The Record of North Sunderland and Stromness.

IN anarticlein The Lifeboat for November, 1925, on the centenary of the Appledore Station we gave the remarkable record of the present Committee, five members of which had then served for a total of 128 years, with an average of twenty- five and a half years, while the President, Chairman and Honorary Secretary had a total service of eighty-one years with an average of twenty-seven years.

On behalf of Appledore we challenged other Branches to beat that record if they could. Poole and Bournemouth / took up the challenge, and its record was published in The Lifeboat, for March last, the figures being, up to last year, 131 years, with an average of twenty-six years, and eighty-eight with an average of twenty-nine.

On behalf of Poole and Bournemouth we challenged other Branches to beat its record, and two have taken up the challenge—Stromness and North Sun- derland. Mr. G. L. Thomson, the Honorary Secretary at Stromness, writes :— " I have examined the record of service of members of our Life-boat Committee, and find that we can beat the record of Poole and Bournemouth.

Mr. J. Mackay (Chairman) and Mr. A. B.

Terras have been members of Com- mittee since 10th February, 1888— thirty-eight years each. I was appointed Honorary Secretary on 17th April, 1903 —twenty-three years, making a total of ninety-nine years, or an average of thirty-three years' service for three members. Capt. Cadger and Mr. S.

Baikie were appointed on 6th May, 1904, twenty-two years each, making a total of 143 years for five members, or an average of twenty-eight and a half- years." Mr. Lewis B. Ross, the Honorary Secretary at North Sunderland, writes : " This Branch can easily beat any of the records mentioned previously. The present Chairman, Lt.-Col. A. Marshall (then Capt. A. Marshall), was appointed a member of Committee in January, 1874. In January, 1880, he was appointed Honorary Secretary, and he held this office until October, 1887, when he was appointed Chairman. He is still Chairman, thus having a continuous service of over fifty-two years : six years as a member of Committee, seven years Honorary Secretary, and thirty- nine years as Chairman. Though over eighty he is as alert and active as ever and takes the deepest interest in the Life-boat Service and fishermen generally.

" Dr. J. G. Macaskie was appointed a member of Committee in January, 1900, thus having a service of twenty- six years. I was appointed Honorary Secretary in December, 1898, so that I have served twenty-seven and a half years. The total service of Chairman, Dr. J. G. Macaskie, and myself is thus 105| years for three members, an average of over thirty-five years. I therefore claim a win from Poole and Bournemouth." Mr. Ross adds : " Since the Station was opened in 1865, the Life-boat has been launched on service 110 times, the total number of lives saved being 225." This then is how the record now stands, the figures being up to 1926 : Total Ser- Total Ser- vice for 5 vice for 3 Name of Oldest Aver- Oldest Aver- Station. Members. age. Members, age.

North Sun- derland . — — 105| 35 Stromness . 143 28 J 99 33 Poole and Bournemouth 136 27 91 30 Appledore . 133 26| 84 28 On behalf of North Sunderland, which has the best record for three members, and Stromness, with the best record for five members, we challenge other Branches. We hope, too, that any Branches which, though they cannot actually beat these records, can show figures of long service will send them to the Institution so that they may be published..