BY the death of Mr. William Cole, of Ilfracombe, at the age of seventy-five, in April of this year, the Institution lost a warm friend and worker and one of its oldest Honorary Secretaries. He was appointed in 1890 and held the position until his death. As a younger man Mr. Cole took a prominent part in the public affairs of Ilfracombe. He was a member first of the Local Board, and then of the Urban District Council for fifteen years, and was Chairman of the Council. When he gave up this public work he still continued to devote him-! self to various charities, and his chief.

interest was in the Life-boat Service.

He was a man with many friends and had the respect and affection of all the ; members of the Ilfracombe Committee j and of the Life-boat Crew.

* * * | During July and August the Institu- j tion lost two Coxswains by the deaths j of Richard Wills, of Poole, and John Geddes, of Peterhead; and Robinson Pounder Robinson, who retired three; years ago from the Coxswainship of the Upgang Boat, died in August.

Richard Wills was born in 1851, became Second Coxswain of the Poole Life-boat in 1891 and Coxswain in 1899, so that he was Second Coxswain) or Coxswain for thirty-one years. In 1908 he was awarded the Thanks of the j Institution inscribed on Vellum for; taking part in a shore-boat service, in | which he and four other men rescued, at great personal risk, two men whose boat had capsized in a heavy ground- swell. A brass tablet to his memory has been put up in the Seamen's Mission at Poole, and was unveiled on 19th Novem- ber- John Geddes was born in 1878, and became Coxswain of the Peter- head Lifeboat in 1919. As is recorded elsewhere, he died actually while the Inaugural Ceremony of the new Peter- head Motor Life-boat was being held.

* * * Robinson Pounder Robinson was born in 1855, became Second Coxswain of the Whitby Life-boat in 1882 and Coxswain of the Upgang Boat in 1899—making the fine record of thirty-seven years as Second Coxswain and Coxswain. He twice received the Institution's Vellum of Thanks. The first occasion was in February, 1909, for a dangerous and difficult service to a ketch which was washed ashore and was being pounded to pieces in the breakers, and the second occasion was for the part which the Upgang Life-boat played in the service to the Rohilla in October, 1914. She was launched by being lowered down the cliffs near the scene of the wreck, and struggled until the Crew were utterly exhausted in a hopeless attempt, against the tremendous sea and strong current, to reach the wreck..