THE . The Journal of the Royal National Life- Institution.

VOL. XXVII.—No. 296.] NOVEMBER, 1928. [PRICE

Disaster to the Rye Life-boat. The Whole Crew Drowned. THE worst disaster which has fallen on needs of the families of the Crew, and the the Life-boat Service for many years Institution, according to its invariable occurred on 15th November. It fell practice, will pension the widows, with crushing weight on the gallant dependent children and other dependent Life-boat Crew of the little village of relatives of the Crew, according to Rye Harbour, sweeping away practi- the principle of the Pension Scheme cally the whole adult male fishing adopted in 1917, namely, that the population. widows and dependents of Life boatmen At 6.15 in the morning of that day who may lose their li«es on ser.ice the Rye Life-boat, which is a Pulling should be treated in the sams way as and Sailing Life-boat of the the widows of man of corresponding rank Type, was launched with a Crew of in the Naval and Military Forces of the seventeen in response to a message that Crown who may be killed in action. In a steamer (a Latvian vessel, Alice) was the present case the Committee of leaking and in danger, drifting eight Management will take the scale in force miles from Dungeness. A south-westerly in the Navy and Army under the current gale was blowing, with very heavy rain Royal Warrant as a minimum. The squalls, and a heavy sea. The tide was Coxswain will rank as a Chief Petty at low water. Five minutes after the Officer or Colour Sergeant, the Second Life-boat was launched another message Coxswain as a First Class Petty Officer came that the crew of the Alice had or Sergeant, the Bowman as a Second been rescued by another steamer, with Class Petty Officer or Corporal, and the which she had been in collision. The Life-boatmen as Seamen or Privates. recall signal was fired three times, but In addition, the Mayo: of Rye (Captain no answer came from the Life-boat. Leopold A. Vidler), who is also the Apparently the Crew had not seen it. Honorary Secretary of the Station, opened a Fund to which such an imme- Capsized. diate and generous response was made At 10.30 the Life-boat was seen return- that within a fortnight nearly £30,000 ing under sail. The wind had increased, had been contiibnted, and the tund was and there were heavy squalls. As she closed. This response and the many appeared to be coming in to the harbour messages of sympathy which have been mouth with a following sea she was seen received have shown how deeply the to capsize. As quickly as possible helpers public have been moved by this tragedy. gathered on the beach, and every effort was made to help the Crew as they were Messages of Sympathy. washed in, but without avail. Six of One of the first messages to be re- them were recovered at the same time ceived was from H.M. the King, our that the Life-boat was driven ashore, Patron, who telegraphed: but all were dead. The whole crew had perished. " As Patron of the Royal National As soon as the nsws reached the Life-boat Institution, I offer you Headquarters of the Institution the very sincere sympathy in the tragic Deputy-Chief Inspector of Life- loss of the Rye Life-boat with all was sent down to Rye with nstructions hands. to make immediate provision for the " GEORGE, R.I." 146 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

The Prince of Wales, our President, At the funeral, five days later, of the who is in Africa, sent the following fifteen members of the Crew whose message : bodies had been recovered, the Institu- " I am deeply moved by news of tion was represented by the Hon. George terrible disaster to Rye Life-boat Colville, Deputy-Chairman of the Com- with loss of the whole of her gallant mittee of Management, Captain the Crew. My heartfelt sympathy is Viscount Curzon, C.B.E., V.D., A.D.C., with the Institution and with the R.N.V.R., M.P., Mr. George F. Shee, relatives of our heroic Life-boat- M.A., Secretary of the Institution, men. Captain Howard F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., " EDWARD, P., R.D., Chief Inspector of Life-boats, " President, Royal National Commander Edward D. Drury, O.B.E., Life-boat Institution." R.D., R.N.R., Deputy-Chief Inspector of Life-boats, Captain G. H. Bevan, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, O.B.E., R.N., Deputy Chief Inspector Patron of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, for Stores, and Commander R. L. Hamer, wrote: R.N., Inspector of Life-boats for tlie " I have heard with deep grief of Southern District. The Lat ian Minis- the terrible tragedy that has be- ter and Consul-General were also p esent, fallen the Rye Life-boat, which has and H.M. Coastguard were represented involved the loss of the whole of by Captain A. L. Strange, Inspector of her gallant crew. Coastguard at Hoie. " As Patron of the Ladies' Life- As suggestions were made at the in- boat Guild, I wish to express my quest that the life-belts used by the heartfelt sympathy with the Insti- Crew were not in sound condition, the tution, and above all with the sor- Institution at once asked the Board rowing mothers, widows, children, of Trade to hold an Inquiry. We shall relatives and other dependents of hope to publish a full account of the these heroic men. disaster and the report of the Inquiry " This fresh proof of devotion in the m-xt issue of The Lijebnnl. All and sacrifice of the Life-boat Crews we would say now of the men who ought indeed to inspire the women have died is that they have perished of Britain, and those who are gloriously, with no less honour than Members of the Ladies' Life-boat the sailor or soldier who gives Ids life Guild, to renew, d efforts in their in defence of his country. Indeed, work for this splendid cause." theirs is the hightst courage of all, for Many messages of sympathy have also it is inspired solely by the wish to been received from foreign Life-boat bring succour to those in peril, whoever societies. they may be.

The New Launching Tractor. By Captain Howard F. I. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life boats. LAST year the Institution completed the capable of launching off all kinds of flat first of a new type of tractor for launch- beach. It was completed in June last ing Life-boats off flat beaches. It was year, and a dedication service and built as the result of six years' experi- naming ceremony was held at the works ence with tractors at various stations. of the makers, the Four Wheel Drive That experience had established the Lorry Company. H.R.H. Princess Vic- tractor as an essential part of Life-boat toria performed the naming ceremony, equipment, but it had also shown that giving the tractor her own name, and the existing tractors were not sufficiently the Bishop of Buckingham conducted powerful and that, while successful on the dedication service.* sandy beaches, they were not suitable for * A description of the tractor and an launching off shingle or very soft mud. account of the ceremony appeared in The The new tractor was designed to be Lifeboat for August, 1927. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 147

By permission of] [R. Sell BoUon. . THE TRACTOR TRIALS AT .

By permission of] [H, Rentley. Barrow-in-furness. THE NEW PEL (BARROW) BOAT-HOUSE AND SLIPWAY. (In the last issue of The Life-boat, in the account of the Inaugura Ceremony of the new Motor Life-boat at Piel, a photograph of the old boat-house was reproduced in mistake for the new one.) 148 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. Immediately after the ceremony the the worst foreshores to be found—on tractor was sent down to New Romney, hard sand, soft wet sand, sand dunes, in Kent, which has one of the most banks of shingle and soft mud. These difficult foreshores anywhere on our trials were so successful that, though coasts, and trials were carried out they showed that some minor improve- lasting three days. These trials showed ments can be made in future tractors, that important alterations would be the Princess Victoria, after completing necessary, and the tractor was returned the trial at , was at once to the makers, who, as they had under- stationed there in place of the tractor taken to design a tractor suitable to of the old typ3. the requirements of the Service, have Rigorous Tests. reconstructed it at their own expense. They have provided a much lower The following are some of the diffi- reduction gear, while using the same culties which the tractor overcame. 60 h.p. engine, so as to increase pulling At New Romney she took the Life- power. They have reconstructed the boat for 40 yards through soft mud in frame to make it stronger, and they have which the carriage tracks sank to a dfpth of 18 to 20 inches. substituted open for closed sprockets f jr At Boulmer, when the tide was at the creeper tracks. full ebb, the tractor launched the boat Increase of Pulling Power. after pushing her over about 150 yards The result of these alterations has been of soft sand under water. Where a man to give the tractor a drawbar pull of sank quickly in the sand up to the ankles, 15,000 Ib. with total reduction from the crecpsr tracks hardly sank at all. engine to wheel of 192 to 1, as compared At Hoylake the tractor, Life-boat and with a drawbar pull in the original carriage were left standing for five model of 6,250 Ib., with a total reduction minutes on quaking sand, and here jj from engine to wheel of 75 to 1. It again they hardly sank at all. At Hoy- is now powerful enough to negotiate the lake, also, the tractor had no difficulty worst beaches, while the change from in crossing a bank 4 feet high with a clostd spr> cketsto open enables the sand gradient of 1 in 6, and a top of soft mud, or shingle to fall in and out of the tracks and though she could not haul the quite freely, instead, as happened last Life-boat over it when coupled to the year, of packing tightly in the driving carriage, she had no difficulty in doing wheels, with the result that they could so with the wire and drum. not move. Where the tracks slipped It is power and not speed at which we round and would not grip, the difficulty are necessarily aiming in the tractor, was got over successfully by uncoupling, but the great celerity with which a taking the tractor on to firmer ground launch by tractor can be carried out, as and then drawing the Life-boat and compared with launching by horses and carriage after her by means of the wire- man-power, is shown by the Boulmer ropes and winding-drum which the test. There, when the tide was very tractor uses for hauling the Life-boat low and the tractor and Life-boat had to off the carriage into the sea. travel a third of a mile from boat-house The trials of the new model were to the water's edge, and then 100 yards carried out again at New Romney, and out into the sea to reach sufficient then at Boulmer, in Northumberland, depth, the time from the moment of and Hoylake, in Cheshire, so that the leaving the boat-house to the moment for' tractor has been thoroughly tested on launching was only twenty-four minutes.

The Right Spirit. Here is an example of the right spirit ing letter, with the subscription en- in giving to the Life-boat Service. closed : " You said ' Please.' I say In response to a request for the Thanks for reminding me. Hope the renewal of a subscription, the Honorary subscribers are keeping up. Good luck Secretary at Henley received the follow- to you all. A grand work! " NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 149

Centenaries of Life-boat Stations. Presentation cf Vellums Signed by the Prince cf Wales. As announced in the last issue of The The presentation took place on the Lifeboat, the Committee of Management bridge of the Life-boat tug, the Helen decided in May that every Life-boat Peele, with the two Life-boats, Edmund Station, on the completion of a hundred Harvey and Arab alongside of her, and years, should be presented with a Vellum there was a big crowd on the quay. Be- to be hung in the Town Hall or other fore the presentation of the Vellum, public building, and that a special Captain Charles J. P. Cave, a member ceremony of presentation should be of the Committee of Management, pre- arranged. This resolution was made sented the Bronze Medal to Coxswain retrospective. During the past summer H. J. Baker, and the Institution's Vellums have been presented to sixteen Thanks on Vellum to each member of Stations, while it is hoped to arrange the Crew of the Arab. These had been similar presentations next summer at awarded to them for the gallant rescue as many more Stations which have in a whole gale, on llth February last, already completed their centuries. of the 18 men of the Norwegian Each Vellum is signed by the Prince steamer Taormina.* Mr. George F. of Wales and bears a record, expressing Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution, the Institution's appreciation of the then handed the Centenary Vellum to voluntary work of the Officers and Colonel C. R. Prideaux-Brune, the Committee and of the devotion and President of the Branch, and in doing so, courage of the Life-boat Crew. spoke of the glorious history of the The number of lives rescued and of Station. There were few, if any, Life- medals awarded is up to the date of the boat Stations where the conditions were ceremony, but it is not in every case so difficult and the dangers so great, possible to give the total of lives from and the record of nearly 400 lives the date of the establishment of the rescued in 78 years was greater even Station, as the early records are not than it seemed. Colonel Prideaux- always complete. The medals are in Brune then handed the Vellum to each case all medals awarded to Life- Captain E. P. Hutchings, Chairman of boatmen and others from the foundation the Urban District Council (who is also of the Institution in 1824. Honorary Secretary of the Branch), to be kept permanently among the civic Padstow, Cornwall. records of Padstow. The first of the presentations was made at Padstow (Cornwall) on 28th May. Holyhead, Anglesey. The Station was established in 1827. The first mention of Holyhead in the Since 1899 there have been two Life- records of the Institution is in 1825, boats at Padstow, and since 1901 there when it was decided that a Life-boat has also been a steam tug to take should be built and stationed there. out the Life-boats, the only tug in In 1828 a local committee was formed, the Institution's Fleet. Since 1856 the and shortly afterwards the Life-boat Padstow boats have rescued 386 lives arrived. Since 1890 there have been from shipwreck, while during the cen- two Life-boats, and Holyhead is now tury no fewer than 23 Silver Medals the only Station on our coasts which and one Bronze Medal have been has a Steam Life-boat. Since 1850 the awarded to Life-boat men and others. Holyhead Life-boats have rescued 854 These lives have not baen rescued lives, a splendid record, while no fewer without loss. In 1867 the Life-boat than three Gold Medals and 27 Silver capsized and five of her crew of thir- Medals have been awarded to Life-boat teen were drowned, and in 1900 the Steam Life-boat capsized, only two of * An account of this service appeared in her crew of ten being saved. the issue of The Lifeboat for last May. 150 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. men and others for their services. One 1789, had built the Original for Tyne- of the Gold Medals was won by Coxswain mouth, the first boat to be designed William Owen for the service to the specifically for rescuing life from ship- steamer Harold, in 1908, a service wreck. The Zetland is still in existence, carried out in a hurricane, and each of the only one of Greathead's Life-boats the 10 members of his Crew received which has been preserved; nor can any the Silver Medal. other Life-boat show such length of The presentation of the Centenary service. She was not replaced until Vellum took place on 2nd July, at the 1867, and she actually carried out a Church House, in the presence of a large service in 1880, when no other Life-boat audience. Lord Stanley of Alderley, was available, rescuing the crew of the K.C.B., President of the Branch, was in brig Lima. She was then eighty years the chair, and the presentation was made old. The Zetland was followed by the by Commodore Sir Richard Williams- Burton-on-Trenl, built out of a fund Bulkeley, Bt., K.C.B., R.N.R., Lord raised in that town, and there have Lieutenant of Anglesey, a Vice-President since been two Life-boats, including of the Institution and President of the the present one, stationed at . Anglesey Branch. Among those present In 1857, Coxswain R. Shieldon was were Mr. J. Brown, Chairman of the awarded the Silver Medal. local Council, Lady Stanley, Lady The ceremony took place on 7th July, Magdalen Williams-Bulkeley, and Mr. the Vellum being presented on behalf of J. Lewis (the Honorary Secretary of the the Institution by Sir William Milligan, Branch). Lord Stanley spoke of the M.D., J.P., Chairman of the Manchester, great services of the Holyhead Life- Salford and District Branch, and a Vice- boats, stationed on a dangerous coast, President of the Institution. Among where all the shipping for the Mersey those present were the Mayor of Redcar. passed and repassed, and asked that the supported by several Mayors from Vellum might be faithfully preserved in Tees-side, Sir Hugh Bell (Lord Lieutenant the archives of the town. Sir Richard of the North Riding), Mr. R. McClean Williams-Bulkeley gave the history of (the Town Clerk of Redcar), Captain the Station. He paid a tribute to the J. T. Shaw (Honorary Secretary of the Life-boat Crews, saying that it was Branch), and Mr. J. H. Amos (Honorary scarcely possible for any man to have a Secretary and Treasurer at Middles- more honourable family tree than a borough). Thousands of people were record of successive generations in the present at the ceremony, among them Life-boat Service, and thanked all, both Mr. Thomas Picknett, aged 83, the men and women, who had done so much only surviving member of the Zetland's to help the Institution in raising the Crew. funds for the Service. He then handed In welcoming Sir William Milligan, the Vellum to Mr. John Brown, Chair- Sir Hugh Bell recalled the work of the man of the Holyhead Urban Council, Zetland, which he could remember, who in receiving it said that their hearts 75 years ago. Sir William Milligan were warmed at the thought of the deeds paid a tribute not only to the Life- of valour performed by their fellow boatmen of Redcar but to the townsmen, and that the Vellum would generous interest which the whole of be kept as one of the most valued Yorkshire took in the Life-boat Service, possessions of the town. and the Mayor, in accepting the Vellum, said that it was not only a reminder of Redcar, Yorkshire. what Redcar had done in the past but The Station at Redcar is the oldest an incentive to unstinted service in the but one of the Stations maintained by future for the Life-boat cause. the Institution. It was established in 1802, and since 1850 its Life-boats have Dungeness, Kent. rescued 213 lives. The first Redcar Life- The early history of the Dungeness boat was the Zetland. She was built, Station is complicated by the fact that in 1800, by Henry Greathead, who, in there does not appear to have been any NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 151

PRESENTATION OF CENTENARY VELLUMS.

HOLYHEAD Front Row, left to right: Mr. J. Lewis (Honorary Secretary). Mr. A. F. Pearson, Lady Magdalen Williams- Bulkeley, Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, Lady Stanley of Alderley. Lord Stanley of Alderley, Mr. John Brown (Chairman of the U.D.C.) with Vellum, Mrs. Broughton-Turner (Chairman of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild). Behind are Members of the Committee and the Crew.

