Eastbourne.

AFTER the very successful Life-boat Day held at Eastbourne on the 31st July, by which the sum of over £550 was raised, the following letter appeared in the Eastbourne papers from Mrs.

Astley Roberts, the generous and enthu- siastic President of the Ladies' Auxil- iary and the Organiser, as in previous years, of the effort:— SIR,—I feel sure the residents and visitors in Eastbourne will be glad to hear that through their generosity in giving so liberally to the Royal National Life-Boat Institution on Saturday, the 31st July, so far the amount collected has reached the sum of about £550.

I should like to tender my very best thanks to all those ladies who presided at the tables both in Eastbourne and the outlying districts, and to their friends who worked so inde- fatigably during the day; also to Mr. Wood, the chauffeur who gave up a great deal of his time in collecting the boxes; to the Salvation Army band who gave their services to play the Life-boat procession through the town; to all those gentlemen who assisted with the accounts; and to the Directors of Messrs. Farncombe, Ltd., for the loan of their rooms at the Chronicle Office, and especially to Mr. Gasson, Mr. and Miss Terson, and Mr. and Mrs. Kasner, who were goodness itself in helping in every way both before and on the day itself—working with us all until late that night. I feel that Mr. Infield, the honorary secretary, and I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. Mark Hookham, the assistant secretary, for the immense amount of trouble and time he gave to carrying out and helping so well with the arrangements here and in the country districts, and my special thanks are due to him; also to Miss Lewis Pitt for a sale of postcards at the schools, which brought me in £7 16s. lljrf., and to another friend who collected £5 Os. lid.

Through the generosity of Miss Eleanor Ratclifie, who gave a dance at the Lodge, I have already had over £40 sent to me. I hope both Miss Ratcliffe and her staff, and Miss Jackman and Captain Street will accept my sincerest thanks for all the trouble and time they gave in order to help our men at sea.

I understand that all the money is not yet in from some of the outlying districts, but as soon as possible the total sum will be published.

Thanking you for your kindness in inserting this, Believe me, Very gratefully yours, (Signed) EDITH ASTLEY ROBERTS.

Badlesmere, 6th August, 1920.

Deal.

William Stanton, the Coxswain of the Reserve Life-boat, died at Deal on the 19th September last, in his seventieth year. He developed cancer in the throat and tongue a year ago, and it I will be remembered that he was awarded I the Bronze Medal of the Institution for ) his gallantry in taking out the Life- boat during the terrible storms at the beginning of November last year, although he not only knew that he was [ seriously ill, but was actually in bed at the time waiting to go to a London ' hospital for an operation in the course of a day or two. The operation was performed, and Stanton was able to be present at the Annual General Meeting last April to receive his Bronze Medal, but the disease was only checked, and, j although able occasionally to go afloat, he was never the same man again. His , work as a Life-boat man goes back for ' fifty years, and during that time he shared in the rescue of hundreds of I lives. The Reserve Life - boat was stationed at Deal in 1915, and Stanton was its first Coxswain, receiving the Silver Medal of the Institution for j a splendid attempt to succour the American steamship Sibiria which went aground on the Goodwins in November 1916. This was one of the special cases in which the Committee of Mauage-ment considered that the courage, skill and endurance shown by the crew justified a special award, although the North Deal Boat did not succeed in taking off any of the Siberia's crew, who were rescued later by the Kings- downe Life-boat. No man knew the Goodwins better than Stanton, and he had a great reputation as a fisher of conger eels. It is evidence of the genuine admiration which the public have for the achievements of the Life-boat crews that the news of Stanton's death and the record of his services were published in the press all over the British Isles, appearing in papers even in the far north of Scotland.

Bury.

A Meeting in connexion with the Branch was held on the 20th September, which was specially attended by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Deputy- Chairman of the Institution, for the purpose of presenting Mr. H. T. Bull, the retiring Honorary Secretary of the Branch, with the Gold Pendant and the Record of Thanks awarded to him by the Committee of Management. The Mayor of Bury (Alderman Rothwell) presided, and said that he felt that the Institution deserved all the support that they could give it. In making the presentation Sir Godfrey Baring said that by the retirement of Mr. Bull the Institution was losing a helper who had rendered valuable services to the Life- boat Cause, and who, for many years, had been an admirable Secretary to the Bury Branch. In his reply, Mr. Bull recalled the fact that Bury's first effort on behalf of the Institution had been made in 1892, and pointed out that the expenses of the Branch had never exceeded eight per cent. Mr. 1ST.

