenty-three years. Mr. D. D. KENNEDY, honorary treasurer, Hauxley and Amble station branch. Thanks of the Institution on Vellum. Mrs. F. TINKER, honorary treasurer, Skel- manthorpe branch. The THANKS OF THE INSTITUTION INSCRIBED ON VELLUM has been awarded to: Record of Thanks. Mr. CHARLES SHILLITOE, on his retirement The RECORD OF THANKS has been after sixteen and a half years as honorary awarded to: secretary of the Salcombe and Hope Cove Mrs. S. EKINS, worker, Leamington Spa station branch. branch. Mr. C. K. JONES, honorary treasurer, Tees- Gold Badge. mouth branch. The GOLD BADGE, with the RECORD OF Miss E. PRATT, worker, Leamington Spa THANKS has been awarded to: branch. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 113

Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management.

Thursday, 9th February, 1939. be named Central London (with parts of Kent and Surrey) and Outer London. Sir GODFREY BARING, Bt., in the chair. Resolved that a letter of congratulation be Resolved that the St. Ives, Cornwall, sent to the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society on station be temporarily closed. the attainment of its centenary. Resolved that a joint meeting of the boat Reported the receipt of the following and construction committees be held at an special contribution:— early date to consider the general question of £ s. d. the future of self-righting motor life-boats The late Mr. James Attfield, and other relevant matters. F.C.A. . . . . 500 0 0 Paid £33,455 Us. 8d. for the total charges Paid £31,541 3s. Id. for the total charges of the Institution during the month, including of the Institution during the month, including rewards for services, payments for the con- rewards for services, payments for the con- struction of life-boats, life-boathouses and struction of life-boats, life-boathouses and slipways, and the maintenance of life-boat slipways, and the maintenance of life-boat stations. stations. Included in the above were:— Included in the above were:— £178 11s. to pay the rewards for life-boat £90 4s. 6

News from the Branches. 1st February to 30th April.1 Greater London. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the BALHAM.—Special meeting. Branch Institution, Sir Marshall Hays, J.P., chair- formed. Lieut.-Colonel G. F. Doland, O.B.E., man, and Mrs. Rosefleld, honorary secretary. J.P., M.P., L.CC., patron; the Mayor of Efforts of the past year: Life-boat day, Wandsworth, president; Kngr. Rear-Admiral swimming gala. Amount collected in 1938 W. M. Whayman, C.B., Councillor Evan £65, an increase of £27 on 1937. Rees, M.I.G.E., Councillor G. F. Beare, Mr. HORNSEY.—Annual meeting on 27th F. Beare, Mr. E. Wadlow, Mr. J. W. February, the Mayor, president, in the chair. Lightfoot, vice-presidents; Mrs. G. Beare, Speakers: Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, chairman; Mrs. A. Martin, vice-chairman; M.C., T.D., deputy secretary of the Institu- Mr. J. M. Tokeley, honorary treasurer; tion, and Councillor J. L. R. Webb, honorary Mrs. Haskings, honorary secretary; Mr. J. C. secretary. Efforts of the past year: Whist Hounsfleld, A.C.A., honorary auditor. drives, dance, life-boat day. Amount col- BARNET.—Mrs. Bernard Smith ap- lected in 1938 £312, an increase of £12 on pointed joint honorary secretary in succession 1937. to Mrs. Moore. Whist drive organized by Mr. E. H. Bennett, assistant honorary secretary, and BATTERSEA.—Major H. C. Gribble, Mrs. Bennett, with address by the district D.S.O., appointed honorary treasurer in organizing secretary. succession to Mr. J. Morrish. Lecture to Battersea and Wandsworth British Legion. HOUNSLOW, HESTON AND ISLE- WORTH.—Whist drive at Hounslow or- BEXLEYHEATH.—Dance. Whist drive ganized by Miss Ankritt, honorary secretafy, with short address. Rummage sale. and the branch committee, with address by BURNT OAK, EDGWARE.—Life-boat the district organizing secretary; and pre- ball at Edgware. sentation of prizes by Mrs. E. H. Keeling. CHELSEA.—Annual meeting on 7th Feb- ISLINGTON.—Life-boat day workers' ruary at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, by kind meeting at the Town Hall. Speaker: Lieut.- permission of General Sir Harry and Lady Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary Knox. Speaker: Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., of the Institution. chairman of the Institution. Efforts of the MALDEN AND COOMBE.—Whist drive past year: Life-boat day. Amount collected with address by the Rev. G. M. Longsdon, in 1938 £386, an increase of £28 on 1937. M.A., president of the branch. CLAPHAM.—Annual meeting on 21st PINNER.—Miss Livingstone appointed April. Efforts of the past year: Whist honorary secretary. drives, garden fete, life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 £459. ROMFORD.—Lantern lecture to Carlisle Whist drives. Guild by Mr. A. A. Lamb, honorary secretary. CROYDON.—Lantern lecture at Whitgift ST. ALBANS AND DISTRICT.—Special School by Mr. Drynan. meeting, the Mayor, chairman, presiding. Speakers: Miss Silvester, honorary secretary, BALING.—Life-boat day workers' meet- and the district organizing secretary. ing. Speakers: Captain E. S. Carver, R.D., R.N.R., superintendent of stores, and the SOUTHGATE.—Address to the Round district organizing secretary. Address by Table by Captain E. S. Carver, R.D., R.N.R., Mr. V. Leleux to Baling League of Nations superintendent of stores. Union. STOKE NEWINGTON.—Special meet- ELTHAM.—Addresses to Eltham British ings, the Mayor presiding. Speaker: The Legion and New Eltham Branch West Wool- district organizing secretary. wich Conservative Association. SURBITON.—Drawing room meeting, by ENFIELD.—Address to the Rotary Club kind permission of Mrs. Blay. Speaker: Sir by the district organizing secretary. Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the In- stitution. HACKNEY.—Annual meeting on 1st March, the Mayor, patron, presiding. TOOTING.—Address to Rotary Club by Speakers: Councillor W. E. Loweth, C.B.E., Captain Basil Hall, R.N. D.C., J.P., president, Mrs. Wilson, chairman, TWICKENHAM.—Annual meeting on Mrs. White, honorary secretary, and Flight- 6th February. Alderman Edgar Ollis, J.P., Lieut. W. E. Westwood, honorary treasurer. chairman, presiding. Speaker: The district Amount collected in 1938 £64, an increase organizing secretary. The Mayor attended of £60 on 1937. and was elected president. Amount collected HAMMERSMITH.—Whist drive, with in 1938 £46. short annual meeting during the interval at Address to Townswomen's Guild. which the Mayor, president of the branch, UXBRIDGE.—Life-boat day at Iver, was in the chair. Speakers: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Iver Heath and New Denham. i In the March Issue tbe news was Incorrectly given as from 1st October to 31st December, 1933. It should have been to 31st January, 1939. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 115