PADSTOW. The tug " Helen Peele," with the two Padstow Life-boats lying beside her. 152 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. clear distinction made between Dunge- they have rescued no fewer than 805 ness, Lydd and New Romney. There lives. One Gold and three Silver Medals is, however, no doubt that in 1826 have been awarded in Brighton. Dungeness was provided with a Life-boat The ceremony took place on 30th by the Institution, a boat 20 feet long, July, Mr. B. J. Saunders, C.B.E., J.P., pulling six oars. Since 1854 there is a Chairman, presiding. The Vellum was continuous history of the Station, and presented by Rear-Admiral T. P. H. in 1892 a second Dungeness Station Beamish, C.B., Member of Parliament was established. Owing to the con- for Lewes, and a Member of the Com- fusion with neighbouring Stations in mittee of Management of the Institution. the early days it is not possible to give Among those present were the Mayors an accurate figure of lives rescued, but of Brighton and Hove, the Mayoress of the Dungeness Life-boats have rescued Brighton, Lady Rawson (President of certainly 128 lives, and another fifty- the Ladies' Life-boat Guild), Mr. H. King nine lives were rescued either by Dunge- (Honorary Secretary of the Branch), ness or New Romney. and Mrs. R. Carpenter (Honorary One Gold and 13 Silver Medals have Secretary of the Guild). In presenting been awarded to Life-boat men and the Vellum to the Mayor of Brighton others. One of the Silver Medals was and a copy to the Mayor of Hove, •won by Coxswain James Lucas in 1891 Admiral Beamish gave the history of the for his gallant conduct when the Life- Station, and appealed to Brighton and boat capsized and two lives were lost. Hove to give the Institution greater This was the second of three disasters support, pointing out that both East- in the history of the Station. In 1852 bourne and Worthing contributed much a Coastguard boat capsized with the larger sums. The Mayor of Brighton loss of four of her crew of seven, and said that the Corporation had the in 1893 the Life-boat again capsized, interests of the service at heart, and the and the second Coxswain was drowned. Mayor of Hove said that Hove had The Vellum was presented on 25th always done its best on Life-boat Day. July at the No. 1 Boathouse by Captain The Mayor of Brighton then presented G. C. Holloway, O.B.E., R.D., R.N.R., to Coxswain John Taylor the pension a member of the Committee of Manage- awarded him by the Institution, which, ment. In making the presentation, at his request, had been commuted into Captain Holloway gave the history of a lump sum. the Dungeness Station and congratu- lated it on its fine record. The Vellum Douglas, Isle of Man. was received by the Mayor of Lydd As soon as Sir ", Bt., (Alderman Arthur Finn), Chairman of of Douglas, Isle of Man, had seen hia the Branch, who spoke of his pleasure appeal for a national Life-boat service at this recognition of the noble work of answered by the founding of the their Life-boatmen. Among those pre- Institution in 1824, he set to -work to sent at the ceremony were the Mayor organise a district Life-boat Associa- of New Romney, Mr. P. L. Hutchings tion in the Isle of Man. In 1824 a (Honorary Secretary of the Branch), Station was established at Douglas. and the District Organising Secretary. This was followed by a Station at After the presentation all stood in Castletown, which was closed in 1922. silence for two minutes, in memory The Peel Station was established in of all the Duiigeness Life-boatmen who 1828, and the Ramsey Station in 1829, were dead. so that within six years of the founding of the Institution, when there were only Brighton and Hove, Sussex. 45 Life-boats on the entire coast of A Life-boat was first stationed at the , there were four Brighton in January, 1825, and since Stations in the Isle of Man. About the 1850 its Life-boats have rescued twenty- middle of last century they were allowed two lives. It is one of seven Stations to fall into decay, but after the Insti- on the coast of Sussex, and since 1850 tution itself had been re-organised in NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 153

1851, there was a revival of the Isle o: J.P., Chairman of the Town Commis- Man. Stations. Since 1850 the Douglas sion, presided, and the presentation was Life-boats have rescued 127 lives. Sir made by Sir William Priestley. Among William Hillary won the Institution'; those present were Mr. Edward Cottier Gold Medal three times and its Silver (Chairman of the Branch), Mr. George Medal once for gallantry, and he was Sayle (Honorary Secretary of the also awarded the Gold Medal as the Branch), and the District Organising Institution's founder. In addition, one Secretary. Sir William Priestley, who Gold and 12 Silver Medals have been was introduced by the District Organ- awarded to Life-boatmen and others ising Secretary, paid a tribute to the for their services. Life-boatmen of Peel and to the Isle Tyhe ceremony took place in the Town of Man, as the birthplace of the whole Hall on August 8th. The Mayor of Life-boat Service. He then handed the Douglas presided, and the Vellum was Vellum to the Chairman of the Branch, presented by Sir William Priestley, J.P., who presented it to the Chairman of Chairman of the Bradford and District the Town Commissioners to be kept in Branch, and a Vice-President of the the Peel Town Office. Institution. Among those present were the Bishop of Sodor and Man, His Wor- Filey, Yorkshire. i ship the Vicar-General (Chairman of the Branch), Colonel H. W. Madoc, C.B.E., The Filey Station was established in M.V.O. (the Honorary Secretary of the 1823, and has the fine record of 242 Branch), and the District Organising lives rescued from shipwreck. The Secretary. The District Organising great majority of its services have been Secretary introduced Sir William Priest- to fishing boats. One Silver and two ley, who spoke of the work which the Bronze Medals have been awarded. Institution had done since it came to The presentation of the Vellum took birth in the Isle of Man. He then place on llth August. Thousands of presented the Vellum to the Vicar- people lined the streets as the Life-boat General, who received it on behalf of the was drawn through them, with its Crew Branch and presented it to the Mayor on board, led by the Town Band. The for safe keeping in the records of the actual ceremony took place on board town. After the ceremony those present the Life-boat at the coble-landing, near went to St. George's Churchyard, where the Life-boat House. Girl Guides and Sir William Priestley laid a wreath, in Boy Scouts acted as a guard of honour, the form of an anchor, 5 feet high, in and between 5,000 and 6,000 people the colours of the Life-boat Service, on were present. Canon A. N. Cooper, ! Sir William Hillary's tomb. When the Chairman of the Branch, presided, and I wreath had been laid, the Bishop pro- the presentation was made by Sir nounced the benediction. William Priestley, J.P., Chairman of the Bradford and District Branch and a Vice-President of the Institution. Peel, Isle of Man. Among those present were Councillor The Station at Peel was founded in Mortimer (Chairman of the Urban Dis- 1828, four years after the Douglas trict Council1), supported by several Station, and since 1885 it has a members of the Council, Mr. Charles record of 92 lives rescued from ship- Burgess (Honorary Secretary of the wreck. In 1889 the Coxswain and Branch) and the District Inspector Crew were presented with Medals by of Life-boats. Sir William Priestley the Norwegian Government for the spoke of the fine record of the Filey rescue of 23 lives from a Norwegian >ew, and then of the part which was ship. )layed by the people of inland places, The presentation of the Vellum took n particular of the devoted work of place on 8th August, in the grounds of vomen, in helping to maintain the Peel Castle, immediately after the cere- Service. He then handed the Vellum mony at Douglas. Mr. E. H. Corkill, o Mr. Burgess, the Honorary Secretary. 154 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

He in turn presented it to the Chairman the magnificent services of Coxswain of the Council, who said that it would James Cable, and his family, men whom be hung in their Council Chamber, an one recognized as the finest type of encouragement to all who saw it to be Englishmen. The Mayor, in receiving courageous and unselfish. the Vellum, spoke of the town's pride in its Life-boatmen and in their great Aldeburgh, Suffolk. achievements. The Aldeburgh Station was estab- lished in 1824, the first Life-boat being , Lincolnshire. placed there by the Suffolk Shipwreck The Skegness Station was established Association, and in 1905 a second in 1825, the year after the Institution Station was opened. Few Stations have itself was founded, and two years before such a fine record. Since 1853 the the Lincolnshire Coast Shipwreck Aldeburgh Life-boats have rescued 413 Association, which maintained the lives. In this record the most con- Stations on the Lincolnshire coast spicuous part has been played by the until 1864, when it was amalgamated Cable family, which, for five gener- with the Institution. Since 1850, the ations, has served in the Life-boat; Skegness Life-boats have rescued ninety- while two of its members have lost five lives, and four Silver Medals have their own lives in attempting to rescue been awarded. Three of these medals life from shipwreck.* have been won by the Moody family, Aldeburgh Life-boatmen and others Coxswain Samuel Moody winning it in have been awarded nine Silver Medals. 1851 and again in 1854. In addition Of these Medals, three were won by Mr. to these awards by the Institution, Cox- James Cable, who was Coxswain for swain Matthew Grimnill and Second thirty years, from 1888 to 1917. This Coxswain Montague Grunnill were pre- splendid record of the Aldeburgh Life- sented with Silver Medals by the boats has not been achieved without loss King of Norway for the rescue of the of life. Twice the Life-boat has capsized crew of a Norwegian brig in 1912. on service. The first time was in 1859, The Vellum was presented on 13th when two of the Crew were drowned. August, the same day on which Life-boat The second time was in 1899, when six Day was held, at the entrance to the men were drowned on service. On that pier in the presence of a large audience. occasion the Institution contributed Mr. Frederick Acton, C.B.E., presided, £1,000 to the fund raised for the relief the presentation was made by the Earl of the widows and children. of Yarborough, and among those present The Vellum was presented at the were Councillor G. E. Holmes, J.P. Moot Hall on llth August, Life-boat (Chairman of the Skegness Council), Day being held on the same day. Councillor S. Moody (Chairman of the Captain C. U. V. Vernon-Wentworth, Branch), Mr. C. H. Major, and Dr. B. C.B., R.N., President of the Branch, Sweeten (Honorary Secretary of the was in the Chair, and the presentation Branch). Lord Yarborough gave the was made by Mr. Gervais S. C. Rentoul, history of the Station, paid a warm Member of Parliament for , tribute to the courage of its Crews, and and a Member of the Committee of appealed to the public to show their Management. Among those present appreciation of what Skegness Life- were the Mayor, Mr. Walter Riggs boatmen had done by contributing to (Honorary Secretary of the Branch), the Institution. He then presented the Members of the Branch Committee, and Vellum to Councillor Holmes, as Chair- the District Organising Secretary. Mr. man of the Council, and Councillor Rentoul said that he could pay no Moody as Chairman of the Branch. He higher compliment to Aldeburgh than also presented to Mr. Major the photo- to say that its record was second to graph of a Life-boat going out to a vessel none, and he referred in particular to in distress, which had been awarded to * A full account of the services of the family him for his services for many years on appeared in The Lifeboat for November, 1927. Life-boat Day. Councillor Holmes said NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 155

Jit/ permission of] (A, E. Graham, Redcar. REDCAP. Sir William Milliyan presenting the vellum to the Mayor. 156 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

that they had always considered their with the Aldermen and Councillors, went Crew second to none in the country, and to the Quay, where the Appledore Motor that he hoped the town would never fai Life-boat was lying. There he was in its generous support of the Service received by Captain Prideaux-Bune, Councillor Moody recalled the time President of the Branch. Among those when the population of Skegness was present were the Mayoress, Captain under 400, but in spite of that there was H. F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N., Chief never any difficulty in getting a Crew Inspector of Life-boats, Sir Basil Peto, the older boys being as anxious as their Member of Parliament for Barnstaple, fathers to take their place in the Boat. Lady Peto, Sir Reardon and Lady He recalled too, with pride, that for Smith, members of the Committee of sixty-one years the Coxswainship was the Branch, and Mr. H. C. Whitehead, held by a member of his family. the Honorary Secretary. The Vellum was presented by Captain Rowley, who, Appledore, Devonshire. after giving the history of the Station, Appledore is the oldest Station on the paid a tribute to the Coxswains of coast of North Devon, and was estab- Appledore, who had carried on the fine lished in 1825, the same year in which tradition of the Cox family, spoke of the Station was established the long and untiring services of the on the South Devon coast. There honorary officials, and referred to the were at one time three Stations at loss which the Branch had sustained by Appledore, but one was closed in 1897 the death, a few weeks before, of its and another in 1919. In 1922 the Sta- President, the Rev. J. B. White, after tion was provided with a Motor Life- thirty-one years' service for the Life- boat. The early history of the Station boat cause. He then handed the is uncertain, but it is on record that in Vellum to Captain Prideaux-Brune, who 1829 Silver Medals were awarded to asked the Mayor, Aldermen and Coun- three Appledore men for rescuing 11 pas- cillors of Bideford to accept it and hang sengers and the crew of the sloop Daniel. it in the Town Hall as the record of a hun- Altogether the Institution has dred years of the gallantry of Appledore awarded 20 Silver Medals to Lifeboat- Crews. He paid a tribute to the work men and others for services in the of the Honorary Secretary, Mr. White- rescue of life from shipwreck at Apple- head, and referred with pride to the dore, Bideford and Braunton. Of fact that the Appledore Branch had the these, four were for the service to largest list of annual subscribers in the Austrian barque Pace in 1869— Devonshire. The Mayor, in receiving the one of the finest services in the history Vellum, said that it was an honour to of the Station—when, after rescuing be given the custody of this tribute to 9 of the Pace's crew, the Life-boat put the men of Appledore. He was sure out a second time, although she was that the people of Bideford would not damaged and rudderless, capsized, and be behind in their support of the Life- righted, returning with her Crew safe boat Service. but only three oars. Coxswain Joseph Cox, who, though injured, went out . Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire. the second time, was awarded two bars Lyme Regis is the oldest Station on to the Silver Medal which he already the coast of Dorsetshire, the first Life- held, and his son was awarded the boat being stationed there in 1825. Silver Medal. Since 1850 the Appledore One Gold and six Silver Medals have Lifeboats have rescued 211 lives. been awarded. Since 1853 the Lyme The presentation of the Vellum was Regis boats have rescued 35 lives. Alto- made on 29th August. On that day gether the Station has had six Life- there was a special meeting at the boats. The present boat, presented by Bideford Town Hall to celebrate the Mrs. J. Thynne, is named the Thomas fact that the title of Port had been Masterman Hardy, after her grandfather, ! restored to Bideford. Immediately Nelson's famous Flag Captain, whose after that meeting the Mayor, together monument on the hills above Wey- NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 157

mouth can just be seen from Lyme 1912 after having been Coxswain for Regis on a clear day. 41 years. He won the Silver Medal in The Vellum was presented on 30th 1880 when, in a little over 24 hours, August on board the Life-boat in the the Life-boat was launched five times presence of a large audience. Among to vessels in distress and rescued every those present were the Mayor and life 011 board them—28 in all. When Mayoress, Colonel the Master of Sempill, John Owston retired he was succeeded a member of the Committee of Manage- as Coxswain by his son, who still holds ment, Dr. H. J. Cooper (Chairman of that post. the Branch), Colonel B. M. Hynes The presentation of the Vellum took (Honorary Secretary of the Branch), and place on 31st August in the Town Hall. members of the Town Council. In The Deputy Mayor (Alderman Bielby) making the presentation the Master of presided, in the unavoidable absence of Sempill paid a tribute to the Life-boat the Mayor, and the presentation was men and thanked all in Lyme Regis who made by Sir Charles H. Wilson, LL.D., had given their help to the Branch. The Member of Parliament for Leeds and Mayor in receiving the Vellum said that Chairman of the Leeds Branch of the it would be hung in the Town Hall, and Institution. Among those present were that the town warmly appreciated this the Mayoress, Lady Wilson, Alderman record of its long association with the T. Whitehead (Chairman of the Harbour Life-boat Service. Commissioners), Mr. F. P. Morgan, F.A.A. (Honorary Secretary of the Scarborough, Yorkshire. Branch), and the District Organising The Station at Scarborough is the Secretary. Sir Charles Wilson, who oldest of all the Institution's Stations, was introduced by the District Orga- for it had its first Life-boat in 1801, just nising Secretary, gave the history of the a year before the neighbouring Station Station and paid a tribute both to at Redcar. Twelve Silver Medals have the Crew and to the Branch Committee been awarded to Life-boatmen and and the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. He others for their services, and since 1861, then presented the Vellum to Mr. when the Station was taken over by the Morgan, who spoke of Scarborough's Institution, its Life-boats have rescued pride in having the oldest Station on the 359 lives. Of the nine Life-boats which Yorkshire coast. He pointed out that it Scarborough has had, three, all named cost £600 a year to maintain, and Queensbury, were presented and en- appealed for more subscribers. dowed by Colonel Herbert Foster, of The Deputy Mayor, in receiving the Queensbury Works, Bradford, and by Vellum from Mr. Morgan, said it would members of his family. These three be given a prominent place in the Town boats served at Scarborough from 1887 Hall. The whole town was proud of the to 1918, and rescued 151 lives. The Institution and proud of the Life-boat Station has had a Motor Life-boat since men. 1923. The fine record of the Scar- borough Life-boats has not been Barmouth, Merionethshire. achieved without loss of life. The Life- The Barmouth Station was estab- boat sent by the Institution in 1861 met lished in 1828, and since 1854 the with disaster on her first service, being Barmouth Life-boats have rescued 121 flung against the sea-wall, her oars lives from shipwreck. swept away and several of her Crew On September llth the centenary washed out of her. Two of them were was celebrated at a meeting and concert drowned, as were three men out of a at the Pavilion in the presence of a large number who had rushed down the beach audience. An address was given by to their help. Six Silver Medals were Mr. T. W. Piggott, J.P., D.L. (Chair- awarded to the rescuers for their man of the Branch), who said that they gallantry. The name which is most were proud to have one of the oldest prominent in the history of the Station Life-boat Stations on the Welsh coast, is that of John Owston, who retired in and paid a high tribute to the Barmouth 158 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. Life-boat men of the past and present. Service. Mr. Lloyd-Greame received He then presented the Vellum to Dr. the Vellum and spoke of the universal J. Pugh Jones, J.P. (Chairman of the good feeling which there was among Urban District Council), who said that it men who risked their lives for one would be kept as one of the town's most another. The Mayor, in thanking Sir valued possessions. Among those pres- William Priestley, said that Brid- ent at the meeting were Mr. Ehys Jones, lington was very proud of its Life-boat J.P., Mr. R. Llewelyn Owen (Deputy Crew, and described, from his own ex- Clerk to the Council), and Mr. Rees Jones perience, what it felt like to turn out (Honorary Secretary of the Branch). to the rescue in a blinding snow-storm in the middle of the night, when to get , Yorkshire. the Life-boat afloat was a long and The Bridlington Station was estab- exhausting struggle. lished by the Institution in the year in which it was itself founded, 1824, and Plymouth, Devonshire. four years later, when its Life-boat In 1824, the year of its own founda- rescued three of the crew of the Fox, of tion, the Institution placed at Plymouth Montrose, the Coxswain was awarded the one of Captain Manby's Mortar Appa- Institution's Silver Medal. Nine other ratus for firing lines to ships in distress, Silver Medals have been awarded. and the following year it stationed a The Bridlington Life-boats have rescued Life-boat there. Altogether Plymouth 142 lives. has had seven Life-boats, and since 1862 The Vellum was presented in the 134 lives have been rescued. In 1926, Grand Pavilion on 27th September. In a Motor Life-boat of the Barnett Twin the chair was the Mayor (Alderman Screw type, was stationed there. Twelve C. H. Gray), who is joint Honorary Silver Medals have been awarded. Secretary of the Branch, has taken in The presentation of the Vellum took recent years a very active and prominent place on 24th October, in the Pub- part in the work of the Station and has lic Library. Admiral John de M. on several occasions been specially Hutchison (Chairman of the Branch) thanked by the Institution for his presided, and among those present were courage and resolution in the launching Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Chairman of of the Life-boat. The presentation was the Committee of Management), the made by Sir William Priestley, J.P., Mayor of Plymouth (Mr. W. H. J. Chairman of the Bradford Branch, and Priest), Alderman R. R. Oke (Chairman a Vice-President of the Institution. of the Public Libraries and Art Gallery Among those present were the Mayoress, Committee), Sir Frederick Winnicott Lady Macdonald of the Isles, Mr. Y. G. and Mr. George Scantlebury (Honorary Lloyd-Greame, J.P. (President of the Secretary of the Branch). Sir Godfrey Branch), Alderman T. D. Fenby, a Baring, in presenting the Vellum, Member of Parliament for Bradford, gave the history of the Station and Mrs. A. E. Gray (Honorary Secretary said that, in the new Motor Life- of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild), Mr. H. boat, the Institution had given that Royal-Dawson (Joint Honorary Secre- historic port, with its long record of tary of the Branch) and the District service to the shipwrecked, the finest Inspector of Life-boats. The District and most powerful type of Life-boat Inspector, in introducing Sir William which had yet been devised. The Priestley, spoke of the great services of Mayor, in receiving the Vellum, ex- Yorkshire to the Life-boat cause and pressed the admiration which Plymouth paid a tribute to the Bridlington Crew, felt for the Institution, and appealed to the officials of the Branch and its very the people to show it by their contribu- active Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Sir tions. The upkeep of the Station cost William Priestley, in presenting the the Institution £1,000 a year. He Vellum, congratulated Bridlington on its thanked all who helped the Branch by fine record and spoke of the duty of the personal service or by contributing, but inland industrial towns to support the regretted that the Ladies' Life-boat NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 159