Crompton was formally elected Honorary Secretary in succession to Mr. Bull.

Derby.

On. the 5th October a meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary was held at which Mr. Solomon, the District Organising Secretary for the Midlands, on behalf of the Committee of Management, pre- sented to Lady Ann, J.P., the President of the Ladies' Auxiliary, the Silver Inkstand and the Framed Certificate which had been awarded to her by the Committee as some slight recognition of her long and valuable services to the Life-boat Cause. In making the pre- sentation, Mr. Solomon said that for twenty-two years Lady Ann had been the mainstay of the Ladies' Auxiliary, and had never failed to fill others with her enthusiasm for the work of the Life-boat Service. In her reply, Lady Ann said she greatly appreciated the honour conferred upon her, but could not accept the gift without saying how much she was indebted to the loyal support of the ladies who made it possible for Derby to hold such a good position in the list of contributing towns. It gave her real pleasure to assist the Life - boat Institution, because in her earlier days she lived on the coast and knew what rough weather at sea meant to a disabled ship, and j never could she forget the night that ! nine brave Life-boat men—each known to her from childhood—lost their lives in a gallant attempt to save the crew of a vessel which sank after striking the rocks. As long as she lived she would treasure the gift, and, as in the 1 past, would always do what her strength permitted in furthering the interest of this heroic work of life-saving from shipwreck.

Tynemouth.

On the 6th October a Public Meeting was held for the purpose of presenting to Coxswain Robert Smith the Framed Certificate of Service which was awarded to him by the Committee of Manage- ment on his retirement after ten years as Coxswain of the Tynemouth Life-boat, ; during which time he had been awarded the Gold Medal of the Institution for i his service to the hospital ship Rohilla, I the Silver Medal and Silver Second Service Clasp, and the Thanks of the ; Committee inscribed on Vellum. His connexion with Life-boat work goes back over fifty years, and he took part with Major Burton in experimenting with the first Motor Life-boat.

In addition to the Certificate of Service, Coxswain Smith was awarded a pension and a special gratuity of ten guineas in recognition of his special and valuable services, while the people of j Tynemouth have shown their apprecia- tion of his achievements by presenting him with a pair of binoculars and a cheque for £77.

Major H. E. Burton, R.E., Chairman of the Tynemouth Branch and Honorary Superintendent of the Motor Life-boat, presided. Major Burton, it will be I remembered, was also awarded the Gold ; Medal for the Rohilla service. The presentation was made by the Duke of Northumberland, President of the Branch and a member of the Com- mittee of Management, and many pro- minent people and representatives of Tynemouth bodies were present. Among1 those supporting Major Burton on the platform were the Mayor (Alderman William Hutchinson), Rear - Admiral Slayter, C.B., R.N., Admiral Superin- tendent of the Tyne District, Mr. William Dodds, Vice-Chairman of the Branch, and Mr. Ernest W. Swan, the Honorary Secretary. M. S. Malcolm, President of the Tyne Life-boat Society, and representatives of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade were also present. The Duke of Northumberland, in the course of his speech, referred to the increasing cost of maintaining the Life-boat Service, and appealed to the great shipping community of the Tyne District to do its duty by the Institu- tion and to show in a practical way its gratitude to the Service.

In returning thanks for the presenta- tions, Coxswain Smith said that he had never had a wrong word with any member of his crew. They were a splendid lot of fellows, and had always obeyed orders.

Anstruther.

The Annual Meeting of the Branch was held on the 16th October last, and the Chairman referred with great regret to the death, four days previously, of Mrs. A. M. Watson, an Honorary Vice- President of the Institution, and one of its very generous benefactors, who presented to it the money out of which the Anstruther Life-boat, the James and Mary Walker, was built in 1904, and every year since its launching has given a subscription of £10 to the Branch.

She never ceased to show a continuous and sympathetic interest in the work of the Station and the achievements of its crew. The Meeting decided to record in the Minutes its regret at her death, and its gratitude for all that she had done for the Life-Boat Cause.