WELLING.—Social afternoon with address BOLTON.—Annual meeting on 23rd by Captain E. S. Carver, R.D., R.N.R., March, the Mayor, president, in the chair. superintendent of stores. Whist drives held Speaker: The district organizing secretary. monthly. Efforts of the past year: Life-boat day, WEMBLEY.—Address to the Rotary annual Ladies' bowling handicap, whist Club by the district organizing secretary. drives. Amount collected in 1938 £273. Mr. Arthur Lawson elected chairman of the WIMBLEDON, MERTON AND MOR- branch. DEN.—Whist drive, with presentation of " Mile of Pennies" effort in progress. the statuette of a life-boatman, awarded by Address to members of the Soroptimist Club the Institution, to Miss Johnston, honorary ofBolton. Whist drive. Whist drive arranged treasurer, by Mrs. Whyham, honorary by Mrs. W. E. Topping. secretary. WOODFORD AND DISTRICT.—Lantern BREDBURY.—Life-boat day. lectures at Woodford Green by Mr. G. E. BRIERFIELD.—Bridge drive. Hovell, at Wanstead, by Mr. Wilton, and at Buckhurst Hill. Visit of St. Aubyn's School, BURY.—Annual meeting on 30th March, Woodford Green, to storeyard. the Mayor, president, in the chair. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Amount Lantern lectures to Camberwell Public collected in 1938 £140. Libraries, Livesey Library, and to the South London Art Gallery, by Mr. V. Leleux. CARLISLE.—Annual meeting on 24th Lectures to Brockley Baptist Church, February, the Rev. Canon Boulton, Vicar of Goffs Oak Women's Institute, and to the Crosby-on-Eden, presiding in the absence of Union of Girls' Schools for Social Service, the Dean of Carlisle. Speaker: Lieut.-Col. Peckham, Dulwich Scientific and Literary C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Association, and at Willesden. Institution. Efforts of the past year: Life- boat day at Silloth, whist drive and dance. North-West of England. Amount collected in 1938 £172. ACCRINGTON.—Annual theatre collec- CARNFORTH.—Presentation to Mrs. W. tions. Mason, honorary secretary, of the statuette of a life-boatman, awarded to her by the APPLEBY.—Life-boat day. Institution. ASHTON - UNDER - LYNE. — Annual meeting on 17th April, the Mayor in the CHESTER. — Annual meeting on 14th chair. Speaker: The district organizing March, the Mayor, president, in the chair. secretary. Efforts of the past year: American Speaker: The district organizing secretary. tea. Amount collected in 1938 £22. Efforts of the past year: Life-boat day, Presentation to Mrs. H. Ashworth, hon- Mayor's appeal for subscriptions. Amount orary secretary of the Ladies' Life-boat collected in 1938 £184, an increase of £3 on Guild, of the statuette of a life-boatman, 1937. awarded to her by the Institution. Whist drive organized by the Ladies' Life-boat day. British tea. Life-boat Guild. BACUP.—Life-boat days. CLITHEROE AND CHATBURN-—Life- boat day. BARROW-IN-FURNESS.—W hist drives organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. COCKERMOUTH.—Annual meeting on Address by the district organizing secretary 7th March, Lady Lawson, president, in the to the Barrow Sailors' Home Mission and chair. Speaker: The district organizing Institute. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £48, an increase of £6 on 1937. BLACKPOOL.— Annual meeting on 23rd February, the Mayor, president, in the chair. COLNE, AND CONGLETON.—Life-boat Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, days. O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. Efforts CROMPTON AND SHAW.—Whist drive. of the past year: Life-boat day, Sunday service, life-boat launches with collections, DALTON - IN - FURNESS. — Annual collections at life-boat house and sale of house-to-house collection. souvenirs, collections in hotels and boarding houses. Amount collected in 1938 £2,673, DARWEN.—Special meeting on 21st April, an increase of £1,818 on 1937. the Mayor in the chair. Speaker: The Seventh annual life-boat Sunday service district organizing secretary. Amount at the Church of St. Stephen-on-the-CIiffs. collected in 1938 £25. The Mayor and Mayoress, members of the DOUGLAS.—Annual meeting on 14th Jan- town council, officials and workers of the uary, Deemster Farrant, president, in the Blackpool branch and members of th« chair in the absence of the -Governor Blackpool and Fleetwood life-boat crews of the Isle-of-Man. Efforts of the past year: attending. Preacher: The Rev. Canon F. B. Life-boat day, sacred service, collections at Freshwater, vicar of St. Stephen's and life-boat house, collections in hotels and chaplain of the Blackpool branch. The boarding houses. Amount collected in 1938 Lessons were read by the coxswain and £082. second-coxswain. The Blackpool life-boat Cinema performance with collections. band, conducted by Mr. J. Brier, accom- panied the service. EARBY.—Bridge and whist drive. 116 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

FARNWORTH.—Annual meeting on 27th cillor Mrs. H. Hartley, president, in the February, Mrs. J. Johnston, president, chair. Speaker: The branch secretary. in the chair. Speaker: The district organizing Exhibition of life-boat films by Mr. T. S. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £65. Rothwell. Life-boat day. Whist drive. CHEETHAM HILL.—Annual meeting HEYWOOD.—Whist drives. on 20th February, Dr. I. W. Slotki, HINDLEY.—Annual meeting and whist M.A., Litt.D., president, in the chair. drive on 15th February. Efforts of the past Mrs. A. Moss elected honorary secretary in year: Life-boat day, whist drive and dance. succession to Miss R. Slotki. Amount collected in 1938 £65, an increase CHORLTON - CUM - HARDY.—Special of £7 on 1937. meeting, Mrs. T. Silvey elected president; Mrs. Baxter elected honorary treasurer in Miss E. A. Bough, honorary treasurer; succession to Mrs. Wilson. Mrs. Thorne, honorary secretary. HOLLINGWORTH.—Annual dance and ECCLES.—Annual meeting on 21st whist drive. March, the Mayor, president, in the chair. HORWICH.—Annual house-to-house col- GORTON. — Ninth annual cabaret, lection. supper-dance and whist drive. HYDE.—Annual meeting on 4th April, KNUTSFORD.—Annual meeting on the Mayor, president, in the chair. Speaker: 8th March, Miss G. Ashworth, honorary The district organizing secretary. Efforts of treasurer, in the chair. the past year: Life-boat days, whist drives. Life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 £74. LEVENSHULME.—Annual meeting on KENDAL.—Annual bridge and whist 26th April. Mr. J. MacGregor elected drive. Life-boat day. honorary secretary in succession to Miss KESWICK.—Life-boat day. Sunny Lowry. LAKE DISTRICT.—Bridge and whist MANCHESTER.—Special meeting on drive, organized by Mrs. M. Musgrave and 2nd March. Mr. P. T. Eckersley, J.P. M.P., Mrs. D. Kendall. elected chairman of the executive com- LEIGH.—Life-boat day. mittee in succession to the late Alderman LIVERPOOL.—Annual meeting on 31st Joseph Crookes Grime, O.B.E., J.P. March, the Lord Mayor, president, in the chair. Annual meeting of Ladies' Life-boat Speaker: Colonel "A. D. Burnett Brown, Guild on 27th April, Miss F. M. Grime, M.C., T.D., deputy-secretary of the Institu- president, in the chair. tion. Efforts of the past year: House-to Dance arranged by the Ecomonic Youth house collections by the Ladies' Life-boat Movement. Address by the branch Guild, shipping appeal, masonic appeal. secretary to members of the Economic Amount collected in 1938 £2,386. Youth Movement. Life-boat day. NORTHENDEN.—Address by branch LYMM AND HEATLEY.—Life-boat day. secretary to the Young People's Guild of LYTHAM ST. ANNE'S.—Annual meeting Service. on 24th March, Alderman W. Ingham PLATTING.—Special meeting, Alder- presiding in the unavoidable absence of the man A. James, J.P., in the chair. Mayor. Speaker: The district organizing Speaker: the Manchester, Salford and secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £238. District branch secretary. Life-boat Guild Presentation of the certificate of service formed and the following officers elected: awarded by the Institution to Ex-coxswain Patron, the Rt. Hon. J. R. Clynes, D.C.L., J. R. Wignall. J.P., M.P.; president, Sir Frederick J. American tea organized by the Lytham West, C.B.E., J.P.; vice-presidents, the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Rev. J. S. Hepworth, Mr. Geoffrey Parkes, MACCLESFIELD.—Annual meeting on Mi. J. Warden Stansfield, M.A.; chairman, 28th April, the Mayor, president, in the chair. Alderman A. James, J.P.; vice-chairman, Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Councillor C. F. Howarth; honorary Amount collected in 1938 £144. treasurer, Mr. W. P. Robson. MANCHESTER, SALFORD AND SALFORD.—Address by the branch DISTRICT.— secretary to members of the Salford ALDERLY EDGE.—Life-boat day. Methodist Guild. CHEADLE HULME.—Special meeting, STYAL.—Life-boat day. Councillor Mrs. H. Hartley in the chair. URMSTON.—Annual whist drive and Speaker: The Manchester, Salford and dance. Whist drive. District branch secretary. Ladies' Life- boat Guild re-constituted and the following WHITWORTH PARK AND CHORL- officers elected: President, Councillor Mrs. TON - ON - MEDLOCK.—Whist drive, H. Hartley; vice-presidents, Mrs. Blezard, organized by Miss Amy Robinson, president Mrs. Brimble; honorary treasurer, Mrs. of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Levell; joint honorary secretaries, Miss V. Littler and Miss G. Kirkham. WILMSLOW.—Life-boat day. Special meeting on 31st March, Coun- MIDDLEWICH.—Life-boat day. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 117