By permission of] [the " Western Morning Sews." PLYMOUTH. Sir Godfrey Baring handing the Vellum to the Mayor. In the centre, Admiral de M. Hutchison.

APPLEDORE. Captain Prideaux-Brune, J.P., President of the Branch, handing the Vellum to the Mayor. On the right of the Mayor is Captain H. F. J. Rowley. C.B.E., R.N., Chief Inspector of Lifeboats. 160 THE LIFEBOAT. [XOVEJIBEK, 1928.

Guild was not more active, pointing out by a Plymouth boy, Simeon Ridley, of that the Guild at Exeter had raised the Glanville Street Central School. £500 and was aiming at £1,000. Alder- man Oke then received the Vellum Blyth, Northumberland. to hang in the Public Library. At the The ceremony at Blyth took place conclusion of the ceremony the Mayor on 22nd November. An account of it presented a Certificate which had been will be given in the next issue of won in the Life-boat Essay Competition The Life-boat.

Some Unpublished Letters of Sir William Hillary, Bt. His Efforts to Interest the Admiralty in his Scheme for a Life-boat Service. By Major Evan W. H. Fyers, Member of the Council of the Society for Nautical Research. Major Fyers, to whose researches we ruthless and unpractical schemes for owe the discovery of these very interesting destroying the French invasion flotilla letters of Sir William Hillary, written the at Boulogne during the time of the year before the Institution was founded, " Great Terror." There were other is connected by family with the Life-boat papers of deep interest to me historically, Service, for he is a cousin of the late Com- among which was only one concerned mander St. Vincent Nepean, R.N., who with the saving of human life, and it ivas Chief Inspector of Life-boats from was docketed :— 1893 to 1909, and a cousin of Captain Sir Wm. Hillary 18 Feby 1823. Basil Hall, R.N., who retired in 1919 Plan for the preservation of Lives after twenty-four years' service as a from Shipwreck. District Inspector. One of his grand- fathers was Admiral Evan Nepean, who It was already too late to produce it last was a prisoner of war in France for ten year, but, through the kindness of the and a half years during the Napoleonic Editor of The Times, I was enabled to Wars; the other, Major-General Peter append it to a letter on last Life-boat Fyers, C.B., R.A., who, though a soldier, Day, 27th March. served at sea for six years and became a An Appeal to the First Lord. great friend of Lord Nelson. " Douglas, Isle of Man, In the issue of this Journal for May, " 18th February, 1823. 1921, will be found an account, written " MY LORD,—I have had the honour by the present Secretary of the Institu- of submitting to the consideration of tion, of his efforts to amplify the existing your Lordship and that distinguished information regarding the life of splendid Board over which you so ably preside, self-sacrifice of its founder, Sir William a few pages on a subject deeply interest- Hillary. ing to every Maritime Nation, and There had appeared nothing at that which in a peculiar manner appeals to time in the shape of any document the Patronage and support of the coming from. Hillary outlining his Admiralty of , for the rescue proposals, other than his well-known from shipwreck of those brave men, who pamphlet entitled " An Appeal to the under their directions have so often, and British Nation." But early last year so successfully sustained the power and it was my good fortune to be attracted the Glory of their Country. by a parcel among the Melville Papers " The numerous and fatal Shipwrecks which was described as " Naval Tele- which continue so frequently to occur graphs, Proposed method of conveying on every shore, often attended with the Intelligence, etc. Various Letters on most disastrous loss of human life, but Naval Projects, etc." The first proved too clearly demonstrate how inadequate of great assistance to my continued are all the means now employed for so study of that subject, while the naval great an object, and forcibly appeal to projects consisted of different kinds of the policy and the humanity of the NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 161

Government and the Country, that that the face of the letter bears the those efforts which the impulse of the notes in pencil, no doubt by the Secre- moment calls forth, and the means of tary of the Admiralty :— assistance which but too frequently qy. Lithograph ? chance alone supplies, should be estab- Reed. 28 March 1823. lished into a system by the formation See reply to a letter of a subsequent date of a National Institution, through which every part of the British Coast should be The Admiralty's Reply. surrounded by well-organized branches The first showed that the letter was of the Association, where the bravest considered important enough to be and most experienced of every class reproduced by the process then com- might be found enrolled, and supplied monly employed, though it is clear that with all the means which science and not even an acknowledgment was re- Nautical skill could suggest, to render turned. The last impelled me to them equal to every effort which a noble commence a search among the cumbrous ardour could inspire, for the aid of their Admiralty " Digest " Volumes, which fellow creatures in distress ; until every was rewarded by the discovery of two mariner who may be in danger of Ship- further letters, and in accordance with wreck on our shores, will feel assured the usual procedure the lower corner of that his rescue will be attempted by each was turned back and bore the every effort which generous enterprise Secretary's Minute, giving the substance can make, or human foresight arrange, of the reply to be sent. In the case of whilst it exalts the honor of the British the letter of 19th February, the words name, by securing to our Countrymen are simply " Own receipt," but on that on every foreign coast, that aid which dated llth September, enclosing the it should be one of the first objects of above-named pamphlet, I found the this Institution to afford to those draft reply of the Secretary as follows :— strangers, whom storms, and shipwreck, " Sept. 11. My Lords have con- may cast upon our own. sidered his pamphlet and finding there " To the formation of an Institution is no precise information as to the means on so extended a basis, I have now the by which the object in question is to be honor most earnestly to solicit the effected, my Lords can only say that support of your Lordship, in conjunction while they wish success to any under- with the Government and the Nation ; taking which has for its object the fully persuaded that to your individual saving of the lives of mariners, they do efforts, and to your department in the not see how they can at present take State, peculiarly belong the power and any steps in this matter." the means to facilitate the establish- Someone, whose initials I have been ment of a system, equally worthy of the quite unable to identify, also noted on Government and the people of the the enclosed pamphlet:— British Empire. " I have run this over and I think " I have the honor to be, with great what it advocates is worthy at least of respect, consideration, and should not be at once " My Lord, negatived, though I should not deem it " Your Lordship's at all necessary for the Admiralty to take " Most obedient and any immediate lead with respect to it. " Very humble servant, G. C. (?)." " WM. HILLARY." Here are the second and third letters To the Right Honourable to the Admiralty. Lord Viscount Melville, Letter from Sir William Hillary, etc., etc., etc. Bart., to John Wilson Croker, Esq., There are one or two points concern- Secretary of the Admiralty :—• ing this letter, the first statement, as I " Douglas, Isle of Man, believe, of Hillary's great scheme, which " I9th February, 1823. may be noticed here, as there was not " SIR,—Having had the honor of sub- space for them in The Times. First, mitting to the consideration of Lord

B 3 162 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

Melville and other members of His foundation of a national Institution for Majesty's Government, a small pamphlet the objects I have mentioned, I assure which I have committed to the press on you it has been without the most remote a subject important to the general idea of arrogating to myself that which interests of humanity, and particularly appeals to every department of the appealing to the protection and support State. Every System must have its of that department in which you hold commencement, and what I have pro- so honorable a station, I should feel that posed is I hope calculated to combine I was wanting in what was due to your- into one well-organized association the self and to the cause which I have results of the united talents and experi- undertaken to advocate were I to omit ence of many zealous and able advocates offering to your perusal, a copy of what of the same cause, which I earnestly I have had the temerity to address to hope, under the direct patronage of His the Government and the people of Majesty's Government and sustained by England. the liberality of his people, may, by " I have also taken the liberty of their united aid, establish on a per- directing a dozen copies to be forwarded manent foundation all which the most to your care, and I shall feel myself sanguine could desire for the success of greatly obliged, if you will cause them so noble a cause. to be distributed to the Lords Com- " To you, Sir, who have long and missioners of the Admiralty and other honorably held so high a situation in the Gentlemen of your Honorable Board. Admiralty of England, I feel that I " Though I have long felt the im- ought not to attempt any apology for portance of this subject yet the first thus trespassing on your attention, the ideas of the Institution I have proposed subject will, to your liberal mind best arose to my mind after having recently plead my excuse. witnessed some very disastrous scenes " I have the honor to be, on the dangerous and stormy shores of " Sir, your most obedient this Island. I have dedicated them, " and humble servant, with the most profound respect, to the " WM. HILLARY." patronage of a gracious Sovereign, as the father of his people, and the friend To John Wilson Croker, Esq., and protector of his brave Seamen. I Admiralty. have most respectfully submitted them Letter from Sir William Hillary, to the consideration and adoption of His Bart., to John Wilson Croker, Esq. Majesty's Government, and I have felt Enclosing one copy of the pamphlet, it an imperative duty to make an " An Appeal to the British Nation," appeal to the humanity of a great and a London, 1823. generous people, for the support of a (Dated on p. 25 : " Douglas, Isle of cause which the honor, the policy, and Man, 28th February, 1823.") the best interest of the Country demand, for the safeguard of her gallant Navy " llth September, 1823. and their preservation from Shipwreck " SIB,—I have the honor of requesting on their own and every foreign shore. you will submit to the consideration of " With these feelings I have caused the Lords Commissioners of the Ad- about 700 copies of my small work to be miralty, the accompanying small pamph- printed, for the purpose of distribution let which I have recently published, on amongst the most eminent characters the humanity and policy of forming a in the State, who by their powerful National Institution, for the preservation influence, their talents, or their benevo- of lives and property from shipwreck. lence were the most calculated to bring " The arguments which I have therein to maturity these first outlines of a used to establish the urgent necessity of system which with great deference I such a measure, and the plans and have presumed to offer to the approba- regulations which I have proposed in tion of my Country, and if I have case of its adoption, will I hope best happily been the first to suggest the explain to their Lordships the objects NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 163

which I have in view, and the motives The Founding of the Institution. by which I have been actuated, in The remainder of the story of the having offered to the Government and inception of the Institution may be the people of the British Empire, such read, admirably set forth by Major A. J. measures, as I humbly conceive would Dawson, in the pages of " Britain's Life- materially contribute to the rescue of boats," published by Hodder & Stough- her Seamen and Subjects from the ton in 1923. Therein will be found calamity of Shipwreck, on their own details of the inaugural meeting at the and every foreign shore, and feeling that City of London Tavern on Thursday, this subject, in a peculiar manner the 4th March, 1824. It may, however, addresses itself to the patronage and be of interest to the readers of The support of the Admiralty of England, Lifeboat to rescue from oblivion the and anxious that a measure so im- following report of that meeting which portant to the cause of humanity, and appeared in the columns of The Times so in accordance with the best interests the succeeding day * :—• of a great maritime State, should " P. 3. SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN. receive its first impulse from the Govern- " A public meeting was yesterday ment, and be sustained by the bounty held at the City of London Tavern, for of a generous people; I beg leave the purpose of forming a National through you, to offer my views to the Institution, to be supported by volun- consideration of their Lordships, and tary donations and subscriptions, for should they happily be honored by their the preservation of life in cases of ship- approbation I should feel much flattered wreck on the coasts of the United by a communication, how far it might Kingdom, and for affording assistance accord with the sentiments of their to persons rescued, and for conferring Honorable Board, that any of the rewards on those who preserve their primary measures for the establishment fellow creatures from destruction ; and of such an Institution, should emanate also for granting relief to the destitute from themselves, whether in conjunction families of any who might unfortunately with any other department, or if their perish in attempting to save the lives of Lordships would condescend to point others. His Grace the Archbishop of out, if in any other manner such a Canterbury took the chair, and ex- system, and subject to those changes plained the objects of the meeting, at and modifications of which it was the same time announcing that his susceptible, would be likely to receive Majesty had been pleased to become the their concurrence and support. patron of the proposed institution. " Should there be any other circum- Several resolutions were then moved stances which their Lordships conceive and agreed to, and the management of could be better elucidated by my per- the affairs of the Institution committed sonally waiting upon them, I shall be to the care of a committee of 40 gentle- happy to attend to any appointment men, with Treasurer, Secretary, and with which they may be pleased to honor Assistants. The Bishop of London, the me, or to receive your farther communi- Bishop of Chester, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. cations. Manning, and Captain Manby in moving " I have the honor to be, some of the resolutions, warmly eulo- " Sir, Your most obedient gized the objects of the Institution. " Humble servant, Subscriptions to a considerable amount " WM. HILLARY." were announced as already received, and further sums were subscribed at the To John Wilson Croker, Esq., table. The meeting was but thinly &c., &c., &c. attended, which was attributed to the shortness of the notice given for holding (On p. 4).—Please to address for Sir Wm. Hillary, Bt., to the care of * This extract from The Times was re- Samuel Harman, Esq., No. 36, printed in The Lifeboat for June, 1924.— Jermyn Street, St. James's. EDITOR. 164 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVKMBER, 1928 it, as well as to the active canvass going Congreve's war rocket on active service, on for the East India Direction." yet it was not till 1878 that the rocket apparatus superseded the mortar for Captain Manby. such life-saving purposes. It possessed There is one name mentioned in this re- two considerable advantages over the port which cannot be passed over with- mortar, in being much more portable, out a word. , and probably more accurate. Royal Captain in the Cambridgeshire Militia, officers had for very many had been a friend and school-fellow years lamented the inaccuracy of mor- of Horatio Nelson, and at the date tars, especially afloat, seeing that a of this meeting had already received target smaller than a town hardly the recognition of Parliament for his counted. Manby also made some invention of establishing, by means subsequent improvements in life-boats, of a mortar, communication from the but not very much was heard of them. shore to ships wrecked on the coast. [Captain Manby also introduced, in It is noteworthy that the same year 1829, the method of launching by means (1807), which saw his earliest experi- of the haul-off warp, which is still used at ments, also witnessed at Copenhagen, Stations where the Life-boat has to be the first employment of Sir William got afloat from a flat beach.—EDITOR.]