Manchester and Salford.

A most successful matinee in aid of the Institution was held on the 22nd October. It was organised by the Lord Mayor—the first Labour Lord Mayor whom the City has had—and raised the splendid sum of over £816. The matinee was held at the "Palace," the directors of which not only gave the use of the theatre, but arranged the per- formance, while artistes from theatres in Manchester, Salford, Eccles, Liverpool and Birkenhead gave their services.

Thus there was not one penny of expense incurred, and the whole of the proceeds will go to the benefit of the Life-boat Service. The Lord Mayor himself was, unfortunately, not able to be present, but his box was occupied by the Lady Mayoress and the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackpool. Both the north-west and the north-east coasts were repre- sented, the former by the Life-boat | Silver Band of Blackpool, and the : latter by Coxswain Robert Smith of Tynemouth, one of the heroes of the Bohilla service, both of whom con- tributed greatly to the success of the performance, and were enthusiastically received.

Blackpool's Life-boat Band.

In the August issue attention was drawn to the " Land Services " cheerfully given by the Crew of the Cresswell Life-boat in connexion with the Ashing- ton procession. It is a pleasure to record i the indebtedness of the Institution to the Blackpool Life-boat Crew which has given to Blackpool the distinction of being the only Branch of the Institution with a Life-boat Band. It was only last December that the Band was playing in the streets of the town when the ! signal was fired, and the Band, forsaking its instruments, hurried off to play a sterner part, by going out on a service which lasted eight hours. In connexion with Manchester's most successful Life- boat Matinee, the Blackpool Band per- formed a most useful " Land Service." i It went over to Manchester, played selections in St. Ann's Square, and after- wards delighted a crowded house with its rendering of " Maritana." It is pleasant also to record that the Band was taken from Blackpool to Man- chester and back by a generous chara- banc proprietor without charge, and that it was entertained to luncheon by the Lord Mayor, and to tea by the Manchester Limited Restaurant.

Ramsgate.

This year, for the first time since before the war, the triennial dinner to Life-boat men was held, provided out of the legacies for that purpose left by Admiral Sir George Back and Mrs. Susanna Stephens. Mr. George F. Shee, the Secretary of the Institution, presided, and was supported by the Mayor (Coun- cillor R. W. Philpott), the Rev. E. L. A. Hertslet (the Vicar of Ramsgate), the Rev. J. H. Askwith, and Captain F. S. Symons (the Harbour Master and the Hon. Secretary of the Ramsgate Branch).

Altogether about eighty sat down to the dinner, among them five of the survivors of the famous Ramsgate crew which went to the rescue of the Indian Chief in 1881. It was announced at the dinner that the sixth survivor, Harry Meader, had died that day.

In proposing the toast of the Institution, Mr. Hertslet recalled the fact that in 1851 the prize offered by the Duke of Northumberland for the best Lifeboat design had been won, among nearly three hundred sent in, by Mr. Henry Beeching, of Yarmouth, and that his boat, the first genuine self-righting Life-boat ever built, had been purchased by the Harbour Trustees of Ramsgate, and did splendid service for many years.

In replying to the toast, Mr. Shee spoke of the magnificent courage and seamanship of the Life-boat crews, mentioning in particular the names of the Ramsgate Coxswains, Hogbiii, Jarman, Fish, William Cooper, the present Coxswain, who has held the post for nearly thirty years, and Captain East of the tug Aid. Were he a Ramsgate ' man there was nothing of which he would i be prouder than the fact that no Lifeboat Station on the coast had a more splendid record.

In the absence of Coxswain Cooper, the Second Coxswain, T. Reed, replied, and expressed the regret which Lifeboatmen felt that their work did not receive more recognition from the I residents of Ramsgate itself. The Mayor also spoke, and said that, during his year of office, he was eager to help the Life-boat Cause. He was sure that the people of Ramsgate would show their appreciation of the work of their Station, and that the Ramsgate press would not be behind the papers of other to svns in making public the achievements and claims of the Service.

It is pleasant to be able to report that Darne Janet Stancomb Wills, O.B.E , one of the leading residents of Ramsgate, is issuing a special and ! personal appeal to the town on behalf of the Institution..