MILNTHORPE.—Annual meeting on 2nd STOCKPORT.—Thanksgiving service at March, Mr. W. Iniff in the chair. Amount Christ Church, attended by officers and collected in 1938 £29, an increase of £8 on members of the branch and Ladies' Life-boat 1937. Guild committees, the Portwood Sea Cadet Mr. W. Houghton elected chairman, and Corps, assistant county commissioner Martin Mr. F. S. Fox honorary secretary in and his Sea Scouts. Preacher: the Rev. succession to Mr. W. Iniff. T. F. Ethell. Whist and bridge drive, Life-boat day. organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. MORECAMBE AND HEYSHAM.—Dance, Life-boat days. bridge and whist drive, organized by the TODMORDEN.—Annual meeting on Ladies' Life-boat Guild. 28th March. Speaker: The district organizing MOSSLEY.—Life-boat day. secretary. Effort of the past year: Life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 £79. NANTWICH.—Annual meeting on 15th February, Mrs. C. A. Codrington, president, in WESTHOUGHTON.—Whist drive. the chair. Speaker: The district organizing WHITEHAVEN.—Special meeting, Mr. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £89, an A. C. S. Thom-Postlethwaite, in the chair. increase of £14 on 1937. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. NEW BRIGHTON.—Naming ceremony Branch re-constituted, and the following of the new motor life-boat (a special report officers elected: President, Lady Ponsonby; will appear in a later issue of The Life-boat). chairman, Mrs. A. C. S. Thom-Postlethwaite; Annual dinner and entertainment to the life- honorary treasurer, Mr. T. M. Oldfield; boat crew. honorary secretary, Miss Margaret I. Walker. NORTHWICH.—Life-boat day. Bridge WIDNES.—Annual meeting on 22nd drive, organized by Mrs. Gillbert, Mrs. February, the Mayor, president, in the chair. Harper and Mrs. Batty. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. OLDHAM.—American tea, organized by Amount collected in 1938 £32, an increase of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. £6 on 1937. ORRELL.—The branch has suffered a Whist drive, organized by the Ladies' severe loss by the death of Mrs. W. Nixon, a Life-boat Guild. member of the committee. WIGAN.—Annual bridge and whist drive. PEEL.—The station has lost an old cox- swain by the death, at the age of 65, of North-East of England. Coxswain Charles J. Cain. He served as BADSWORTH.—Whist drive. second-coxswain for five years and coxswain for 15 years, retiring in 1920, when he was BAWTRY.—House-to-house collection. awarded a certificate of service and a gratuity. BENTLY.—Whist drive. POYNTON AND WORTH. — Annual BERWICK.—The branch has suffered a dance, whist drive, life-boat day. severe loss by the death of Captain D. H. PRESTON.—Annual meeting on 20th Feb- Gibsone, D.S.O., R.I.N., its honorary secre- ruary, the Mayor, president, in the chair. tary. (See Obituary.) Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Concert. Efforts of the past year: Life-boat day in the BEVERLEY.—Life-boat day. Whist drive. outlying districts. Whist drive. Amount BLYTH.—Annual meeting on the 15th collected in 1938 £207, an increase of £35 March, the Mayor presiding. Efforts of the past on 1937. year: Dance, whist drive. Amount collected RADCLIFFE.—Whist drive, arranged by in 1938 £312. Mrs. Ethcridge. Dinner, whist drive. ROCHDALE.—Annual meeting on 8th BRIDLINGTON. — Annual meeting on February, the Mayor, president, in the chair. 7th March. Amount collected in 1938 £224. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Dance. Amount collected in 1938 £151. BRIGHOUSE.—Life-boat day. ROMILEY.—Life-boat day. CAMPSALL.—Whist drive and social. RUNCORN.—Bridge drive, organized by CAWCROFT AND CLECKHEATON.— the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Life-boat days. ST. HELENS.—Whist and bridge drives. DARFIELD.—Whist drive. SADDLEWORTH.—Life-boat day. DARLINGTON.—Annual meeting on 29th SILVERDALE.—Annual meeting on 15th March, the Mayor presiding. Efforts of the past March, Mrs. E. S. Sharp, president, in year: Life-boat day, whist and bridge drives. the chair. Speaker: The district organizing Amount collected in 1938 £223. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £38. Mrs. Makin appointed chairman of the DONCASTER.—Life-boat day. Dance at Guild. Thurnscoe. Gardens of Grey Walls opened to the DRIFFIELD.—Annual meeting on 8th public. March. Efforts of the past year: Garden fete. SOUTHPORT.—Whist drive, organized Amount collected in 1938 £25. by Mrs. J. L. Curlander. FILEY.—Dance. 118 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