Sir William Hillary, Bt. Lieutenant Turcopolier of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. AJIOXG his distinctions, Sir William during the days of the Hospitallers' Hillary was Lieutenant Turcopolier of maritime glories at Rhodes and . the Order of the Knights of St. John of Here is where the singular appropriate- Jerusalem, and we think that our ness comes in of Sir William Hillary readers will be interested to know holding the title—' the Turcopolier was exactly what that rank implied. For Commandant of the Coastguard and : information on this point we are in- Inspector of Coast Defences.' Of course, debted to a Commander of the Order of he had other duties, including repre- St. John of Jerusalem in the British sentation of the Grand Priory of England Realm, who takes a great interest in the at the Order's Council." work of the Life-boat Service, and was The circumstances in which Sir largely instrumental in bringing about, William Hillary was elected Lieutenant two years ago, the closer co-operation Turcopolier are given in the records of between the Institution and the St. the Grand Priory of the British Realm John Ambulance Brigade, the British of the Order, and we cannot do better Red Cross and the St. Andrew's Ambu- than quote the record as it appears, and lance Association for the rendering of as it has kindly been given us by the first aid to shipwrecked men who may Secretary of the Grand Priory of the be brought ashore injured and to life- British Realm :— boatmen who may be injured on service.* " At a meeting of Chapter of Council He writes :— held at 50 Chancery Lane, London, on " In the Sovereign Order the Office the 7th July, 1838, a letter was read of Turcopolier was traditionally held by from the Hon. Sir William Hillary, an Englishman. It was a very high Bart., dated Fort Ami, Isle of Man, the office at Malta. The Lieutenant Turco- 13th day of June, 1838, stating the polier was his deputy. Originally, the veneration which he felt for the Sove- light cavalry of the Order, during the reign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Crusades, were termed ' Turcopoles,' but that he was present at Malta and the duties of the Turcopolier changed witnessed the inauguration of the last Grand Master, the Baron Frederick * See The Lifeboat for September, 1926. Hompech; that he was made the NOVEMBEE, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 165 medium of overtures to the British with whom he passed much of his early Government which if acted upon would life upon the Continent; and also that have prevented the loss of Malta to the the Hon. Baronet has subsequently Order, and the dispersion of the Knights; become the projector and through his and that he would be proud and happy successful efforts happily the founder of to take his part in and render his aid to, the Eoyal National Institution for the so splendid a work as the revival of the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck ; time-honoured institution of the Knights Sir William Hillary was proposed and Hospitallers ; also that his only son, duly elected a Knight of Justice of the Augustus W. Hillary, Esq., participated English Langue of the Sovereign Order in his sentiments, and would join in the of Saint John of Jerusalem, and also a restitution of the ancient and illustrious corresponding member of Council. Fraternity.* " The Council also duly elected Augustus William Hillary Esquire of Hillary's Public Services. Unerigg Hall, Cumberland, only son of " The Council having taken the letter the Hon. Baronet of Danbury, a Knight into consideration and the circumstances of Justice of the English Langue of the that upon the renewal of the war with Sovereign Order of Saint John of France in 1803, Sir William raised at Jerusalem." his own expense and many years com- The election to the Office of Lieutenant manded the first Essex Legion of Turcopolier took place at a later meet- Infantry and Cavalry, amounting to ing, as follows :— 14 hundred men, the largest force then " At a General Chapter of the Langue offered by any private individual for the held at 21 Wigmore Street, Cavendish defence of the country, in consideration Square, London, on the 24th June, 1841, of which and other services the it was resolved that the Commander the Baronetage was conferred upon him by Hon. Sir William Hillary, Bart., shall the personal direction of His Majesty be mutitioned to the office of Lieutenant King George the Third; that Sir of the Turcopolier and shall be virtute William is the senior Equerry of His qfficii one of the Capitular Baillies of this Eoyal Highness the Duke of Sussex, Langue and a Knight Grand Cross." In the same year Sir William Hillary published " An Address to the Knights * It was early in the nineteenth century that the English branch of the Order, which of St. John of Jerusalem on the Christian had been dormant since the Reformation, was Occupation of the Holy Land as a revived.—EDITOE. Sovereign State under their Dominion."

Rescue by an Honorary Secretary. ON the afternoon of 1st July, in a decks and was waiting for the flowing southerly gale with a very heavy sea, a tide. They took him off and then small yacht, with its owner on board, attempted to save the yacht. After ran ashore near Fleetwood, at the buoying a line they succeeded in get- entrance to the channel. Councillor ting her off, but with a gale blowing C. E. Tatham, Honorary Secretary of against a rising tide, it was impos- the Blackpool Branch of the Institu- sible to keep her in tow and she tion, was on board his own yacht with had to be cut adrift. There was his son of ten and Mr. Flower, a great risk in approaching the sand- member of the Blackpool Life-boat bank in such weather, and the Committee. They went at once to the Institution has awarded Councillor rescue, and, anchoring near the sand- Tatham and Mr. Flower inscribed bank, manned their punt and got safely aneroid barometers. To Councillor to the stranded yacht, to find that the Tatham's son it has sent a copy of owner had battened himself down below " Britain's Life-boats." 166 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. Life-boat as Ambulance. ON 18th October the Motor Life-boat without reward. The Life-boat left at at St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, saved a midnight and reached at 3.30 life, by acting as an ambulance. A girl the following morning, where the girl of fifteen had developed acute appendi- was taken at once to the hospital and citis and an immediate operation was the operation was successfully per- necessary. There is no hospital in the formed. The Life-boat returned at Isles of Scilly and only one doctor. The once to her Station, which she reached operation would have to be performed just before eleven in the morning, at Penzance. A gale was blowing, with twelve hours after she had put out. rain squalls and a heavy sea, and there Next day the surgeon reported that was no vessel in harbour large enough, the girl had arrived only just in time. to undertake such a voyage in such Had she come only two hours later it weather. The Institution's permission would probably have been impossible to to use the Motor Life-boat was asked save her life. for by telegram, which reached the This is not the first time that the St. Secretary at ten at night at a private Mary's Life-boat has done such a ser- house, from which he immediately vice. On November, 1920, she took a telephoned a telegram giving the per- sick man, for whom an immediate mission. The St. Mary's crew, mean- operation was necessary, from St. while, had volunteered their services Mary's to Penzance.

Women and the Life-boats. WE have received the following letter ' inland ' women can do that too. One from the Honorary Secretary of the of the members of this Guild, a young Acton and Chiswick Branch :— and delicate married woman, while " The Institution often holds up to staying on the East Coast in September, women the example of those heroic heard the call for the Life-boat at three women on the Northumbrian coast who in the morning. She ran, with others help to launch life-boats, and quotes : to the rescue, and helped to launch the ' Other women though they cannot help boat. She came back, with her hands in the actual work of rescue, can help chafed and bleeding, feeling very proud by raising money.' It is not always that she was not only a worker who true that we cannot help in the actual helped to collect, but one who had taken work of rescue. Sometimes even we part ' in the actual work of rescue.' "

A " Greater London " Motor Life-boat. Gift from the Civil Service Life-boat Fund. THE Motor Life-boat of the Ramsgate Southend Boat, the Fund has provided type, which was sent to Southend-on- and endowed seven Life-boats. In Sea last May, is to be a gift from the certain cases two Civil Service Pulling Civil Service Life-boat Fund, which has and Sailing Life-boats have been re- not only presented the boat, costing placed by one Motor Life-boat, so that £8,500, but has endowed her. She is to there are now, besides the Southend be called Greater London^ and will boat, two Motor Life-boats presented bear an inscription plate stating that and maintained by the Fund, those at she has been given to commemorate the Margate and Dun Laoghaire, and two services of the late Mr. W. Fortescue Pulling and Sailing Life-boats, those at Barratt, who from 1914 until his death North Deal and Maryport, while the last year, was Honorary Secretary of Motor Life-boat which is to be built the Fund. for Whitehills (Banfishire) will take the The Civil Service Fund was started place of the Civil Service Pulling and in 1866, and has contributed over Sailing Life-boat which has been with- £80,000 to the Institution. Besides the drawn from Montrose. NOVEMBER, 1928] THE LIFEBOAT. 167

The Guernsey Life-boat Station. Contribution from the States of Guernsey. As long ago as 1803 a Life-boat was is in process of being established, and it stationed at St. Peter Port, in Guernsey, has been left to the Guernsey States this being one of the boats built by Life-boat Committee to decide which Henry Greathead, the builder,'in 1789, type of Motor Life-boat they would wish of the first Life-boat. In 1861 the local to have. Following on the visit to Committee invited the Institution to Guernsey of the new Stromness Motor take over the Station, which it did, and Life-boat last February, as described from then until 1917 the Guernsey in the last issue, the local Committee Life-boats were provided and the Guern- asked the Institution for a boat ex- sey Station maintained by the Institu- actly the same, that is, of the Barnett tion. In that year a fresh arrange- Twin-screw Type, 51 feet long, driven ment was made by which the Institu- by two 60 h.p. engines, and provided tion continued to provide the Life- with a cabin. A boat of this type was boat and equipment of the Station, laid down in May, and should be ready while the States of Guernsey became to go to the Station early next year. responsible for the Crew. Since 1884 She will be fitted with wireless. The there has also been a Station at St. only other Life-boat which at present Helier, Jersey, transferred there from carries it is the Motor Life-boat at Alderney. There was at one time a Wexford, in Ireland. This boat will Station also at St. Samson's, Guernsey, cost about £12,000. which was closed in 1881. Following on this action by the Last year it was decided that a Motor Institution, the States of Guernsey, at Life-boat should be built for St. Peter the request of the local Life-boat Port, provided that night inter-com- Committee, unanimously decided on munication was established between the 13th June to make an annual voluntary islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, contribution of £300 to the funds of the and Sark. Satisfactory communication Institution.

The Redcar Life-boat and Captain Cook. THE famous explorer, Captain Cook, are collateral descendants of him. The was born near Stockton-on-Tees, in present Coxswain of the Teesmouth Yorkshire, on 27th October, 1728, and Life-boat, Mr. J. Thompson, also claims distant kinship. The bicentenary was his bicentenary was celebrated this year. celebrated at Redcar in September and His mother was a member of an old the Teesmouth Motor Life-boat took Redcar family, while his sister married a part. An old vessel was set on fire and Redcar tradesman. Redcar claims that the Life-boat gave a display of life- some two hundred of its citizens to-day saving from this burning ship.

Generous Railwaymen. Nearly £1,000 Contributed by the Staffs of the L.M.S- THE staffs of the London, Midland and Railway, who is the Honorary Secretary Scottish Railway have collected among of the Manchester, Salford and District themselves £938 15*. for the Life-boat Branch of the Institution. Last year Service. This has been done in response a similar appeal, made to the staff of to a special appeal made to them by Sir the L.M.S., in the North of England Edwin Stockton, M.P., a director of the only, brought in £251. 168 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

German Gratitude for a Life-boat Rescue. Award of Iron Plaque to the Crew at Thurso, Caithness-shire. THE German Government has awarded the weather was bitterly cold, when the to the Crew of the Life-boat at Thurso, Life-boat was lauched at ten at night. Caithness-shire, " an Iron Plaque for The Captain of the Aase was loth to rescue from distress at sea," diplomas abandon his vessel, and the Life-boat to the Coxswain, Second Coxswain and stood by her all that night and all the Bowman, and certificates to the mem- following day. When the second night bers of the Crew, in gratitude for their came the Captain decided to leave the services to the German steamer Aase, of steamer, and he and his crew of fourteen Hamburg, which went ashore and was men were taken on board the Life-boat completely wrecked near Thurso, on and brought ashore. The Life-boat the 16th March last. A strong southerly reached her Station again just twenty- gale was blowing, with heavy rain, and two hours after she was launched.

From Foreign Societies. Japan. 1928, states that during the year there THE Imperial Japanese Life-saving were fourteen services in which lives Institution issued in March of this year were rescued, and forty-seven other a pamphlet, written in English, giving a launches on service. The total number brief history of the Japanese Life-boat of lives rescued was sixty-one. The Service since the chief priest of the number of lives rescued by the Danish Kotohira Shrine in the Kagawa pre- Service since it was established in 1850, fecture, inspired by the example of the up to 31st March last, was 10,797. The Russian Life-boat Service, founded it total expenditure during the year was in 1889 at Kotohira " with his own 788,023 kroner (about £44,000). A property, backed by the volunteers." A short account of the Institution's work, 40-foot Motor Life-boat was built during by Prince Yoshii, the late President, the year, with a 50-h.p. engine, and appeared in The Lifeboat for May, 1925. stationed at Esbjerg. The Danish Ser- The Japanese Life-boat Service then vice is maintained by the State, and has had 176 Life-boats and Surf-boats, in- been in charge of two directors under cluding eight Motor Life-boats, It now the supervision of the Ministry of the has 16 Motor Life-boats, 138 Pulling Navy, one director being for the North Life-boats, and 22 flat-bottomed Life- Jutland section, and one for the section boats for use in case of flood, making a of Bornholm and M0en. Since the total of 176 Life-boats. beginning of the new year (1st April Denmark. last) the whole Service has been in THE report of the Danish Life-boat charge of one director with his office at Service for the year ending 31st March, Copenhagen.

A Fine Dutch Service. WE had hoped to publish in this Silver Medal (Foreign Services) for number of The Lifeboat an account of Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea to each a very fine service by three Dutch Life- of the three Life-boats concerned. boats last February to the English Owing to want of room this account has steamer Shonga, for which the King has to be held over, but it will appear in the presented the British Government's next number. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 169

A Watson Cabin Life-boat for the U.S.A. American Tribute to the Boats of the Institution. WHEN Rear-Admiral F. C. Billard, the Life-boat Service in the United Commandant of the United States States, has now asked the Institution , and the other American to supply it with one of its Watson delegates attended the second Interna- Cabin Life-boats. tional Life-boat Conference, which was In making this request, with which held in Paris last June, they visited the Institution has very gladly com- Life-boat Stations in several European plied, Rear-Admiral Billard wrote that countries, among them our own stations a board of officers had carefully con- at Swanage, New Brighton, and Douglas sidered the information which he and (Isle of Man). They also visited the the other delegates collected in Europe Institution's Storeyard, and saw Life- and that they had decided to try to boats under construction at Cowes. As obtain a Watson Cabin Life-boat " as a result of these visits the United States better adapted to our needs than any Coast Guard, which is responsible for other Life-boat we saw abroad." /

The Line-throwing Gun: Use in Japan. THE Line-throwing Gun, which was but by the navy, which has adopted it designed for the Institution in 1922 by for throwing lines so as to prevent ships the B.S.A., and which is now installed from endangering themselves by going on all Motor Life-boats, except those of too close to wharfs. A number have the lightest type, has been widely also been ordered by an estate office adopted in Japan. There it is being for the purpose of throwing lines over used not only by the Life-boat Service, its buildings in case of fire.

The Life-saving Stations of the World. IT is hoped to publish in the next issue late of the U.S. Navy, who is President of The Li/eboat an article on a " List of of the Directing Committee of the Life-saving Stations of the World, with Bureau. A first edition was published their Equipment and Geographical early last year, following on a " Sum- Positions," issued by the International mary of Data on Safety of Life at Sea Hydrographic Bureau at Monaco, in and Life-saving," and a revised and English and French. This list has been corrected edition of the list of Life- prepared by Rear-Admiral A. P. saving Stations has just been pub- Niblack, D.S.M., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., lished.

Treacle for Oil. READERS of The Lifeboat know that oil an efficient substitute. The following has on various occasions been used with appeared in Lloyd's List on 25th great effect in calming the rough water January last:—- round a shipwrecked vessel. A paper "New York, 23rd January.—The on its value was read by the Chief In- steamer Dora, master Bush, arrived at spector of Life-boats at the Inter- Philadelphia yesterday. On her way national Life-boat Conference in London from Cuba with a cargo of treacle she in 1924, and a supply is kept at all ran into a terrific storm. Her decks stations. It is interesting to know that, were awash, and everything movable apparently, treacle has been found to be on them was carried away. Appa- 170 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. rently the vessel was on the point storm.—The Daily Chronicle correspon- of foundering when it occurred to the dent." master to try the effect of treacle on Smith Minor should note, however, that the sea. Seventy thousand gallons of the Institution does not propose to supply molasses were cast upon the waters. its Boats with treacle, either to be used as In the becalmed area that resulted the an emergency ration or for calming the Dora remained, and safely rode out the sea.

Contributions from Shipping on the Tyne. The Value of the Personal Appeal. As showing what can be done by collection, and to send the proceeds of systematic and personal appeals on the collection to him at the first port behalf of the Life-boat Service to the of call. This has been a personal appeal captains and crews of ships, we should for voluntary contributions, and has like to call attention to the most nothing whatever to do with the dues successful work at Tynemouth of Mr. charged on shipping entering the Tyne, Godfrey W. Dodds, who is a partner in these dues being raised entirely on the firm of Messrs. Wait and Dodds, behalf of the Tyne Life-boat Society for steamship owners of Newcastle-on-Tyne, the maintenance of its boats. and a member of the Tynemouth Mr. Dodds' last appeal has realized in Branch Committee. less than six months nearly £200. Mr. Dodds for some years past has Unfortunately, owing to pressure of made a practice of watching the arrival other work, Mr. Dodds has now been of all vessels in the Tyne, and then compelled to give up these appeals, sending a personal letter to the captains. and we are referring to his work here, With this letter has been enclosed some not only in gratitude for the large sum of the Institution's literature and a which it has brought to the Life-boat Collecting Sheet, and the letter has cause, but in the hope that others asked the captain to bring the work of connected with shipping may be pre- the Life-boat service before his crew pared to help the Institution in the on the outward journey, to make a same personal way.

Gifts from Shipping Companies. ON 10th February last, the Angle, from the Iceland fishing. Her owners, Milford Haven, Life-boat rescued the Messrs. Pickering and Haldane's Steam crew of four of the fishing smack Arrow- Trawling Company, have sent the Institu- vale, of Milford. The owners, Messrs. tion £100, in gratitude for the service. Peter Hancock & Sons, have sent the * * * Institution £2 2s., in gratitude for the On March 25th last the Peterhead service. No. 2 Motor Life-boat rescued seven * * * men from the wrecked trawler Renais- On March 18th last the new Strom- sance, of Aberdeen. The Institution has ness Motor Life-boat rescued eight men received £2 2s., in gratitude for this from the steam-trawler Lord Devonport, service, from the United Fish Selling of Hull, which was completely wrecked Company, of Aberdeen, the selling agents on St. John's Head, Hoy, when returning for the trawler.