GOLCAR.—Whist drive. Trenam, M.B.E., M.C., organizing secretary HALIFAX.—Life-boat day. for the North-West of England. Amount collected in 1938 £2,469, an increase of £122 HARROGATE.—Bridge and whist drive, on 1937. dance. Presentation of the statuette of a life-boat- HECKMONDWIKE.—Life-boat day. man awarded by the Institution to Miss Mabel Upton, of Moseley. HEPWORTH AND SCHOLES.—House- House-to-house collections, arranged by to-house collection. the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, at Alum Rock, HONLEY.—House-to-house collection. Handsworth, West Bromwich, Selly Park KEIGHLEY.—Life-boat day. and Brookvale. Collection at the Birming- ham Hippodrome. LEEDS.—Annual meeting, the Mayor Lantern lectures to the Barford Road presiding. Speaker: the Vicar of Leeds. Council school, the Court Oak branch of Amount collected in 1938 £752. Unionists and to the Birmingham branch and Ball. Ladies' Life-boat Guild members. Addresses NEWCASTLE.—Life-boat day. to the English Martyrs R.C. School, Spark- hill; Selly Park Junior School; the Smeth- OSSETT.—Bridge drive. wick Rotarians; the Smethwick Women's POCKLINGTON.—Life-boat day. Whist Unionists, and the Soho Hill Women's drive. Movement. REDCAR AND TEESMOUTH.—Life- Life-boat day at Smethwick. boat crew dinner and social. Annual meeting of the Smethwick branch, the Mayor presiding; speaker: The district RUNSWICK.—Whist drive and dance. organizing secretary. Amount collected in SEAHAM.—Whist drive and dance. 1938 £69. SELBY.—Bridge drive. Life-boat day. Concert arranged bv Mr. S. Poynton and his Carnival Concert Party; West Bromwich. SHEFFIELD.—Annual meeting on 19th Dance arranged by Mrs. Jordan, at Solihull. April, the Lord Mayor presiding. Speaker: Contribution scheme arranged by Mrs. the Bishop of Sheffield. Efforts of the past Stevens. year: Works appeal, life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 £374, an increase of £12 BELPER, BOURNE, and BRIGG.— on 1937. Life-boat days. Dance, jumble sale. BROMSGROVE. — Presentation of the SKELMANTHORPE.—House - to - house statuette of a life-boatman, awarded by the collection. Institution to Mrs. Carter, honorary secretary. SKIPTON.—Life-boat day. BROWNHILLS.—Jumble sale. SOUTH KIRBY.—Collection in cinema, CANNOCK. — Mrs. Beesley appointed whist drive and dance. honorary secretary. SOUTH SHIELDS.—Dinner, bridge and COLESHILL.—Life-boat day. whist drive. COVENTRY.—Annual meeting, Coun- cillor J. Holt, Deputy Mayor, presiding. STAINFORTH.—Life-boat day. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. STANHOPE.—House-to-house collection. Amount collected in 1938 £262, an increase STOCKSLEY.—Bridge drive. of £43 on 1937. SUNDERLAND.—Whist drive. Presentation of the small figure of a life- boatman awarded by the Institution to Mr. THORNE MOORENDS.—Life-boat day. W. J. Byden, manager of the Astoria Theatre. TYNEMOUTH.—Annual dinner. GRIMSBY.—Life-boat film " Story of the WAKEFIELD.—Bridge, whjst drive and Life-boat" shown. dance. Presentations to the retiring president, KENILWORTH.—House-to-house collec- Mrs. Pickles. tion. WASHINGTON, AND WEST HARTLE- LEAMINGTON SPA. — House-to-house POOL.—Bridge drives. collection. WHITBY.—The station has lost an old officer of the life-boat by the death, at the MANSFIELD AND DISTRICT.—Life- age of 61, of Mr. James Kelly. He served boat day. for 11 years as bowman and second-coxswain, NEWARK.—Annual meeting, Mr. R. P. retiring in 1930 with a certificate of service Blatherwick, J.P., presiding, supported by and a pension. the Mayor, Alderman C. H. Dale. Speaker: WITHERNSEA.—Whist and bridge drive. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution. Amount collected in 1938 £78, Midlands. an increase of £7 on 1937. ASHBOURNE.—Life-boat day. NEW MILLS.—Life-boat day. Life-boat film " Boats that Save Life " shown. BIRMINGHAM.—Annual meeting, the district organizing secretary presiding in the NOTTINGHAM. — Annual display of unavoidable absence of Mr. C. H. Dobinson, dancing arranged by the Allen School of M.A., chairman. Speaker: Captain R. Dancing. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 119

OAKHAM.—Life-boat day. Film shown BRILL, AND BURNHAM (Bucks).— at the Regal Cinema. Life-boat days. PERSHORE.—Life-boat day. CAISTER-ON-SEA.—Whist drive. PETERBOROUGH. — Annual meeting, CANTERBURY.—Bridge party, and whist the Mayor presiding. Speaker: Colonel the drive. Life-boat film " Boats that Save Lord Sempill, a member of the committee of Life" shown, with collections. management of the Institution. Amount collected in 1938 £218, an increase of £99 CATERHAM.—Bridge drive. Competition on 1937. at North Downs Golf Club. RETFORD.—Life-boat day. CHELMSFORD.—Whist drive. SHEPSHED.—Presentation of the record CLAY GATE.—House-to-house collection . of thanks awarded by the Institution to COBHAM.—Presentation by Lieut.-Col. Miss Goodall, honorary secretary. C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Institution, of the record of thanks awarded SPALDING.—Life-boat day. by the Institution to Miss Margaret Power, STAMFORD.—Whist drive. late honorary secretary. STOKE-ON-TRENT.—Bridge and whist CRAWLEY, WORTH AND THREE drives. BRIDGES.—Life-boat day. TETBURY.—Life-boat day. DARTFORD.—Life-boat day. Whist drive. TOWCESTER.—Whist drive. EASTBOURNE AND DISTRICT. — UPPINGHAM.—Life-boat day. Dance at Brightling. Lectures to the Upper- ton League of Youth, Hailsham, and Polegate WEDNESBURY.—Presentation of the Women's Institute. statuette of a life-boatman awarded by the Institution to Mr. A. F. Gaunt, honorary EAST DEREHAM.—Dance. secretary. FOLKESTONE.—Life-boat ball, organized WOLVERHAMPTON. — Life-boat day. by Mr. H. G. Challice Harvey and Miss Edna Films shown. Dance arranged by Mrs. E. A. Harrison. Manby, Codsall. GERRARDS CROSS.—Life-boat day. WORCESTER.—Special meeting of newly- GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLES- formed committee, Alderman R. R. Fair- TON.—Dinner to the life-boat crew, given by bairn, J.P., in the chair, supported by the Mr. H. Bond, a member of the branch Mayor, the High Sheriff and branch officers. committee. Badminton tournament and Speaker: The district organizing secretary. whist drive, arranged by the Ladies'Life-boat Lectures to the Rotarians, Brierley Hill, Guild. and to the members of the Explorers' Club, HALSTEAD AND GOSFIELD. — The Coventry. branch has suffered a severe loss through the death of Mrs. Lowe, its president for many South-East of England. years, and a holder of the Institution's gold badge (See "Obituary"). ALDEBURGH. — Presentation by the Whist drive. layor of the vellum awarded by the Institu- on to Coxswain George Chatten for the HARWICH.—The branch has lost an old rvice to two barges in the gale of 23rd coxswain by the death of Coxswain Adam vember, 1938. Garnett. He was second-coxswain and then coxswain for 14 years, retiring in 1917 with ASHFORD.—House-to-house collection at a pension. Kennington. HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARDS.— AYLESBURY.—Life-boat day. Life-boat day at Battle. Collection at Pier BEACONSFIELD.—Life-boat day. Life- Theatre. boat film "The Story of the Life-boat" HAYWARDS HEATH.—Branch formed; shown. honorary secretary Paymaster Commander BECCLES.—Life-boat days at Bungay A. G. Lander, R.N.R. Lecture at Wivelsfield and Halesworth. Women's Social Club. BIRCHINGTON.—Concert. ISLE OF SHEPPEY.—Lantern lecture at Eastchurch Women's Institute by Miss BISHOPS STORTFORD.—Life-boat day. Jaffray, J.P., vice-president of the Ladies' Lecture at Sawbridgeworth Women's In- Life-boat Guild. stitute. KING'S LYNN. — Life-boat film "The BLETCHLEY.—Life-boat day. Story of the Life-boat" shown, with collec- BOXMOOR AND HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. tions. —Life-boat day. Lecture to the Women's LEWES.—Address to the Rotary club by Section of the British Legion by Capt. H. E. Rear-Admiral T. P. H. Beamish, C.B., M.P., Holme, R.N. (Ret.), honorary secretary of a member of the committee of management the branch. of the Institution. BRIGHTON AND HOVE.—Life-boat ball, MARCH, AND MARLOW. — Life-boat organized by Miss N. Blackiston. Angling days. competition. MIDHURST.—House-to-house collections. 120 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

NEWHAYEN.—Annual meeting, Mr. R. J. BATH.—Annual meeting, the Mayor, Cardy, chairman, presiding. Efforts of the vice-president of the branch, in the chair. past year: Life-boat days at Newhaven and Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Peacehaven. Amount collected in 1938 £101, Amount collected in 1938 £323. an increase of £12 on 1937. BRADFORD-ON-AVON.—Life-boat day. Dinner to the life-boat crew. Speaker: Rear-Admiral T. P. H. Beamish, C.B., M.P., a BRIDGWATER.—Annual dance at North member of the committee of management of PethertOTi. the Institution. Lecture to the Towns- .—Concert and dance in aid of the women's Guild. Mayor of St. Ives' life-boat disaster fund. RAMSGATE.—Presentation by the Deputy CALNE.—Life-boat day. Presentation, of Mayor of the certificate awarded by the record of thanks awarded by the Institution Institution to Mrs. Rose Thomas, widow of to Mrs. Wiltshire, honorary secretary. John Thomas, signalman of the St. Ives .—Two concerts and dance. life-boat, who lost his life in the disaster on 23rd January, 1939. CHIPPENHAM, CREDITON, AND DE- REIGATE AND REDHILL. — Bridge VIZES.—Life-boat days. drive. Lecture at Battlebridge Women's EXETER.—Annual meeting, the Mayor, Institute. vice-president of the branch, in the chair. ST. IVES (Hunts.).—Annual meeting, Speaker: Colonel the Hon. Harold Robson, a Mrs. F. M. Warren, president, in the chair. member of the committee of management of Efforts of the past, year: Life-boat day. the Institution. Efforts of past year: Life- Amount collected in 1938 £65, an increase of boat day, bridge and whist drives, jumble £16 on 1937. sale. Amount collected in 1938 £250, an Life-boat film ' Boats that Save Life ' increase of £33 on 1937. shown, with collections. Bridge drive. Life-boat day at Kennford. SEAFORD.—American tea. Speaker: The EXMOUTH.—Launch of life-boat during district organizing secretary. Exmouth publicity week. Presentation of SELSEY.—Whist drive. record of thanks awarded by the Institution to Mrs. Rowlandson, honorary secretary at SHOREHAM.—Bridge evening, arranged Budleigh Salterton. by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. SLOUGH.—Life-boat day. Jumble sale. FALMOUTH.—Life-boat day. Concerts, dance and whist drive in aid of the Mayor of TUNBRIDGE WELLS.—Lecture to Mat- St. Ives' life-boat disaster fund. Lantern field Mothers' Union by Miss Dorothy Davies, lecture by Mr. Williams. chairman of the branch. Address to the Women's Section of the British Legion by FAREHAM.—Life-boat day in Fareham the district organizing secretary, with a show and surrounding villages. Dance by the of life-boat films. Reserve Fleet Working and Supplementary UCKFIELD AND DISTRICT.—Life-boat Social Club, Portsmouth. day. Lecture at Fletching Women's Institute. GOSPORT.—Address to the Town Ward WALTON AND FRINTON.—Officers and Women's Branch of the Gosport and Alver- crew of the life-boat entertained to supper by stoke Constitutional Association, by Mr. H. the yacht club. Dinner to the life-boat crew. Fereday, honorary secretary. WELLS-ON-SEA.—Cinema collection. .—Competition at West Cornwall WELWYN.—House-to-house collection. Golf Club. ILFRACOMBE.—American tea, with ad- WHITSTABLE.—Life-boat day. dress by the district organizing secretary. WINSLOW.—Life-boat day. Whist drive. ISLE OF WIGHT.—Address by Sir WOKING.—Competition at New Zealand Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Insti- Golf Club. tution, to Bembridge Women's Institute, WOLVERTON.—Life-boat day at Stony and Young People's Institute, Newport. Stratford. JERSEY.—Life-boat "Howard D" ball. Lectures to the Broxbourne Young Peo- ple's Fellowship, the Dockenfield Women's LYME REGIS.—Whist drive, organized fpellovsrship, the Haslemere branch of the by Lyme Regis Rover Scouts in aid of the Royal Naval Old Comrades Association, and Mayor of St. Ives' life-boat disaster fund. to the Women's Institutes at Bassingbourn, NEWTON ABBOT.—Life-b'oat day at Burnham-on-Crouch, Crowborough, Dunsfold, Bovey Tracey. Partridge Green, Rolvenden, St. Catherine's (Guildford), Sheering, Ugley, and Winkfield. OXFORD.—Address to School of Forestry, Oxford University, by Captain E. S. Carver, South-West of England. R.D., R.N.R., superintendent of stores. ALTON.—Life-boat day. PAIGNTON.—Whist drive and dancing AXMINISTER.—Life-boat day at Honi- display. ton. PETERSFIELD.—Play, " On Approval " BARNSTAPLE.—Life-boat day at South by the Meonwaras Amateur Dramatic and North Molton. Company. JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 121