New Vice-Presidents of the Guild. THE following ladies have accepted Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon, an invitation from the Committee of D.B.E., the Duchess of Montrose, Management to become Vice-Presidents and the Lady Magdalene Williams- of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild :—The Bulkeley. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 171

The Fishwives of Cullercoats. THIS August, for the seventh year run- £ ning, the fishwives of Cullercoats made 1922 58 a collection for the Life-boat Service 1923 92 when the quarterly launch and road 1924 101 1925 122 exercise of the Cullercoats Life-boat 1926 128 took place. 1927 114 By collecting this year over £137 1928 137 they easily passed their previous record, in 1926, of £128. Several of the fish- Thus, in seven years, the fishwives wives collected over £10 each, while have collected over £750, and in only one Mrs. Polly Donkin, their star collector, year have they failed to collect more than the previous year. It will be seen, by collecting £45 beat her own record too, that Mrs. Polly Donkin alone may by £13 ! shortly be expected to collect more than The figures for the seven years all the fishwives collected in the first deserve to be given :— year.

The Scottish Life-boat Council THE Scottish Council held the first of Scottish Golf Clubs to collect and give its meetings for 1928 on 26th March, in to the Institution discarded golf balls. Glasgow. The Duke of Montrose, This appeal wyas being well supported. C.B., C.V.O., V.D., Chairman of the The total sum contributed in Scotland Council, presided, and there were repre- for 1926-27 showed an increase of sentatives present from Glasgow, £1,378 on the previous year. Buckie, Perth, Greenock, , Reports from Branches were then Campbeltown, Dunbar, Ayr and Paisley. submitted, and it was decided to invite The Chairman welcomed four Branches the Officers of the Ladies' Life-boat —Inverness, Buckie, Greenock and Guild of Glasgow and those of Edin- North Berwick—which had not before burgh, when it was formed, to attend the been represented on the Council. meetings of the Council as visitors when The Chairman expressed his regret the meetings were held in their respec- that out of 105 Branches, only 38 had tive cities. replied to a letter asking if they would The second half-yearly meeting was issue an appeal for annual subscribers. held in Edinburgh on 19th October, Of these, 25 had agreed to issue the the Duke of Montrose in the chair. appeal. Representatives were present from The District Organising Secretary Aberdeen, Glasgow, Perth, Alloa, Dun- reported that, since the last meeting of bar, Campbeltown, Greenock, Paisley, the Council, Ladies' Life-boat Guilds Dundee and Edinburgh. Lieut.-Colonel had been formed at Glasgow and Fal- C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., the Deputy- kirk. A letter had been sent to Branches Secretary of the Institution, was also asking for their help in issuing a general present. works appeal. Only 39 Branches had The District Organising Secretary replied, 21 sending the necessary in- reported that new Branches had been formation, and the remainder replying formed at Dunoon, Rothesay and that this source of revenue was already Newton Stewart, and a Ladies' Life- being or would be tapped locally. boat Guild at Greenock, while a number The help of Honorary Secretaries had of existing Branches had been re- also been invited in an appeal to organised. The Works Appeal had been 172 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. issued in the spring, appeals being sent Satisfactory reports were received to 2,430 firms, but the result was only from the delegates present of the work £42. The appeal for discarded golf balls of their Branches, each report showing had already realised over £22. Over an increase on the previous year in the forty lantern lectures had been arranged amount raised. for the winter. A discussion took place The Deputy-Secretary of the Institu- on the report, and it was felt that the tion gave an address on the work of the Works Appeal would be more successful Institution during the year, the develop- if Honorary Secretaries would under- ments in the design of Motor Life-boats take it, and carry it out by personal and the International Life-boat Con- calls on the firms. ference held in Paris in June.

House-to-House Collections. THE value of the house-to-house col- winter, when a Life-boat Day has been lection is well known to experienced held in the summer, or as the best Life-boat workers, as one of the simplest, alternative to a Life-boat Day if, for any most economical, and most effective reason, a Day cannot be held, has been methods of appeal. It is used with brought to the notice of all the Branches. ! particular success in the North of One of our Organizing Secretaries has England. When the Ladies' Life-boat just had an interesting letter from a Guild was founded in 1921, an article Life-boat worker in his district con- on this method of collecting was firming this. It had been found im- published in The Lifeboat for the possible to carry out the usual Life-boat information of Guild members. It was Day, and he wrote :— written by one of our oldest workers, " I think that, instead of aflag-day , a who said that there was " no surer house-to-house collection would be more means of reaching the generosity of the satisfactory, if you could get the right public, and that experience has shown people to divide the city into districts that few householders fail to avail and call on the various business-houses themselves of this opportunity to show and private individuals. My wife found their practical sympathy with the Life- when running a flag-day elsewhere boats, and very often the multiplicity recently, that by calling on local people of coins in the envelope shows that all she in every case got a sympathetic the members of the family have con- response and they contributed according tributed individually." to their means, while the same people, The value of the house-to-house if accosted in the street, would probably collection as a form of appeal in the give a few pence only."

More Life-boat Days Wanted! A request has been made by a visitor a launch, and have added a few coppers to Newquay, Cornwall, that there should to the local Life-boat Fund." Why be more than one Life-boat Day each should only those who are visiting New- year, and the request is heartily sup- quay when the annual Life-boat Day ported by one of the local newspapers, takes place on August Bank Holiday, the Bodmin Guardian. be able to do this ? It is a good point, The visitor points out that during the says the Bodmin Guardian in reporting fortnight which he spent at Newquay this request, and it appeals to the local there were " thousands who would have Life-boat Committee to increase the been only too delighted to have watched number of Life-boat Days. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 173

The Late Mr. Edgar H. Johnson, F.C.I.S. ANOTHER heavy loss has fallen on the [ had the Exchange been used for any Institution by the death of Mr. Edgar H. but the commercial purposes for which Johnson, F.C.I.S., of Manchester, the it was built. When Mr. Johnson first District Organising Secretary for the ! proposed that it should be the scene of North of England. a religious service, the idea was laughed He was taken ill last spring, but after at as impossible. But Johnson was one a short rest appeared to be better, and of those men who do not recognize that continued his work. Then, in Septem- word. The Thanksgiving Service was ber, his doctors advised that he should held—as he had planned it. It was held have three months' complete rest. It in the Royal Exchange—where he was characteristic of him that he intended it should be held ; and the refused to take it until he had personally Manchester Evening News wrote of it: put everything in order in the Man- " The miracle of the largest congregation chester Office. Shortly after his sick Manchester has probably ever known, of leave began he got rapidly worse, and all creeds and beliefs, drawn into this was compelled to return home. He died Temple of Finance to thank the God of on 30th October, in his fifty-fifth year. All and of all things for the bounty of Mr. Johnson had been in the service 60,000 lives saved in the course of a of the Institution for thirty-one years. I hundred years." In 1897 he was appointed an Assistant \ Another remarkable achievement was Organising Secretary under the Life- his organisation of a three-days' bazaar, boat Saturday Fund, and when that by which the Manchester and Salford Fund and its organisation were taken Branch aimed to raise £10,000, and over by the Institution in 1911, he ultimately raised £12,000, as a special became Organising Secretary for the Centenary Gift to the Institution to North of England. He brought to the build a Life-boat to be called after the work a splendid energy, an infectious Branch. Both these two enormous enthusiasm and exceptional ability as pieces of organisation were done at the an organiser. Throughout the great same time, and in the midst of the work towns of the industrial north he made of the whole of the North of England, the support of the Life-boat Service a in what was the busiest year that the civic duty. Wherever he went he was Institution has ever known. successful in obtaining not only the help But even his work for the Life-boat of many honorary workers, whom he in- Service was not enough for his tireless spired with his own enthusiasm, but the energy. He was the originator and support of those who were the leaders of guiding spirit of the Manchester the town's life. Some idea of his success Crimean and Indian Mutiny Veterans' may be obtained from the fact that Association, which looked after some when he took up the work of Organising 200 men, and he took a prominent part Secretary, the North of England was in the organisation of the Special Con- contributing a little over £13,000 a stables in Manchester. year, that this had increased to nearly During his thirty-one years of work £31,000 in the year 1926-27, and that as a Life-boat Organiser, Mr. Johnson in the Institution's Centenary Year it became a well-known and much loved was nearly £45,000. During the twenty figure all over the North of England. years from 1908, the North of England, He will be greatly missed by all the Life- largely through Mr. Johnson's personal boat workers in his District and by all efforts, has contributed to the Institu- who knew the devotion, the ability and tion over half a million pounds. the unwearied good humour which were Among his most notable achievements the mark of all his dealings. The Insti- was the organisation of the wonderful tution has received nearly 80 letters Life-boat Thanksgiving Service held on from honorary workers in the North of the 4th May, 1924, in the Eoyal England, expressing their deep regret Exchange, Manchester. Never before at the Institution's loss and their own. 174 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. There could be no more touching tribute display. Three days after the Man- to Johnson's character than the unani- chester Bazaar, he wrote to the Secretary mity and emphasis with which these of the Institution : "I have the honour workers in his district speak of his un- to hand you cheque for £10,000 to cover failing helpfulness and kindliness. the cost of a Motor Life-boat, which His colleagues had for him affection shall operate from Ramsey, in the Isle

By permission of] [Lafayette Ltd. THE LATE MR. EDGAR H. JOHNSON, F.C.I.S. and esteem, a complete confidence that of Man, and which shall be named the whatever he undertook, however diffi- Manchester and Salford." cult, would be well done, and an un- The cheque was enclosed, and that was bounded admiration for the perfection— all. He never wasted time in telling that word is scarcely too strong—of all people how hard he had worked, or how his work. It was done always without many difficulties he had overcome. He fuss, without any waste of words or knew that a good thing done would be correspondence, above all, without any spoilt by words. He could talk, and talk NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 175 fluent!}7 and well, when argument and go to produce that rare entity. Energy, persuasion were required, but no one enthusiasm, devotion to the Cause, a knew better when to be laconic. That standard of duty which subordinates to letter shows more clearly than anything that Cause every private interest and else the artist he was at his work, and convenience, the power of infusing into the reason why it was a delight to his others the spirit of devotion which colleagues. It was so well done that animates himself, tact, judgment, and even the strain of it on him was con- power of dealing with all classes : these cealed. He continued to work long after represent a group of qualities which are a man of less courage and enthusiasm rarely found in one and the same man. would have given up, and there can be They were embodied in Mr. Johnson ; no doubt that his devotion to the Life- and he added to them a keen sense of boat Service shortened his own life. humour which carried him through many To show what his colleagues felt, we difficulties, and smoothed away with a cannot do better than quote from an smile the inevitable frictions incident appreciation which appeared in the to the organization of a large body of Manchester Guardian from Mr. George voluntary workers. The Institution F. Shee, the Secretary of the Institution, seldom, if ever, has had in its service a who wrote it from an experience of over man who brought to his work a finer com- twenty-seven years in the organisation of bination of qualities of head and heart." two great national movements, the Life- At the funeral the Institution was boat Service and the National Service respresented by Sir William Priestley, League. " In that time," he wrote, J.P., one of its Vice-Presidents and " I have known a large number of first- the Chairman of the Bradford and rate organisers, but I can safely say District Branch, and by Mr. George F. that I have never come across one who Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution. combined in himself more completely The coffin was carried by six men of the very exceptional qualifications which the Blackpool Lifeboat Crew.

Obituary.

Mrs. Fairrie, President of the Hoylake Ladies' was a member of one of two families, i Life-boat Guild. both named Brown, who in that small BY the death on 12th April last of Mrs. village compose the Life-boat crew, A. J. Fairrie, President of the Hoylake while the wives, daughters and younger , Ladies' Life-boat Guild, in her eighty- sons of the crew act as launchers. Cox- ninth year, the Institution has lost the swain William Brown was one of the ; oldest of its many lady workers. For original Life-boat crew enrolled when the over thirty ysars she has been a generous first Life-boat was stationed at Cresswell and active friend to the Life-boat in 1875, and he served in it continuously Service, and, in spite of her great age and for fifty years. In 1893 he was ap- of ill-health, she continued her duties pointed Second Coxswain, and in 1908 as President up to the last. Two years he became Coxswain. When he retired ago the Committee of Management in 1925, at the age of seventy, he had presented her with the Gold Brooch, taken part in the rescue of nearly a which is only awarded to those who hundred lives. On his retirement he have done long and distinguished was presented with a Certificate of honorary service for the Institution. Service and a Pension, while Mrs. Brown was awarded the Gold Brooch and Ex-Coxswain William Brown, of Cresswell. Record of Thanks in recognition of her Ex-coxswain William Brown, of Cress- services both as a launcher and a well, Northumberland, died on the 18th collector. On the day of the funeral April at the age of seventy-three. He the Motor Life-boat from the neigh- 176 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

bouring Station of Blyth, lay off Cress- The first occasion was in January, well with flag at half-mast. 1905, when, in the Steam Life-boat James Stevens, No. 3, he rescued the Miss M. E. Taylor, of Clapham. crew of six of the brig Celerity in a S.E. By the death of Miss M. E. Taylor, of gale, with a terrific sea. The weather Clapham; on 17th May last, at the age was bitterly cold, and after the rescue of ninety-five, the Institution lost a the Life-boat had to wait outside the friend who, in spite of her great age and harbour for half the night before it was the loss of her sight fifty years ago, safe to cross the bar. In November of found means to help it until her death. the same year Coxswain Harris again All her life she had taken an active part won the Silver Medal, this time for in charitable work, and she received a swimming out in a heavy sea to estab- number of presentations from societies in lish communication with the wrecked gratitude for her help. Among her many lugger Fruitful. Through his gallantry activities, she started a mother's meeting eight lives were rescued. The third in South Lambeth sixty years ago, and occasion was in October, 1909, when conducted a night school and men's and the Gorleston Life-boat went to the women's slate clubs, was a district help of the steamer Clunie in a whole visitor for churches in Clapham and N.E. gale, rescued four men from her as South Lambeth, and was superintendent she was driven before the gale along the of a Sunday school. She was also a sands, and then, following her, succeeded, subscriber to sixty different societies. with a tug, in saving the vessel and the Miss Taylor became a subscriber to the remaining nine men of her crew. In Institution in 1885, and continued her November, 1912, he won the medal for subscription every year until 1919. Her the fourth time for repeated and gallant hobby was dressing dolls, and, in spite efforts—in an E.N.E. gale, blowing at of her blindness, she turned this hobby times with hurricane force—by which also to charitable service. She raised thirty-three lives were rescued from the by it considerable sums during the War, steamer Egyptian, of Glasgow. The and in 1921, in place of her subscription, Life-boat was launched at six in the she sent the Institution two dolls, one morning, but it was not until night that dressed as a girl and one as a sailor boy. the last of the crew were saved. In recognition of this she was made an The fifth award came in March, 1916, original member of the Ladies' Life-boat when a gale of unusual severity swept Guild which was founded that year. over the country, causing widespread Since then, regularly each year, two dolls damage. On the East Coast it blew have been received from her and have with hurricane force, accompanied by been sold on behalf of the Institution. blinding snowstorms. The Gorleston This year, shortly after her death, the Life-boat was launched just before three last of her sailor dolls was brought to in the morning and found the schooner the Institution. Dart sunk, with her crew of four lashed in the rigging. It was a task of the Ex-Coxswain Sydney J. Harris, of Gorleston. greatest difficulty and danger to get Mr. Sydney J. Harris, an ex-Coxswain close enough to the wreck to reach the of the Gorleston Life-boat, died on 20th men, who were helpless from the cold, June last at the age of seventy-one. In and two of the Life-boat's Crew had to 1921, when he ceased to be Coxswain, climb into the rigging of the schooner he had served in that capacity for and unlash them before they could be twenty-nine years, and had previously got into the Life-boat. It was a magni- been second Coxswain for five years. ficent service and the Silver Medal was He had the high distinction of having awarded not only to Coxswain Harris, but won the Institution's Silver Medal to Edward Bensley, the member of the more times than any other man in the Crew who took the chief part in getting history of the Service. He won it five the rescued men on board the Life-boat. times. Only two other men have won Two years before this service, Cox- it as many as four times. swain Harris, on the recommendation NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 177

of the Institution, was awarded the brated its centenary. The funeral, at American Cross of Honour. which the Institution was represented by Captain H. F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., The Rev. J. B. White, President of the R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats, was Appledore Branch. carried out with full Life-boat honours, By the death on 25th July last of the and showed the esteem and affection Rev. J. B. White, President of the of all connected with the Station for their Appledore Branch, the Institution has President. The whole of the Life-boat lost one of its oldest and most devoted Committee, Crew and helpers attended, friends. In 1897 Mr. White became a the Crew in red caps and jerseys, the member of the Committee of the Branch, Signalman with pistol and belt. The so that he has served on it for thirty-one helpers, nineteen in all, drew the coffin, years. In 1900 he became Chairman, draped with the Institution's flag, on a and in 1914 President. During the wheel-bier, and the coffin was carried whole of that time he took the greatest to the grave by members of the Crew. interest and pride in the Appledore After the committal service the Signal- Station, the oldest on the coast of man fired a green hand-light over the North Devon. It was founded in 1825, grave, signifying " All safe. Coming so that during his Presidencv it cele- home."