PLYMOUTH.—Annual meeting of Ladies' WARMINSTER.—Life-boat day. Life-boat Guild. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. WELLS.—Life-boat day. Display of life- 17th Annual Physical Training Display, boat films at Regal Cinema, with address by arranged by Mrs. Scantlebury. Captain Basil Hall, R.N. Whist drive at Plymstock. Concert in aid WINCHESTER.—Life-boat day at Aires- of the Mayor of St. Ives' life-boat disaster ford. fund. Lectures at Aldershot, Banbury and POOLE—Annual meeting, the Mayor, Bournemouth. president of the branch, in the chair. Speaker: Captain Guy Fanshawe, R.N., a member of Scotland. ' the committee of management of the Institu- "" ABERDEEN.—Annual meeting on 20th tion. Efforts of past year: Life-boat day, April. The Lord Provost presided and house-to-house collection, opening of gardens, presented the vellums awarded by the Insti- and balloon race. Amount collected in 1938 tution to the life-boat crew for their services £268. to the Roalin on 5th November, 1937. Concert at Wimborne. Whist drive at Speaker: The Scottish organizing secretary. Christchurch. Efforts of the past year: Annual ball, life-boat PORTSMOUTH. — Annual meeting of day and house to house collection. Amount branch and Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Sir collected in 1938 £956, an increase of £97 Harold Pink, chairman of the branch, on 1937. presiding, supported by the Lord Mayor, Performance of "The Red Umbrella," by president of the branch. Speaker: Sir God- the Albyn School F.P. Dramatic Club. frey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution. Amount collected in 1938 £525. ABERLOUR.—Life-boat day. Prizes in the life-boat essay competition ALLOA.—Annual meeting on 16th Feb- for elementary schools presented by Admiral ruary, Mr. A. R. Procter presiding. Speaker: the Earl of Cork and Orrery, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. Institution. Efforts of the past year: Life- READING.—Special meeting. Speaker: boat days and appeal for subscriptions. The district organizing secretary. Life-boat Amount collected in 1938 £212, an increase day. Address to Goring Women's Institute. of £6 on 1937. ARBROATH. — Annual concert and .—Life-boat week. cinema entertainment organized by the SALISBURY.—Life-boat day. Whist drive Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Mr. David Chapel, at Breamore. honorary secretary of the branch, presiding. SHEPTON MALLET.—Life-boat day at The film " Story of the Life-boat" shown. Bruton. AUCHTERMUCHTY.—Life-boat day. SOUTHAMPTON.—Annual meeting, the BANFF.—Whist drive. Mayor, president of the branch, in the chair. BARRHEAD, AND BRIDGE OF AL- Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, LAN.—Life-boat days. O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. Efforts of past year: Life-boat day, whist drives and BURNTISLAND AND ABERDOUR.— theatre collections. Amount collected in Annual meeting on 30th January, Bailie 1938 £800. Sir Benjamin Chave, K.B.E., Meldrum presiding. Efforts of the past elected chairman of the branch in succession year: Life-boat days and whist drive. to Mr. C. J. Sharp. Amount collected in 1938 £72. Whist drive. Whist drive, organized by the Ladies' ST. AUSTELL. — Private subscription Life-boat Guild. Prizes presented by Miss dance in aid of the Mayor of St. Ives' life-boat Bell. disaster fund. CARNWATH.—Life-boat day. SWANAGE.—Annual meeting. Amount COATBRIDGE.—Exhibition of life-boat collected in 1938 £142, an increase of £1 on films and collection in cinemas. 1937. CRIEFF.—Annual meeting of the Ladies' Lantern lecture to Durlston Court School Life-boat Guild on 8th February, Mrs. by Mr. Millward. Stewart of Millhills presiding. Speaker: The THAME.—Annual meeting, Sir Ralph district assistant secretary. Efforts of the Pearson, vice-president of the branch, in the past year: Life-boat day, garden opening chair. Speaker: Captain E. S. Carver, R.D., and appeal for subscriptions. Amount col- R.N.R., superintendent of stores. Amount lected in 1938 £112. collected in 1938 £79, an increase of £6 on Jumble sale. 1937. DINGWALL.—Life-boat day. TORQUAY.—Annual meeting of Ladies' DUNDEE.—Annual meeting on 6th March Life-boat Guild, the Mayoress, president, in Efforts of the past year: Life-boat day, the chair. Speaker: The district organizing house-to-house collection and bridge drive. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £1,025, an increase Bridge afternoon and whist drive. of £69 on 1937. TROWBRIDGE.—Life-boat day. DUNFERMLINE AND ROSYTH.—An- WANTAGE.—Life-boat day at Shriven- nual meeting on 17th February, Admiral Sir ham. John F. E. Green, K.C.M.G., C.B., vice- 122 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939. president, in the chair. Bailie Clark wel- KILMARNOCK.—Annual meeting of the comed the meeting on behalf of the Provost Ladies' Life-boat Guild and bring-and-buy and Magistrates. Speakers: Sir Godfrey sale, and sale of daffodils on 18th April, Lady Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution, and Rowallan, president, in the chair. Speaker: Rear-Admiral E. C. O. Thomson, D.S.O., The Scottish organizing secretary. The Life- Commanding Officer Coast of Scotland. boat film "Boats that Save Life" shown. Efforts of the past year: Dances, midnight Efforts of the past year: Bridge drives, cinema matinee, life-boat day, concert and house-to- collections, life-boat day, sale of souvenirs, house collection. Amount collected in football collection, and dancing display. 1938 £80. Amount collected in 1938 £212, an increase EDINBURGH.—Annual meeting of the of £2 on 1937. branch on 14th February, the Lord Provost KIRKCALDY.—Whist drive, arranged by presiding. Speakers: Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Viscountess chairman of the Institution, Rear-Admiral Novar, G.B.E., LL.D., president, presented E. C. O. Thomson, D.S.O., Commanding the prizes. Officer Coast of Scotland, and Harriet, Lady Findlay, D.B.E., J.P., president of the KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. — Whist Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Efforts of the past drive, arranged by the southern and western year: Life-boat ball, bridge and -whist drive, district of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, whist drive, life-boat day, open golf meeting Provost Brown presiding. Prizes presented and appeals for subscriptions. Amount col- by Mrs. Cathcart of Ardendee. lected in 1938 £2,186. KIRKINTILLOCH.—Special meeting, Mr. Annual meeting of Ladies' Life-boat Guild Robert Dickson, J.P., presiding, at which the on 14th February, Harriet, Lady Findlay, branch and Ladies' Life-boat Guild were D.B.E., J.P., president, in the chair. re-constituted. Speakers: The Scottish Address to the Haig Unemployed Club by organizing secretary and the Rev. J. M. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Hamilton. Institution, Lt.-Colonel William Robertson, LAMINGTON.—Life-boat day. V.C., O.B.E., presiding. Bridge and whist drive, arranged by the Ladies' Life-boat LEVEN.—Annual meeting 16th February, Guild. Prizes presented by Mrs. R. H. Mrs. Hutchison, president of the Ladies' Maconochie and Mrs. Kenneth MacEwan, Life-boat Guild, in the chair. Speaker: Sir vice-presidents. Thanksgiving service in St. Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Insti- Giles' Cathedral for the life-boat service and tution. Efforts of the past year: Whist drive life-boat day workers. Address by Lieut.- and life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of £79, an increase of £6 on 1937. the Institution, to the Rotary Club. Address After the meeting a whist drive was held. to St. Giles' Municipal Association. Lantern LOCHCARRON AND APPLECROSS.— lecture. Life-boat day. Life-boat day and cinema collections. LONGHOPE.—Annual ball, organized by ELIE.—Annual meeting on 15th February, the recreation club of Metal Industries, Ltd. the Provost presiding. Speaker: Sir Godfrey METHIL.—Concert, Captain Wallace pre- Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution. siding. Address by the district assistant Efforts of the past year: Whist drive, market secretary. stall, life-boat day and visit of Anstruther motor life-boat. Amount collected in 1938 MILLPORT.—Annual meeting of the £153. Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Miss. Paterson, Whist drive and pound stall. president, in the chair. Speaker: The district assistant secretary. Efforts of the past year: FALKIRK AND POLMONT.—Life-boat Life-boat day. Amount collected in 1938 £34, days. Lantern lecture. an increase of £1 on 1937. FORFAR.—Annual meeting of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild on 15th February, the Hon. PAISLEY.—Military whist and bridge Nancy Arbuthnott, president, in the chair. drive, organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Efforts of the past year: Whist drive and Guild, Lady King Clark presiding. Prizes presented by the Marchioness of Clydesdale. life-boat ball. Amount collected in 1938 £96. Life-boat day. FORRES.—Life-boat day. PETERHEAD.—Annual meeting. Efforts FORT WILLIAM.—Evening party. of the past year: Annual ball, life-boat day GALASHIELS.—Daffodil day. and Sunday concert. Amount collected in GLASGOW.—Life-boat day at Kilmacolm. 1938 £181, an increase of £75 on 1937. Annual Sunday concert, Provost Schultze Lantern lecture. presiding. The film " The Story of the Life- GOUROCK.—Whist drive at which Pro- boat" shown. vost Rees-Pedlar presented the life-boat picture awarded by the Institution to Miss RENFREW.—Basket whist drive, or- M. M. Murray, honorary secretary of the ganized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Life-boat day. ROSYTH.—House-to-house collection. HAMILTON.—Life-boat day. SALTCOATS.—Annual meeting of the KEITH.—Annual meeting on 4th April. Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Mrs. George Fuller- Efforts of the past year: House-to-house ton, presiding. Speaker: The district assistant collection. Amount collected in 1938 £33. secretary. Efforts of the past year: Life-boat JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 128

day and whist drive and dance. Amount increase of £18 on 1937. Miss R. M. Sum- Deflected in 1938 £68, an increase of £7 mers elected honorary secretary in place of on 1937. Miss Gowan, resigned. Lantern lecture. PORTHCAWL.—Annual meeting, on 27th STIRLING.—Special meeting, Mr. J. D. February, Mrs. Frank Gaskell, president in Valentine presiding. Speaker: Sir Godfrey the chair. Speaker: The district organizing Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution. secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £19. Mrs. J. Owen Davies elected chairman, and TROON.—Annual joint church service in Mrs. R. W, M. Parfitt honorary secretary. the Old Church, the Rev. A. G. Stewart Bridge drive. officiating. The Rev. J. L. Cotter and the Rev. Thomas Fitch also took part in the PWLLHELI.—The station has lost an service. old officer of the life-boat by the death of Ex-second Coxswain William Jones. He VALE OF LEVEN.—Whist drive and was bowman for nine years and 2nd-cox- dance. swain for fourteen years, retiring in 1934 WHITBURN.—Life-boat day. with a pension and a certificate of service. SWANSEA.—Whist drive and dance, WICK.—Whist drive. organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Lantern lectures at Ardgay, Kilsyth and WREXHAM.—Special meeting, the Mayor Newton Grange. presiding. Speaker: Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution. The branch Wales. reformed. The Deputy Mayor elected chair- man of the committee and Mrs. Arthur (Including Herefordshire, Monmouthshire Davies honorary secretary. and Shropshire.) ABERTILLERY.—Annual meeting on 2nd March, Mrs. Dolman, president in the Ireland. chair. Efforts of the past year, appeal for subscriptions and life-boat day. Amount BALLYDEHOB.—Life-boat day. collected in 1938 £18, an increase of £3 on 1937. BANGOR, CO. DOWN.—Annual meeting, Mr. Howard Walker presiding. Speakers: BARRY.—A whist drive and dance, Mrs. R. W. Wilkinson, the honorary secretary, organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Commander P. V. Kilgour and the district organizing secretary. Amount collected in CAERNARVON.—Special meeting, Mrs. 1938 £157. A. G. Board in the chair. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Branch formed, BELFAST.—Annual meeting on 22nd Mrs. E. V. Stanley Jones elected honorary March, Mr. R. E. Workman, the chairman, secretary. presiding. Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satter- thwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. CARDIFF.—At home, by Mrs. Frank Amount collected in 1938 £1,292. Webber, chairman of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Lantern lectures at H.M. Prison, and CORK.—Annual card tournament, or- to the Ely British Legion, and the congrega- ganized by Mrs. Charles Buckley, the tion of St. Saviour's Church. honorary secretary, and members of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. CARDIGAN AND ST. DOGMAELS.— Life-boat days. COURTMACSHERRY.—The station has lost an old coxswain by the death of ex-cox- LLANDUDNO.—The branch has suffered swain John Maloney. He was bowman and a severe loss by the death of its honorary then coxswain from 1909 to 1925, when he secretary, Mr. J. J. Marks (see " Obituary "). retired with a pension. LLANELLY, AND LLANIDLOES. — DROGHEDA.—Presentation by the Mayor Life-boat days. of the vellums awarded by the Institution to Mr. Patrick Hogan and Mr. Michael Gibson MUMBLES.—Whist drive and dance, for their gallantry at Bettystown, Co. Meath, organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. in rescuing a woman bather who had been NEWPORT (MON.).—Military whist drive, carried out to sea on a rubber mattress. organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Speakers: The Mayor and the district in- with address by the district organizing spector of life-boats. secretary. DUBLIN.—Annual meeting of the branch PONTYPOOL AND EASTERN VAL- and Ladies' Life-boat Guild, the Lord Mayor presiding. Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satter- LEYS,—Life-boat day. tbwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. PONTYPRIDD.—Annual meeting on 13th Amount collected in 1938 £1,034. March, Mrs. Edgar Jenkins, president, in the Bridge drive, organized by Lady Taylor. chair. Speaker: The district organizing secretary. Amount collected in 1938 £70, an (Continued on page 128.) 124 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR 1938. Expenditure. Life-boats:— £ s. d. s. d. New Life-boats for the following stations:—On account— Aberdeen, Appledore, Arklow, Barmouth, Barry Dock, Bembridge, , Caister, Cloughey, Dun Laoghaire, , Falmouth, Filey, Fleetwood, Gorleston, Hartlepool, Lowestoft, Minehead, Montrose (2), New- biggin, New Brighton, Peel (I. of M.), Peterhead, Poolbeg, Poole, Port Erin, Porthoustock, Rhyl, Rosslare Harbour, St. Helier, Salcombe, Selsey, Tobermory, Tynemouth, Whitby, Wick, Yarmouth (I. of W.), Unallocated (2) - 104,161 - !) Upkeep of Cowes Office and Store - - - - - 177 17 - Alterations and Repairs to Life-boats - 36,417 6 5 Consulting Naval Architect ------404 14 10 Salaries of Superintendent Engineer, Surveyors, Assistant Surveyors of Life-boats and Machinery, Draughtsmen_, and Clerical Staff ___--- 13,167 - 4 Travelling Expenses ------_ 4,423 6 6 Pensions and Gratuity under the Pension Scheme -_ 829 8 1 Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme - 1,075 10 — 160 656 3 11 Life-boat Carriages and Tractors:— New Carriages ____-_- 397 1C Alterations and Repairs to Life-boat Carriages - 317 18 3 New Tractors ____--- _ 5,787 10 4 351 13 10 Repairs to Tractors ___-_- i Salaries of Assistant Surveyor of Carriages, and Tracto}r _ Engineer ------776 - Travelling Expenses __ — — _- _ 469 11 6 Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme - - - 119 3 6 8 21913 5 Life-boat Houses and Slipways:— New Construction and Adaptation - _ 22,948 15 8 Repairs and Maintenance - - 7,147 11 2 Gratuities under the Pension Scheme — 750 - - 30 846 6 10 Life-boat Stores ------20,021 18 10 Life-boat Storeyard at Poplar, including Taxes, Insurance and Repairs ------2,878 14 8 Salaries of Superintendent of Stores, Storekeeper and Clerical Staff and Wages of Manual Workers - - 21,649 12 8 Pensions under the Pension Scheme - - - - 281 - - Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme - 312 4 11 Storeyard Extension Work ------285 5 11 25,406 18 Life-boat Depot at Elstree, excluding Freehold Site 2,005 18 Payments in connexion with Life-boat Stations, such as Repainting and other Small Repairs to Life-boats, Life- boat Carriages, and Life-boat Houses, done locally; Conveyance of Boats, Carriages and Stores; Postages, etc. 13,321 9 2 Salaries of Assistant Secretaries, etc., of Stations - - 367 13 - 13,689 2 2 Wages, Rewards and other payments to Coxswains, Motor Mechanics and Crews:— Cost of Wreck Services, including Rewards to Life-boat Crews and others, Special Rewards and Recognitions, Medals and Vellums ------8,107 6 10 Grants to men injured in the Life-boat service - - - 572 12 - Fees of Coxswains, Bowmen and Signalmen, Wages of Motor Mechanics, etc. ______35,266 19 8 Payments to Life-boat Crews and Launchers for exercises - 6,486 17 1 Pensions and Retiring Allowances to Coxswains, Bowmen and Signalmen ------3,577 16 4 Pensions and Grants to Relatives of deceased Life-boatmen and others ------1,631 8 6 Pensions and Gratuity under the Pension Scheme to Ex- permanent Crews of old Steam Life-boats, etc. - - 735 9 3 56,378 9 8 Carried forward 317,224 11 3 JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 125