The Caister Life-boat Memorial. AT two in the morning on 13th Novem- Times and a number of other papers, ber, 190^, the No. 2 Life-boat at Caister, on 24th January last, in the following —the Beauchamp—was launched words :— in a whole gale from N.N.E. with thick " The wreck of the Caister (Norfolk) rain and a very heavy sea in answer to Life-boat Beauchamp, near Yarmouth, flares of distress, but she was swept resulting in the loss of nine lives, in back, flung on to the beach and turned November, 1901, was recalled on Mon- over by the waves. Her masts were day evening, when an outburst of local broken off and the crew pinned beneath feeling caused hundreds of parishioners her. Of the twelve men on board only to invade the Council Hall, where the three were saved, and these three by the Burial Committee was in session. The efforts of James Haylett, ex-Coxswain Committee were discussing a road- of the Life-boat, a man of seventy-eight, widening proposal, which, it was con- "and"his]'son Frederick Haylett, who both tended, would involve taking a strip of rushed into the surf and dragged them the cemetery and removing the bodies out. It was one of the most terrible of of the men of the Beauchamp, to whose Life-boat disasters, but made memorable memory a piece of statuary was erected by the heroism of James Haylett, who as a national tribute. Relatives of those was awarded the Institution's Gold whose graves would have been affected Medal. Two of his sons and one grand- were invited to attend the meeting of son were among the dead. the Committee, but feeling ran high, One of the nine bodies was carried and it proved impossible to keep out the away by the sea, but the other eight parishioners. The Committee allowed were buried in Caister Cemetery, and a them to express their views, and every memorial of stone in the form of a speaker was bitterly hostile. Women broken mast was erected on their grave. keenly opposed the scheme, which was A proposal was recently made that the memorial and the bodies should be denounced by the men as dishonouring removed to allow the widening of a road. the dead. Resolutions were passed The result of that unfortunate proposal against the scheme, and deploring that was described by the East Anglian Daily it had ever been suggested." 178 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. Gifts from Crews. THE Motor Life-boat end succeeded in hauling off. Out of saved the French yacht Rose Marine the salvage money received for this and her three occupants during a strong service the Crew have given £12 13s. to N.E. gale with a rough sea on the 15th the Institution. September, 1927. Out of the salvage * * * money received for their services the The Hauxley Life-boat stood by the Crew have given a donation of £1 6s. 4d. S.S. Hesperides, of Liverpool, which to the Institution's funds. had gone ashore early in the morning of * * * 1st January last. The Life-boatmen The PorthdinHaen Crew have also ran out an anchor wliicli saved the given a donation of 5s. £d. to the funds steamer from being carried further on of the Institution out of the salvage to the rocks, and in the end she was money received by them for saving towed off by tugs. Out of the salvage the yacht Arrow, of London, and money received for this service the her one occupant, on the 9th June last. Crew have given £5 to the Institution. * * * * • * * The St. Mary's Isles, of Stilly, Motor On 3rd April last the yacht Coquette, Life-boat saved the schooner Roscovite, of London, was saved and her crew of Treguier, during a strong N. gale, rescued by the Clacton-on-Sea Motor with a very heavy sea, on the 9th Life-boat. Out of the salvage money November, 1927. For their services the received the Life-boat Crew have given Life-boat Crew received salvage, and £2 Us. as a donation to the Institution. out of this money they have given a * * # donation of £7 lls. 2d. to the funds of On 18th April last the Life-boat at the Institution. Angle, Milford Haven, went out to the * * * help of the tug Wrestler, of Glasgow, To show the admiration of the people which had run ashore in a dense fog. of Cromer for the service of the Cromer On account of the fog news of the Motor Life-boat to the S.S. Georgia on wreck was not received at the Life-boat 22nd November last, a local fund was Station until four hours after she went raised for the Crew which reached over ashore, and when the Life-boat reached £360. Out of this fund the Coxswain and her the crew had left in their own boat. Crew have given £15 to the Institution. Eight of them landed safely, but two * * * were drowned owing to the On 23rd March last the Robin Hood's of the boat. The Life-boat Crew Bay Life-boat stood by the S.S. Gatwick, boarded the vessel, patched her up, got of London, which had gone ashore in a her afloat, and brought her into Milford dense fog, and ran out an anchor for her. Haven. Out of the salvage money As a result the vessel was saved from which they received they have made a being washed further up, and in the donation of £43 7s. to the Institution.

The Life-boat Service 100 Years Ago. Gold Medallion Awarded for a Service on the Northumbrian Coast. " Newton-by-the-Sea, following circumstances: The Triton was from Libau in Russia, bound to " Tuesday, 2nd December, 1828. Newcastle, with a cargo of rye, 104 tons " SIB,—It is with the deepest regret I burthen ; a little before daybreak on have to communicate to you the loss of the morning of the 1st instant, and the schooner Triton, of Arbroath, during a severe gale from the eastward, Thomas ford, master, with a crew of a vessel was discovered on shore, about seven in all, and one passenger, all of two miles north of this station : Captain whom (with the exception of James Manby's apparatus was without loss of Patterson, mariner), perished under the time conveyed to the beach, and fired NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 179 several times without effect, owing to becomes necessary to mention the truly the distance between us and the vessel, spirited way in which they (heedless of which had taken the ground at low wives and families) volunteered to water and a rising tide ; the sea broke launch upon a sea, where hope was with great and increasing violence over scarcely with them, and surrounded by her, and such of the poor fellows as were those perils from which they were able, were seen clinging to the rigging of endeavouring to save the helpless crew. the main mast, which was alone standing. I have also to regret that Robert Rutter, one of the four, had his right A Coble to the Rescue. hand much lacerated; one finger is " As the only hope left, I instantly already amputated ; by which he is offered to endeavour to reach the vessel thrown out of bread, and his wife, with in one of the country boats (cobles), and four children, suffering from his inability four of the fishermen of this place (James to support them. Patterson, Robert Rutter, James Cars, and Thomas Faucus), as instantly Why Fishermen were Chosen. volunteered to accompany me. A boat, " In justice to the men of the Coast- however, had to be brought nearly two Guard Station under my command, I miles over land, but with the prompt have much pleasure in stating that their assistance afforded with cart and horses, services on this melancholy occasion, this was soon got over ; we succeeded were most conspicuous and meritorious, in launching her, but were twice driven and that my reason for preferring the back on the beach by the violence of the fishermen was solely on account, that surf; our third attempt was more their knowledge of their own peculiar successful, we were alongside, and one boats, must be entitled to a preference ; man dropped from the vessel into the and that it was quite impossible to boat at the instant a heavy sea broke imagine the boats attached to the Coast over the schooner, and threw the boat a Guard could have lived in such a sea. considerable distance from her; the " I have the honour to be, Sir, next broke into her, and left us all " Your obedient servant to command, struggling in that element from which " (Signed) J. BRUNTON, Lieut. R.N. we had endeavoured to save our fellow " Chief Officer, Preventive Water creatures ; providentially, we all suc- Guard." ceeded in regaining a hold of the boat, and a rope which we had attached to This account was confirmed by the her previous to leaving the shore, in Inspecting Commander of Coast Guard hopes of rendering assistance by that at Berwick-on-Tweed, who wrote that means, if unable to get alongside, he had visited the scene of the wreck, remaining fast, enabled those on shore and that " the saving of the individual to assist us, and we all landed, by whose life has been preserved, was which time, the vessel had parted amid- (under Providence) to be ascribed ship, and was but a skeleton of a wreck. entirely to the spirited, manly, and " As a party concerned, I cannot but humane example of Lieut. Brunton." feel some reluctance and delicacy in The Institution awarded its Gold even stating the truth; in justice, Medallion to Lieut. Brunton, and made however, to the four individuals who so monetary rewards to him, and the four nobly supported my humble efforts, it men who went with him to the rescue.

From the "Evening Standard" 100 Years Ago. December 3rd, 1828. " WE regret to state that the effects has not been sacrificed to a most deplor- of yesterday's gale have been of a most able extent is attributed solely to that disastrous character as regards the de- excellent institution the life-boat estab- struction of property. That human life lishment." 180 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

Special Gifts. * Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary." From a Much-travelled American. IN the issue of The Lifeboat for last The American who, as announced November, under " Special Gifts," ap- a year ago, had made fourth and peared the following paragraph : fifth gifts of a hundred guineas and " We give the following letter in full: fifty guineas respectively, has now made " ' Mummy gave me a stamp to put a sixth gift of £200, and a seventh on a letter to Daddy but I put it in the of 100 guineas, bringing his total con- box without and am sending it for the tribution to £565. It adds to the Life-boatmen as Daddy said he was so pleasure of these gifts that they are brave and did not get enough. With always made personally. On this last love from Mary.' occasion this very kind friend of the " Although, since our letter, as well Institution said that he had now as Daddy's, was unstamped, it is the crossed the Atlantic 111 times, and that General Post Office which has principally he reckoned that he had crossed 3,000 benefited by this donation, we are none frontiers ! the less grateful! " From a Search Party. Shortly after the journal appeared On 22nd January last the Strom- the tube to the collecting box at Life- ness and Longhope Life-boats and a boat House was found to be stopped up, shore-party of 21 men went out in and on. being cleared the obstruction search of a shipwrecked crew as a result proved to be threepence wrapped up in a of a message found in a bottle which piece of paper with the following verse:—• said that a trawler had sunk and the " Mary Mary men were in a cave without food. The Quite contrary message was found to be a hoax. The How do your letters go ? But her heart's all right Institution gave the shore-party ten The dear little mite, guineas, and of this they returned £10 Whether they're stamped or no ! " as a gift to the Institution.

Review. " SHIPBUILDING—From Smack to Fri- such a captivating sub-title as " From gate, from Cutter to Destroyer." Pub- Smack to Frigate, from Cutter to De- lished on behalf of J. Samuel White & stroyer," even when it has been frankly Co., Ltd., Cowes, by the Albion Pub- published for advertising purposes ? lishing Co., London. Reference is naturally made to the building of the Institution's Life-boats, This book describes the activities of which, for a number of years, has been the firm of shipbuilders, Messrs. J. S. a by no means unimportant branch of White & Co., Ltd., of Cowes, from its the firm's activities. We gladly pay foundation up to the present day. It tribute to the admirable work which has goes back, in fact, beyond the foundation been put into the Life-boats; and as of the firm, for the story begins in 1764, Messrs. White built their first boat for when the great-grandfather of the firm's the Institution in 1898, that tribute is founder, so we are told, was a well- based on an experience of 30 years. established shipbuilder in Broadstairs. The skill of Cowes boatbuilders is There are a number of beautiful illus- proverbial, and the Life-boats provide trations, some in colour, and who with perhaps the most striking example of an any pretence of love for the sea could art which appears to be peculiarly the refrain from dipping into a book with birthright of Cowes men. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 181

Summary of Meetings of the Committee of Management. Thursday, 15th March, 1928. Buckie (Motor), Caister, Clacton-on-Sea (Motor), Coverack, Dungeness No. 2, Flam- SIR GODFREY BARING, Bt., in the Chair. borough No. 1, (Motor), Helvick Reported the receipt of the following special Head, Johnshaven, Maryport, Moelfre, North contribution : Deal, Padstow No. 2, Padstow Tug, Peterhead No. 2 (Motor), Plymouth (Motor), Porth- Miss A. Hall (additional donation) . . £50 dinllaen (Motor), Rhoscolyn, Rye Harbour, To be thanked. Seaham (Motor), Sennen Cove (Motor), Paid £15,525 Is. 5d. for sundry charges in Stromness (Motor), Torbay (Motor), and connexion with the construction of Life-boats, Walmer. Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the Granted £26 to men for injury in the Life- maintenance of the various Life-boat estab- boat Service at Brighton, Xewbiggin, Porth- lishments. dinllaen, and Southwold. Voted £269 16s. Qd. to pay the expenses of Voted a Gratuity of £50 to CHARLES the following Life-boat services :— SANDERSON, ex-motor mechanic at Porth- Lives dinllaen, who strained his heart on the Life-boat. Vessel. I!cscu;'d. occasion of a Life-boat Service Launch and Appledore . . Schooner Matilda, of was unable to continue his employment. (Motor) Wexford. Rendered assistance. Voted the Bronze Medal of the Institution Arbroath . . The fishing fleet of accompanied by a copy of the Vote inscribed Arbroath. Stood by on Vellum and framed, together with an fleet. additional monetary award, to WILLIAM JOHN Ardrossan . . S.S. Orlockhead, of Bel- BAKER, Coxswain of the Padstow Xo. 1 Life- fast. Stood by vessel. boat, in recognition of his gallant conduct and Cresswell . . S.S. Maria, of Ham- skilful seamanship when the Life-boat under burg. Stood by vessel. his command rescued the crew, eighteen in Dungeness Xo. 1 Barque Jeanne, D'Arc, number, of the S.f&Taormina, of Oslo, which of Havre. Stood by stranded on the Doom Bar, Padstow, in a vessel. moderate W.N.W. gale with a heavy sea on Holy Island . Motor fishing yawl Sarah llth February, 1928. The Thanks of the Xo. 1 (Motor) Brigham, of Holy Institution inscribed on Vellum and framed, Island. Rendered as- together with an additional monetary reward, sistance. were presented to the other members of the Motor fishing yaw-1 crew :—GEORGE H. McOwEN, Second Cox- Nellie, of Holy Island. swain, JAMES W. SOPER, Bowman, PERCY Saved vessel and res- BAKER, ERNEST FRENCH, THOMAS F. BRAY, cued 2 JOHN GILL, SIDNEY EDMUNDS, JOHN W. Motor fishing yawls BATE, ELLIS JBRMYN, WILLIAM H. GRANT, Water Lily, Blossom, ALFRED ORCHARD, WALTER BATE. (A full and Marquis of Lassie, account of this service appeared in The of Sea Houses. Saved Lifeboat for last May.) three vessels and rescued . . . . 11 Granted additional rewards to the crews of New Brighton . S.S. Varand, of London 42 the Holy Island No. 1 and New Brighton Xo. 1 (Bir- No. 2 Motor Life-boats for arduous services k e n h e a d on 15th February and 17th February respec- (Motor) tively. Xewbiggin . The fishing fleet of Xewbiggin. Stood by Granted additional rewards to the crew and helpers of the Newburgh Life-boat for an fleet. Xewburgh . . Steam trawler Isle of arduous service on 25th February. Wight, of Hull . . 10 Voted the Bronze Medal of the Institution, Padstow Xo. 1. S.S. Taormina, of Oslo. 18 accompanied by a copy of the Vote inscribed Scarborough . Coble Morning Star, of on Vellum and framed, to THOMAS BOYLE, and (Motor) Scarborough. Escor- the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on ted coble into harbour. Vellum and framed to MICHAEL CREHAN and JOHN KELLEHER, in recognition of their The Bembridge Motor Life-boat saved the gallant conduct in putting off from Quilty, French yacht Barbara. Co. Clare, on llth February, 1928, in a 24-foot canvas boat, and, at personal risk, rescuing Also voted £609 18s. lOd. to pay the ex- three men who had been marooned on Mutton penses of the following Life-boat launches, Island. (A full account of this service assemblies of crews, etc., with a view to appeared in The Lifeboat for last May.) assisting persons on vessels in distress:— Aberdeen No. 1 (Motor), Aldeburgh No. 1, Voted £21 to fourteen men for putting off Bembridge (Motor), Broughty Ferry (Motor), from Whinnyfold, Cruden Bay, in two motor 182 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. boats and rescuing the crew, ten in number, Voted £487 3s to pay the expenses of the of the steam trawler Silanion, on 25th Feb- following Life-boat services : — ruary ; also granted 5s. each to the owners of Lives Life-boat. Vessel. Rescued. the two boats for petrol used. The Silanion Bridlington Fishing vessels Wayside was bound for the fishing grounds with coals Flower, Boy's Own, and ice from Grimsby, when she struck some Premier II., Excelsior, rocks during a dense fog. She put out to sea Rosamond, and Ilex, again, but when the men in the two motor of Bridlington. Stood boats, who had heard her syren, reached her, by fishing vessels. they found that she was badly damaged and Cloughey . S.S. Deal, of London. her skipper decided to run her ashore. The Stood by vessel. motor boats piloted her into Cruden Bay, where she was driven ashore. Her crew then Donaghadee S.S. Deal, of London. | took to the small boat, but as this leaked (Motor) Stood by vessel. badly, they were rescued by the motor boats. Dunbar Fishing yawl Hero, of A certain amount of risk was incurred owing Dunbar. Saved yawl to the fog and the rocks in the vicinity. and rescued ... 1 Voted 10s. to the Coxswain and Bowman of Filey . Four fishing cobles, of > j the New Brighton Motor Life-boat, who, with Filey. Stood by : the Chief Motor Mechanic, put off, on 22nd cobles. February, in the Life-boat's motor boarding FraseTburgh Steam trawler Star 0} boat when signals were heard from two (Motor) Britain, of Aberdeen. steamers during calm but foggy weather. No Stood by vessel. vessel in need of aid could be found. Barge Greenhithe, of and Gorleston London. Stood by (Motor) vessel . Hauxley S.S. Peggy Grieve, of Thursday, 19lh April, 1928. Grimsby. Stood by vessel. SIR GODFREY BARING, Bt., in the Chair. Newbiggin Eleven motor fishing Passed a cordial Vote cAThanks to H.R.H. boats, of Newbiggin. the Prince of Wales, K.G., the President, Stood by boats. for presiding at the Annual General Meeting Palling No. 1 . Smack Wave Crest, of of the Governors of the Institution, and for Lowestoft. Stood by visiting various depots on Life-boat Day ; vessel. also for visiting a worker for the Institution Peterhead No. 2 Trawler Renaissance, of who was a patient in the Incurable Ward of (Motor) Aberdeen .... 7 Westminster Hospital. Peterhead No. 2 Trawler Firsby, of Gran- ': Reported the re-opening of the Staithes (Motor) ton. Landed 2 and Life-boat Station. stood by vessel. Reported the receipt of the following Runswick . Coble Florence, of Runs- ', special contributions : — wick. Stood by coble. £ s. d. Scarborough . Motor fishing cobles H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught (Motor) Eaqle, Morning Star, (Sub.) 15 0 0 and Golden Gate, of Lloyd's, Members and Subscribers Scarborough. Stood ; of, Collection . . . 1,472 11 0 by cobles. ' The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Scarborough . Motor fishing cobles Rothermere, P.C., through (Motor) Morning Star, Jock, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, and Reliance, of Scar- K.G 1,000 0 0 borough. Stood by In Memorv of E. D. Farmer cobles. (Donation) . . . . 500 0 0 Scarborough . Motor fishing boat Miss Panking (Donation) . . 50 0 0 (Motor) Dawn, of Bridlington. : Sir George Sutton, Bt. (Life-boat Stood by boat. Day) (Donation) . . . 50 0 0 Scarborough . Motor coble Eagle, of j White Star Steamer's Charity (Motor) Scarborough. Escor- Account (Additional Donation) 50 0 0 ted coble into harbour. L. M. Torin, Esq. (Additional Scarborough . Motor fishing cobles Donation) . . . 30 0 0 (Motor) Ebenezer and Golden Colonel C. F. Fellows (Donation) 25 0 0 Gate, of Scarborough. Harrow School (Donation) . . 15 0 0 Stood by cobles. To be thanked. Scarborough . Fishing boat Premier Paid £33,491 4s. ll(f. for sundry charges (Motor) II., of Bridlington. V in connexion with the construction of Life- Stood by boat. boats, Life-boat Houses, and Slipways, and Scarborough . Motor fishing boat the maintenance of the various Life-boat (Motor) Miseltoe, of Bridling- establishments. ton. Stood by boat. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 183

Lives Directed that Letters of Thanks be addressed Life-boat. Vesse], Rescued. to Mr. H. B. STEPHEXSON, Honorary Secretary Stromness . Steam trawler Lord at Boulmer, in recognition of his zealous (Motor) Deronport, of Hull . 6 services when the Life-boat was launched on Thurso . . . S.S. Aase, of Hamburg. 15 the night of 17th March, and to Mr. LUKE, Yarmouth . Admiralty drifter Cold driver of the motor car used by the Honorary Isle of Wight Snap. Rendered as- Secretary. (Motor) sistance. Voted £4 to two men for rescuing three men at Gweesalia, Co. Mayo, on 7th October, The C!acton-on-Sea (Motor) Life-boat saved 1927. The three men had gone up the estuary the yacht Coquette, of London, and rescued of the Owenmore River in a small boat to get from shipwreck her crew of four; Great rushes. While returning their boat sprang a Yarmouth and Gorleston (Motor) Life-boat leak and became submerged, but did not sink, assisted to save the S.S. Alicia, of Libau, and being kept afloat by the rushes which were rescued from shipwreck her crew, eleven in secured to the stern. The rescuers put off, number, and saved the motor barge Ramble, and after a pull of one and a half miles against of London, and rescued from shipwreck her wind and tide rescued the three men. five hands; the Humber (Motor) Life-boat Voted £1 17*. 6d. to five men of the motor rendered assistance to the steam trawler fishing-boat Mizpah for rescuing the two Night Hawk, of Grimsby; and the Robin occupants of the fishing coble Lily, at \Vhitby, Hood's Bay Life-boat stood by and rendered on 10th April. Also granted 2s. fid. for petrol assistance to the S.S. Gatwick, of London. used to the owner of the Mizpah. When Also voted £288 15s. 9rZ. to pay the expenses returning from fishing in a strong S.E. breeze of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies with a rough sea, at about 9 A.M., she saw the of crews, etc., with a view to assisting persons Lihj signalling for help, went to her, and on vessels in distress :—Aberdeen No. 1 found that she was out of control owing to the (Motor), Boulmer, Caister, Coverack, Donag- loss of her sails and was being carried out to hadee (Motor), Eastbourne (Motor), Longhope sea. The disabled coble was towed safely into (Motor), Margate (Motor), Port Patrick . (Motor), Rosslare Harbour (Motor), Rye Voted £1 to the Life-boat Second Coxswain Harbour, Sheringham, Walton-on-the-Kaze and another man, who, with the Chief Motor (Motor), Wells, and Whitby No. 2. Mechanic of the New Brighton Life-boat, put off in the Life-boat's motor boarding-boat, Granted £47 6s. 8rf. to men for injury in the and rescued two men on 9th April. During Life-boat Service at Blakeney, Brighton, a fresh S.E. breeze with a moderately rough Cardigan, Claeton, Moelfre, Montrose, Runs- sea, information was received from the Coast- wick, and Walmer. guard that a small boat with two men in her, but out of control, was being blown down the Voted a compassionate grant of £5 to the Bock Channel. The rescuers towed the boat widow of GRIFFITH JAMES, of Cemaes, who was to New Brighton. in very poor circumstances. James had been a member of the Life-boat Crew for twenty years, latterly occupying the position of Thursday, 24th May, 1928. Bowman. SIB GoDFKEy BAKING, Bt., in the Chair. Directed that Letters of Thanks be ad- dressed to Messrs. J. JOHNSON, Assistant Co-opted Sir FRANK MEYER, Bt., M.P., a Motor Mechanic, and J. ROBE, also to Mr. JOHN member of the Committee of Management. Cow. Skipper of the drifter Guiding Star, for Reported the receipt of the following their good services in bringing information to special contributions :-— Stromness of the wreck at St. John's Head, £ s. d. Hoy, of the steam trawler Lord Dei'onport, of " A.W.", Additional donation . 50 0 0 Hull, on 19th March, with the result that the Subscription . .500 Motor Life-boat succeeded in rescuing six of H.M. Transport Neuralia, part of her crew. Granted £5 to Mr. J. ROBE to cover charitable contributions collected repairs to his boat, which was damaged on this on board . . . 52 7 6 occasion. To be thanked. Granted additional rewards to the crew and Paid £19,509 II*. lid. for sundry charges in helpers of the Cloughey Life-boat for an connexion with the construction of Life-boats, arduous service launch on 21st March. Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the maintenance of the various Life-boat establish- Directed that a Letter of Appreciation be ments. addressed to the Thurso Life-boat Crew in Voted £112 3s. to pay the expenses of the recognition of a long service on 16th—17th following Life-boat services :— March, when the crew of fifteen of the S.S. Lives Aase, of Hamburg, were rescued. Also sent a Life-boat. Vessel. Kescue-1. Letter of Thanks to Mr. Join? MILLEE, Fifey . . . Motor coble ffeather, of Honorary Secretary, for his assistance on this Filey. Rendered as- occasion. sistance. 184 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

Lives had now been closed, owing to the death of all Lite-boat. Vessel. Rescued, the dependents, and the balance of £565 15s, Sd. Galway Bay Steam drifter John forwarded to the Institution. (Motor) Somers, of Galway, Rendered assistance. Decided that all Life-boat Stations which Newbiggin Motor fishing coble Our have reached, or when they reach, their Boys, of Newbiggin. centenary, should be presented with a Vellum Saved coble and res- recording the fact for exhibition in a suitable cued 4 public position.

Newbiggin Steam trawler Sarah, Awarded the Thanks of the Institution of North Shields . . 9 inscribed on Vellum and framed to the steam Peterhead No. 2 S.S. St. Sunniva, of trawler Cuirass, of Grimsby, to be hung in a (Motor) Aberdeen. Landed 45. conspicuous position on board; a Binocular Glass, suitably inscribed to WILLIAM BREW- Rosslare Har- The fishing fleet of Wex- STER, Skipper of the Cuirass ; £6 each to four bour (Motor) ford. Stood by fishing members of her crew ; £3 each to two of her fleet. crew; and £1 each to the six remaining Southwold Motor fishing boat Victor members, in recognition of their meritorious (Motor) and Millie, of South- services in rescuing four of the crew of the wold. Saved boat and steam trawler Briarlyn and persevering efforts rescued .... to rescue the remainder when she was wrecked at Soay, St. Kilda, on 15th February, 1928. Weymoutli Yacht Vaktta, of Fal- (A full account of this service appeared in (Motor) raouth. Stood by the last issue of The Lifeboat.) vessel. Whitby . Motor fishing Awarded the Bronze Medal oi the Institu- (Motor) Guide Me and Pilot tion, accompanied by a copy of the Vote Me, of Whitby. Es- inscribed on Vellum and framed, to HUGH corted boats into har- MACKAY, Senr., together with the sum of £3 bour. and the value of a rope lost; and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum and Whitby Motor fishing boats framed to WILLIAM Ross, DAVID SKINNER, (Motor) Guide Me, Pilot Me, JOHN PATERSON, and ANDREW SUTHERLAND, and Remembrance, of in recognition of their courageous conduct in Whitby. Stood by putting off from Hilton, Ross-shire, in a motor boats. boat, with four other men, and at great , personal risk rescuing one of the two occupants The Ramsgate (Motor) Life-boat saved the of the motor fishing boat Pearl, which was schooner Isabella, of Barrow, and rescued wrecked in a whole S. gale with a heavy from shipwreck her crew of four. sea at Balintore, on 26th March, 1928. (A full Also voted £213 11s. 3d. to pay the expenses account of this service appeared in the last of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies issue of The Lifeboat.) of crews, etc., with a view to assisting persons on vessels in distress :—Brighstone Grange, Mr. GORDON CRAWFORD, of Hilton, was Caister, Clacton-on-Sea (Motor), Cloughey, thanked for the assistance he gave in connexion Dungeness No. 1, Great Yarmouth and with the inquiries into this case. Gorleston (Motor), Holyhead, Lowestoft (Motor), North Sunderland, New Brighton, Voted £6 to four pilots for rescuing one of St. Abbs (Motor), Swanage, Teesmouth (Motor), the two occupants of a small fishing boat off and Yarmouth, Isle of Wight (Motor) Life- Innishowen Head Lighthouse, Greencastle, on boat. 17th April. At about noon the small boat, Granted £47 15s. to men for injury in the when returning from lobster fishing, had been Life-boat Service at Ardrossan, Blackpool, and capsized by a heavy sea, and turned keel Great Yarmouth and Gorleston. uppermost. One man was drowned, but the other managed to reach a rock to which he Voted a further sum of £100 for the benefit clung, with the seas washing over him. The of the men of the Ramsgate Life-boat who took accident was seen by the pilots from their part in the rescue of the Indian Chief in look-out hut, and they launched their boat 1881. at once, but it was only with difficulty that Voted a compassionate grant of £5 to the they succeeded in rescuing the man, owing to the N.E. gale and heavy sea. widow of D. L. NrsNis, who was left with a crippled daughter in very poor circumstances. Ninnis, who was an ex-Second Coxswain of the Voted £2, to include the value of stores consumed, to the crew of the motor coble St. Ives, Cornwall, Life-boat, had also pre- viously served as Bowman. Young Tom, for putting off from Bridlington in a moderate S.E. gale with a rough sea and Reported that the fund raised in connexion standing by the sailing coble Bosa while she with the Stonehaven Life-boat disaster in 1874 returned to harbour, NOVEMBER, 1928]. THE LIFEBOAT. 185

News from the Branches. 1st July to 30th September. Greater London. BLACKPOOL (LANCASHIRE).—Launch CROYDON (SURREY).—Life-boat Col- of the Life-boat, with the Mayor (Coun- lecting Boxes placed in the booking collor T. G. Lumb), Councillor Bagot, offices of the Air Lines and also at the and the Blackpool Tramways Manager, Aerodrome Hotel. on board, the Mayor, for part of the time, taking the helm. Before the BALING. — Drawing-room Meeting, launch the Mayor and the Rev. F. B. given by Mrs. Brydges, wife of the Town Freshwater made an appeal from the Clerk. Life-boat. Life-boat Day. Life-boat Day. HAYES (MIDDLESEX).—Whist Drive. BOLTON (LANCS.).—Whist Drive. LAMBETH.—Address by the District Life-boat Days have been held at Organising Secretary to the London BRIDLINGTON and BRIGHOUSE (YORK- Fuchsia Club. SHIRE). ST. ALBANS (HERTFORDSHIRE).— BURNLEY (LANCASHIRE).—The Presi- Annual Garden Meeting at the invita- dent of the Guild gave a Garden Party tion of Sir Arthur and Lady Peake in her grounds. (Chairman of the Ladies' Life-boat Life-boat Day. Guild). Speakers : The Mayor (Chair- Life-boat Days have been held at man of the Branch), Sir Edgar Wigram CARLISLE (CUMBERLAND), CARNFORTH (President of the Branch), Lady Veru- (LANCASHIRE), CONISBOROUGH (YORK- lam (President of the Ladies' Life-boat SHIRE), CRESSWELL (NORTHUMBERLAND) Guild), Commander Arthur Marsden, and CRIGGLESTONE (YORKSHIRE). R.N., and Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution. CULLERCOATS (NORTHUMBERLAND).—• Life-boat Day. The Guild carried out a collection at Stall at the British Empire Exhibi- Pleasure Houses. tion. DARLINGTON (DURHAM). — Garden Party and Whist Drive organised by the ST. PANCRAS.—Presentation by the Guild. Mayor of the Life-boat Essay Shield for Greater London, won by the Alexandra Life-boat Days have been held at Orphanage, Haverstock Hill. FILEY and FLAMBOROUGH (YORKSHIRE), FLEETWOOD (LANCASHIRE), GATESHEAD WESTMINSTER.—Business House Guild (DURHAM), GOOLE (YORKSHIRE), and formed at Messrs. Liberty's. Presi- GRANGE-OVER-SANDS (LANCASHIRE). dent : Captain Stewart Liberty. HALIFAX (YORKSHIRE). — Bridge WIMBLEDON (SURREY).—Life - boat Drive at the house of Mis. Hume, Vice- Day. President of the Guild. North of England. HAUXLEY (NORTHUMBERLAND) —• Life-boat Day. ACCRINGTON (LANCASHIRE). — American Tea at the house of the HEYWOOD (LANCASHIRE).— Whist Mayoress. Drive. ALTOFTS (YORKSHIRE).—Life - boat HOLME (LANCASHIRE).—House - to - Day. House Collection. ATHERTON (LANCASHIRE).—House-to- Life-boat Days have been held at House Collection. HOLLINGWORTH (LANCASHIRE), HoLM- Life-boat Days have been held at FIRTH and HORNSEA (YORKSHIRE). BARNARD CASTLE (DURHAM) and HORWICH (LANCASHIRE). — Annual BARROW (LANCASHIRE). Meeting, 27th September. Amount 186 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. raised £64, as compared with £61 in LYMM (CHESHIRE).—A Sale of Work the previous year. by the Guild. HOYLAKB (CHESHIRE).—The annual LYTHAM (LANCASHIRE).—Life - boat Life-boat service in St. Hildeborough's Day. Church. MANCHESTER, SALFORD AND DISTRICT. HtJDDERSFIBLD (YORKSHIRE). — —By the death of Dr. Berendt Salomon, American Tea. Life-boat Day. Chief Rabbi, on the 23rd April last, the Branch has lost a friend who, for over KNOTTINGLEY (YORKSHIRE).—Life- thirty years, had shown a generous boat Day. interest in its work, while his whole- LEEDS.—The Lady Mayoress's Life- hearted service for all good causes had boat Matinse was h :ld on 26th Septem- won him the esteem and gratitude of ber, during Cmc Wejk, artistes from people of all religions. At his funeral six theatres taking part in it. Appeals the Institution was represented by Sir were made by the Lady Mayoress (Mrs. William Milligan, M.D., J.P., a Vice- RatcliSe), wno is President of the Guild, President of the Institution and Chair- and by Sir Charles Wilson, M.P., Chair- man of the Manchester, Salford and man of the Branch. District Branch. Collections in places of amusement. LIVERPOOL.—During the Civic Week (September 24th, to October 1st) a NANTWICH (CHESHIRE).—Life - boat Life-boat was stationed on the Plateau Day. of St. George's Hall. It also took part NEWBIGGIN - BY - THE - SEA (NORTH- in the procession to the Pier Head on UMBERLAND).—Whist Drive and Dance. the 25th September, manned by Life- boatmen from New Brighton and Life-boat Days have been held at drawn by six horses, when the ceremony NEW MILL and NEWSHAM and NEW of wedding Liverpool to the sea was DELAVAL (YORKSHIRE), and NORTH performed by throwing a bronze ring SUNDERLAND (NORTHUMBERLAND). into the Mersey. NORTHWICH (CHESHIRE).—American On 28th September the Deputy Lord Tea by the Guill. Mayor (Sir F. C. Bowring) in the absence OWSTON FERRY (YORKSHIRE).—Life- through illness of the Lord Mayor boat Day. (Councillor Margaret Beavan, J.P.), presented to Cyril Palmer, of Clint Road PEEL (!SLE OF MAN).—Life-boat Day, Council School, the Challenge Shield for Sports and a Fancy Dress Ball. the North of England, which he had won Life-boat Days have been held at in the Life-boat Essay Competition this PENISTONE and POCKLINGTON (YORK- year, and the copy of " Britain's Life- SHIRE), and PORT ERIN (!SLE OF MAN). boats," signed by the Prince of Wales, PORT ST. MARY (!SLE OF MAN).— which had been awarded to him for Special Collection. sending in the best essay in and Ireland. At the same time Life-boat Days have been held at certificates were presented which had PRESTON (LANCASHIRE), RAMSEY (!SLE been won by six other boys and girls OF MAN), REDCAR, RIPON, ROBIN from Liverpool, Birkenhead and Hoy- HOOD'S BAY and RUNSWICK (YORK- lake Schools. The presentations were SHIRE), and ST. ANNE'S (LANCASHIRE). made from the Life-boat on St. George's SALTBURN (YORKSHIRE).—An open- Plateau in the presence of a large audi- air Whist Drive by the Guild. ence. Among those present were Mr. Life-boat Day. Charles Livingston (Chairman of the Branch), Mr. Frank Holt, F.C.A. Life-boat Days have been held at (Honorary Secretary), and Captain SCARBOROUGH and SEAHAM (YORK- F. W. Mace, O.B.E., R.N.R. (Marine SHIRE) and SEASCALE (CUMBERLAND). Surveyor to the Mersey Docks and SELBY (YORKSHIRE).—A Garden Harbour Board). Party. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 187