Income. s. d. d. Subscriptions, Donations, etc.:— General Subscriptions to Headquarters — - — — 6,212 4 „ „ through Station Branches - - 7,146 ,, ,, through Financial Branches — 17,704 9 „ Donations to Headquarters - - - 7,777 7 11 „ „ through Station Branches - 20,409 18 2 „ „ through Financial Branches — 56,173 8 3 Contributions from Harbour Authorities towards upkeep of Life-boat Stations — — — — — __ 2,084 19 Contribution Boxes (Headquarters) - - 175 5 „ ,, (Station Branches) — - - — 7,652 14 „ „ (Financial Branches) - - - 1,069 4 -126,405 12 5

Life-boat Funds:— Civil Service Life-boat Fund (per C. H. Barrett, Esq.) in respect of the following Life-boat Establishments— Donaghadee, Margate, St. Davids, Southend-on-Sea, Walmer and Whitehills __--__ 1,373 13 Bevan Reward Fund (per the Charity Commissioners) - 208 5 1,581 18 9

Income from Investments:— Dividends and Interest on Investments - - 40,571 15 4 Less Income Tax deducted - 6,740 3 3

33,831 12 I

Special Purposes Trust Fund Income £ s. d. Account ------1,740 2 4 Less Transfer to Special Purposes and Maintenance Fund - 260 8 3

1,479 14 1

Less Transfers to General Subscriptions, Station Branch Contributions, and Financial Branch Contributions - 477 4 6 — 1,002 9 7 Income Tax recovered - - - - - 7,317 19 6 42,152 I 2

Carried forward 170,139 12 \ 126 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1939.

Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward - 317,224 11 3 Life- boat Inspectors: — - Salaries of Chief Inspector, Deputy Chief Inspector, In- spectors of Life-boats and Clerical Staff _ 8,431 5 2 Travelling Expenses ______2,366 17 _ Pensions under the Pension Scheme — - - - 749 17 - Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme - - - - 738 9 5 7 Administration:— One half of Salaries of Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Principal Clerk, Accountant and Clerical Staff ----____ 4,815 12 10 Rent, Leasehold Depreciation, Rates, Taxes, £ s. d. Lighting, Heating, Insurance, etc. - 2,137 911 Insurance under Workmen's Compensation, National Health and Unemployment In- surance Acts ----- 961 _ _ Commissionaires and Watchman - _ 518 12 6 Telephones, Postages and Parcels - - 1,164 3 3 Pensions under the Pension Scheme - 1,573 2 - Travelling and other Expenses of Chairman and Committee of Management - - 736 5 5 Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme _ 699 17 6 7,790 10 7 Less estimated amount chargeable to raising of funds and publicity - - - 3,895 5 4 3,895 5 3 Stationery, Office Expenses, Printing, Books, Circulars, Forms, etc. ______1,566 2 2 Auditors' Fee ______315 - - Law Expenses ______662 5 5 Repairs and improvements to the House of the Institution - 194 9 2 10 Grants in connexion with Legacies received by the Institution ______476 14 3 Expenses connected with raising of funds and publicity: — One half of Salaries of Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Principal Clerk, Accountant and Clerical Staff (as above), and Salary of Publicity Secretary, etc. _--__-__- 5,835 12 11 Salaries of District Organizing Secretaries and Clerical Staff - - ___ 8,725 11 10 Travelling expenses of District Organizing Secretaries - 2,326 19 9 Annual General Meeting ______193 13 10 Advertising and Appeals ______9,678 5 2 Stationery, Printing, Books, Circulars, Forms, Badges, Collecting Boxes, Postages, etc. - - - - _ 11,409 13 8 Printing and Binding the Annual Report and The Life-boat Journal — — -_____ — 2,257 5 6 Pensions under the Pension Scheme - - _ _ _ 328 10 - Salaries and Commissions of Assistant Secretaries, etc., of Branches — — — -_ — ___ 3,856 11 9 Contributions to 1938 Pension Scheme - 982 4 10 Estimated proportion of Administration Expenses as above 3,895 5 4

TOTAL EXPENDITURE ______- £390,926 3 6 JUNE, 1939.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 127

Income. £ s. d. Brought forward 170,139 12 4

Sundry Receipts:— Sale of old Life-boats, Life-boat Carriages, Life-boat House, £ s. d. Condemned Stores, etc. ------3,492 - 6 Sale of The Life-boat Journal, Advertisements, etc. - - 32 17 7 Rentals of Freehold and Leasehold Premises less Rates, Repairs, etc. ------266 17 5 3,791 15 6 Ordinary Income - 173,931 7 10 Legacies for General Purposes - 93,860 16 - Gifts and Legacies for Special Purposes:- Income only available:— £ s. d. Legacies - - - - 471 - 4 Special Gifts ----- 281 5 - 752 5 4 Capital available:— Legacies - - - - - 48,414 8 8 Special Gifts ----- 32,923 10 4 81,337 19 - 82,090 4 4 TOTAL RECEIPTS - 349,882 8 2 Deduct:— Transfer to General Endowment Fund 752 5 4 Transfer to Special Purposes and Maintenance Fund — 81,337 19 — 82,090 4 4 Total Receipts available for General Purposes - 267,792 3 10 Add:— Transfer from Special Purposes and Maintenance Fund for Life- boats, etc., included in Expenditure, defrayed during the year by Special Legacies and Donations - 46,290 15 5 Balance charged to General Purposes Fund - - - - 76,843 4 3

£390,926 3 6

NOTE.—This account comprises the receipts and disbursements of the Headquarters of the Institution for the year to 31st December, 1938, and of the Branches for the year to 30th September, 1938. 128 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JUNE, 1,939.

DUN LAOGHATRE.—Annual meeting, medals awarded by the Institution for the Mr. Gerald Byrne, chairman, presiding. same service were presented to them by the Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, Duke of Kent at the annual meeting in O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. Amount London, on 26th April, 1939. collected in 1938 £271. NEWCASTLE. — Annual meeting, Dr. Annual whist drive. Robert Magill, the chairman, presiding. GALWAY.—Presentation by the Mayor, Speaker: Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, with Mr. T. Kenny presiding, of the vellums O.B.E., secretary of the Institution. Amount awarded by the Institution to the coxswain collected in 1938 £103. and crew for the rescue on the night of 16th TANDRAGEE.—Annual meeting. Amount August, 1938, of the men of the steam collected in 1938 £34, an increase of £6 on trawlers Nogi and Ilatano, of London. The i'J37.

Notice. THE LIFE-BOAT is published quarterly and is sent free to all honorary secretaries of branches and the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, to coxswains, honorary workers, subscribers of ten shillings and over, libraries, the principal hotels, and the Press. It is the current record of the work of the life-boat service, and the chief means bij which it keeps its workers, subscribers, and the general public informed of its activities. Unless you are keeping a complete set of the journal you will help the Institution if, after reading this number, you mil pass it on to a friend. All contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretary of the local branch or guild, or to Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., the Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I. All enquiries about the work of the Institution or about the journal should be addressed. to the Secretary. The next number of THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in September, 1939.