A LIFE-BOAT HONORARY SECRETARY AS DIVER. Mis- Cumberbatch, Honorary Secretary of the Eating Branch, on board the vessel which carried out salvage operations to the SS. " Georgia " off Crorrer, Baling Life-boat Day this year raised £300, as compared with £47 in 1927

LIFE-BOAT IN TOE CIVIC WEEK AT LIVERPOOL. On the stern of the boat is the wreath which was thrown into the Mersey in memory of tho:e who, in the past year, had given their lives to Liverpool and the sea. 188 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

Life-boat Days have been held at the Parish Church. The Donna Nook SHEFFIELD (YORKSHIRE) and SOUTH- Crew were present and the Life-boat, PORT (LANCASHIRE). decorated with flags, was stationed at SOUTH SHIELDS (DURHAM). — The the churchyard gates. After the service Honorary Secretary of the Branch, Mr. the Vicar presented from the Life-boat William Scott, O.B.E., Chief Constable the Record of Thanks awarded to Miss of South Shields, died on September 21st. M. Wilson, Honorary Collector for Mr. Scott became Honorary Secretary twenty-one years. in 1923, and his help will be greatly Life-boat Days have been held at missed. His work for the Life-boat SCUNTHORPE, SKEGNESS, STAMFORD, Service was only one of several honorary SUTTON-ON-SEA and WOODHALL SPA activities for which he found time. He (LINCOLNSHIRE), KIDDERMINSTER, MAL- j took a great interest in the St. John VERN and REDDITCH (WORCESTER- j Ambulance Brigade, and was Honorary SHIRE), LEICESTER and LOUGHBOROUGH j Secretary of the Shoeless Children's (LEICESTERSHIRE), MANSFIELD and j Fund. NOTTINGHAM (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE), MAT- I Life-boat Day. LOCK (DERBYSHIRE), NEWCASTLE - I Life-boat Days have been held at UNDER-LYME and WEST BROMWICH STAITHES and RUNSWICK BAY (YORK- (STAFFORDSHIRE), NORTHAMPTON | SHIRE), STOCKTON and THORNABY (DUR- (NORTHANTS), STRATFORD - ON - AVON HAM), ULVERSTON (LANCASHIRE), WATH- (WARWICKSHIRE) and TEWKESBURY UPON-DEARNE (YORKSHIRE), WHALEY (GLOUCESTERSHIRE). BRIDGE (CHESHIRE) and WHITBY (YORK- SHIRE). South-. WITHXELL (LANCASHIRE).—House-to- Life-boat Days have been held at House Collection. ALDEBURGH (SUFFOLK), BACTON (NOR- Midlands. FOLK), BEXHILL-ON-SEA (SUSSEX) and ALCESTER (WARWICKSHIRE).—Life- BLAKENEY (NORFOLK). boat Day. BISHOPS STORTFORD (HERTFORD- ATHERSTONE (WARWICKSHIRE).—Life SHIRE). — Drawing - room Meeting. boat Day and Carnival. Address by the District Organising Secretary. Life-boat Days have been held at BIRMINGHAM (WARWICKSHIRE), BOSTON BRANCASTER (NORFOLK).—Concert. (LINCOLNSHIRE), BURTON - ON - TRENT Life-boat Days have been held at (STAFFORDSHIRE), and CHESTERFIELD BRIGHTON AND HOVE (SUSSEX), BURY (DERBYSHIRE). ST. EDMUNDS (SUFFOLK) and CAISTER- i CLEETHORPES (LINCOLNSHIRE) .—Life- ON-SEA (NORFOLK). j boat Day and Life-boat Demonstration. CLACTON-ON-SEA (ESSEX).—Life-boat i COALVILLE (LEICESTERSHIRE).—Spe- Sunday, with a procession. I cial Effort. Life-boat Day. Life-boat Days have been held at Life-boat Days have been held at j COVENTRY (WARWICKSHIRE), DROIT- CROMER (NORFOLK),DUNGENESS (KENT), : WICH and EVESHAM (WORCESTERSHIRE). EASTBOURNE (SUSSEX), FELIXSTOWE j GRIMSBY (LINCOLNSHIRE).—American (SUFFOLK) and FOLKESTONE (KENT). j j Tea held at Mrs. McKane's house at Waltham. FRAMLINGHAM (SUFFOLK).—Treasure ji Life-boat Day. Hunt. I j Life-boat Days have been held at GOODWIN SANDS (KENT).—Life-boat i' HORNCASTLE, LINCOLN and MABLE- Day. i! THORPE (LINCOLNSHIRE). GRAVESEND (KENT).—Collection at NORTH SOMERCOTES (DONNA NOOK, the Imperial Paper Mills Sports. Part LINCOLNSHIRE).—Life-boat Sunday at of proceeds of Police sports. NOVEMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEBOAT. 189

By permission of j [The North Mail. Neiccastlf-on-Tyne. THE FIRE BRIGADE HELP ON LIFE-BOAT DAY AT NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

By permission of] [The Blackpool Gazette and Herald. THE MAYOR OF BLACKPOOL APPEALING FROM THE LIFE-BOAT. 190 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928.

GREAT YARMOUTH (NORFOLK).—Life- EXETER (DEVONSHIRE). — Special boat Day. Meeting of the Guild, at which it was decided to hold, during the autumn and HASBOROUGH (NORFOLK).—Life-boat winter, in addition to other Efforts, a Day and Dance. series of monthly Whist Drives, two HUNSTANTON (NORFOLK).—Life-boat Bridge Drives, a Sale of Work and two Day. American Teas. IPSWICH (SUFFOLK).—Collection at HAVANT (HAMPSHIRE). — Life-boat the local Regatta. Day. KESSINGLAND (SUFFOLK).—Beach col- MINEHEAD (SOMERSET). — Garden lection at the exercise of the Life-boat, Meeting. Address by the District followed by a Whist Drive and Dance Organising Secretary. Guild formed. in the Life-boat House, organised by the NEWQUAY (CORNWALL). — Special Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Meeting. Address by the District Concert given by visitors. Organising Secretary. Guild formed. LETCHWOHTH (HERTFORDSHIRE).— Life-boat Day. Branch foimed. House-to-house collec- OKEHAMPTON (DEVONSHIRE). — tion. Branch formed. Life-boat Days have been held at PENZANCE (CORNWALL).—Life-boat MARGATE (KENT), NEWHAVEN (SUSSEX) Day. and NORTH WALSHAM and (NORFOLK). POOLE, BOURNEMOUTH, WIMBORNE and CHRISTCHURCH (DORSETSHIRE).— PALLING (NORFOLK).—Church collec- The Countess of Malmesbury has be- tion. come President of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. j Life-boat Days have been held at : RAMSGATE (KENT), RYE and SEAFORD Bournemouth Life-boat Day. (SUSSEX) and ST. NEOTS (HUNTINGDON- PORTLAND (DORSETSHIRE).—Lite-boat SHIRE). Day. I SELSEY and BOGNOR (SUSSEX).—Mr. PORTSMOUTH.—Life-boat Day and I W. H. B. Fletcher, J.P., C.C. gave his piL from tlie Lo.d Mayor's Charities j annual lunch to the Selsey Committee Account. and Crew. Life-boat Day. ST. IVES (CORNWALL).—Special Meet- ing. Addressed by the District (^-ganis- Life-boat Days have been held at ing Secretary. Concert, organised by SHEERNESS (KENT), SOUTHEND (ESSEX), the Guild. SOUTHWOLD (SUFFOLK), THETFORD Life-boat Day. i (NORFOLK) WALTON - ON - THE - NAZE Life-boat Days have been held at (EssEx), and WATFORD (HERTS.). SALISBURY (WILTSHIRE), TORQUAY | WELLS (NORFOLK).—Collection at (DEVONSHIRE), TOTLAND BAY and j carnival. VENTNOR (!SLE OF WIGHT) and WADE- BRIDGE (CORNWALL). I WINDSOR (BERKSHIRE).—House - to - House Collection. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (SOMERSET).—• Life-boat Day, with launch of the Life- Life-boat Days have been held at boat, and a " rescue " of a small boat WINSLOW (BUCKS.), WISBECH (CAM- with Sea Scouts on board, followed by BRIDGESHIRE), and WORTHING (SUSSEX). a demonstration of first aid by the St. John Ambulance and Red Cross to those South-West of England. who had been brought ashore " injured." DARTMOUTH (DEVONSHIRE). — Life- WEYMOUTH (DORSETSHIRE). — Life- boat Day. boat Day. NOVKMBER, 1928.] THE LIFEEOAT. 191

Scotland. BRIGHT), NAIRN (NAIRN), NORTH BER- Life-boat Days have been held at WICK (HADDINGTON), OBAN (ARGYLL), ABERDEEN, AIEDRIE (LANARK), ALLOA PEEBLES (PEEBLES), PETERHEAD (CLACKMANNAN), ANNAN (DUMFRIES), (ABERDEEN), PORTSOY (BANFF), SAND- ANSTRUTHER (FIFE), ISLE OF ARRAN, END (BANFF), SKELMORLIE (AYR), AUCHENCAIRN (KIRKCUDBRIGHT),BANFF STIRLING (STIRLING), STEVENSTON (AYR) (BANFF), and BARRHEAD (RENFREW). STONEHAVEN (KINCARDINE), STRANRAER (WIGTOWN), THURSO (CAITHNESS), BO'NESS (LINLITHGOWSHIRE). — Ad- TOBERMORY (ARGYLL), TKOON (AYR), dress by District Organising Secretary at and WHITEHILLS (BANFF). a meeting of the Women's Labour Party. Ireland. Life-boat Days have been held at BALLYMENA (Co. ANTRIM).—Branch BUCKIE (BANFFSHIRE), BURNTISLAND formed on 6th September at a meeting (FIFE), COATBRIDGE (LANARK), CONNEL held on the invitation of Mrs. W. R. FERRY (ARGYLL), CORNHILL and Young, J.P., of Galgorm Castle, Mrs. CULLEN (BANFF), CROMARTY (CRO- Young in the chair. Speakers: The MARTY), DALBEATTIE (KIRKCUDBRIGHT). Countess of Antrim and the District Organising Secretary. Mrs. Young was DUNFERMLINE (STIRLINGSHIRE). elected President, Miss Marjorie Ander- Life-boat Day. Sacred Concert. Life- son Honorary Secretary, and Mr. J. T. boat Lecture. Address by the District Lockhart Honorary Treasurer. Organising Secretary to the Annual Workers' Social. BANGOR (Co. DOWN).—Life-boat Day. Life-boat Days have been held at BELFAST.—A special meeting was held, FEARN AND DISTRICT (CROMARTY), with the Marchiintss of L< ndoodcrry, GARDENSTOWN (BANFFSHIRE), GIRVAN D.B E., in the chair, at which it was (AYR), INVERNESS, JEDBURGH and decided to form a Ladies' Life-boat KELSO (ROXBURGH) and KIRKCALDY Guild. Speakers: The Marchioness of (FIFE). Londonderry, Lady Dixon, D.B.E., KIRKCUDBRIGHT (KIRKCUDBRIGHT- The Marchioness of Dufferin and Alva, SHIRE).—The Motor Life-boat, Priscilla Lady Coates, the High Sheriff (Mrs. Macbean, mfct in 1921, out of a legacy R. J. McMordie), and the District from the late Mr. Edward Macbean of Organising Secretary. The Marchio- Helensburgh, was, in February of this ness of Londonderry was elected year, transferred from Eastbourne to President, Lady Dixon, First Vice- Kirkcudbright, where she has replaced Piesident, and tiie Hon. Lady Kennedy, the Pulling and Sailing Life-boat George Honorary Secretary. Gordon Moir. The first public launch BRAY AND GREYSTONES (Co. WICK- took place on 15th September in the LOW).—Life-boat Day. presence of many spectators. Mr. Alexander Allan, the Honorary CARRICKFERGUS (Co. ANTRIM). Secretary, made a short speech on the Branch formed at meeting held on 4th work of the Station and of the Institu- September, Mr. C. M. Legg, J.P. (Chair- tion, and appealed for increased support man of the Council), in the chair. to meet the increased cost of maintain- Speakers : Archdeacon McNeish, Major ing a Motor Life-boat. A Life-boat Day, Dobbs and the District Organising organised and carried out by Boy Scouts, Secretary. Mr. John Weatherup elected was held on the same day. Honorary Secretary. Life-boat Days have been held at COLERAINE (LONDONDERRY).—Life- LARGS (AYR), LOCHGILPHEAD (ARGYLL), boat Day. LOCKERBIE (DUMFRIES), LONGHOPE CORK (Co. CORK). Annual Meeting (ORKNEY), LOSSIEMOUTH (ELGIN), on 13th September, Mr. John J. Horgan, MACDUFF (BANFF), MARKINCH (FIFE), the Coroner, in the Chair. Speakers : MONTROSE (FORFAR), NEW GALLOWAY Mr. H. P. F. Donegan (the Honorary and NEWTON STEWART (KiRCUD- Secretary), and the District Organising 192 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1928. Secretary. Amount raised, £328, as Organising Secretary. About 500 people compared with £367 in the previous were present, and a number of Life-boat year. films were shown. President of the new Life-boat Days have been held at Branch, Lord Penrhyn ; Honorary CLONES (Co. MONAGHAN), CLONAKELTY Secretary, Mr. W. Piice White. (Co. CORK), COURTMACSHEKBY (Co. Life-boat Days have been held CORK), DONAGHADEE (Co. DOWN), at BARMOUTH (MERIONETHSHIRE), DUNGANNON (Co. TYRONE), ENNIS (Co. BEDWAS (MONMOUTHSHIRE), BETTWS- CLARE), HOWTH (Co. DUBLIN), KINGS- Y-COED (CAERNARVONSHIRE), BKIDG- TOWN (Co. DUBLIN), LARNE (Co. NORTH (SHROPSHIRE), CARDIFF ANTRIM), LUKGAN (Co. ARMAGH), (GLAMORGANSHIRE), CEMAES BAY MILTOWN MALBAY (Co. CLARE), and (ANGLESEY), COLWYN BAY (DENBIGH- NEW Ross (Co. WEXFORD). SHIRE), CONNAH'S QUAY (FLINTSHIRE), LIMERICK.—Annual Meeting on 19th and CONWAY (CAERNARVONSHIRE). September, the Mayor presiding. CHURCH STRETTON (SHROPSHIRE). Speakers: Lady Nash (President of —Life-boat Day and Garden Fete. the Ladies' Life-Boat Guild), Mr. C. Downey (Honorary Secretary), and the Life-boat Days have been held at District Organising Secretary. CRICCIETH (CAERNARVONSHIRE), FISH- GUARD (PEMBROKESHIRE), FLINT (FLINT- Life-boat Days have been held at SHIRE), HAVERFORDWEST (PEMBROKE- PORTGLENONE and PORTRUSH (Co. SHIRE), KINGTON (HEREFORDSHIRE), ANTRIM), RAPHOE (Co. DONEGAL), KINLET (SHROPSHIRE), LEOMINSTER SKERRIES (Co. DUBLIN), SKIBBEREEN (HEREFORDSHIRE), LLANDDULAS (DEN- (Co. CORK), TRALEE (Co. KERRY), BIGHSHIRE). TRAMORE (Co. WATERFORD), and TIPPERAHY. LLANDRINDOD WELLS (RADNORSHIRE). WEXFORD (Co. WEXFORD).—Annual —Life-boat Day and Concert. Meeting on llth September, the Lady Life-boat Days have been held at Maurice Fitzgerald in the Chair. LLANDUDNO (CAERNARVONSHIRE), LLAN- Speakers : Major-General Doran, C.B. FAIRFECHAN (CAERNARVONSHIRE) LUD- (Honorary Secretary), and the District LOW and MARKET DRAYTON (SHROP- Organising Secretary. SHIRE), MENAI BRIDGE (ANGLESEY), MILFORD HAVEN (PEMBROKESHIRE), Wales NEATH (GLAMORGANSHIRE), NEWPORT (Including Herefordshire ani Shropshire). (MONMOUTHSHIRE), NEWQUAY (CAR- Life-boat Days have been held at DIGANSHIRE), OSWESTRY (SHROPSHIRE), ABERAYRON (CARDIGANSHIRE), ABER- PENMAENMAWR (CAERNARVONSHIRE), DOVEY (MERIONETHSHIRE), ABEHGELE PORTHCAWL (GLAMORGANSHIRE), (DENBIGHSHIRE), ABERSOCH (CAERNAR- PORTHDINLLAEN (CAERNARVONSHIRE), VONSHIRE), ABERTILLERY (MONMOUTH- PRESTATYN (FLINTSHIRE), and SHIRE), ABERYSTWYTH (CARDIGAN- SHIRE). PWLLHELI (CAERNARVONSHIRE). BANGOR (CAERNARVONSHIRE).—Special RHYL (FLINTSHIRE).—Life-boat Day meeting under the Chairmanship of and Launch of the Life-boat. Lord Penrhyn for the purpose of forming Life-boat Days have been held at ST. a Branch. Among those present were DAVID'S (PEMBROKESHIRE), SHOTTON the Mayor, the High Sheriff of Angle- (FLINTSHIRE), TENBY (PEMBROKE- sey, the Town Clerk, and the District SHIRE), and WELLINGTON (SHROPSHIRE).

Notice. The next number oj THE LIFEBOAT will be published in February, 1929.